Survey (of sorts)

[Eagle]

Ever have your mind wander while you're driving? I had a random thought pop into my head while driving home from work this evening. I got to wondering if there's any correlation between intelligence and driving ability.

 

How about it? Think about the best drivers you know -- the only ones you feel completely safe with when they're driving. Then think of the ones you're literally afraid to be in a car with when they drive. Any correlation between driving ability and intelligence?

 

Personally, I'm a chicken. There are only maybe two people in the country that I'm comfortable with when they're driving. And (unfortunately) neither of them is a member of my family ... immediate or extended. My maternal grandfather was a really excellent driver. He was also one of the smartest people I've ever known. My father, on the other hand, was quite possibly the worst driver I have ever encountered. He was so bad in his later years that my mother simply refused to ride with him. If they were going to a party -- they went in separate cars (because my father didn't think it was proper for a MAN to be driven anywhere by a woman). My father wasn't stupid. He was also intelligent -- but in a much more mundane and methodical way than my grandfather.

 

What are your theories? Is there any way to predict or to know who is going to be a good driver before you've actually ridden with them?

[JeepcoMJ]

I don't think it has to do with intelligence. well, in a way it does;

 

common sense

 

that is what makes a good driver vs. a bad driver.

[mfpdm]

I think it also has to do with good hand and eye coordination. Intelligence would help. I don't think it can be pinned down to one but several things combined together.

 

:cheers:

[HOrnbrod]

My maternal grandfather was my teacher also. Taught me power slides, skid techniques, and most importantly, how fast you could go w/o losing it, all in the NH winters. I was nine years old when he started (it was on the sly from my parents). He also coincidently was the most intelligent man I ever knew. Intelligence is important, but learning from your mistakes is equally important, which of course you can't do effectively if you are an idiot. And the more you learn, the more experienced you are. So, to me, experience is most important aspect. I ALWAYS do the driving no matter who (whom) I'm with. Except on those rare cases when I can't walk, let alone drive. Guess that's intelligence too?? :cheers:

[jtdesigns]

I don't think intelligent ppl are better drivers.. I been scared holding on to the oh $#t handle using the passenger side brake while riding with "smart" ppl.. I mean one of my ex girlfriends wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I could goto sleep with her driving.. I think it has more to to do with how much attention you give to things around you, speeds, and how experienced the driver has. Plus what the other person is driving has too, I mean if your riding with someone whos car needs tie-rod ends and is real loose, and swerving all over the road getting closer to oncoming big rigs and then to the shoulder with a cliff or trees near,, then yeah I don't like that at all...

[Kenosha Warrior]

I don't see that it correlates with intelligence.

 

I know LOTS of people that are intelligent, just they drive like a drunken ape.

 

I drive with common sense, don't follow close, watch other people more than watch myself. My dad is the same way, sort of. He used to freak me out by driving with his knee while blowing his nose, I HATED that, 'specially with his 1974 Ram 100. 318/TF727 with a Chryco 9.25 rear, longbed 2wd. Had 'moonwalker's syndrome' (slightly bad hubs and bearings) so it liked to wobble at speed.

 

 

My girlfriend likes to aim for the nearest fencepost and hope for the best

[TNT]

I don't think it has to do with intelligence. well, in a way it does;

 

common sense

 

that is what makes a good driver vs. a bad driver.

 

I think skill and experence have more to do with it. I do things that some people would call a lack of common sense or crazy. That doesn't make me a bad driver. I just was out playing in the snow in 2wd and was able to drift it, fishtail it, use the e-brake for steering a few times. This was done on empty back roads surrounded by farmers fields by the way.

 

I was able to drift, powerslide and use the e-brake to go about 1/2 a mile without ever hooking up soild. I used common sense since I chose a safe area where I could see any traffic(there was none), no houses and no ditches. The skill and experence allowed me to do what I did while maintaining control. At no point did my XJ do anything that wasn't planned.

 

I was testing out the 33x10.50 in 2wd to see how the handled.

 

I like to be "in tune" with my vehicle to know how it will perform at the ragged edge and have avoided many accidents because I knew what the vehicle was capable of. Some I was able to power and steer to avoid them. I have went off road to avoid an accident because stopping in time wasn't an option since they ran a stop sign, but the car behind me did hit them... I have been to driving courses, raced and have driven about 600,000 miles over the years.

 

When driving around day to day I drive carefully, but defensively. I don't fly down the highway in snow, unlike many drivers do. I want to get to where I'm going without an issue. I prefer to drive in the snow on backroads instead of main roads because of "other drivers".

 

I think most drivers should take a few driving courses and learn about understeer, oversteer and how to control it and avoid it. Most drivers don't have a clue about how there vehicle will perform at it's limits.

 

Knowledge, intelligence, skill, experence, how well you know your vehicles handling, common sense and how you react under pressure are the main things that make a good driver.

 

Do you watch the car ahead of you or do you do that and "read" what is happening ahead of them also...

 

Can you make a split second choice when something does happen or do you slam on the brakes and hope to stop...

 

Do you ride peoples a$$'s or give them some space so you can react and also see what is going on ahead of them....

 

Do you teach your kids about understeer, oversteer and how to handle driving in the snow if they start to slide. Did you have them do panic stops on comand so they know what to expect when they need to do it.

 

I could go on and on about this.

 

I hate following people and prefer to lead so I can see and not worry about the idiot on the phone in front of me.....

 

I also hate antilock brakes, traction control and vehicle stability programs. They are all BS that is made for driver who don't have a clue...

They degrade the handing because they take control over driver input which drives me crazy. They do help most people though.

 

I kept overdriving the SRT-8's stability control at Road America. It would get confused and basicly just did nothing for about 2 seconds exiting corners. The instructer had me driving with it disabled after 6 laps and my lap times were way better after that. It was more fun too. Drifting to the outside of the track under power after just catching the rub strips on the apex of the corners was a blast. As was hitting about 150mph on the back straight. :D

 

:cheers: