Space and Visibility - 5 seeing habit's & 10pt Commentary Flashcards
Name the 5 seeing habits
Aim High in Steering
Get the big picture
Keep your eyes moving
Leave yourself an out
Make sure they see you
- Aim High in Steering - Key Phrase
Remember - Find a safe path well ahead
Aim High in steering - How do you do it?
Imaginary target
Aim High in steering - What does it do for you?
Centers the car in traffic lane - Safe path for turns.
- Get the big picture - Key phrase
Remember - Stay back and see it all.
Get the big picture - What does it do for you?
Keeps you away from billboards. Smooth stops and turns. buys time.
Get the big picture - How do you do it?
How wide and deep? What’s in it? Objects & ground.
- Keep your eyes moving - Key phrase
Remember - Scan - Don’t stare
Keep your eyes moving - What does it do for you?
Keeps you alive at intersections. Keeps eyes ahead of car.
Keep your eyes moving - How do you do it?
Move eyes. front - 2 seconds, rear 5-8 seconds
- Leave yourself an out - Key phrase
Remember - Be prepared, expect the unexpected.
Leave yourself an out - What does it do for you?
Space on all 4 sides, but always in front.
Leave yourself an out - How do you do it?
Have an escape rout. take path of least resistance.
- Make sure they see you - Key phrase.
Remember - Don’t gamble, Use your horn, lights, and signals.
Make sure they see you - What does it do for you?
Establishes eye contact
Make sure they see you - How do you do it?
Communicate in traffic, horn, lights, signals.
Clearing intersections
Whether approaching, turning, going through, or starting up at intersections scan ahead, look
left, right, then back to the left. Scan your driving scene getting the big picture and look left,
right, first, looking for any pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, and vehicles to ensure they are
obeying their traffic sign or signal, and looking for any obstructions that may block your visibility.
Look left the second time because that’s the first lane of traffic I’m going to enter. Prior to
entering the intersection, I check my traffic side mirror looking for traffic in the lane next to my
vehicle that may turn in front of me. As I proceed through the intersection I check my opposite
traffic side mirror to ensure I cleared the intersection of any hazards.
Why? Keeps you alive at intersections.
When stopped in traffic
When stopped in traffic, I leave enough space between the front bumper of my vehicle and the
rear bumper of the vehicle in front of me. If that vehicle stalls or becomes disabled, I can
maneuver around that vehicle without having to back up in traffic. The space I leave in front of
my vehicle is proportionate to the size of my vehicle. The longer my vehicle, the more space
required.
Why? Have escape route.
Count one-two-three after vehicle ahead has started to move
Count one, two, three after the vehicle ahead has started to move before placing my vehicle in
motion. This will automatically establish a space cushion and allow me to bring my eyes up to
the driving scene ahead.
Why? Keeps you away from billboards.
Four to six second following time for speeds up to 30 MPH, 6-8 seconds for speeds over
30 MPH
To calculate following distance- When the vehicle ahead passes a stationary item, start
counting 1/1000 one, 1/1000 two, 1/1000 three until the front bumper of my vehicle reaches that
item. This is my following distance in seconds and gives me time to act to any changes in the
traffic scene ahead.
Why? Buys time.
Eight to twelve seconds eye-lead time
Eight to twelve seconds of eye lead time is the depth of which my eyes should be most of the
time while driving. To establish eye lead time while driving, I pick a stationary item in front of my
vehicle and start counting 1/1000 one, 1/1000 two, 1/1000 three until the front of my vehicle
reaches that item. That is my eye lead time in seconds. Remember that it is a maintained depth
of vision.
Why? Centers car in traffic lane.
Scan steering wheels
Always scan steering wheels of parked cars to see if the vehicle is occupied. An occupied
vehicle presents two hazards, the person may either exit the vehicle, or pull away from the curb.
Other ways to see if the vehicle is occupied is steering wheels turned out, tail or brake lights on,
and exhaust coming from the tail pipe. If you can’t determine if the vehicle is occupied, treat it
as an occupied vehicle. A small tap or loud blast if necessary, close enough to be heard, yet far
enough away to take evasive action.
Why? Take path of least resistance.
Stale green lights
A stale green light is a light that I did not see change, and I’m not sure when it may turn to
yellow or red. A point of decision must be established between the front bumper of my vehicle
and the stop line. If the light would change before reaching my decision point I will be able to
bring the vehicle to a safe stop behind the stop line. If I reach my decision point and the light
would change, I will continue through the intersection without hesitation or acceleration. Things
that affect my point of decision are road, load, weather and speed. (Demo)
Why? Smooth stops and turns.
Eye contact
Always establish eye to eye contact with pedestrians, bicycles, motorcycles, and vehicles to
eliminate uncertainty. We use 3 tools to establish eye to eye contact, our horn, lights and
signals. Our horn is the primary tool, usually a tap of the horn, sometimes a loud blast is
necessary. Once I establish eye to eye contact I can expect the other person to act in a
reasonable and predictable manner.
Why? Establishes eye to eye contact.
Pulling from curb
When pulling from a curb, I always indicate my intentions by turning on my traffic side turn signal.
I check traffic by, looking at my traffic side flat and convex mirrors. I look over my traffic side
shoulder to check my blind spot between the fuel tank and drive axle in the lane I’m about to
occupy. When the lane is clear I can proceed with pulling from curb. I do not deactivate my
turn signal until all of my equipment is completely in the lane I am occupying.
Why? Communicate in traffic, horn, lights, signals.
Use of mirrors and gauges
I check a mirror every 5 to 8 seconds looking for lane position, traffic conditions and mechanical
problems. I substitute a mirror check, when traffic allows, with one of my primary gauges, oil or
water looking for normal readings. When I check a mirror or gauge my next eye movement is
back to the front. Never go mirror to mirror, gauge to gauge, mirror to gauge, gauge to mirror.
Why? Keeps eyes ahead of car.
