Prologue: Working for the Skip Barber Racing School was a constant learning experience: both from a personal driving standpoint as well as a teaching-to-others standpoint. “What not to do” was sometimes more important than “What to do” and was a constantly evolving experience.

As I embark on pursuing another motocross championship in 2019 (the last time was 2006), I remind myself as I’m training of each and every one of these “things learned”. While you may not be in training for a race, the same skills employed here can be applied to daily driving to make you a safer and more confident “street driver”.

PART V: “The Great Escape-Accident Avoidance Techniques!"

The longer you drive, the more times you will have to use these techniques in your lifetime. Threshhold Braking, Lane Toss and Long Range Vision are all part of your daily equation taught in advanced driving schools.

Let me start with "Vision". Performing a 5-second scan of your mirrors to keep abreast of your 360 degree surroundings. Fighting tunnel vision by looking as far down the road as your eyes can see. Mentally planning an "Out" with every move you make just in case "it all goes horribly wrong".

Reference our previous Drivin' With Joe posts:

TUNNEL VISION IN TRAFFIC

GOOD VISION-YOU CAN'T DO WHAT YOU CAN'T SEE

WHATSA BEHIND US IS OFA IMPORTANCE

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

Imagine cruising down the Interstate at 70MPH, when a car suddenly stops in front of you. The LANE TOSS exercise performed at school is designed to mimic this situation. Green traffic signals in 3 coned-off lanes suddenly change as you approach and you must instantly toss the car to the lane with the green light.This exercise also incorporates THRESHHOLD BRAKING (finding the limits of your braking without locking up the tires). For cars equipped with Antilock Brakes (ABS), drivers get to experience the brake pedal pushing back when the ABS is working.

Reference our previous Drivin' With Joe post:

"YOU ARE IN CONTROL SERIES-TO LEFT FOOT BRAKE OR NOT TO LEFT FOOT BRAKE-THAT IS THE QUESTION-PART I".

 

AHH, ADVANCED DRIVING SCHOOL. THE MOST FUN YOU CAN HAVE IN A CAR WITHOUT ENDING UP IN JAIL OR DEAD!