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Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

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Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#51

Post by user3939382 »

timnetworks wrote: post #46
user3939382 wrote: post #33

In general people are horrible drivers. They tailgate, roll through stop signs, signal after they start changing lanes, don’t signal at all, are oncoming and have their tire in your lane. In NYC they play a game of not letting you merge into a lane unless you basically threaten to crash into them. I lived a life insulated from the morons of the general public until I started driving.

don't take this the wrong way but you may be impeding traffic, and other may be fuming while going around you. there's a flow to the traffic, doubly so in NYC, cars can be going through, another making a turn, two peds crossing diagonally, but it all comes to a standstill around virginia and ohio plates for some reason

No I’m talking about, in a sea of examples, the guy the other day tailgating me when I was going 40 in a 30, then after passing me went 60 (in a 30). Maniacs.

A few weeks ago I let one of these people pass in a rainstorm and then rolled my eyes as I watched him fishtail and almost kill himself on a cliff edge.

It’s not most drivers but it’s extremely common.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#52

Post by ianai »

ianai wrote: post #3

Possibly taking the time to mess around in an empty parking lot to learn the “size” of the vehicle and steering. And, in general, “leave the ego behind” as soon as you close the door of the vehicle. Your number 1 priority is never getting into an accident. The graveyards are full of “people in the right.”

Want to add, I, as someone with over 20 years of driving experience, do still periodically perform exercises in empty parking lots. It’s far better to be over humble in this than arrogant.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#54

Post by BuildTheRobots »

genman wrote: post #26
ryukoposting wrote: post #21

I have a friend from southeast Asia who learned to drive as an adult in the US. He learned on a friend's car, receiving instruction from that friend. Here's some notes: Having an instructor is nice, but a patient friend who you trust will also work. The throttle is more sensitive than you'll expect at first. Automatic cars roll forward slowly unless you hold the brake. Old cars have less sensitive brake pedals - that…

> creep forward into the intersection > Use your mirrors, and use your turn signals. I would add this: turn your head, not only your eyes, always control the blind spot by turning your head.

I'd go further and say that once you're committed, stick your foot down and get on with it.

There's quite a few junctions just on my semi-rural commute where you're turning onto a fast moving road (60mph limit) from a full stop stop where you can only see a few hundred yards or less of the road you're joining. People seem to recognise the danger, but a lot of drivers react to it by being overly cautious pulling out and getting up to speed which just increases the time you're in the danger zone.

edit: also, don't just turn your head, my truck instructor insisted I move my head forwards as it changes your view even more and can make things like motorbikes more obvious.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#55

Post by genman »

BuildTheRobots wrote: post #54
genman wrote: post #26

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> creep forward into the intersection > Use your mirrors, and use your turn signals. I would add this: turn your head, not only your eyes, always control the blind spot by turning your head.

I'd go further and say that once you're committed, stick your foot down and get on with it. There's quite a few junctions just on my semi-rural commute where you're turning onto a fast moving road (60mph limit) from a full stop stop where you can only see a few hundred yards or less of the road you're joining. People seem to recognise the danger, but a lot of drivers react to it by being overly cautious pulling out a…

Good point. Also worth noting that move your head forward to look around front window pillars, especially when moving slowly - it is incredibly frequent when a pedestrian is approaching exactly with the speed that will hide them behind the pillars when the car is moving forward. This one I had to figure out on my own.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#56

Post by ollybee »

I learned at 38. It's was hard but you can do it. Find a good driving instructor and do what they say. I thought I couldn't do it but in the end it took as long instructor told me it would.

As with anything, don't over think it, just put the hours in.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#57

Post by thorin »

Be thankful you don't have to manage a gear stick or roundabouts.

If you have ridden a bicycle in traffic before you'll find it way easier as it's mainly managing position on the road and watching out for other traffic. Might be worth learning the controls first in an empty car park if you don't already know them. Small cars are generally easier to learn in.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#58

Post by mewpmewp2 »

jakderrida wrote: post #38
mewpmewp2 wrote: post #24

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you really assumed everyone is trying to kill you, you should really not go outside at all. Or if you see a car nearby, immediately swerve. You should probably never stop, at lights for example.

Fine. They're trying to kill you, but they also want to frame it as a suicide. Does that cover all bases?

That's too much in the other direction. To protect against that you would just have to wear a seatbelt and not go over certain speed, and not swerve into incoming traffic. If they wanted to suicide you, you would need to go faster to be able to do that without seatbelt and/or intentionally break some sort of laws/rules.

I think best to me is to assume other drivers are not paying a lot of attention unless there are obvious hints that they are and if you don't have visibility somewhere, assume that something could be there.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#59

Post by digdugdirk »

danans wrote: post #22

I learned to ride a motorcycle around 30, in a big city no less. Your brain is plenty plastic enough but remember that your brain can learn far better by analogy and conscious correlation than a younger, more plastic brain can. You are probably more socially and situationally aware than a younger person which is a huge part of driving safely. You also have a fully formed prefrontal cortex so unlikely to make stupid c…

So glad someone mentioned this. So much of keeping yourself and others safe on the road involves subconsciously being able to respond to situations without thinking about what needs to be done.

Being able to train some facsimile of those reactions in a safe and controlled environment is a key aspect of the driving process that people get small bits of over a long time. Hopefully in time enough to be able to save lives in time of emergency.

Re: Ask HN: 40yo adult learning to drive what is different vs. learning young?

#60

Post by jakderrida »

mewpmewp2 wrote: post #58
jakderrida wrote: post #38

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Fine. They're trying to kill you, but they also want to frame it as a suicide. Does that cover all bases?

That's too much in the other direction. To protect against that you would just have to wear a seatbelt and not go over certain speed, and not swerve into incoming traffic. If they wanted to suicide you, you would need to go faster to be able to do that without seatbelt and/or intentionally break some sort of laws/rules. I think best to me is to assume other drivers are not paying a lot of attention unless there are o…

> I think best to me is to assume other drivers are not paying a lot of attention unless there are obvious hints that they are and if you don't have visibility somewhere, assume that something could be there.

Well, that's just absurd.

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