Lesson 4 Expressway Driving
Summary
TLDRThe script is a driving lesson dialogue between a father and his son, Adam. It covers various driving scenarios, including navigating curves, approaching hills, merging onto expressways, and maintaining safe following distances. The father advises on defensive driving, avoiding distractions, and the dangers of drowsy driving. The lesson emphasizes the importance of practice to build confidence and skill, especially at high speeds and in heavy traffic.
Takeaways
- 🚗 Practice is essential for getting comfortable with driving, especially on the expressway.
- 🛣️ When approaching a curve, assess its direction, sharpness, and visibility before entering to determine the best speed and lane position.
- 💡 It's crucial to enter a curve in the right half of the lane to maximize space from oncoming traffic.
- 🔒 Squeeze the brakes when entering a curve and trail off through the middle to improve tire traction.
- 👀 Always look as far ahead into the curve as possible to anticipate any obstacles.
- ⛰️ Reduce speed when approaching hills to prepare for the unknown on the other side.
- 🚨 Slow down for emergency vehicles and pull over when necessary to give them space.
- 🚴♂️ Share the road with bicycles, respecting their rights and responsibilities as road users.
- 🔁 When merging onto the expressway, use the acceleration lane to reach the speed of traffic and merge smoothly.
- 🚦 Maintain a safe following distance, especially in adverse weather conditions or when following large vehicles.
- ❌ Avoid crossing multiple lanes at once on the expressway to prevent accidents.
Q & A
What is the main concern for Adam when driving on the expressway?
-Adam is concerned about getting used to the pace of the expressway and being nervous around all the traffic.
What advice does Adam's dad give for approaching a curve while driving?
-Adam's dad advises asking oneself questions about the curve's direction, sharpness, and visibility of the exit before entering, and to adjust speed and lane position accordingly.
What is the recommended lane position when entering a curve?
-It's best to enter a curve in lane position three or the right half of the lane to allow the most space between your vehicle and oncoming traffic.
How should one apply the brakes while navigating a curve?
-One should slow down by squeezing the brake upon entry of the curve and then trail off the brake through the central part until the exit point.
What is the significance of looking far ahead into the curve while driving?
-Looking far ahead into the curve allows the driver to see if anything is in their path of travel, ensuring safety.
Why is it advised to reduce speed when approaching the top of a hill?
-Reducing speed when approaching the top of a hill provides more time to respond to any obstructions that might be on the opposite side, as visibility is limited.
What should a driver do if they see a large truck behind them with smoke coming out from beneath it?
-The driver should pull over and let the truck pass, as it likely indicates the truck has lost its brakes.
What is commentary driving and why is it used?
-Commentary driving is a method where the instructor asks questions to keep the student driver engaged and aware during the drive. It's used to enhance learning and maintain sharpness.
What is the importance of maintaining a following distance of at least 4 seconds on the expressway?
-A following distance of at least 4 seconds provides enough time to react and stop in case the vehicle in front suddenly brakes, reducing the risk of a collision.
Why is it crucial not to get 'boxed in' while driving on the expressway?
-Getting 'boxed in' can limit the driver's ability to steer away from potential problems in their lane, increasing the risk of an accident.
What should a driver do if their car stalls on a railroad track?
-If a car stalls on a railroad track, the driver and passengers should exit the vehicle and move away from it towards the oncoming train, then call for help.
Outlines
🚗 Driving Skills and Curve Management
The first paragraph introduces a father teaching his son, Adam, how to drive. It emphasizes the importance of practicing driving skills, particularly on the expressway. The father advises Adam on how to handle curves by asking himself key questions such as the direction and sharpness of the curve and visibility of the exit. It's recommended to enter a curve in the right half of the lane to maximize space from oncoming traffic and to slow down when entering the curve. The father also stresses the importance of looking ahead into the curve and not braking through the entire curve to maintain traction. The conversation also touches on approaching hills, where reducing speed is advised due to the lack of visibility over the hill.
🛣️ Expressway Etiquette and Safety
The second paragraph discusses the challenges of driving on the expressway, where speeds can reach up to 70 mph and traffic is unpredictable. It covers how to merge onto the expressway safely, including using the acceleration lane and signaling intentions. The importance of maintaining a safe following distance, especially in adverse weather conditions, is highlighted. The father also explains the dangers of getting 'boxed in' and advises against crossing multiple lanes at once. The concept of 'no-zones' around large trucks is introduced, cautioning drivers to be aware of these blind spots to avoid accidents.
👀 Avoiding Distraction and Defensive Driving
The third paragraph focuses on the dangers of distractions while driving, such as rubbernecking at accidents. It stresses the importance of keeping eyes on the road and not staring at incidents, as it can lead to severe accidents, especially at high speeds. The father uses the 'mom brake and clothesline combo' as an example of an instinctive reaction to a sudden incident, reminding Adam to always be aware of his surroundings. The conversation also covers the importance of defensive driving and not to rely on other drivers making safe choices.
💤 The Risks of Drowsy Driving
The fourth paragraph delves into the dangers of drowsy driving, comparing it to driving under the influence of alcohol. It shares personal stories of accidents caused by falling asleep at the wheel, emphasizing the importance of taking breaks during long drives and pulling over to rest if feeling tired. The father and son discuss the effects of highway hypnosis and the need to be vigilant against the drowsiness that can come from long periods of concentration on the road.
🏎️ Mastering the Expressway
The fifth and final paragraph wraps up the driving lesson, with Adam reflecting on his experience merging onto the expressway and the importance of managing space while driving. The father reassures that with practice, Adam will become comfortable with high speeds and the rules of the road still apply. The paragraph ends on a positive note, encouraging consistent practice to build confidence and skill in expressway driving.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Expressway
💡Curve
💡Hill
💡Following Distance
💡Merge
💡Passing
💡Lane Position
💡Traffic Light
💡Railroad Crossing
💡Bicycle
💡Defensive Driving
Highlights
The importance of getting used to the pace of the expressway and overcoming nervousness around traffic.
The technique of asking oneself key questions before approaching a curve.
The recommendation to enter a curve in the right half of the lane for safety.
The advice to slow down upon entering a curve and trail off the brake through the central part.
The strategy to look as far ahead into the curve as possible to anticipate obstacles.
The caution about misjudging the sharpness of curves and the dangers of high speeds.
The guidance on reducing speed when approaching hills to prepare for unknown conditions.
The advice to check rear view mirrors when driving down hills for potential problems.
The instruction to describe surroundings and actions while driving to enhance awareness.
The reminder to always slow down for emergency vehicles and give them space.
The warning about never trying to beat a train at a railroad crossing.
The advice to share the road with bicycles and respect their rights and responsibilities.
The explanation of how to merge onto the expressway safely.
The emphasis on minimal steering input when changing lanes at high speeds.
The necessity of maintaining a following distance of at least 4 seconds on expressways.
The instruction to avoid getting boxed in by other vehicles to maintain maneuverability.
The dangers of passing on a two-lane residential road and the conditions that make it safe.
The steps to safely pass another vehicle on the expressway, including signaling and checking traffic.
The advice on how to react when being passed on the expressway to reduce the risk of accidents.
The dangers of crossing several lanes at once on the expressway and the importance of lane discipline.
The concept of 'no zones' around large trucks and the need to avoid driving in these blind spots.
The reminder to drive defensively and avoid being distracted by accidents on the side of the road.
The procedure for exiting the expressway, including slowing down and watching for entering vehicles.
The dangers of highway hypnosis and the importance of taking breaks during long drives.
The personal accounts of drowsy driving accidents and the lessons learned from them.
The final review of expressway driving guidelines emphasizing safety and awareness.
Transcripts
so Dad how's it going better than I was
at that age by far oh he's doing well we
still need to work on polishing a few
skills here and there though I need to
get used to the pace of the expressway I
get nervous around all the traffic I did
too you'll be fine once you get some
practice yeah we're going to head to the
expressway now and we'll practice a few
things along the way all right I'll let
you go then good
luck
Adam is approaching a curve and it's
important that he asks himself a few
questions before he reaches the
curve does it curve to the right or left
how sharp is the curve can I see the
exit of the curve
ahead after asking himself these
questions and checking traffic to the
rear he can determine the best speed and
Lane position in which to enter the
curve in most cases it's best to enter a
curve in Lane position three or the
right half of the lane this allows the
most space between your vehicle and any
oncoming traffic you must slow down upon
entry of the curve by squeezing your
brake however you should Trail off the
brake through the central part of the
curve until the exit Point your tires
will have more traction on the road
surface than if you break break all the
way through the
curve once you reach the exit point or
apex of the curve you should accelerate
lightly to pull the car through the
curve always remember to look as far
ahead into the curve as possible in
order to see if anything is in your path
of travel you're getting much better at
handling these curves some of your
sisters friends would misjudge the
sharpness of Curves and take them at
speeds way too high if you can't tell
how sharp a curve is just slow down
assume the worst it's also a good idea
to be in Lane position three when you
approach Hills in most cases you have no
idea what's on the other side of the
Hill ahead of you neither do oncoming
drivers because of this you should also
reduce your speed as you approach the
top of the hill this will give you more
time to respond to any obstructions that
might be on the opposite side of the
Hill when driving down a hill you should
always check your rear view mirrors for
any potential problems Vehicles may be
approaching too quick
or large trucks may be having trouble
breaking if you see a large truck behind
you with smoke boiling out from beneath
it pull over and let it pass the truck
has most likely lost its
brakes as you drive I want you to tell
me what you see around you and what
you're doing okay well I'm driving 40
mph and there's a car behind me with its
headlights on is that a
Dodge that look look on Adam's face is
appropriate my dad has the right idea to
ask questions while Adam drives it's
called commentary driving once your
student becomes more comfortable with
their Driving Experience it's a good
idea to help keep them sharp by
involving them in commentary driving but
that last question was a bad example try
to avoid questions that require your
student to look away from the road ahead
for seconds at a time however you should
ask simple questions relevant to the
current Drive
sorry Adam that was a distracting
question uh how about if you just tell
me what you see in front of us we're
approaching an intersection controlled
by a traffic light the light's green so
I can continue through it the car
directly ahead of me is breaking so I
have to slow
down now he's signaling left to change
lanes further ahead of us there's a
police car with its lights on so I'll
have to slow down that's right always
slow down for emergency vehicles and
pull over to get out of their way when
necessary what should you be concerned
about up ahead uh we are approaching a
railroad crossing and what should you
never do with a railroad crossing you
should never try to beat out a train and
you should never stop on the tracks
that's right that's dangerously stupid
if your car would ever stall on a
railroad track get out and run as far
away from the car and towards the train
then call for help okay I got it
now what are you going to do about the
bicycle ahead I've got to slow down and
share the road right in many places
bicycles have the same rights and
responsibilities as cars and some places
they even have bicycle lanes and other
places you just have to carefully share
the road with
them Adam's probably getting close to
entering the expressway
Expressway driving involves speeds of up
to 70 mph with heavy and unpredictable
traffic for drivers this means less time
to identify problems ahead and much less
steering input needed to maneuver let's
take an overhead graphical look at
merging first you enter the entrance
Ram these often include sharp curves
that require you to greatly reduce your
speed located directly after the
entrance ramp is the a short
acceleration Lane this Lane allows you
time to accelerate to appropriate speeds
before merging at this point you should
signal that you intend to merge onto the
expressway the merge area is directly
ahead of the acceleration Lane and can
be identified by Broken White Lines
replacing solid white lines you should
try to merge onto the expressway at the
speed of Expressway traffic once you
find an appropriate Gap merge into the
lane at high speeds it's important
important to know that minimal steering
input is necessary when changing lanes
abrupt steering movements may cause
total loss of control of your vehicle
along with parallel parking merging at
such high speeds can be super stressful
for new drivers you have to enter the
expressway at high speeds or you'll
become a hazard to everyone it may take
time to get comfortable with this so
parents help your students determine
appropriate gaps when merging on the
highway the first few
times
following distance is critical on
expressways because of the high speeds
always try to maintain a following
distance of at least 4
seconds remember to increase following
distance when following large trucks
buses and
motorcycles following large trucks and
buses too closely blocks your view of
the roadway ahead and may put you in
their blind spot when weather conditions
worsen traveling in rain rain sleep snow
or fog requires a greater following
distance because you can't see as far
ahead as normal and it takes your car
longer to stop when entering and exiting
the
expressway you need to increase
following distance to provide a gap for
yourself and other drivers you also
never know what's on the other side of
the sharp curves of entrance and exit
ramps do you see a pattern here as a
general rule increase following distance
anytime you're unsure of what's
ahead
do you see how there are cars driving
directly next to you in both surrounding
Lanes yeah I see them try not to get
yourself boxed in like this this will
prevent you from steering away from any
potential problems that might be in your
lane ahead of you should I slow down to
give myself some more space well yeah
but just a little bit you don't want to
slow down too much and become a
hazard if you're ready we'll give pass a
try let's do it passing is a very
dangerous maneuver and the high speeds
and the large volume of traffic on the
expressway doesn't make it any safer go
ahead and signal and check the traffic
around you take a quick glance over your
shoulder to make sure that the lane is
safe for you to move
into looks good wait a minute a the lane
next to you may be clear but there's a
vehicle on the far left that has its
turn signal on so what does that mean
when two cars want to enter the same
Lane at the same time the car on the
left has the RightWay this applies to
merges also and vehicles exiting the
expressway have the rideway over
Vehicles attempting to enter
it now that the car is passed check
traffic again and smoothly change
lanes once you get ahead of the vehicle
you must signal and see both both of the
other vehicles headlights in your rear
view mirror before you move back into
your original
Lane make sure you turn off your turn
signal because you don't want the
drivers behind you to be guessing
whether you're going to be changing
lanes
again passing on a highway can be
dangerous but passing on a two-lane
residential road is even more dangerous
to pass on a two-lane roadway make sure
you have a broken yellow line and that
oncoming traffic is is a safe distance
away if you have any doubt whether
oncoming traffic is a safe distance away
do not pass passing is never worth the
risk of a head-on collision never
attempt to pass on curves Hills and
bridges or at intersections and railroad
crossings it's simply unsafe so you know
how to pass someone safely but what
about being passed when you're being
passed on an expressway you can reduce
the risk of an accident by changing Lane
position if the vehicle passing you is
too close by not increasing speed when
you're being passed speeding up only
makes other drivers angry and by
adjusting your speed after you're passed
you want to create that 4 second
following distance and reestablish
adequate space around your vehicle here
are a few more things you should watch
for on an
expressway something you should never do
on an expressway is cross several Lanes
at once your you're just asking to cause
a major accident if you do that while
passing on the right is illegal on some
State roadways it's legal on most so
always be aware that drivers may be
passing you on the right when on an
expressway you should also be aware that
drivers of large trucks have a few large
blind spots these are called No zones if
you driving close to a truck you should
avoid these zones because the driver
can't see you they might unknowingly
perform perform an action that could
lead to a serious accident remember if
you can't see the mirrors of the truck
the driver can't see you well just like
when you're driving anywhere else you
need to drive defensively on the
expressway you just never know whoa what
relax dad I saw the car oh he just came
out of nowhere Adam I'm I'm sorry I
guess I
overreacted there it was Dad employing
the mom break and cloth line
combo sometimes things happen so quickly
that parents can't avoid a reaction like
that parents shouldn't make a habit of
it but students shouldn't take it as a
criticism either you never know when bad
drivers are about to make a mistake as
long as you are paying attention to the
road and vehicles all around you you
will prevent a great deal of accidents
potentially caused by these bad
drivers that car's bumper is smashed put
your hand back on the wheel and focus on
the road ahead aren't I supposed to be
aware of everything around me yes but
you were rubbernecked and you took your
eyes off the road don't stare at someone
else's accident it's none of your
business and it's not safe dad's right
about that staring at something on the
side of the road like an accident is
extremely dangerous especially on
expressways when you're traveling 70 mph
you drive over 200 ft in Just 2 seconds
a lot can happen in 200 ft when you Look
Away you risk veering from your lane and
at such high speeds it doesn't take much
veering to end up colliding with a
concrete median or running off the road
and into something else at 70 mph the
force of impact with any object could be
deadly so keep your eyes on the road
ahead I want you to take the next exit
so move into the right
lane in many cases the lane you use to
exit will be a weave Lane do you know
what I mean by weave Lane it's used to
both enter and exit the expressway right
that's right so the lane you are using
to exit the expressway may contain
Vehicles who are attempting to enter it
but I'll have the rideway well yes you
will but you still need to watch out for
vehicles entering the expressway you
just can't assume that they're going to
yield for
you okay here we
go
great job Adam just as you did while
entering the expressway you had to slow
down considerably on the exit ramp to
combat the sharp curves where are we
going now we're going to go to the park
to meet your
sister
how's the lesson going was going well
until I had to stop for a picnic with
you oh it was time for a break Adam
driving for extended periods of time
isn't good for anyone dad's right
highway hypnosis and falling asleep at
the wheel are just as dangerous as
driving drunk highway
hypnosis highway hypnosis is a drowsy
condition that results from
concentrating on the road for long
periods of time it causes you to become
temporarily hypnotized and lose track of
where your vehicle is going it takes
less than a second of dropped
concentration to cause a serious crash
the same can happen with falling asleep
at the wheel I've interviewed two people
about their experiences with drowsy
driving I stayed up all the night before
watching movies it was a fun thing to do
that we'd stay up all night with friends
and myself and a group of friends who
were all about 19 at the time um went
out camping I remember making the right
turn but the 300 yards from that stop
sign to where my accident occurred I
don't remember anything of it so at some
point there I'd fallen asleep on the way
back the guy driving the car that I was
in fell asleep at the wheel uh on the
highway and ended up waking up to
hearing my friend scream my name and
glass coming through the windshield uh
when he awoke he was heading towards a
um pole on the side of the road couldn't
get out my door I was up against the
telephone pole there was a fence post
that came through my windshield he
turned the wheel so far that the the car
you know sort of turned skitted and and
just flipped over the fence post had
caught her ear and I I saw her bleeding
I remember um waking up screaming the
driver's name and then um then I
remember sort of flipping over a couple
times couldn't get out my side I had to
jump over her get her out I had to take
my shirt off and wrap my my shirt around
her head to stop the bleeding L I had
the next thing I remember was being you
know upside down inside the car so I'm
laying on the roof of the car called the
paramedics it took them about a half
hour to get there and I just remember
just watching the blood soak through my
t-shirt as it was wrapped around the
girl's head luckily everyone who was in
the car there were four of us um were
okay my passenger had gotten had to have
plastic surger on her ear to repair what
the fence post had done to her I had for
some period of time a little bit of fear
of being in you know the back seat while
someone else was was driving um I also
would not be able to fall asleep in a
car anymore I I was annoy so annoyed
with it I up shaving my head after the
whole accident was over I was so annoyed
and terrified there there was more glass
around it was one of those things I was
really really afraid of the driver of
the car you know tried all those things
to stay awake he you know told me later
he turned up the music and had roll down
the window people tell you to you know
roll down your window crank up your
music to stay awake if you're tired but
that's only really a temporary thing the
answer should have been to have somebody
else drive or to you know just pull the
car over and sleep or something like
that but you we wanted to get back so
the tired feeling will still overcome
you in the end and you will eventually
something could happen something bad
could happen and so when I'm tired I
either pull off to the road take a nap
or I just don't drive at all to avoid
accidents like that you should plan
regular breaks when taking long trips
and if you do become tired you should
pull over to a safe area and rest your
eyes please don't try to drive if you're
knowingly tired now as A Brief Review
let's go over some guidelines that you
should follow when driving on an
expressway you should always try to
maintain a following distance of at
least 4 seconds so that you can steer
and break out of potential problems
carefully use minimal steering input
excessive or abrupt steering can lead to
total loss of control of your
vehicle when changing lanes move only
one lane at a time moving through
multiple Lanes in a hurry greatly
increases your chance of causing an
accident if it's safe to do so be
courteous and move over a lane in order
to allow drivers entering the expressway
to merge easily you want to keep up with
the flow of traffic on expressways if
traffic is moving at 70 mph driving at
50 mph is not safe and could cause
serious accidents but what about keeping
up with traffic that's traveling faster
than the speed limit I know just the guy
to ask that question is very easily
answered should I keep up with the flow
of traffic even though they're exceeding
the speed limit very simple the answer
to that is no the speed limit is a speed
limit if it's 55 miles an hour it's 55
miles an hour not 60 if it's 70 it's 70
not 85 the problem is people will be
picked out of group of cars they'll be
stopped and they'll be issued a summons
uh for speeding and of course the
response is why did you pick me
everybody else was I was going with the
flow of traffic everybody else was
driving fast well the fact of the matter
is we can only stop one car at a time
and it would just happen to be your turn
so no the speed limit is a speed limit
if it's 55 it's not 56 it's not 57 it's
55 miles an hour well there you have it
so do either of you have any thoughts
about the driving you've done today well
merging is definitely a challenge at
first it's intimidating pulling onto the
ramp and seeing those cars go so fast
not that I didn't pay attention on the
residential roads but driving on the
expressway really helped me better
understand the importance of managing
space in the end it's just driving but
you still can't lose focus for even a
second or you're in trouble Adam didn't
do so bad as a parent you want to talk
your student through the merge until
they're comfortable and doing it on
their own but you've got to practice and
it'll take some time to get used to
those high speeds and I'll try not to
use that Mom break anymore but it might
be a little bit difficult it sounds like
Adam's getting the hang of driving on
the expressway and you will too as long
as you practice on a regular basis the
high speeds of expressways can be a
little intimidating at first but all the
rules you've learned throughout still
apply
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