I have been a licensed driver since I was 13... More the 15 years now, and I have every single type of driving endorsment. I have also been employed by the Michigan state police, and the FT. Wayne police dept to teach DDC-4, and EVOC to officers.
"Car length" is a generic term and should be estimated at 15 feet, further more, When you get behind the wheel, you should always assume that MR. Murphy is along for the ride, and that anything that can, could, shall, should, might go wrong probably will, that way your mentally prepared if something DOES really go wrong.
Also, a dust cover does help ensure that your tires stay inflated by keeping out small foreign objects that may become lodged in the stem, causing a slow leak.
Lastly, The FIRST thing an animal does when a vehicle approches is to freeze out of fear, if if moves it is always back the way it came (although sometimes it changes it's mind).
I am the final athority on driving, I know what I'm talking about. I will out drive anyone, anywhere, in any vehicle, on any type of surface, under any conditions, period.
10 Driving No-Nos
A global guide to some of the most common errors behind the wheel.
Email To A Friend
Please fill in the following information and we'll email this link.
Bad driving happens everywhere. But for road behavior at its worst, the place to beat is sub-Saharan Africa, where locals are 100 times more likely to die in traffic accidents than Americans. (Indeed, the destructive power of trucks has become so feared in countries like Ethiopia that locals have dubbed the vehicles "Al Qaeda.") Where better, then, for NEWSWEEK's Andrew Ehrenkranz to learn about the biggest mistakes drivers make than on the continent?
Mick Farmer, a British military veteran and certified police driving instructor, has taught professional drivers and novices across East, West, and Central Africa how to navigate these perilous roads more safely. On a rainy day at his off-road training camp outside Kampala, Uganda, last week, Farmer taught Ehrenkranz and four Ethiopians from the World Bank how to avoid the most common driving errors.
Don't Go in the Water: If there is any water in the road, check how deep it is before trying to cross. And don't be fooled into thinking that a four-wheel drive truck can act like a duck boat. Whatever those car ads might show, they shouldn't be plunged into water that comes above the knee. Anyone who thinks otherwise should take heed of Farmer's tale about a "puddle" he encountered while leading a food convoy from Mombasa to southern Sudan. The truck drivers, fearful of an ambush, wanted to drive right through it. Farmer insisted on checking-and discovered that the water was so deep that a jeep was submerged in it.
Keep the Pressure On: Check your tires regularly-underinflated tubes are dangerous. Tires should always be at the pressure specified in your car owner's manual, says Farmer, citing a case in which a driver lost control of his car, killing his diplomat passenger, because the dust cap was missing from a tire valve. "All accidents are chains of events with little links," he says.
Light It Up: Don't wait for rain or nightfall to turn on your lights. If your car doesn't have daytime running headlights, put them on and keep them on. "Headlights, contrary to the all too common belief I've encountered around Africa, do not affect fuel efficiency," says Farmer. "There's no reason not to keep them on at all times."
Keep Your Distance: On a tarmac road you should leave at least two seconds between your vehicle and the one in front. On an unsealed road, at least four seconds. The closer you are to the next car's bumper, the higher your chances of getting into accident if you're forced to stop short. "An easy way to calculate this is to pick a landmark, and once the back of the car in front is in line with that landmark, start counting, 'One elephant, two elephant'," says Farmer. Then adjust your distance accordingly.
- 1
- 2
- Next Page »
Discuss