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City Driving

City Driving. Chapter 10. 10-1 The City Driving Environment. Objectives Understand the importance of scanning ahead and reducing speed Understand the difference between riding the brake and covering the brake. 10-1 The City Driving Environment.

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City Driving

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  1. City Driving Chapter 10

  2. 10-1 The City Driving Environment • Objectives • Understand the importance of scanning ahead and reducing speed • Understand the difference between riding the brake and covering the brake

  3. 10-1 The City Driving Environment • Most of the driving you do in a city is residential or business • Streets in residential areas are not very congested, however there are risks involved with driving in these areas • Not very brightly lit • Residents are familiar with the streets and flow of traffic • Business districts have their own hazards, although they are usually wider roadways, have controlled intersections, and are more brightly lit • Traveling at higher speeds • Parked cars • Delivery trucks • Alleys • Aggressive Driving

  4. The City Driving Environment • Cannot spend too much time looking at signs, addresses, or other distractions • You have a smaller margin for error, so you have to stay focused • Scanning ahead • Get to know the area before you travel to or through it

  5. The City Driving Environment • Expect pedestrians EVERYWHERE! • Getting in or out of cars • Going to or from office buildings, restaurants, hotels, etc. • Watch your SPEED! • Number of potential hazards and limited space available • Give yourself more time to assess a danger

  6. Be Prepared to Stop or Slow • Because it can take time to move your foot from the accelerator to the brake, people can miss the pedal in an emergency situation • Covering the Brake • Taking your right foot off of the accelerator and holding it over the break pedal as you cruise forward on your car’s momentum • If you have to stop, your foot is already there • Riding the Brake • Similar to covering the brake, except your foot rests on the brake pedal • Causes wear and tear on your brakes • Confuses other drivers

  7. Parked Vehicles • We need to be aware of vehicles entering and exiting parking spots • When looking for a parking spot: • Resist the urge to stop or brake when you see an opening • Invitation to be rear-ended • Reduce speed and scan far ahead so you will have plenty of time to identify a possible space • If you are not looking for a parking spot: • Be aware of others that are • Be on the lookout for people entering or exiting spots • Wheels turned, exhaust, brake lights, ? • Keep brake covered when driving past parked vehicles • Look through the windows to see if there are people inside • If the lane is wide enough, stay a door’s width away

  8. Gridlock • Most common during rush-hour traffic or special events • When traffic is so congested that it comes to a stop • How to avoid gridlock? Prepare an alternate route. • People get crazy during traffic jams…Don’t be one of them!

  9. 10-2 Lane Positioning • Objectives • Understand why lane positioning is important in city driving • Understand how to change lanes properly • Understand the different types of roads that can be in a city environment

  10. 10-2 Lane Positioning • Choosing a Lane • Amount of congestion, the direction of cross-traffic and the availability of turn lanes determine the best lane of travel • Your goal on the road • i.e., keep going straight, park, enter a driveway, turn at an intersection

  11. Choosing a Lane • Choose a lane that is both less congested and offers good visibility • When you pick a lane, stay there until you need to turn, pass, or avoid a hazard • Allows you to increase your space cushion

  12. Two-Lane Roads • Traffic often bunches up along the right-hand side of the road • Buses, taxis, vehicles parking or leaving a space • If you can, slow down and wait for the vehicle to move • If it has not moved after a reasonable amount of time, wait until oncoming traffic is clear and go around • Since you are crossing into the lane of oncoming traffic, signal your intentions before moving into that lane, and then signal back to your lane

  13. Multilane Roads • The left lane is usually the fastest lane • Does not make it the smoothest • Can be dangerous on city streets • Roads can be narrow and traffic can come across the center line into your lane • May turn in front of you • Wide right turn • To avoid conflicts, it is safer to stay out of the left lane unless you are planning to turn left soon

  14. Multilane Roads • If you must travel in the left lane, position your vehicle towards the right side of the lane • Have an escape route • You are not altogether safe on the right side of the road either • Parked cars & Pedestrians

  15. Changing Lanes • Don’t change lanes too often • Don’t change lanes near an intersection • Make sure you have a clear view of the road ahead

  16. Steps to Changing Lanes • Check rearview and sideview mirrors for traffic, both behind you and in the lane in which you want to change to • Signal and check blind spot • If you are turning left, your blind spot is over your left shoulder • If you are turning right, your blind spot is over your right shoulder • Move into the other lane while maintaining a constant speed • Cancel signal and check mirrors again

  17. One-Way Streets • Common in city environments • Choose the lane with the fewest hazards • Usually the middle lane • When turning onto a one-way street, make sure you know it is a one-way street and that you are turning in the correct direction

  18. One-Way Streets • How can you tell? • Signs • Parking on both sides of the street with cars facing the same direction • When exiting • Use left lane for left turns and right lane for right turns • Be prepared in case the street goes from one-way to two-way traffic • Signs will be posted • Be prepared for drivers that don’t know where they are driving the wrong way • If you go down the wrong way, pull over as soon as possible

  19. Traffic Flow • When one vehicle drives slow, it affects all the drivers behind them • Try to stay with the flow of traffic and avoid driving too fast or too slow • Avoid driving next to other cars in the adjoining lanes • Reduces space cushioning and vision • If you are moving and the adjoining lane isn’t, be prepared for drivers darting into your lane

  20. 10-3 Passing • Objectives • Understand the proper way to pass another vehicle • Know when not to pass and when to make the pass

  21. 10-3 Passing • Overtaking another vehicle on the road • Must be able to judge speed and distance of vehicles to pass safely and effectively • General Rules • Never pass more than one vehicle at a time • Always pass on the left when it is safe to do so

  22. When Not To Pass • Situations in which passing is prohibited: • Intersections • Railroad crossings • Bridge, tunnel, or underpass • Going uphill • Don’t pass if you don’t think you can make it!

  23. Making the Pass • Check mirrors for traffic behind you and to your sides. Signal and check your blind spot. • Move into the other lane and obtain a speed advantage over the other vehicle. • Don’t linger in their blind spots • Overtake the vehicle and create space between the vehicle and you. • Signal and check your blind spot as you return to your lane.

  24. Being Passed • Maintain or reduce speed to make it easier for the driver to pass • Do not speed up or block that person from passing • It is illegal and puts you and that driver at risk for a serious accident • If you notice that the driver may have misjudged their pass, or there may be a hazard up ahead, reduce speed to allow them to get back to your lane • Have an escape route

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