# 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:** 6
**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, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/101 "2010-02-02T16:04:28Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > 1. When you find yourself in the wrong lane at an intersection, please continue with the flow of traffic, even if it means you overshoot your turn and have to double-back. DO NOT, by any means, JUST PARK YOUR FAT ASS IN THE INTERSECTION, BLOCKING HUGE FRIGGIN’ SWARTHS OF TRAFFIC JUST BECAUSE YOU DON’T HAVE THE 17 BRAIN CELLS NEEDED TO DECODE A STREET SIGN… I love this one. If you screw up your turn or highway exit that you should have made, then YOU suffer the consequences and you deal with it yourself. You make the next turn, even if that means you have to go a block or more out of your way or take the next highway exit to correct your mistake. Do not zip across 3 lanes of high speed traffic and risk every one else’s lives just because you don’t want to have to double back. ---
**Author:** ![bengangmo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/50afbb/32.png) [@bengangmo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bengangmo)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/102 "2010-02-02T16:26:21Z")
> [@garygnu](#): > > Perhaps not in the same words, 1,2, and 4 from the OP were taught to me, but I didn’t take standard drivers’ ed. 3 was part of the best driving advice I ever got, from my grandfather: Drive as if everyone else on the road are idiots, because they are. (I don’t trust anyone’s blinkers.) > > I once was in traffic school (for my only ticket ever) and got into an “argument” with my group over whether it was legal to change lanes in an intersection. It is indeed legal in California, but everyone insisted it wasn’t. I guess it was taught in drivers’ ed that doing it was unsafe, which is different than illegal. Heh…I recently took a motorbike course…one question was phrased as “you shouldn’t allow a pillion less than 10 to ride on your bike” - yeah fine, My first question was, you shouldn’t I agree - but is it illegal? Stupid bloody english as a second language didn’t understand the distinction ---
**Author:** ![meanoldman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@meanoldman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/meanoldman)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/103 "2010-02-02T16:32:37Z")
Been ages since I took driver’s ed. But two that should be taught, if they aren’t: Do not get into the intersection if you are not really really sure that you can get out of it during this cycle. That is, do not sit there blocking cross traffic. Make sure you can complete your turn at an intersection. That is, you should be able to fit your entire vehicle into the space you want to go before making the turn. So you do not hang out into traffic if something prevents you from completing the turn. As far as the road construction - lane closing merging thing. Those going right up to the closed part before they try to merge are indeed idiots, in my opinion. The signs say words like “Lane closed xx feet. Merge left” It means start merging now because it is closed in xx feet. It doesn’t say “Lane closed xx feet. Wait to merge”. It is trafic signs so that you can make orderly transitions. ``` But but but, more can fit through if we all run right up to the limit, the defenders of this practice might say. Common sense says no. Traffic gets funneled into a single lane. Funneled. Think of a funnel. More than the max output does not come out of a funnel if you pour input from two sides. Only so much can come through. Any more than that causes things to back up. If things are already backed up, do not be an ass. ``` ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/104 "2010-02-02T17:11:35Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > 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. This one’s interesting. On the one hand, yeah, it would prevent you from being rolled out into traffic, which would be bad. On the other, it makes the force of the impact much much worse both on you and on your car. I guess being hit from behind is a lose-lose situation. ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/105 "2010-02-02T17:48:58Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > This one’s interesting. On the one hand, yeah, it would prevent you from being rolled out into traffic, which would be bad. On the other, it makes the force of the impact much much worse both on you and on your car. I guess being hit from behind is a lose-lose situation. A car crash in general is a lose-lose situation. That’s why defensive driving is so important. The increased risk of a crash is why trying to “teach another driver a lesson” is a bad idea. Driving isn’t a [zero-sum game](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zero-sum), like a race. Everybody is best off if traffic is flowing smoothly, everybody is worse off if there are traffic jams or collisions. When people treat driving as a zero-sum game even though it isn’t, by doing things like trying to keep another driver from passing them, they end up worse off. You generally don’t get the best outcome in a game by playing it as if it were some other type of game- you won’t do too well at chess if you play it as if it were checkers. ---
**Author:** ![Algher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Algher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Algher)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/106 "2010-02-02T18:16:54Z")
Yellow tinted shooting glasses make night driving much easier on the eyes. They tint out some of the spectrum of the white headlights, and your eyes will thank you. ---
**Author:** ![ZenBeam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/3ab097/32.png) [@ZenBeam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZenBeam)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/107 "2010-02-02T18:23:37Z")
> [@EmAnJ](#): > > Except in most places, if you hit the person in front of you in that scenario, you will be partly at fault. Do you have a cite for a person stopped at a light being rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of him being partly at fault? That makes no sense to me. ---
**Author:** ![appleciders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85f322/32.png) [@appleciders](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/appleciders)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/108 "2010-02-02T18:38:20Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > 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). Had a friend who was failed on his driver’s license test for doing this. Tester said he should have sat there with his foot on the clutch. I think I agree with you, though- it avoids wear and tear on your clutch. ---
**Author:** ![Surly\_Chick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ec9cab/32.png) [@Surly\_Chick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surly_Chick)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/109 "2010-02-02T18:50:25Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > I know a girl who almost burned down an entire town because of this. Cite, please. (Only because it sounds like a good story.) When parallel parking on a hill, turn your wheels towards the curb. If for some unforeseen reason your car starts rolling, the curb will stop it. ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/110 "2010-02-02T19:35:48Z")
> [@Bearflag70](#): > > “Slower traffic keep right” or “keep right except to pass” is not emphasized enough in traffic school. > > The duty to keep right has nothing to do with the speed limit but is based solely upon whether you are going slower than someone else. If you are “slower” than someone else, then you “keep right.” > > If you are going 10 MPH over the speed limit and someone else is going 20 MPH over the speed limit, then you are going “slower” and must “keep right.” > > The rule, as stated, is a matter of relative speed. The problem around here (greater Washington, DC Bad Driving Zone) is that typically you’ll have a situation like this: Speed limit 55 Exit on right in 1.5 miles; traffic on right starting to back up Right lane average speed 35 mph Left lane average speed 55-65 mph I’ll be in the left lane going 60 when some pinhead overtakes at 75-80, and flashes his lights. Now if I move right to let him past, a solid stream of left lane passers will flow by at 55-65 and I will never get back over to the left. Eventually I will be stopped in a backup waiting to turn right, even though I am through-traffic. If I stay in the left lane I am failing to keep right and let the fighter pilot pass me. But I am _already breaking the law_ by speeding – this guy just wants to break it by _more._ Do I HAVE to go into the right lane and be trapped in slow traffic so the fighter pilot can immediately discover the next person is ALSO unwilling to do 80, and he must slow down to…the exact speed I was going before pinhead forced me over? . ---
**Author:** ![FredGarven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@FredGarven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FredGarven)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/111 "2010-02-02T19:37:32Z")
The middle left turning lane is just for that. Not all places have this lane so I will explain. It is a lane marked by two solid yellow outer lines and two dashed yellow inner lines. It is intended to be used for traffic to merge into in order to turn left onto a side road or driveway. However, people use it to turn left from side roads or driveways and then merge onto the main roadway, which is incorrect and has caused many accidents. I have almost been hit many times by people doing this very thing. I don’t believe I ever remember proper usage of this lane being described in any drivers education course I attended. In the town where I live, there are signs all up and down the road which read “Center Lane Left Turn Only”. There are even big white arrows painted in the middle of it pointing left with the word ONLY written underneath. The pass on the left and drive on the right concept has no relevance to the speed limit whatsoever. This rule is one that if followed by everyone, IMO would greatly increase safety and overall effeciency on freeways. I would even go so far as to say that again if everyone followed it, we could increase what is considered the safe driving speed on freeways by a significant amount. But, due to basic human nature, this will never happen. ---
**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, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/112 "2010-02-02T19:37:52Z")
> [@Surly\_Chick](#): > > Cite, please. (Only because it sounds like a good story.) > > When parallel parking on a hill, turn your wheels towards the curb. If for some unforeseen reason your car starts rolling, the curb will stop it. The direction you turn your wheels also depends upon whether you are facing uphill or down. Facing uphill, you turn your steering wheel counterclockwise, and facing downhill, you turn it clockwise. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/113 "2010-02-02T19:40:54Z")
> [@jjimm](#): > > 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. Really? Taught? So every traffic light you are supposed to put your parking brake on? Makes no sense to me as your regular brakes are more powerful. And why neutral? ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/114 "2010-02-02T19:42:10Z")
> [@Shamozzle](#): > > Which intersection is this? I’d like to take a look on Google Earth. > \ Hmm, I went and found it, but I don’t seem able to get a link on it from streetview. It’s the corner of 9th Avenue SW and 3rd. Street SW, anyway, facing (I believe) south. ---
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/115 "2010-02-02T19:42:25Z")
If you are part of a long line of cars parked at a stop light, be aware of/try not to block parking lot entrances/exits, driveways, cross streets, etc. This is especially a problem in cities. I used to be pretty bad about it, because I wouldn’t notice the side street or whatever until I was already blocking it. I try to be more aware now when I’m driving in the city. ---
**Author:** ![FredGarven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/6f9a4e/32.png) [@FredGarven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FredGarven)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/116 "2010-02-02T19:44:23Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > The problem around here (greater Washington, DC Bad Driving Zone) is that typically you’ll have a situation like this: > > Speed limit 55 > > Exit on right in 1.5 miles; traffic on right starting to back up > > Right lane average speed 35 mph > Left lane average speed 55-65 mph > > I’ll be in the left lane going 60 when some pinhead overtakes at 75-80, and flashes his lights. > > Now if I move right to let him past, a solid stream of left lane passers will flow by at 55-65 and I will never get back over to the left. Eventually I will be stopped in a backup waiting to turn right, even though I am through-traffic. > > If I stay in the left lane I am failing to keep right and let the fighter pilot pass me. > > But I am _already breaking the law_ by speeding – this guy just wants to break it by _more._ > > Do I HAVE to go into the right lane and be trapped in slow traffic so the fighter pilot can immediately discover the next person is ALSO unwilling to do 80, and he must slow down to…the exact speed I was going before pinhead forced me over? > > . No, in that situation, all bets are off. You are describing a common issue in cities where there are many onramps and exits very close to eachother combined with a larger amount of traffic. You are still passing on the left as you should be. You are doing it slower than the fighter pilot, but that is his / her problem. Once you clear the line of cars on the right, then change to the right lane and let the faster cars go. ---
**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, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/117 "2010-02-02T19:47:57Z")
> [@Sailboat](#): > > The problem around here (greater Washington, DC Bad Driving Zone) is that typically you’ll have a situation like this: > > Speed limit 55 > > Exit on right in 1.5 miles; traffic on right starting to back up > > Right lane average speed 35 mph > Left lane average speed 55-65 mph > > I’ll be in the left lane going 60 when some pinhead overtakes at 75-80, and flashes his lights. > > Now if I move right to let him past, a solid stream of left lane passers will flow by at 55-65 and I will never get back over to the left. Eventually I will be stopped in a backup waiting to turn right, even though I am through-traffic. > > If I stay in the left lane I am failing to keep right and let the fighter pilot pass me. > > But I am _already breaking the law_ by speeding – this guy just wants to break it by _more._ > > Do I HAVE to go into the right lane and be trapped in slow traffic so the fighter pilot can immediately discover the next person is ALSO unwilling to do 80, and he must slow down to…the exact speed I was going before pinhead forced me over? > > . I think you’re fine here. Rules must bend to meet specific circumstances. For example, California law says you must use a turn signal for 100 feet before turning, but what if you have to make two turns at two intersections that are less than 100 feet apart? You can’t turn legally? Strictly speaking, yes. Realistically, no. In the situation you describe, traffic conditions cause a practical exception to the rule. ---
**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, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/118 "2010-02-02T19:49:19Z")
> [@ZenBeam](#): > > Do you have a cite for a person stopped at a light being rear-ended and pushed into the car in front of him being partly at fault? That makes no sense to me. Unfortunately, I can’t find one, though I know it has happened in the province of Alberta very recently to a relative. They were found partially negligent because they had stopped too close to the vehicle in front of them. If they had stopped a reasonable distance behind, they likely would not have hit the vehicle in front of them. I’ll keep looking for a cite though. This also brings up that parking lot accidents are NOT 50/50 (in Alberta), as stated by many people (including myself). I learned this the hard way. ---
**Author:** ![kelly5078](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/6f9a4e/32.png) [@kelly5078](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kelly5078)\ **Post date:** [February 2, 2010, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/119 "2010-02-02T19:49:23Z")
When parallel or angle parking, do it past the nearest light, not before it. That way you’ll be able to get out. When stopped at a red light, if you can’t see to the right or to the left because of the huge Suburban next to you, let them go first when the light turns green. That way they get nailed by the idiot running the light, not you. It’s safer to give a stupid female driver the finger than a stupid male one. ---
**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, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254/120 "2010-02-02T19:50:23Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Hmm, I went and found it, but I don’t seem able to get a link on it from streetview. It’s the corner of 9th Avenue SW and 3rd. Street SW, anyway, facing (I believe) south. Right by the Calgary Tower? I know the one. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/driving-rules-that-they-dont-teach-you-in-drivers-ed/527254.md?page=7)