Does being a pilot make you a better driver?

[s0ldier93]

Earlier today I was on I-65 heading north (LA to GA). At about 85 mph, cruise control in use, and looking for a new CD, I had just passed a "tanker" truck. A quick glace in my rear veiw let me know that the car behind me (now trying to pass the truck) was gaining on me.

?????

A quick look at the speed (80 and falling), quick look at the cruise light (went out as I watched), foot down on the gas (nothing) took about 4 seconds. Hazard lights on and gear to nuetral for one start attempt (nothing). No shoulder on left (my side), means I gotta get over. In this case, the other drivers kept me from using much more decision making. My last look into the rear view showed that the car behind me and the tanker truck now had their hazrds on and were now moving slower than I was. . . . wow. . . I pulled over and cursed the gas I just got, then proceeded to an uneventful drive the rest of the way.

Anyway. I was was wondering: as pilots, do we command a better reaction to these types of situations? And even driving in general. A few minutes on the side of the road had me recalling many "what will you do now" sessions with my original instructor.

 

[EatSleepFly]

I don't know, I've ridden with some pilots who were pretty scary drivers.

Of course, I am a wonderful driver.


By the way...where do I recognize your name from??? It looks familiar...or perhaps I'm just crazy.

 

[FN FAL]

I think so. But I think it is dependant on the pilot.

In my mind, pilots are more cognizant of when they need fuel so you never see them on the side of the road walking with a gas can. I also think pilots check the oil in their car engine more than other "civilians". I think pilots pay stricter attention to their car's maintainance schedule and I think pilots check their tire pressure more often than other drivers.

As far as driving goes itself...it depends. A pilot like jarhaid probably thinks that driving exactly the speed limit in the left lane of an interstate while being totally oblivious to the tandem truck he's been next to for the last ten miles, is a mark of a good driver. While others may argue getting up and around the semi and taking a place in the right lane would be the sign of a good driver...even if it means kicking it in the ass a little bit.

I guess it depends on if you are talking a good "passive" driver or a good "re-active" driver.

 

[GravityHater]

OF COURSE NOT!!!
it makes us better lovers.

 

[Brett Hull]

Only if you drive the posted speed limit. If you have no respect for the rules of the road by driving 85 in a 70, you obviously won't have respect for the FAR's. Therefore, you are neither a good driver or a good pilot.

So says airline hiring boards, anyway.












p.s. I never speed.

Ever

 

[schafjet]

I don't know, both my girlfriend and my buddies think that I am a terrible driver. They wonder how I became a pilot. I think I'm a good driver. I've had no accidents since high school (which is a long time) and no speeding tickets in 14 years. I think I'm even a better pilot, of course. I probably suck at both, but denial is fun.

 

[DenverDude2002]

I think it can be true. I found that taking the motorcycle saftey foundation motorcycle class to get my motorcycle endorsement gave me skills i found useful for driving and even flying, and skills i picked up from flight training i use in everyday driving. I think its the broadness of skills/techniques that helps makes better drivers, the more tools/knowledge you have the more your likely to make a better decision than someone without them.

 

[minitour]

...Anyway. I was was wondering: as pilots, do we command a better reaction to these types of situations? And even driving in general...

If my wife is right (and what woman isn't?) then no.

-mini

 

[Hugh Jorgan]

according to this study...

we do pretty well.
http://www.nbc5i.com/news/2874252/detail.html

 

[coolyokeluke]

I'm a better driver...in the sense that I had to clean up my record so no more speeding if I wanted interviews down the road.

 

[avbug]

I've always received high marks on my flying, but to this day, I still can't drive worth a hoot. Plus I get lost a lot when I drive, and that's even with stopping for directions...

 

[redd]

Being a pilot makes you what?

Being a pilot doesn't make you a better driver, but staying at a Holiday Inn Express does......

But seriously, I second DenverDudes comments about motorcycles, I found that to be true as well.

 

[s0ldier93]

This motorcycle coarse sounds like good stuff.

minitour-
Have our wives met?

By the way...where do I recognize your name from??? It looks familiar...or perhaps I'm just crazy.

"Name" name or s0lider93? If it's s0ldier93 I've been on Brighthand.com, pocketpcpassion.com, studentpilot.com, hardforum.com, and justlinux.com. And maybe a few others.

In real life I've been to Southern University, the Navy on the USS Enterpise, the ERAU extended campus on NAS Oceana and NOB Norfolk, a civilian contractor on those two bases and recently in Warner Robins, GA. Did I mention I was from New Orleans?

 

[atrdriver]

I think it at least gives us better SA, so we know what's happening around us, and I think it makes us look farther down the road than many others. I find that many pilots that I drive with don't go roaring up to stop lights and then slam on the brakes simply because they were looking ahead.

 

[User546]

I was riding with an airline captain one time going 75 mph down an interstate while he had a pepsi in one hand and a hamburger in the other. Then his cell phone rang, and he re-defined the term "mutli-tasking."

I ended up having to take the wheel of the car for my own safety for a second while he shuffled things around, but I have to admit I was pretty impressed!

 

[FL000]

My last look into the rear view showed that the car behind me and the tanker truck now had their hazrds on and were now moving slower than I was. . . . wow.

Sounds like the folks behind you might have been pilots as well. Good situational awareness.

 

[flyifrvfr]

I'am a professional driver by first trade. I payed for flight training while driving tractor trailors. I speed, I pass on the right. I speed because I don't want to be mixed up with the idiots doing the speed limit and causing accidents. I pass on the right because of the same idiots in the left lane doing the speed limit. Now before anyone defends the idiot in the left lane doing the speed limit, he/she is breaking the law. The left lane is for passing only, not doing the speed limit making those who are doing 75 - 80 MPH pass you on the right.

You want to do the speed limit, do it in the right lane. Unfortunately, these are the same idiots who will not let you merge in the right hand lane from an on-ramp because they are abiding the law. These idiots cause accidents and road rage. On road rage, what a stupid name. I'am not expressing rage at the road, the road didn't do anything to me. I'am expressing rage to the idiot in the right lane, doing the speed limit, and won't let me merge.

 

[jetexas]

I found that taking the motorcycle saftey foundation motorcycle class to get my motorcycle endorsement

I took that course back when I rode. It saved me on more than one occasion. Well worth it!

As far as pilots being better drivers? Yes I think so. We have a better ability to judge time, speed, distance, etc. than most. I also notice others drivers on the road being sloppy pretty quickly and can avoid them. That's probably from the years of riding motorcycles though.

 

[Flying Illini]

I'am a professional driver by first trade. I payed for flight training while driving tractor trailors. I speed, I pass on the right. I speed because I don't want to be mixed up with the idiots doing the speed limit and causing accidents. I pass on the right because of the same idiots in the left lane doing the speed limit. Now before anyone defends the idiot in the left lane doing the speed limit, he/she is breaking the law. The left lane is for passing only, not doing the speed limit making those who are doing 75 - 80 MPH pass you on the right.

You want to do the speed limit, do it in the right lane. Unfortunately, these are the same idiots who will not let you merge in the right hand lane from an on-ramp because they are abiding the law. These idiots cause accidents and road rage. On road rage, what a stupid name. I'am not expressing rage at the road, the road didn't do anything to me. I'am expressing rage to the idiot in the right lane, doing the speed limit, and won't let me merge.

I'm not a professional driver but I have spent alot of time on the road and all I have to say is...AMEN BROTHA!!

"stupid people piss me off!" That's my favorite thing to say when I'm driving...just ask my fiance.

 

[avbug]

I'am a professional driver by first trade. I payed for flight training while driving tractor trailors. I speed, I pass on the right. I speed because I don't want to be mixed up with the idiots doing the speed limit and causing accidents. I pass on the right because of the same idiots in the left lane doing the speed limit. Now before anyone defends the idiot in the left lane doing the speed limit, he/she is breaking the law. The left lane is for passing only, not doing the speed limit making those who are doing 75 - 80 MPH pass you on the right.

Perchance did you just say that the right, appropriate, safe, and legal use of the left lane is to break the law?

 

[scubabri]

You know you are flying to much when you get in your car and each time you make a turn you try to look at the mag compass.


DOH!!

sb

 

[FL000]

You know you are flying to much when you get in your car and each time you make a turn you try to look at the mag compass.


DOH!!

sb

Or if you use the angle between the horizon and the dashboard when you get it up on two wheels.

 

[Stifler's Mom]

Only if you drive the posted speed limit. If you have no respect for the rules of the road by driving 85 in a 70, you obviously won't have respect for the FAR's. Therefore, you are neither a good driver or a good pilot.

So says airline hiring boards, anyway.

He didn't break any FARs...250 below 10 right?

 

[Ralgha]

Perchance did you just say that the right, appropriate, safe, and legal use of the left lane is to break the law?

At least in my state it's illegal to exceed the speed limit, regardless of what lane you're in or what everyone else is doing.

 

[avbug]

Yeah, that's kinda what, uh, I thought, too...

 

[TheDogsBollocks]

My wife thinks I am s**t-must be due to the litany of speeding tickets I have received over the years not considering the fact that when on freeways and deserted rural highways I tend to consider the posted speed limit as "advisory"!

 

[FN FAL]

I'am a professional driver by first trade. I payed for flight training while driving tractor trailors. I speed, I pass on the right. I speed because I don't want to be mixed up with the idiots doing the speed limit and causing accidents. I pass on the right because of the same idiots in the left lane doing the speed limit. Now before anyone defends the idiot in the left lane doing the speed limit, he/she is breaking the law. The left lane is for passing only, not doing the speed limit making those who are doing 75 - 80 MPH pass you on the right.

You want to do the speed limit, do it in the right lane. Unfortunately, these are the same idiots who will not let you merge in the right hand lane from an on-ramp because they are abiding the law. These idiots cause accidents and road rage. On road rage, what a stupid name. I'am not expressing rage at the road, the road didn't do anything to me. I'am expressing rage to the idiot in the right lane, doing the speed limit, and won't let me merge.

I always make room for truckers and try to give some help when they need it. If I am passing one and I see where he is going to need to get over in the left lane, I'll jam it on to get out of his way. If he needs to get over just before I pass, I'll signal with the headlights and back off so he can get over. It just makes sense to do so.

However, IF I am in the right lane of an interstate and you are in a car coming up the on ramp...it's my option to move over into the left lane to accomodate you. I have right of way in that lane...and if someone is in the left lane passing me, he has right of way over me. You the merger, are on your own.

Not to long ago, a merger was coming up the ramp. I had my cruise set at 72. There was 10 car lengths of room in front and behind me, but cars were passing me in the left lane.

The merger was driving a newer Grand Prix, which should have been sporty enough to accelerate and merge ahead of me or to merge behind me. So what does this jerk do? Evidently, he wanted the spot I was in, because he spends his entire time in the on ramp swerving and gesturing at me...then he jams on his brakes and swerves in behind me.

He then tail gates me for about a minute flashing his head lights at me, then swerves around to pass. He gets in front of me, gets back into the right lane and jams on his brakes in an aggressive manner a couple of times. Which is kind of funny, cause I got my grungy, nasty, dirty, USP .40 Cal sitting on the back seat, unloaded and zipped in it's case (which is the law in our state). (People should think before they go out on the road administering street justice...the next guy might not have a sense of humor...but I degress)

But anyway, I have no IDEA what this pr!cks problem was, but you'd think he would have used the performance of his car to either take the open spot in front of me or behind me and merge onto the highway like a person should. But no, he had to make this thing into an incident. I have the feeling that this guy thinks that if you make an ILLEGAL lane change in front of someone and jam on the brakes causing you to rear end them...that's its your fault. It's not...

 

[DenverDude2002]

I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who benefitted from the MSF course. for anyone whos interested its at http://www.msf-usa.org/ , its a very good class, they provide bikes, takes a weekend, designed for people who have never ridden before, and you can walk out of the class with your motorcycle endorsement. And even experienced riders who have never taken it will learn a lot.

 

[scuzzer23]

To go the same speed as everyone else is to drive safe. Sometimes I drive under the speed limit. Most of the time I drive over it. It depends on traffic flow and conditions. I got many speeding tickets when I was younger. But now that I drive with traffic I haven't gotten any. I don't even look at my speedo anymore. Save your NASCAR stunts for the racetrack and keep the road a safe place for the rest of us.

 

[flyifrvfr]

I have to reply to several posts in this reply so please bare with me. Avbug, the left lane is for passing only, if you are doing the speed limit in the left hand lane, but you are passing everyone who is in the right lane, you are legal. If you are doing the speed limit in the left hand lane and you are being passed by people in the right lane, than you are illegal, even if you are doing the speed limit. You are impeding the flow of traffic. This is why accidents happen.

FN FAL, If I'am attempting to merge on the interstate from an on-ramp, it is my responsibility to merge safely. I do get upset when an idiot won't move over one lane to allow mergers when the lane to the left of them is clear, although I do understand them not doing so if the next lane over isn't clear. It is one of my petpeeves. This is the reason why I travel down an on-ramp at 75 MPH. It allows me ease in mergeing. Thank you for your courtesy around trucks, we appreciate it and wish more drivers would do the same. Most people don't understand that trucks today, even when fully loaded to 80,000 pounds can accelerate quickly to highway speed. Stopping the truck is the problem.

Scuzzer23, the problem with people driving the same speed means that both lanes are being blocked and it leaves no out in case of an emergency. I do everything I can to get away from people for this very reason. This is an experienced motorcylce rider trick. Pass everyone until you find an opening in the traffic which is empty, ride that space and noone can run you over, and you have an out incase you need it. You mentioned NASCAR, the tracks the drivers love to hate is Daytona and Talladega because of the reasons I said above. There is no place to go when an accident happens, this is why they have THE BIG ONE every race at these tracks.

Finally, I don't drive the way I mention above if I'am in a tractor trailer. The reasons why is because the truck is a moving billboard, and we have to drive like professionals.