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by Frank Miller

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Driving on the Edge

As a nation of drivers we are becoming increasingly aggressive. We're getting used to it. We're getting comfortable with it. We're paying for it!

We're paying for our complacency with crumpled sheet metal, broken bones, cuts, abrasions, contusions, higher insurance premiums and yes unfortunately with loss of life. Not good.

So why is this happening? Why is it so easy to ignore the fact that, when we're rolling our cush-mobiles down the highway, we're still operating a very dangerous machine at speed? Stuff can happen at speed and it's not always good stuff.

Have we all decided that Driving on the Edge is okay? That risking our lives on a daily basis won't ever really catch up with us? I think not. Rather, it's that Driving on the Edge has snuck up on us. We don't even realize we're "on that edge" anymore!

Traffic has gotten faster and more congested. It's one thing to boogey along an open highway with plenty of visibility and few cars on the road. It's quite another when that highway begins to resemble a NASCAR speedway and it's an Eighteen Wheeler that's in front of us. We've gotten used to our more aggressive roadways and this can hurt us.

The sudden stops are second nature. We almost expect that driver to swing out of the side street or make a left turn right in front of us. Cutting people off has become almost acceptable. We face danger every day on the roads and we've so gotten used to it we don't give it a second thought until we have to. Then, it can be too late!

Now those NASCAR race drivers face danger too. They drive on the edge in every race. So what's the difference between them and us? Let's Driverthink about it.

First, the race cars are specially designed. A race car driver can walk away from a crash at 150 mph because the car he drives is designed to protect him from it. Yes, our motorized living rooms are fairly safe too, but even at 50 mph it's not going to be pretty.

That racecar driver also has skills. The cream floats to the top. If he's not at least, an extremely skilled driver, he's not a racecar driver for very long.

But what's the major difference? That racecar driver knows he's driving on the edge. He understands that one wrong move one twitch of the wrist, can send him into oblivion. He knows when he's loose or tight and how to deal with it. He's as focused as any driver could ever possibly be.

We're not.

We need to learn to recognize when we're suddenly driving on the edge or when we're taking chances, and when we're not. It's all about recognizing that increased risk - which will place us on the edge.

So how to we recognize it, when that high risk situation overtakes us? How can we learn to realize that, suddenly, we're "on the edge?"

Driverthink has always suggested that it's not a great idea to intentionally place our lives in the hands of other drivers. If we're depending on other drivers to keep us alive, that should be a "wake up call" that we're now Driving on the Edge.

If we're changing lanes and have to depend on the driver we're moving in front of, to hit his brakes so he won't hit us, we're Driving on the Edge. We're giving up control of our own destiny. It's in his hands.

If we can't see well beyond the vehicle in front of us, and we're driving too close to her, we're also Driving on the Edge. We're driving blind. Seventy is still seventy whether we're on her bumper or seven car lengths behind her, but those seven car lengths can keep us out of the high risk zone. If we Tailgate? We're always on the edge.

How do we deal with Driving on the Edge?

We don't get used to it. Don't let Driving on the Edge sneak up on us.

Recognize the risk. Be alert to driving situations that transition us to higher risk.

Don't intentionally place ourselves constantly at risk. We will eventually get caught. Maybe - we'll even live to tell about it.

If we find ourselves in high risk situations, try to back off. "Space" is "King" when it comes to risk avoidance on the highway.

Until we can remove ourselves from the risk, think "racecar driver". We must give the high risk situation our full, undivided attention and focus.

Driving on the Edge. Learn to recognize it, avoid it and don't let it sneak up on you. Most of all, fine tune the driving skills you will need when Driving on the Edge does suddenly become unavoidable.

Learn more about this author, Frank Miller.

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