For many, driving is not a pleasant experience. It’s intense, raises the blood pressure and sometimes involves conflict. For them, it’s a jungle out there on the road. It’s been said that the unpleasantness of driving is a sign of the times we live in, but it only seems this way because of our mind-set. Lots of motorists view driving as a kind of competition. If your driving style reflects that view-point, then others will respond in kind, and for you, driving may be a daily battle against a rude and angry public.
However, it is human nature to mirror back what they perceive in others. They will respond in kind to your anger or to your kindness. So the choice is yours. You can drive harder by being aggressive, or drive smarter by being pleasant and courteous. Both driving styles require communication. While communicating anger seems to come naturally, communicating to elicit cooperation from others takes more skill. Here are a few pointers to make your driving easier and safer through the art of communication.
Communicate With Your Car
Use your turn signals to communicate your intentions. When making turns and changing lanes, move your finger an inch or two and flip that turn signal switch. That one simple action will eliminate a lot of irate reactions from motorists around you.
Make a friend on the road by letting him or her go ahead of you. This is done with another simple action of the hand. Briefly flicker the high beam to allow another motorist into your lane ahead of you or to cross an intersection first.
Communicate With Your Face and Hand
Eye contact accompanied by a nod of the head or a waving motion of the hand, gives the other driver permission to pull in ahead of you. In very slow traffic, face and hand communication are also effective for getting permission from another driver to merge into his lane in front of him. Eye contact and a courteous hand gesture are all it takes. If the driver doesn’t see you, use a friendly wave and a smile to get his attention.
Learn to Read the Intentions of Others
Drivers indicate their intentions in a number of ways. They will turn their heads to the side to check for cars before lane switching. This tells you not to pass them in the same lane. Many drivers don’t use signals but you can read their intent at intersections by how they position their cars. Cars on the right side of an intersection that are angled to the right with front wheels turned right strongly indicate they will make a right turn. The same is true for left turns. When you read another’s intentions, only use the information as a warning, don’t make assumptions.
Drive smarter, not harder by communicating your willingness to be cooperative with the driving public. Cooperative drivers tend to be less accident prone than competitive drivers. Because of their better driving records, they often enjoy lower auto insurance rates.
Get a free quote today. Call Key City Insurance at (435) 656-8100 for more information on Victorville car insurance.