I originally posted this in a different thread but thought it might be worth posting here for reference. I cleaned it up a little, deleted some stuff, and added a couple comments.


Tire Maintenance is extremely important. Not only does tire maintainance prevent tire failure and accidents it extends tread life and helps maintain fuel economy. I rotate my BFG ATs every 3000 miles (w/ oil change). I check my tire pressure EVERY time I fill up. I also visually inspect my tires EVERY time I fill up. Sure that might sound a little overly causous. I have my reasons. I have about 45000 miles on my BFG ATs and still have at least 85% of the tread left. The longer my tires last the less money I have to waste replacing them early. My main reason, I was driving a buddy's car when it had a front tire blow-out at night going 70mph. Poor tire maintainence was the cause.


Driving skills and ability. No piece of equipment can make up for driver error and ignorance. Even with high speed traction stability control and the best tires money can buy, if you don't have the skill or ability, you are still going to wreck.

The best thing you can do for yourself is practice. Take your vehicle to a big empty parking lot. Go on a rainy day. Get up to about 15-20mph and slam the brakes to the floor. Do that a few times at different speeds. Then drive around the lot making turns at gradially increasing speeds. Try to get your vehicle to skid. Remember to turn INTO the skid to recover but don't oversteer. Don't go too fast or you will roll your vehicle. You want to play around and get a real good feel for your vehicle. If you live were it snows, go out after a good 2"-3" of snow has fallen. The more snow the better. Do the same manuvers as with wet pavement just go a little slower at first. You will notice that you need a lot more distance to stop. You will also notice how much easier it is to get into a skid. Again remember to turn INTO the skid to recover but don't oversteer. Don't go too fast or you will roll your vehicle. You want to play around and get a real good feel for your vehicle.

You maybe able to driver 45-55mph in rain or snow in a Jeep because of 4WD or AWD but can you stop? Are you going to skid into a ditch? Are you going to do something stupid and roll your vehicle? Practice in a parking lot, leave yourself plenty of room, and slow down so you don't find the answers the hard way.

Following distances are extremely important. You should leave a...

2sec gap between you and the car in front of you during the day.
3sec gap at night.
4sec or more in rain or fog/smoke.
5sec or more in heavy rain, heavy fog/smoke or snow.

For you (insert derogatory term here) who tailgate, let me give you some numbers. Every second at 60mph is equal to 88'. Most vehicles require 120'-180' to come to a complete stop from 60mph on dry pavement. Every inch increase in tire size requires at least 10 additional feet in braking distance. If you leave a 2sec gap you have 176' to stop. Tailgating or drafting is not only illegal it is extremely dangerous. If your following distance is less than 2sec you WILL hit the vehicle in front of you or WILL lose control trying to avoid hitting it.

SLOW DOWN! CALM DOWN! Not only will you save money in gas... Your brakes will last longer. Your tires will last longer. Your engine/drivetrain will last longer. It greatly reduces your chances of being involved in an accident or getting a speeding ticket. I'm not saying go speed limit, no one does that. Go 5-10mph over.


The most important bit of advice I can give you:

EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS AN IDIOT!!! Drive assuming that the drivers around you will do the stupidest thing possible. This helps reduce surprises that cause accidents.




This is just my advise. I could very well be wrong. What I do know is I've seen too many young soldiers and friends do some pretty stupid stuff. I've seen property destroyed, careers ruined, and lives lost.

You may think you and your vehicle are the Sugar Honey Ice Tea, that you can get away with being cool and showing off. Thats fine. There is a time and place for being cool and showing off.

I only ask that you to STOP, THINK for a second and ask yourself... Is this worth it? Is it worth the ticket? Is this worth wrecking? Is it worth injury or death? (Not your own death, but the death of your buddy(ies)/girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/etc.) How about the people in the other car? Is it worth it?

SLOW DOWN, CALM DOWN, STOP, THINK and DO THE RIGHT THING!



DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!!!

Sorely needed for many drivers! Thanks!! :cool:

As one who delivers meat products (and with 37 years overall driving experience), I agree 100 percent with XJ's post. At least in my part of the country (northwest Indiana), we have had pretty mild winters the last 10 or 15 years. Drivers who have gotten their driver's license during that time have not really had to learn to drive in snow. Yes, we've had our bad snow storms and during these relatively mild winters the inexperience of these drivers shows. Many, who own SUV's, think they can drive at any speed because they have AWD/4WD. They are a danger to others on the road.

I wish Jeep would take the forefront in advertising safe driving techniques of SUV's in inclement weather. Most advertising just shows SUV's blasting thru snow (remember the Liberty commerical "as a five person snow blower"?).

Drive carefully: I don't want my wife to marry someone else!!!

I originally posted this in a different thread but thought it might be worth posting here for reference. I cleaned it up a little, deleted some stuff, and added a couple comments.


Tire Maintenance is extremely important. Not only does tire maintainance prevent tire failure and accidents it extends tread life and helps maintain fuel economy. I rotate my BFG ATs every 3000 miles (w/ oil change). I check my tire pressure EVERY time I fill up. I also visually inspect my tires EVERY time I fill up. Sure that might sound a little overly causous. I have my reasons. I have about 45000 miles on my BFG ATs and still have at least 85% of the tread left. The longer my tires last the less money I have to waste replacing them early. My main reason, I was driving a buddy's car when it had a front tire blow-out at night going 70mph. Poor tire maintainence was the cause.


Driving skills and ability. No piece of equipment can make up for driver error and ignorance. Even with high speed traction stability control and the best tires money can buy, if you don't have the skill or ability, you are still going to wreck.

[/B]


Pure truth, I ride a motorcycle also and on 2 wheels, tires are the most important factor for your safety. No mistakes allowed.

I would tend to disagree a little: A driver's level of common sense is THE most important element of safety, whether on two or four wheels. No amount of safety equipment/options is going to prevent an accident if the operator lacks this key element while operating a motor vehicle.

Great advice, especially about "knowing" your car. Nothing could have taught me to drive in the winter better than what I did. I had a pristine 1965 Mustang with rear-wheel drive and a V8. Mix that with the icy, snowy winters in Flagstaff, Arizona... made me really know how to handle a car.

EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS AN IDIOT!!! Drive assuming that the drivers around you will do the stupidest thing possible. This helps reduce surprises that cause accidents.
[/B]

this is the truth lol

Great advice, especially about "knowing" your car. Nothing could have taught me to drive in the winter better than what I did. I had a pristine 1965 Mustang with rear-wheel drive and a V8. Mix that with the icy, snowy winters in Flagstaff, Arizona... made me really know how to handle a car.

wow my friend has a 2004 mustang gt and we got an inch of snow a while ago and he couldnt get it out of his driveway lol

I'd buy you a round if you were the drinking type (for that post) and lived in my neighborhood.

Corsair - you might not want to ride with your friend if he / she can't get a RWD car moving in fresh snow. Because while nothing replaces experience behind the wheel, that person seriously needs some practice with throttle control

I'd buy you a round if you were the drinking type (for that post) and lived in my neighborhood.

Corsair - you might not want to ride with your friend if he / she can't get a RWD car moving in fresh snow. Because while nothing replaces experience behind the wheel, that person seriously needs some practice with throttle control

haha yea he was giving it a "little" too much gas

After reading this excellent post, I feel I do need to comment.
I was raised in a family that loved and owned muscle cars. From my dad's 1966 Hemi 426 Charger, my mom's 1970 Pontiac LeMans, my sister's Cobra, my brother's multiple GTO's he owned, to my own 1975 ElCamino with a BBC in it as a first car, in which I did the exact same things talked about here, PRACTICING in the rain and snow to the point of multiple donuts. Luckily I came from a small town and a family of cops. ^^

And I did that exact same thing with every car (37 and counting...) I have ever owned. Before y'all ask, I buy a car for cheap, drive as I fix it, and sell it for another. Been driving 20 + years, and never had an acident happen from somthing happening from my mistakes, tho I did have a few 'butt pucker moments tho .:eek:
Now, being married with a wife and baby daughter, I do drive slightly more cautious, but still skilfully. I'd take my 1997 Crown Vic Police Interceptor out for a spin literally with them in it with PLENTY of warning as well. My wife shakes her head at me, but is understanding.

Now with a CDL license and 120,000 miles under my belt, driving a semi is 1000x's harder at the least with all the bonehead drivers out here. If any of you know anyone that is a local truck driver, ask them if you can ride along with them, you will appreciate the skill the drivers NEED to posess to even survive.

But there are good and bad semi drivers as there are bad 4 wheeler drivers around. I'm just lucky I guess.

Be blessed everyone.. I'll be reading the excellent posts.
Ja Mate Ne,
Kimono_skunk

For you (insert derogatory term here) who tailgate, let me give you some numbers. Every second at 60mph is equal to 88'. Most vehicles require 120'-180' to come to a complete stop from 60mph on dry pavement. Every inch increase in tire size requires at least 10 additional feet in braking distance. If you leave a 2sec gap you have 176' to stop. Tailgating or drafting is not only illegal it is extremely dangerous. If your following distance is less than 2sec you WILL hit the vehicle in front of you or WILL lose control trying to avoid hitting it.


I Hate Tailgaters! I used to slam my brakes and try and scare them a little, hoping to scare some sense into them. Now, I don't bother as doing this is putting myself at risk just to teach some moron how to drive!


SLOW DOWN! CALM DOWN! Not only will you save money in gas... Your brakes will last longer. Your tires will last longer. Your engine/drivetrain will last longer. It greatly reduces your chances of being involved in an accident or getting a speeding ticket. I'm not saying go speed limit, no one does that. Go 5-10mph over.


Yes, this is the best way to save fuel and tires. It is also very boring.:D

The most important bit of advice I can give you:

EVERYONE AROUND YOU IS AN IDIOT!!! Drive assuming that the drivers around you will do the stupidest thing possible. This helps reduce surprises that cause accidents.


Yes, this is what I think most of the day as well.:D Not to mention the idiot who wants to go faster than you at the stop light. The same guy that thinks every light is a drag race. This person won't actually admit they are racing you but just try and go a little faster then them. At this point the 'opponent' will increase their rate of travel to make sure they are always in the lead. One is then forced to make a decision, go balls to the floor or just let it slide, telling yourself you're saving tires and fuel. If you go balls to the floor then you feel like an idiot because yes you've won but now you look the idiot bad driver who races at every stop light. If you let it slide you then have to be the 'loser' who couldn't go faster. Unless you want to go balls to the floor you will always 'lose' against these imbeciles. And do they think they've won something? Do they think they get points for their idiocy? No, they haven't won a dam thing! Because no one was racing! It's like being in a race where someone forget to tell you, you were in a race.:doh:


You may think you and your vehicle are the Sugar Honey Ice Tea, that you can get away with being cool and showing off. Thats fine. There is a time and place for being cool and showing off.

I only ask that you to STOP, THINK for a second and ask yourself... Is this worth it? Is it worth the ticket? Is this worth wrecking? Is it worth injury or death? (Not your own death, but the death of your buddy(ies)/girlfriend/boyfriend/wife/husband/etc.) How about the people in the other car? Is it worth it?

SLOW DOWN, CALM DOWN, STOP, THINK and DO THE RIGHT THING!



DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE!!!!

Excellent! Now Say that out loud 10 times!:smiley_thumbs_up:

I have a CDL and until a few years ago was licensed to drive anything that could legally be driven on the road. I still have BCDM with P, H, T and airbrake. I just gave up A and DOT because after 25 years OTR gets old. I am proud to report in those years I never had an accident or was involved in one and that includes hauling on both coasts in just about every environment that can be imagined.

All I can say is.... Put down the *&#@% cell phone, dump the latte and stop obsessing over the GPS, radio or other electronic gear. When you hit the road, job one is driving safely and efficiently. By the way, that little lever to the left of the steering wheel is something called turn signals. Use them! No. I can't read your mind and no one else can either.

Driving is not a right. It isn't even a priveledge, it's a responsibility and you owe it to every mother, father, son and daughter to get it right the first time and everytime. This isn't a race, it isn't even a game. Lives are in the balance.

Sermon over.

Driving is not a right. It isn't even a priveledge, it's a responsibility and you owe it to every mother, father, son and daughter to get it right the first time and everytime. This isn't a race, it isn't even a game. Lives are in the balance.

Sermon over.

Amen.