Driving should be looked upon as an enjoyable and stimulating challenge to both mind and body. As the Methodist subtheme says “Caring for the body, mind and soul ….” When done safely, it can be one of the most delightful pastimes, even in this...
There is nothing amusing about a flooded engine. Worry sets in and no smile is evident on the face of that motorist with an engine that is flooded. “When a check valve is stuck, flooding of the engine occurs,” says Derrick Gentles, an experienced...
Collisions and traffic tie-ups create problems for motorists, whether morning, noon or night. A traffic tie-up could be as a result of an early-morning accident, an afternoon collision, repair work on the roadway, or a fallen pole and so on. “...
Vehicle safety is of paramount importance to any motor vehicle owner. Can you imagine having parked your vehicle and proceeded to carry out your legitimate business, only to return to find an empty parking spot? No one saw, heard or noticed...
The Christmas season is moving full speed ahead. The streets are getting busy. The motor vehicles are roving left, right, and across the shopping plazas. It would appear that some of our drivers tend to drive away many of the defensive driving...
The driver who habitually trails a few metres from the vehicle in front is known as the tailgater. “The danger of this type of driving is so obvious” says Kanute Hare, director of road safety in the Ministry of Transport. “If you should ever find...
When a driver slips behind the wheel of a motor car, he automatically becomes an important part of this complex machine. “If the driver is both physically and mentally prepared and ready to drive, the vehicle will perform at its peak” says Dr...
Like gear changing, the operation of the brakes of a car appears elementary. A driver simply steps on the pedal and waits for the car to obediently reduce its speed. In simple terms, how does the braking system work? It could be described in two...
Highway driving often seems quiet and routine, therefore drivers can be falsely lulled into thinking they have little to worry about. With various highways in effect or coming on stream, motorists should take the necessary precaution so as not to...
Driving is partly a social task. Like other social skills, driving requires skills in interacting and cooperating with people. The driving task includes all the skilled actions a person must take to drive a motor vehicle. These actions must be...
Trucks occupy a lot of road space. They can truly block your view when reading the road ahead. They differ in size, speed, and vehicle capability although some smaller trucks, such as pickup and panel trucks, perform much like motor cars. Norris...
What kind of driver will you be as you navigate the new norm? Are you a defensive driver, a weaver, a road hog, a speeder, or a tailgater? Driving should be an enjoyable and stimulating activity to the mind and body. When drivers follow the rules...
There is a sign that is quite noticeable on the roadways, and it reads, “Speed kills, kill your speed”. “We must think about it logically: more speed, greater impact; less speed, less impact,” stated Lurkent Hanson, a Gryphon-trained defensive...
Have you checked your car lately? Have you checked for safety, which will result in saving lives, precious time, and valuable money? “To prevent your motor vehicle endangering lives, we must ensure that it is in good working order,” advised Kurt...
When you observe yourself in a mirror, what do you see? Do you see a person you like? Do you see someone with talents and good qualities you appreciate and whose shortcomings you have learned to appreciate? How do you see yourself? Are you a safe...
Shock Absorbers are the real key to your motor vehicle stability. Sometimes these devices are taken for granted. However, they are vital to the riding performance of your automobile. Shock absorbers are commonly thought to be relatively unimportant...
Carrying gasolene in your motor vehicle is like having a torch waiting to be ignited. It’s almost like a bomb that’s being transported. While drivers of motor vehicles are spared direct contact with the volatile side of gasolene’s personality, one...
Driver error and equipment error are a recipe for road disaster as even good drivers occasionally make mistakes. Any driver can be put in an emergency situation by the unpredictable act of another motorist. “However, knowing how to identify an...
Driving at nights requires defensive driving skills, too. “A driver should make it a habit to switch on his low beams whenever he is approaching or overtaking traffic,” advises Dr A Burton. “The glare of high-beam headlights in a driver’s eyes or...
It is often said that ‘anger’ is one letter short of ‘danger’. However, there is a general agreement among mental-health professionals that all of us react to certain ‘anger triggers’. An anger trigger can be something that frustrates or annoys a...
There is always a lane for courtesy on our roads. Courtesy, according to the MacMillan dictionary, means “polite behaviour”. Mohandas Kaaramchand (Mahatma) Gandhi once said: “All the education young men receive will be in vain if they do not learn...
It is so easy to feel depressed in a time like this when our minds are bombarded with death, social distancing, coronavirus, handwashing, masks, and general hygiene practices. It requires all drivers to be aware, alert, and awake. Although there...
Have you got engine problems? Are you sometimes stressed out trying to find out what is going wrong regarding your motor car’s engine? “The car’s engine is basically a converter of energy,” says Oral Baugh, a St Andrew-based auto mechanic. “It...
An emotion is a strong feeling. It is a special human quality that can make life interesting, enjoyable, sad, or depressing. The Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary describes emotion as an “intense feeling”, while the MacMillan Dictionary says it’s “a...
Driving in the city can be demanding, but it does not have to be that way. Sometimes we watch in amazement as the taxi slashes through the clogged street. Sometimes we are on the brakes, next on the throttle, and then horn blaring incessantly....
