The ingredients of advanced driving

[jont]

So what size tin should I use?

What sort of cake do you want?

[Astraist]

While I agree that attitude and observation are most important, if we do not "dive" into the details and deal with how we actually do things on the road - the real life performance will be less than desired. There are technical things to learn about observation (isn't that sort of a technique, too?), to the front, sides and back; about maintaining safety margins in all directions; matching speed to conditions; positioning; negotiating bends; overtaking and dealing with all sorts of situations.

I believe in working on improving the driving performance at all levels: Both in attitude and in technique; both in observation and at the physical operation of the car's controls; both at being cautious, but also at maintaing the vehicle for safety; both at observation for avoiding hazards, but also in recovering from emergency situations.

[MGF]

Try riding a pedal bike in central London traffic.

Maybe try using a country road - for walking.

Are you still suffering from your recent nocturnal walk in the countryside?

[waremark]

I like the baking analogy. But perhaps the crumb, the flour and the sugar are easier to talk about than the factors that lift a good drive to a brilliant drive???

[jont]

I like the baking analogy. But perhaps the crumb, the flour and the sugar are easier to talk about than the factors that lift a good drive to a brilliant drive???

Or just easier to relate to? Before I set out on my AD journey, my idea of a "brilliant" drive certainly wouldn't look like what it does now - and in many areas I wouldn't even have known that it could have been improved.

[TripleS]

Try riding a pedal bike in central London traffic.

Maybe try using a country road - for walking.

Are you still suffering from your recent nocturnal walk in the countryside?

No, I don't think so, but I do suffer from various other things, as you know; not least being certain delusions as to my driving qualities.

The walk was fine. I merely ended up with sore feet, and that was the most obvious limitation, but I was quite pleased with the achievement. To some it would seem an odd thing to do, but I was quite pleased at having been able to do it. I might try it again soon, but not using so much road next time. There's still the Cleveland Way, and of course the old railway line, though the latter tends to be infested with bloody cyclists.

[Kimosabe]

It seems to me that we spend too much time talking about technique. Advanced driving is really all about the highest level of observation anticipation and planning allowing you to be at an intelligently considered speed on an intelligently considered part of the road with a consistent level of safety and all with the smoothest inputs.

Agreed?

My experience of AD (in it's Roadcraft form) is this.

How to destroy and/ or remove the fun from a really simple thing is very easy, turn it into something incredibly complex.

[TripleS]

It seems to me that we spend too much time talking about technique. Advanced driving is really all about the highest level of observation anticipation and planning allowing you to be at an intelligently considered speed on an intelligently considered part of the road with a consistent level of safety and all with the smoothest inputs.

Agreed?

My experience of AD (in it's Roadcraft form) is this.

How to destroy and/ or remove the fun from a really simple thing is very easy, turn it into something incredibly complex.

In the early stages I don't think driving is easy, but it can come to feel easy largely because most people soon reach a level of proficiency they are happy with, (or, to keep CK happy, a level of proficiency with which they are content), and after that they cease to think about the subject. This is unfortunate, IMHO, but it's the way it seems to be.

I now regard driving as easy, and I have done for a long time; but I think this is based on a long term interest in the subject, and experience of a very wide variety of situations and conditions, and having acquired most of the tools to be able to deal with them fairly naturally and without conscious effort.

Overall, driving is a complex matter, and I wouldn't want to make it any more demanding for the average driver, but I do think it would be better if more people treated the task with a bit more consideration and respect.

There you go, more meaningless waffle.

[SeanP]

On no account should anyone heel and toe whilst baking a cake. I think we can all agree.

Depends on whether you're using a V8 driven mixer?



I think that the techniques - whether finer vehicle control or the elements of The System are somewhat secondary; and the prime differentiation has to be the attitude & willingness etc.?

[Kimosabe]

I think that the techniques - whether finer vehicle control or the elements of The System are somewhat secondary; and the prime differentiation has to be the attitude & willingness etc.?

Instant +1.

Plus all the support one gets from those wot know betterer, when it all goes Yaris-shaped, of course

[WhoseGeneration]

allowing you to be at an intelligently considered speed on an intelligently considered part of the road with a consistent level of safety and all with the smoothest inputs.

Agreed?

No, because that would put me, often, outside the proscribed limits.
However, I can do such, boringly, within those same limits.