Road Etiquette, The Unwritten Rules

Feb 9
18:44

2009

Julia Cleanthous

Julia Cleanthous

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Everybody who drives is pretty much guaranteed to possess a basic understanding of what’s required when driving. They know the laws, they know what to look for, and they have knowledge of the rules that come with operating a vehicle on the road. Driving lessons basically ensure this. However, it seems these days that not many people know what to respect and to do when it comes to the rules that aren’t on paper. There is a whole different layer when it comes to the nature of driving, one that involves a highly social and psychological aspect that determines far more than what people give it credit for.

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Everybody who drives is pretty much guaranteed to possess a basic understanding of what’s required when driving. They know the laws,Road Etiquette, The Unwritten Rules Articles they know what to look for, and they have knowledge of the rules that come with operating a vehicle on the road. Driving lessons basically ensure this.However, it seems these days that not many people know what to respect and to do when it comes to the rules that aren’t on paper. There is a whole different layer when it comes to the nature of driving, one that involves a highly social and psychological aspect that determines far more than what people give it credit for. These are the rules of road etiquette, and they do just as much for ensuring that you drive safely as they do for the hard laws themselves — sometimes more, in fact.The first thing about maintaining proper respect for driving is to know what the system involves. Sometimes, certain things are simply taken for granted that most people are expected to know. One of these things is the passing lane on highways. Basically speaking, there are two lanes on a highway, and one is dedicated to cruising while the other is meant for passing. Determine what this means for your region, recognize it, and in turn respect it. Nobody likes someone who camps the passing lane. It’s not only inefficient, but also potentially dangerous.A second and extremely important part of road etiquette is using signals. On the most basic level, this involves making good use of those levers sticking out from the column of your steering wheel, or a place nearby. It could also mean anything from blinking, using indicators, hand signals, or — in desperate situations — honking (another etiquette rule: don’t do this). Communication is not telepathic: It’s never obvious when you decide to change lanes, so don’t expect others to know ahead of time. A careless maneuver with your car can mean the difference between the gentle merging of traffic and a crushed rear bumper, if not worse.Nobody likes a loudmouth. This is especially true of a loudmouth who makes it his business to threaten everybody else’s lives by using a cell phone while driving. This one is simple. You simply show the greatest respect for both yourself and other people by sticking to the road and not your conversation. Despite how much you may think otherwise, cell phones occupy an enormous amount of your attention and demand much from your senses. You need everything for paying attention to the road. Not only is it safer to not use a cell phone, it’s also simply less obnoxious to look at. When was the last time you saw a person at a red light yakking it up without a care in a world? Want to ride in the car of that person? Not a good idea, obviously.In the end, you can learn a lot by simply showing respect by using common sense. However, you may not intend to be offensive or to do things that can be unsafe. Maybe you’re only new to driving and haven’t figured out yet those things that are taken for granted or expected out of you. A good driving school can provide not only the right way to drive but also the right mentality to use when driving as well.