Defensive Driving: How to Gain Some Respect on the Road

R-E-S-P-E-C-T, Just a Little Bit - Imagine the days when automobiles just became a new and popular necessity for people. As opposed to the long distance driving and busy schedule people today depend on their cars for, this was not the case in the past. As automobiles became common years ago, they were used for the family ride or to go out with some friends. Everyone was so used to walking to where ever they had to go that a car was not really needed as much as it is today. As the years have gone by, the "fun" rides with families and friends have slowly diminished and most try to avoid driving if they could because other drivers will just get one angry. Today, the contrast between the non-stop stressful schedule of young/middle age society with the deteriorating ability of elderly drivers to drive as well as the plain idiot drivers have led many to dread driving.

We can change the feeling people get when they get into their cars and we can make people become better drivers. Most people would think this would be frankly impossible since we would have to eventually reach millions of people in hundreds of countries. All drivers have to do is strike back. I have been driving for over two years now, and have witnessed my father's own expertise at defensive driving for quite some time. While some of the characteristics of this type of driving seem ticket-friendly, I have yet to get a ticket and even if I had gotten a ticket, the benefits of this style of driving are worth it. Defensive driving is the only way to change a bad driver's habits. This practice will get the bad driver angry and realize people are not going to put up with one's profoundly ridiculous driving customs.

Before I go on and suggest some key aspects of defensive driving that you should take part in, I would first like you to understand the general reasoning of why you should change the way you drive. No matter what, the golden rule of defensive driving is that "driver's must earn your respect." If it is rude for someone to walk right behind you as if they are your shadow, then it is also rude for someone to tailgate you as long as you are driving a reasonable speed. This is the same case as if someone ran in front of you. Driving is no different than any other situation. This is why drivers need to fight for their respect on the road as well. Defensive driving, while it is fun and you will surely be quick to become part of this fast-growing trend, actually has good intentions that are unrecognizable to most.

I have provided you with an outline of responses a typical defensive driver would engage in during various situations.

When a person cuts you off...

When a person drives on your tail

If you are given the finger..

"Try me" Attitude..

Driving Laws do not exist

While some of the fundamentals of defensive driving seem to be plain mean, it is sadly the only way to get the point across that people should have the same respect for people on the road as they should for people in person. Some people do not have any respect at all though, and these are the people defensive drivers target. Defensive drivers do not outright alienate older drivers, and our clear goal is to target the miserable people who are in a such a rush and should have just left their home earlier to avoid rushing instead of blaming it on everyone else. Defensive drivers give the miserable drivers something to be miserable about by making them late for work or where ever they have to go. If we fail to make them late, we at least punish them for their horrible driving habits by putting them into a bad mood.

Defensive driving is clearly a very fun driving practice with a sole purpose of getting a little respect from the enemies on the road.. This rule applies as long as no law enforcement is present. Defensive drivers still talk on their cell phones as long as it does not interfere with their driving capabilities. With no time to eat in the morning at home, it is also alright to eat and drive. With defensive driving, a yellow light means speed up so that you can avoid waiting two minutes at a red light. Defensive drivers respect the elderly but when there are more than three empty handicap parking spots, it is appropriate to park in one as long as it is going to be a quick store stop. Most police officers have more important things to do than check whether or not you are supposed to be in a handicap spot. People often drive the way they do because they think they can get away with it.

Defensive Drivers gives these people a little "test" of their own medicine. Often times, drivers will put you in a threatening position like their car is going to hit yours, but you must show no fear as long as the accident would be their fault. I will provide you with some instances of how you can enforce this attitude. If you are driving down the road and a person pulls out from the other side of the road and is trying to get in front of you and is blocking traffic on the other side of the road at the same time, do not let them go if you did not wave them before hand. You have the right of way so these drivers must wait until they can pull out without thinking people are just going to let them go.

Another common scenario is in a parking lot. If someone is driving through parking spaces, try to get in their way as long as you are driving properly into a spot or around a row of spots. Also, if a person signals to get into your lane at the last minute before a highway on-ramp or a turn, do not let them go. Let them suffer by having a hard time to get over since they stayed in the faster lane that no one was in with intentions that they would cut someone off that waited patiently in the lane of traffic. Quite often when you are driving, you will see another driver looking at you and giving you the finger, sometimes even rolling their window down and swearing. The best way to react to this situation is not to give them the finger back. It is better to just get them even madder. Believe me, this is very easy though quite childish. Make sure the other driver is looking at you and simply stick your tongue out and put your hands to each ear and move your fingers and start to laugh. Though this is unproven as to whether the other driver gets mad from this, I know if someone did this to me when I was already heated, this would clearly be the finishing touch. While this is a reaction to a person usually giving you the finger, it is also a good technique if someone is even staring at you or doing something else extremely annoying and rude....

This is simply when a driver is following your car very closely. This is very similar to the previous rule explained but with reverse roles. Before I go on to explain how one should respond to this situation, I must first clarify that you can not be the source of the problem because you are also targeting slow drivers. If you are driving slow, which is the speed limit, pull over and let the person behind you go, but if you are driving at least 10-15mph over the speed limit and face a person tailgating you, this is when it is time to have fun. Apply the "brake test" and make the irritable driver get even more angry. If the driver tries to pass you, speed up so the bad driver will not accomplish this. From this point on, just continue driving slow, and I mean less then the speed limit now, until the person tailgating you is no longer behind you. When in the reverse situation when you are behind a slow driver, only tailgate if they are driving the speed limit or below. The speed limit is clearly too slow and an inadequate speed the law enforcement attempts to restrict upon drivers. When tailgating, flash your lights and beep your horn. This will eventually cause the driver to pull over or hit the gas pedal.

Defensive driving does not support those who tailgate people over the speed limit because then a defensive driver may be tailgating one of their own. If you are unfamiliar with the term "cutting off," this is simply when another driver switches into your lane, usually without a signal, and causes you to have to hit your brake because there is very little space between your car and the car of the driver who cut you off. While some people are stupid and do not even realize they cut you off because they are such horrible drivers, others do it intentionally because they are in a rush and just keep switching lanes to get around traffic. Either way, you must retaliate. Try your best to get in front of this driver, no matter how fast you must go, and make sure when you get in front of them, you do not signal into their lane. Once you are firmly in front, now drive slow and get the bad driver mad. If they switch lanes and try to pass you, this is when you drive fast again so they can not get in front of you and are stuck behind you. If this takes place at night and you can not get in front of the driver, you can strike back by just putting on your beamers (stronger car lights) which will reflect off their mirror into their eyes. Just avoid the "brake test," which is when they hit the brakes so you will hit their car.