She brakes sooner after car was rear-ended and totaled

Q

A few years ago, my passengers were complaining that I wasn’t braking soon enough in commuter traffic, and I thought they were being alarmist. I was in control. Then my 2003 Honda Civic was rear-ended on the Bay Bridge, and was declared a total loss by my insurer.

To my surprise, the replacement, a 2019 Honda Accord, agreed with my passengers! It kept flashing an orange BRAKE warning at me, and this was so annoying that I got in the habit of braking sooner. My new car has made me a safer driver, if not necessarily a better driver.

— Lynne Ellinwood,

Richmond

A

Thank goodness for safer vehicles.

Q

OK, I must confess, I’m a good, smart driver. I learned to drive defensively 45 years ago from Mr. Pete Ida, driving instructor at Gunn High School in Palo Alto. He was a patient man who taught us good driving habits.

Today, I drive through neighborhoods at the speed limit or less. I drive the same way I would want others to drive. I would rather be labeled a wimp for using my blinker. Driving through intersections, I scan the road back and forth, keeping eyes out for impending danger. Do I have a bad habit or two? Well, I’ll keep you in suspense.

Do you remember when we were shown old black-and-white films of car accidents at railroad crossings and intersections? All were designed to “scare us straight.” Those images are burned in our memories.

— Phil Ackerly,

Santa Clara

A

These days the film is in gory color.

Q

I think I’m a good driver. I drove for UPS for almost 30 years and never had an accident. I learned defensive driving through UPS, in a highly involved driving course that has made me a safe driver, I think! I learned about stale green lights among other things. I don’t tailgate. I learned safe following time and distance.

— Jim Paggi

A

And…

Q

Being a good driver is a lot more than observing the speed limit and using your blinkers.

It’s being aware of your surroundings, watching for every thing that could affect you and others: the driver who all of a sudden feels the urge to move into your lane, the tourist from out of state who is not familiar with the area, the clueless driver who dawdles at low speed in the wrong lane or stays side by side with a truck for miles, and many more.

Let’s all relax a little, be patient, pardon other drivers and their sins. We will all live longer and better. — Pierre Messerli, Pacifica

A

That is the goal.

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