# Driving "rules" that they don't teach you in driver's ed **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 1, 2010, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254 "2010-02-01T16:08:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![magnusblitz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b4bc9f/32.png) [@magnusblitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/magnusblitz)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/81 "2010-02-02T04:27:55Z")
I’m another person who disagreed with #4 at first reading. Like others, I don’t buy the “helps against car jacking” reasoning (how the heck is moving forward 8 feet going to help me escape a carjacker?) > [@rowrrbazzle](#): > > I learned it from being rear-ended. It keeps you from rear-ending the car in front of you in a chain reaction. But my rule of thumb for distance is at least far enough behind the car so you can see where its rear wheels touch the pavement I suppose this makes more sense, but it doesn’t really give YOU any advantadge - just helps the person in front of you (which may well be enough justification). But placed against the fact that it fills up intersections, which itself may lead to more rear-endings… ---
**Author:** ![thirdname](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d07c76/32.png) [@thirdname](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thirdname)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/82 "2010-02-02T05:43:57Z")
Don’t drive alongside other cars. Strive for a checkerboard pattern of traffic so nobody crashes if someone changes lanes. ---
**Author:** ![Leaper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4bbf92/32.png) [@Leaper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaper)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/83 "2010-02-02T06:59:51Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > Not in my state, but it’s a bad idea all around. > No, it’s for the first one in line in the turn lane. Don’t turn your wheels until you are actually proceeding through. Okay, I get it now. I guess I was thinking of all the times where you’re waiting at an intersection because the CROSSING traffic is going - meaning that keeping your wheels straight would STILL push you right into oncoming traffic if you got pushed from behind. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/84 "2010-02-02T07:34:36Z")
If you’re the first one at the line at an intersection and you’re in the rightmost lane, please look behind you during the red cycle - it’s a good chance that someone’s looking to turn right and you may be able to maneuver your car enough to afford them enough space to turn right. As for the leaving-enough-space-when-you-stop rule: i routinely leave enough room (so not bumper-to-bumper, but not 1/2 a car length) so i can change out of the lane and move into a better lane if you were the dumbass who wanted to turn left at an unprotected green and didn’t bother to signal until it was too late, because usually the people that drive this poorly are the r-tards who don’t pull up in intersections, either and, as for the speed demons: y’all can go insert unpleasant objects into your bodily orifices if you have a problem with me passing on a 2-lane highway approximately 6-7 mph faster than the posted speed limit (and overtaking someone who is within 3 mph of the speed limit) just because you’re a dipshit who think’s he’s the _real_ son of Dale Earnhardt. You can wait until I complete my pass. But you cruise control passers who ride on the razor-thin edge of danger by going 66 in a 65 are going straight to hell, too. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/85 "2010-02-02T07:35:36Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > Stuff that should be incredibly obvious, but clearly isn’t: > > Don’t throw cigarette butts out your car window. It’s gross and makes you look like you were raised in a barn. If you’re really unlucky, it could [set your car on fire](http://www.thedenverchannel.com/news/20077448/detail.html) ([here’s another expensive car fire caused by a thrown cigarette butt](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/02/18/BAGM9BDF021.DTL)), or cause a [brush fire](http://www.fire.qld.gov.au/news/view.asp?id=1246). I know a girl who almost burned down an entire town because of this. ---
**Author:** ![Shamozzle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shamozzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shamozzle)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/86 "2010-02-02T07:44:09Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > {Calgary Hijack}There is a t-intersection downtown with triple left turn lanes - I used to work in an office overlooking that intersection, and enjoyed watching the carnage. Drivers here can barely deal with dual turn lanes; triple turn lanes fry their little melons.{/hijack} Which intersection is this? I’d like to take a look on Google Earth. Here’s one I just remembered: If you are waiting at a red light and your lane is really slippery, leave a lot of space in front of you. Watch the vehicle coming to a stop behind you, and if they are sliding and it looks like they are going to rear-end you, pull ahead into the space you created for yourself and give them that space to reduce the chance of a collision. ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/87 "2010-02-02T07:48:21Z")
A couple more: In the UK, we’re taught that whenever the car is at rest for more than a couple of seconds, put the car in neutral and engage the handbrake (parking brake). If someone hits you from behind, you’ll move considerably less and possibly avoid being rolled out into traffic. Similar to the “escape route” and “checker board”, I did an advanced driving course, and one of the bits of advice was “never be the meat in the sandwich”. Never allow yourself to be in the middle lane between two other vehicles (except when inevitable, like at an intersection or in a traffic jam). ---
**Author:** ![minor7flat5](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/minor7flat5/32/258_2.png) [@minor7flat5](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/minor7flat5)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/88 "2010-02-02T12:35:02Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > Are you saying that drivers should or should not do this? I was always taught to pull way into the intersection (and technically you should keep your wheels straight), this allows you to have time to get through that small gap or when the light changes to yellow or red you can then continue.\* Also it’s easier for the left turners in the on coming traffic to see around you that way. I figured that the last bit of my post (where I voice my displeasure at folks who wait at the white line for multiple light cycles) answered this. For the record, I always pull into the intersection while waiting for an opening to turn. And from comments, it seems like this really is regional. Hope I never do it in the wrong state! ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 1:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/89 "2010-02-02T13:04:21Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > 1. When you’re the first car at a stop light, don’t just go on green. Look left and right and then proceed, in case a late, crossing car is trying to beat the light. This has probably saved my life at least once. > > 2. When waiting to make a left turn, stay in your lane and keep your wheels straight. Don’t turn your wheels left and then wait. This way, if a car hits you from behind, you go straight and not into the oncoming traffic. 1. There was a time when this was not necessary. Back when I first got my license if you were in an intersection and the light turned red, you could be cited. Then that was deemed unfair, so the PTB said OK as long as you enter on the yellow you are good. People keep stretching that, and now a red light means Just 2 more cars. This is a very good idea. 2. I used to see this one published all the time, but have not seen it published lately. Perhaps this is because in many cases it is just flat wrong. Your wheels will only steer if they are rolling. So if you are stopped with your foot on the brake and you are hit from behind, it does not matter what direction your wheels are turned, you will be pushed in the direction you were hit from. Hit from directly behind? You will be pushed directly forward. It does not matter which way the wheels are pointed if they are sliding. ---
**Author:** ![Hi\_Medlo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a183cd/32.png) [@Hi\_Medlo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hi_Medlo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/90 "2010-02-02T13:21:53Z")
I think drivers need to be taught that driving is a cooperative endeavor, not a competetion. We’re all just trying to get someplace and a little give and take makes it work better for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![amarone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@amarone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amarone)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/91 "2010-02-02T13:27:53Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > 1. I used to see this one published all the time, but have not seen it published lately. Perhaps this is because in many cases it is just flat wrong. Your wheels will only steer if they are rolling. So if you are stopped with your foot on the brake and you are hit from behind, it does not matter what direction your wheels are turned, you will be pushed in the direction you were hit from. Hit from directly behind? You will be pushed directly forward. It does not matter which way the wheels are pointed if they are sliding. But can you guarantee that you will keep your foot on the brake when someone rams you from behind? Your body is going to be thrown backwards, i.e. away from the pedals. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/92 "2010-02-02T14:04:29Z")
If your local highway is traffic jammed to a stop and there is a curbing seperating you from the express highway which is moving, don’t try to cross over. I’ve seen too many sedans become sub-compacts that way. If you are 50 feet behind the car in front of you on a highway and a car 30 feet in front of you in the next lane puts on its blinker to move into your lane, It Is Not OK To Speed Up To Block It. _Ever._ ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 2:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/93 "2010-02-02T14:05:37Z")
“Wipers on? Lights on” is the law in some states, and a very good thing to remember everywhere else. ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/94 "2010-02-02T14:22:03Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > I suppose this makes more sense, but it doesn’t really give YOU any advantadge - just helps the person in front of you (which may well be enough justification). But placed against the fact that it fills up intersections, which itself may lead to more rear-endings… It would mean that you only had damage to the back of your car, which has to be worth something. Plus you’ve got one less other driver to exchange insurance details with afterward. ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/95 "2010-02-02T14:51:59Z")
> [@magnusblitz](#): > > I’m another person who disagreed with #4 at first reading. Like others, I don’t buy the “helps against car jacking” reasoning (how the heck is moving forward 8 feet going to help me escape a carjacker?) > > I suppose this makes more sense, but it doesn’t really give YOU any advantadge - just helps the person in front of you (which may well be enough justification). But placed against the fact that it fills up intersections, which itself may lead to more rear-endings… Except in most places, if you hit the person in front of you in that scenario, you will be partly at fault. It’s also a good idea in the winter on ice or snow, as rear end accidents are more common. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/96 "2010-02-02T15:19:40Z")
It is better to wait patiently for the drawbridge to complete its cycle than to speed up and attempt to jump it. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/97 "2010-02-02T15:26:58Z")
> [@minor7flat5](#): > > And from comments, it seems like this really is regional. Hope I never do it in the wrong state! Blocking the Box is really only a problems in cities, and NYC in particular. If helps avoid gridlock, when no one moves for multiple light cycles. It’s not really a state thing. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/98 "2010-02-02T15:42:35Z")
Do not get in front of a truck then brake sharply. I see this mostly when people are approaching an intersection and they are in the wrong lane for a turn. They speed up, zip in front of a truck, and brake just before reaching the intersection. If you expect to brake sharply, being in front of a truck is not the best place. Go behind. ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/99 "2010-02-02T15:49:05Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Blocking the Box is really only a problems in cities, and NYC in particular. If helps avoid gridlock, when no one moves for multiple light cycles. It’s not really a state thing. California has an anti-gridlock statute ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/100 "2010-02-02T15:53:35Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > Never ever trust anyone’s signals until you see their car actually begin to move in that direction. This is how my only accident occurred. I relied on a right turn signal and she didn’t turn. BAM! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254.md?page=6)