en Passant

I recently had the honor to ride along with an instructor for a defensive driving class. The instructor was amazing in his ability to control the vehicle all while he calmly discussed his actions and the reason for them. Since then, I've found that each of these skills can apply to everyone.

Prepare yourself. Place one foot on the dead pedal, the other heel firmly planted between the gas and break and finally put your seat in as upright position as comfortable. Adjust your mirrors to not cover your vehicle. The view from each mirror should overlap as little as possible. This will prepare you for what's ahead, remind you of what has already happened, and avoid being blind-sided by something in your blind-spot.

Keep it simple. Keep your movements light and easy. By planting your heel, you avoid excessively stomping the gas or break. This will make your driving smoother, more fluid and controllable.

Get a grip. Sit back far enough that when your arms are fully extended, your wrists sit on the top of the wheel. While driving, keep a loose grip on the wheel; no need to white-knuckle it. Sitting here gets you maximum leverage and flexibility while driving. Sitting too close you can hardly move. Sitting too far away, will force you to reach for the wheel, tiring you out quickly.

Let it work for you. The car is designed to go straight. When coming out of a corner, let the wheel go lightly so that it slides back to straight. If you attempt to steer yourself straight, you will more than likely over-steer and have to compensate.

Let the type of vehicle work for you also. Front-wheel drive has most the weight in the front, with the front wheels pulling the car along. With the center of mass in front, if you enter a corner too fast, your rear-end will likely spin-out. Slow in, accelerate out of corners. On the other hand, rear-wheel drive pushes the car and the weight is more evenly distributed. This center of mass is more near the center of the car. Go around a corner too fast, and the car will likely slide.

Look ahead, right and left. While driving, you need to keep an eye out for obstacles. We tend to turn the direction we are facing, so always stay focused, look ahead. By scanning our horizon, we can prepare for what's ahead. Those window pillars should really start to annoy you as obstacles when driving.

Plan ahead. Driving is not simply about getting in and pointing your vehicle in the right direction. Planning is essential to make sure you don't end up in a ditch somewhere. Look ahead, plan the corner and move your vehicle to the outside of the corner. As you turn the corner, take it tight, and head to the outside edge. Now prepare to do it again.

In parody of the famous word by Forrest Gump,

Life is like a racecar.

It comes at you fast, unrelenting and you better be prepared for anything.