Bad Driving Habits

"For Sweden" (rallybeetle)
09/04/2013 at 17:17 • Filed to: Bad Driving Habits

I caught myself in a bad driving habit yesterday. Going down a main city street in fairly heavy traffic, I had only one hand on the wheel. My left hand was on my knee and my right hand was at the 11 o'clock position. Not the 12 o'clock position; the 11 o'clock position. I'll be surrendering my license to the DMV.

DISCUSSION (8)

PowderHound > For Sweden
09/04/2013 at 17:24

I've done right at 11 and left at 1. This is usually at a stoplight, but still. Shit happens.

Casper > For Sweden
09/04/2013 at 17:24

Hand position is one of those things I think people over hype. I can understand not having something in your hand, but executing a maneuver in a modern vehicle under 60 MPH does not require effort or control of two hands. What do people expect to pop out in front of you that justifies such a sharp series of adjustments that you lose track of TDC or control of a super light power assisted wheel? Now, if you were driving my 240Z with it's manual rack or racing, it would be a different story.

You may keep your license.

ttyymmnn > For Sweden
09/04/2013 at 17:26

I'll still ride with you.

blackchair > Casper
09/04/2013 at 17:46

My only concern about hand position, is I don't want to be in an accident where my arm is caught in between my face and the airbag. I'm not sure that it is very possible, but it's a small fear of mine. I like to use 3/9 or 4/8

Ferrero1911 > blackchair
09/04/2013 at 17:50

3 and 9 all the time, except when shifting.

Casper > blackchair
09/04/2013 at 17:50

This is true. That is the main reason I keep my hands to the sides or bottom in my wife's car. Personally I don't like airbags. I would rather just have harnesses.

davedave1111 > Casper
09/04/2013 at 18:26

"executing a maneuver in a modern vehicle under 60 MPH does not require effort or control of two hands"

You missed out the word 'usually'. It's a precautionary measure to help avoid accidents, not a magical panacea. Obviously it's possible to drive with one hand fairly safely, or we could never change gear, but that doesn't mean it's not safer to have both hands on the wheel.

You could almost apply some of your arguments to driving with no hands on the wheel. In a modern car that tracks straight, on a straight road, you don't need your hands on the wheel most of the time. Would you take them off?

Casper > davedave1111
09/04/2013 at 18:45

No hands is not the same as one hand. Explain how a single hand having 100% control of a vehicle is at a great disadvantage to two hands having 100% control of a vehicle. No hands having 0% control is no where near one hand having 100% control.

There is no standard maneuver of a modern steering wheel that can not be done with one hand that can be done with two when traveling in standard traffic patterns. Where you gain safety with two hands is that you have symmetrical force to apply to the steering wheel should you need to brace against it. Having two hands also allows for shuffle steering in tighter situations, but completely do-able with a single hand.

Most of the two hand control arguments are hold overs from before cars had some many stability features and such advanced power steering systems. The only real argument for two hands in normal driving (not racing) is to prevent over correction (one hand jerking the wheel radically to one side or the other). So long as you are paying attention this shouldn't happen and can happen even with two hands on the wheel. In fact the larger concern is that if a second hand isn't on the wheel, it maybe being used to do something inappropriate while driving.

Heck, modern cars can even be driven with one foot...