driving safety Archives ⋆ TipsfromTia.com
There are a few things that we tend to universally fear in life, including illness, job interviews and, of course, our driving tests. Sometimes inciting a fear so extreme that we never get behind the wheel in the first place, even just the idea of sitting one-on-one in the car with someone who’s marking our every move can make our palms sweat.
Luckily, you have a pretty strong incentive for facing this fear and doing it anyway considering the freedom you’ll enjoy when you can finally drive solo. That said, even this won’t always be enough to keep you calm in the lead-up, which could be a problem considering that the more worked up you get, the less likely you are to perform well on the day. However, there are steps you can take to offset those feelings and give yourself the best chance possible. Keep on reading to find out what they are.
# 1 – Practice makes perfect
The more confident you feel in your abilities, the less likely you are to feel flustered under scrutiny. Doing plenty of driving in the days before your test, and importantly brushing up on all of those maneuvers you usually avoid, can especially help you to know that you’ll be able to perform anything your instructor asks you to. At the very least, this will give a sense of confidence that makes it far less likely you’ll crumble the moment you sit next to them in the car.
# 2 – Don’t wait for too long
It might seem like a good idea to book a test that’s a while away so you don’t have to worry, but the reality is that having something like this hanging over you can make things way worse. Hence why it’s always worth booking the closest test slot possible or, if even that’s too long away, looking to companies who can help you to find earlier driving tests that cut those waiting times in half. That way, before you’ll get the thing done before you’ve even had a chance to think too much about it!
# 3 – Limit who you tell
Sharing your fear with a close confidant can help to calm you down, but it rarely pays to tell too many people about your test before it’s happened. The more people that know, the more pressure you’re going to feel on your shoulders, and the more stressed you’re ultimately going to end up. Instead, limit the sharing of this information to one or two close friends/family members. That way you’ll have far fewer people asking you about it or telling you how well they think you’ll do. Even better, it’ll be a nice surprise for everyone when you send around those must-have pictures of you with your pass certificate!
Driving tests can easily drive us into a panic. Keep your hands firmly on the wheel by using these pointers to keep you Zen, and perhaps even increase your chances of passing when the time finally comes.
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Top 3 Motorcycle Helmet Brands To Choose From
Picking out clothes at the mall can be a challenge. Does this look good, does that look good, will this be warm enough, and on and on. Still, picking between a red and blue sweatshirt at your favorite store pales in comparison to trying to pick out motorcycle equipment. Why? Well, for one, driving a motorcycle is dangerous.
It is estimated that, despite making up only 3% of vehicles on the road, motorcyclists account for 14% of all crash-related deaths. That is not being said to dissuade you from driving a motorcycle; they are awesome! Still, it is important to conduct the best practices when riding to keep yourself as safe as possible.
With that being said, you need to make sure you select the right equipment to ensure top-tier safety for you and your noggin.
Before getting into the top three motorcycle helmet brands to choose from, it is worth mentioning that women’s motorcycle gear may differ some from male riders. Still, the only real distinguishing factor between male and female helmets is the person wearing them (and maybe the colors of the helmet).
So without further ado, here are the top motorcycle helmet brands to choose from:
On Bell’s about tab on their website, it says that, “Whether for auto racing, motorcycling or bicycling, Bell is synonymous with instilling confidence and enabling awesomeness. Established 1954, proven ever since.”
There you have it. A company that has been around for over 65 years is still standing tall for a reason. Bell produces quality helmets for “enabling awesomeness” but, more importantly, it provides you a safe and comfortable helmet.
Shoei helmets are very impressive. Why? Just take an inside look at their helmets below:
“The material and shape of Shoei’s interior systems are critical factors for the overall wearing comfort and proper fit of the helmet. The wearing comfort covers the effect of the material properties on the skin of the rider. The fit defines how well the helmet sits on the head and stays in place, which is especially noticeable at high speeds.”
Another popular helmet, HJC, offers a wide range of helmets, from bicycles to auto to motorcycles. One of their selling props is that they are an affordable helmet that does not take away from either comfort or safety. There is a reason they are the number one helmet in North America, so it would be beneficial for you to check out an HJC helmet if you are in the market.
Now, of course, there are other brands out there to choose from. Options include ILM helmets, Arai helmets, and Nolan helmets; all of which have varying styles. But at the end of the day, the brand you are repping as you cruise down the highway does not matter all that much. What is most important is that you are wearing a helmet that fits snug, giving you top-tier safety without compromising your comfort.
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Tips To Have More Confidence On The Road
When you pass your driving test, it feels incredible. Finally, you have the ability to drive on the road on your own and it gives you the freedom that you never knew you needed. However, not everyone has confidence on the road, even when they’ve passed their test. For some, driving can come easily and for others, it takes a lot of practice and time spent to feel confident. Here are some tips to have more confidence on the road.
Buy A Car You Feel Comfortable In
Buying a car you feel comfortable in is important and it’s a major influence in how confident you feel when driving. You want to find a car that suits your driving and how you feel when driving in a car. For one person, that might be a small car and for others, they may prefer a Hatchback or SUV perhaps. It’s worth looking at cars with a lot of detail and research in order to find the right ones for you.
Do More Regular Driving
The only way you’re going to feel better when driving is by doing it regularly. A lot of confidence comes about when you’ve spent many hours on the road and in different scenarios that perhaps you’re not used to. The more regular driving you do, the better it will be for your experience and your confidence in general.
If you’re not doing much driving currently, then try to do more every day or week, depending on when you can get to a car. There’s always a fear of accidents but that’s why car accidents lawyers exist to help in situations when it’s needed. We hope we never get into an accident but improving your confidence through regular driving will hopefully minimize the risk of making mistakes.
Try Going Out On Your Own More
One of the ways to build confidence when driving is to go out more on your own, rather than driving with other people in the car. By driving on your own, you don’t have that added pressure of other people in the car and often enough, some may feel uncomfortable with your driving, even if it’s not necessarily bad. That can put off-putting so it’s good to do more driving on your own when you’re trying to build up your confidence. The more time you can spend on driving alone, the better.
Sign Up For Advanced Driving Courses
For those who’ve tried all the above and still haven’t got the confidence, then it might be worth looking at advanced driving courses. These driving courses can really help to focus on the problem areas and what might be causing you to have that lack of confidence when driving. It’s important that you take your time when driving and for some, it might be that you need more assistance in driving before you put yourself back on the road alone.
Having more confidence on the road is going to do wonders for how you feel towards driving in general, so use these tips to your advantage.
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What To Do With The Car When Making Your Move
Effective planning is essential for any move but a lot of people tend to forget that it’s not just the possessions in the home that you have to deal with, it’s also your car. For long-distance moves, the question of what to do with your vehicle can be a tough one, indeed. However, here we’re going to look at your options, the pros and cons of each, and how to find which one is right for you in the end.
You can always decide to drive your car yourself and, indeed, it might be the option that most people think they would prefer, at first. However, if you have two or more cars, you might have trouble finding someone willing to make that drive for you. You also need to consider the costs of making the trip. Not only do you have fuel to pay for, but such long journeys are going to take a lot out of the car, meaning you might have to pay for things like oil changes and brake pads much sooner than you would otherwise. The amount of time spent driving is important, too, you have to ensure you drive safely and if you haven’t done long-distance driving before, it can be hard to guarantee that to yourself.
Have someone take it for you
Perhaps one of the most reliable options of all, if you’re not planning on traveling in the car yourself, it’s usually more cost-effective and a lot safer for the vehicle itself if you simply have someone transport it for you. When you work with businesses like carsrelo.com, you’re usually splitting the overall costs of the transport with the other cars that are being relocated at the same time. What’s more, the trip isn’t going to cause any more wear and tear to the car itself, since it’s secured in place, not actually running on the road. If you can keep on top of the organization alongside the other aspects of planning your move, relocation might be a good idea.
This option is the one that’s likely to get chosen least of all because it’s only really a good idea for those who fit a specific set of circumstances. If your move is especially long-distance, taking you from one side of the country to the other or even to another country, then it might be a good idea to sell it, since transporting it can be much more of a hassle than simply buying a new one. With websites like agnewcars.com, it’s easier than ever to get a quick sale of your car, even if you aren’t always going to get the best possible deal for it. Then you can buy a new car when you land on the other side.
For such an expensive and important asset as your car, you want to ensure that you get your plans together as soon as possible. Hopefully, outlining the options above does help you get a better idea of what to do, but the final decision is yours.
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The Roadblocks In Your Mind: Getting Over Your Fear Of Driving
It is essential now. Wherever you are, you’ve got to drive in order to get anywhere on time. And whether you’ve been driving for a while and your technique is a little rusty, or you haven’t been driving for a while, but now it has become a necessity, when there are certain anxieties associated with getting behind the wheel this can cloud our ability to drive but also put us off driving for life. When we have a fear of driving, it is not necessarily about one single component, but we’ve got to figure out the reasons why we have driving anxiety. So let’s provide you with a plan of action to get yourself on the road again.
The Reasons For A Fear Of Driving
To be fair, there is no one-size-fits-all reason why people develop a fear of driving. Some people have a fear of driving stem from a bad experience or a fear of accidents. Fear of accidents or “dystychiphobia” usually covers people who avoid every situation that increases their risk of physical danger. And while you may think about the fact that a car accident could cause scoliosis or could result in a life-threatening injury, there can be a combination of anxieties. Reasons people fear driving can be down to claustrophobia in the vehicle or performance anxiety. When you start to break down the reasons for your fear of driving, you can start to tackle these problems one by one.
We have to remember that while we’ve got reasons why we’re scared of driving, they can manifest themselves in specific symptoms. It all depends on the person, but some can feel dizzy, short of breath, confused, or even have heart palpitations. While some people might not experience these types of symptoms, if you have any of these, it could be solved with medication or counseling to address an underlying issue. There are general tips that can help. For example, managing your stress is a simple way to reduce symptoms of anxiety. If you are someone who quickly gets anxious, getting behind the wheel of a car can be one of the most stressful situations.
Stress management encompasses so many different components, but there are specific techniques that can help people that have a fear of driving. For example, there are driver hypnosis courses that can help you to break down the mysticism of being behind the wheel. As well as this, there are desensitization techniques that involve putting yourself into situations that trigger anxiety symptoms. From the perspective of a driver, getting into a car with the engine running could be the first step. When we start to consider our symptomatic reactions, we can then begin to undertake the appropriate course of therapy. Using therapeutic techniques like desensitization can take a long time to go from one stage to the next, but you’ve got to remember that you are always progressing in the right direction.
What If It’s Impossible To Overcome?
We can pinpoint our problems to a handful of specific situations behind the wheel, and we may worry that we’ll never get over a fear of driving. We’ve got to remember that if it’s too much, we shouldn’t force it. When we cause unnecessary stress for ourselves, this results in a feeling of danger for the people in the vehicle and can cause dangers for other people on the road.
You have to remember that if confidence is the underlying issue, there are ways for you to help yourself back to driving with a more proactive mindset. Having a few lessons with an instructor, especially if you’ve not driven for years, can be the perfect way to bring back that muscle memory. Or if you’ve got a particular fear behind the wheel, for example, driving on the freeway, you need to build up your resilience. Going from driving to the end of your street and back is the first step, and gradually you can start to cover more distance. As soon as you begin to build up your confidence you could look at driving near the freeway and seeing what people do to get on it safely, but also there’s a lot to be said for looking at other idiots on the road. When we are so scared of driving, but some people are going from A to B without issue, it can fill us with a bit more confidence.
We have to remember that it’s normal to feel some sense of driving anxiety, but it’s not something that should stay with us for life.
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