insnsk: переводы

→Happy motoring and keep the shiny side up!

→Another exception is on controlled access highways, where it is illegal to stop or back up anywhere on the right-of-way, including shoulders, gore areas, off-ramps and access roads. As always, you should check the law in YOUR state so you know what the law is where you drive, but also consider that just because something is legal doesn't always mean it is safe.

→Many folks think it is illegal to back up on a roadway. This is not always the case. In my state, for example, you can back up on a roadway as long as you do so safely—but that's the real issue, isn't it? It's not easy to be safe when trying to back up on a roadway you're sharing with many other vehicles and pedestrians. One situation where you shouldn't back up is when you overrun a "stop line" at an intersection while stopping for a red light (or stop sign). If this happens, and you find yourself straddling the crosswalk, it is usually better to stay where you are, rather than backing up to the proper place. Backing up through a crosswalk can be much more dangerous for obvious reasons.

→There are a couple more ways to protect against parking lot mishaps. If you can, pick a parking spot you can pull straight into and on to the next row, so that when you depart, you are pulling forward out of your spot instead of backing up. In busier parking lots where this is not possible, try backing into your parking space to begin with instead of backing out when you leave. The advantage is you can visually clear the parking spot as you approach it, adding a bit of extra safety, and then exit it forward instead of backing into the driving lane as you leave.

→Once you've cleared the area behind you, turn and look to the rear while you back. In trucks, you may not be able to see directly to the rear, except in the side view mirrors. It's always a good idea to have a "spotter" behind you in these circumstances, a second person standing behind your vehicle where you can see them, giving you information about how you are doing. Keep your speed very low—down to a crawl.

→Since the risks are higher for collisions while backing, take special care to make sure you don't back-up without visually clearing the area behind the vehicle first. Many times each year, children are run over in their own driveways because drivers didn't look behind their vehicles first. For this reason, many companies require their drivers to place an orange traffic cone behind their vehicles when they park, forcing them to look behind it again as they pick up the cone prior to driving away.

→Many fender-benders occur when drivers back up. Several years ago, my state purchased a fleet of fifty full-size vans for the use of state agencies. Within a couple of years, all but ONE of those vans had backing damage of one kind or another—the only one that didn't was the one used by the driving instructors to TEACH employees how to drive the vans! I have heard that many other companies with fleet vehicles report the same problem, and it's not just vans.

→Finally, remember that even parked vehicles have blind areas. Kids often play around cars. Before you start up and back out of your driveway, take a quick turn around the vehicle to make sure nothing, living or inanimate, is under or behind your wheels.

→Tractor-trailer rigs have their own particular blind spots. These trucks are "articulated"—they "bend" in the middle. If you can picture a turning semi from above, as it jackknifes around a corner, you'll see that the side mirrors are the only rearward vision the driver has. As the tractor heads into the turn, the side mirror on the side to which the truck is turning has a view only of the side of the truck's trailer. His other mirror (away from the turn direction) is pointing off to the side, into space. In this situation, the driver cannot see anything happening directly behind him unless he sticks his head out and looks. Also, it is possible to "hide" completely behind the trailer of a large truck. Some drivers do this in order to "draft," using the suction created behind the semi to save on gas. It is not a brilliant idea to drive so close to the rear of a vehicle you can't see around or over when the driver may not even know you are there. When driving near large trucks, always try to make sure you are visible to the driver. If you can see his face in his side-view mirrors, he can see you, too.

→It is important to check your mirrors every 5 to 8 seconds while driving. At the same time, it's not enough just to check the mirrors. If you've been driving long, you already know the blind areas on most vehicles are large enough to hide other vehicles. Mirrors also will not reveal a vehicle that is changing lanes from two lanes away. Example: You are driving in the right hand lane of a multi-lane roadway, and signal to change lanes to the left. Another vehicle in the third lane changes lanes to the right. Both of you may be trying to occupy the same place in the second lane. And it is always possible that a lane that was clear of other traffic just a second ago may quickly be occupied—traffic is often fast-moving and fluid—and empty spaces tend to fill up. It is very important to turn your head and look before making a lane change.

→Where are your blind spots? That depends on the vehicle. A car typically has blind areas at the sides near the rear of the vehicle, meaning you cannot see anything in these areas by looking in your correctly-adjusted mirrors. Other vehicles may be blind to anything that is directly behind. Vehicles in which the driver sits very high may have forward-quarter blind spots—they may not be able to see anything low to the ground in front or to the sides near the front.

→It should make you uncomfortable if you are driving in other drivers' blind spots! Virtually all vehicles have blind areas—even motorcycles. (Motorcyclists are sometimes limited in how far they can twist their head to look behind them.) Yet, some drivers habitually change lanes without checking their blind areas for other vehicles. It's a good idea to adjust your position relative to other traffic to stay out of other drivers' blind spots whenever you can.

→One of the intents (and benefits) of traffic laws is to make our movements on the road predictable. If we adhere to them, then our roads are safer for all. Next week: Always signal your intentions.

→Another trouble area is maintaining proper position during turns. Do you often see others turning wide into an incorrect lane, either left or right? If you turn from right lane to right lane, left lane to left lane, you are being predictable, and traffic flows smoother.

→If you are confused about where to turn, or looking for an address, be careful not to stop dead in the road when others aren't expecting your sudden stop. Instead, pull off to the side or into a parking lot until you figure out what to do. Pay attention to your turn signals. It is not unusual to see a driver whose signal doesn't auto-cancel happily motoring along, unaware, for many blocks. No one knows WHAT they are going to do. Are they looking for a turn and unfamiliar with the area, or did they just forget that the signal was "on?"

→Being predictable is part of planning ahead and paying attention -- for the freeway exit, you should change lanes long before your exit ramp, getting yourself into position early so that others have plenty of time and space to react and adjust.

→Be predictable! If you find that you are too close to your intended off-ramp (or turn) to be able to signal normally and slow down gradually, then forget making any sudden corrective moves and go on to the next exit, or to the next block. Turn back, or go around the block to get back where you wanted to be.

→Have you ever seen a driver fly down the left lane of an expressway, then at the very last second, veer across all the lanes and onto an off-ramp (usually cutting off a number of other vehicles in the process)? Driving instructors call that a "kamikaze." It's probably the most extreme example of unpredictability, the kind of unexpected sudden movement that results in many traffic deaths each year.

→One of the best ways to create a safe environment for yourself and others while driving is to be predictable. Plainly stated, you don't want to surprise anyone. This is similar to Rule #14 (Drive to Communicate), but slightly different in practice.

→With all of these tips, you communicate your presence and intentions to other drivers, and help them avoid colliding with you. And that's ALWAYS a good thing!