Rate your driving ability

[TripleT]

1) General awareness/anticipation - 6/7, I can read things well but then I do tend to drift off into auto-pilot now and again.

2) Parking ability - 5/6, parrell parking - now problem, a drive in space, no problem going in forwards but backwards? I'm ****ed

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco? - Gotta be a 4 here, I'm not smooth, I rush and I'm lazy or I'm hammering through the gears

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users? - 4, Courteous when I want to be (or when there's a nice lady witing to come out ) but I have no tollerence at all for morons

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code? - 8, good i suppose, never thought "What does that mean?" etc.

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions - 5, above average but I never really push THAT hard.

7) " wet/icy conditions - 6, good at normal speeds, I can tell what my car is doing all the time, probably due to good feedback from the car itself.

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape - 5, only gotten it out of shape 1 or 2 times and I'm still here, would like to improve on this.

There, tried to be as honest as possible, but it's hard to compare yourself to other people (on here and otherwise) that you've never met.

 

[ajgoodfellow]

Yes.

What the fact that i can drive really well is............... bad?
I do it for a living, if it was a questionaire for brain surgeons you'd be praying they had confidence in their ability.

It is just that you've rated yourself as 10, ie perfect, for the vast majority of the areas

Not saying that you are in this group but it is common for people to think that they are better drivers than they are - I am in this group

Have you had situations where you've lost it? I've lost the back end around a roundabout and sorted it but when I lost it later around a corner I crashed

 

[Che]

I am doing this at 5 is the average of everyone on the road, 1 is non-existant and 10 is perfect

1) General awareness/anticipation
7

2) Parking ability
3/4 - I am terrible at parking to be honest!

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
6/7 for brakes, 6/7 for clutch when driving normally but about 4/5 when in heavy traffic. I simply don't drive in traffic that much so am not that experienced

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
3 - I swear and abuse way too much I must admit

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
6 - I expect I know more than most people who have done there tests ages ago but I'm certainly no expert

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
6/7 - This is one area where I reckon I am good at. I've admitted I am terrible at everything else, let me claw back my manhood please!

7) " wet/icy conditions
7/8 in the wet but about 3 in the ice as I haven't really driven in proper icey conditions

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape
6 - Can counteract over-cooking it on a roundabout but I am not sure about drifting round a corner. Given a six because I believe most people don't know how to fix a skiddy roundabout but I'm hardly a Japanese drift champion

 

[Che]

Ah I didn't realise that it was "high speed in wet/ice" blah blah. Erm...a mark lower as Joe Average is worse in the wet too!

 

[atpbx]

It is just that you've rated yourself as 10, ie perfect, for the vast majority of the areas

Not saying that you are in this group but it is common for people to think that they are better drivers than they are - I am in this group

Have you had situations where you've lost it? I've lost the back end around a roundabout and sorted it but when I lost it later around a corner I crashed

I had to struggle with the rating for "losing it" as i dont "lose it" in the first place as i tend not to drive like a complete tool.
However, on the odd occasion where the back end has stepped out on ice, or ive lost the fronts from going in a little to hard, a little opposite lock or backing off to snap the back round has sorted it.

 

[Che]

Ok now to give you a guide - 1 out of 10 is bad, like...Maureen from driving school bad, and 10 is god-like.

Was that ever aired in the USA? One of our worser exports I must say

I'd be interested to see what times everyone gets round the Top Gear track in the crappy Suzuki whatever it is. I reckon I'd be better than most of the celebs.

 

[JayMax]

1) General awareness/anticipation
7 - having owned motorbikes improved my road awareness exponentially

2) Parking ability
4 - I can't reverse park to save my life, well I'm not that but but I could be a lot better. I usually opt to park further down the road...

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
7 - I reckon I'm a smoothie

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
7 - I'm a nice guy and it only takes a second to let someone out, but I still make the odd mistake

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
6 - I still remember the important stuff though

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
6/7? - keep her steady and smooth and never had a problem.

7) wet/icy conditions
6/7? - I've never spun a car in the wet or dry, but I'm not daft enough to be on the edge anyways

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape
6 - it hasn't happened too often (see 7), but I've saved every situation I've been in. Sometimes with great aplomb

I hope anyone who has rated themselves 8, 9 & 10's are either police drivers, experienced race drivers or of a similarly highly qualified disposition

 

[andi]

1) General awareness/anticipation
2) Parking ability
3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
7) " wet/icy conditions
8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape

Assuming 5 to be the average..

1. 6 Pretty good usually, but I was once passed by bikes I didn't even realise were behind me. Was about to pull out and overtake too, good job I checked the blind spot..
2. 5.5 Slightly above average. Was quite good, but am well out of practice.
3. 7 Tend to be smooth, taught myself to go down the gearbox etc. Can be ragged when giving it a bit though.
4. 5.5 I let people out in traffic etc, but I lose my patience a bit too easily.
5. 8 I'm really boring and find all that sort of stuff really interesting, so I don't mind reading it, and I'll check things quite frequently.
6. 6 Only had one or two moments, and those were early one, and I've learned from it. Not enough experience in something reasonably powerful to be better.
7. 6 Dropped in the deep end driving alone in snow and ice not long after passing. Above average, but again limited experience.
8. 6 Both occasions I've had to correct oversteer I've done it without thinking, only realising afterward.

I rate myself above average, mainly because the average car driver in the UK drives from A to B, and once passed their test, has peaked their driving skill. I think most people in this forum will at least have an interest in cars, and will therefore be more likely to be above average. I also don't have much fear, so I don't mind breaking late and throwing the car into bends (as much as you can with a Clio) so I'm more likely to get experience of on the limit (of the car) handling etc.
Saying that, my main problem is a lack of real experience. Only so much you can learn borrowing your mums clio.

 

[robmiller]

1) General awareness/anticipation
4/5 - Most of the time I'm okay, but I sometimes find myself lapsing into auto-pilot and not paying as much attention as I should.

2) Parking ability
6 - I can do it, but wherever possible I'll avoid reverse parking, and I'll try to go for the easiest spaces where I can.

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
7 - Never had any problems, smooth as butter usually. Obviously braking is linked to #1 too.

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
7 - I'm a bit of a pushover really

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
4 - Comfortable with most of it but could do with improvement.

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
4 - Not particularly bad at it, but don't get the opportunity to do it very often and so am not massively experienced.

7) " wet/icy conditions
1 - "1" in that I never, ever drive at high speeds in such conditions.

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape
Never really happened, so I couldn't say.

I enjoy driving and would say I was pretty good considering the amount of time I've been driving, but I'm more than aware of my faults.

 

[austinpowers]

1) General awareness/anticipation
6ish - Could do better, spend far too much time perving though, but do notice most things.

2) Parking ability
7 -Pretty good at this, having a co. car help as when i do mess up it's not really an issue.

3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
8 - Pretty good, i heal and toe all the time, not because i'm a race driver or drive a fast car, but it's something i learnt 12 years ago and "just happens"

4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
2 -No No No No No, Get out of my way i have 83bhp or 197bhp, what are you doing going so slow in MY lane!! Push the pedal on the right, it might make you move faster, yes i am stuck up your backside, don't pull out on me then it's not rocket science. You can get a bus through that gap, SIDEWAYS!

So yeah very courteous me

5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
7 - Not bad i like to know things

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
6ish - I've been to the 'Ring so must be good (yeah right) i'm ok.

7) wet/icy conditions
5 - Could do better, but have a reasonable knowledge of what to do, but should really stop experimenting with the handbrake and wet roundabouts

8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape
5 - Ok should be able to get out of a few sticky situations, (apart from wet grass)

 

[[TW]Fox]

6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
6ish - I've been to the 'Ring so must be good (yeah right) i'm ok.

And this proves my point.

Here is a guy who has so much talent he can get a fully laden Astra diesel with 88bhp around the ring in just 10 minutes. Thats no mean feat, yet he rates his driving skills lower than most of the people in this thread who have been driving for approximately 35 minutes.

See what I mean about overenthusiasm?

 

[DRZ]

Most people rating themselves highly for observation have perhaps never been in a car with an experienced Police driver doing a commentary drive. I have gone through all of the Roadcraft training and to be honest, its so hard I wouldnt even bother putting myself in for the test if the opportunity were ever to arise. A waste of my time and theirs - thats how hard it is.

Car control is another point. I have a rubbish car - it doesnt go fast, it doesnt stop fast and it understeers madly if I do things wrong - the fact I have racked up 100+ hours on a track doesnt change the fact that I am not a born racing driver and I am damn sure that the reason I run out of traction/tarmac etc on the roads is 100% down to a lack of natural skill and not much to do with the limits of the car.

If we are talking about the general population here, I would rate my skills in general at probably a 6 or a 7 for most things (apart from parking, man was never intended to stop ) but taking into account the likes of Police drivers, Racing drivers right down to the ranks where money alone doesnt buy you a drive and I would happily see 2 or 3 points knocked off some of those.

People are definitely overestimating their skills but only because they have never seen people who can really do their stuff WELL - if they had, their scores might be somewhat lower

 

[Guru]

I drive for a living. 10 for everything tbh.

 

[Greg]

8 - 1) General awareness/anticipation
7 - 2) Parking ability
9 - 3) Brakes/Clutch control - nice and smooth or bucking bronco?
6 - 4) How patient and courteous are you to other road users?
7.5 - 5) What is your knowledge of the Highway Code?
8 - 6) High speed control of your car in dry conditions
7 - 7) " wet/icy conditions
Unknown never got in that situation 8) Your ability to correct your car when out of shape


My general anticipation of other drivers is fairly good, Im always looking ahead, trying to raise my distance of vision to anticipate other drivers

Parking is ok, I've never had any problems in bays, the only problem is paralell parking in tight spaces

Brakes - passenger comfort is important to me, i always try to make the ride as smoooooooth as possible.

Other drivers **** me off. sorry, others just anoy me soooo much. I like to think of myself as a good driver. its hard to explain. e.g. at a roundabout, when drivers infront ALWAYS Stop, because there not looking ahead for the gap. and instead of going, they slow right down, look then go. I'm fairly courtious to others, e.g. i wont go through a gap when i've the right of way if theres somthing blocking it, for example.

Having just completed an IAM Course, my Highway code knowledge is pretty
good.

Control of my car in all conditions is good, i know how a FWD car behaves, so i know how far i can push my car, or what it'll do when i floor it etc.

 

[atpbx]

Most people rating themselves highly for observation have perhaps never been in a car with an experienced Police driver doing a commentary drive. I have gone through all of the Roadcraft training and to be honest, its so hard I wouldnt even bother putting myself in for the test if the opportunity were ever to arise. A waste of my time and theirs - thats how hard it is.

Car control is another point. I have a rubbish car - it doesnt go fast, it doesnt stop fast and it understeers madly if I do things wrong - the fact I have racked up 100+ hours on a track doesnt change the fact that I am not a born racing driver and I am damn sure that the reason I run out of traction/tarmac etc on the roads is 100% down to a lack of natural skill and not much to do with the limits of the car.

Why are you and various others when you say how good a driver must be, compare them to race drivers and say "why are you not a racing driver if you are so good"
Racing drivers dont drive, they race cars.
They are notoriously AWFULL drivers in the real world, as each and everyone of them will tell you.

Whats so special about police drivers?
Police vehicles killed 44 people last year with their elite high speed driving skills 10 other people were killed in chases where they themselves crashed.
I cant find figures for how many other accidents they have, but in 1999 the met police alone were involved in 5,500.

 

[Gojira]

Most people rating themselves highly for observation have perhaps never been in a car with an experienced Police driver doing a commentary drive. I have gone through all of the Roadcraft training and to be honest, its so hard I wouldnt even bother putting myself in for the test if the opportunity were ever to arise. A waste of my time and theirs - thats how hard it is.

No, I've never been in a car with an experienced Police driver. But when I got the keys to my moped I was given a copy of Motorcycle Roadcraft (the guide for police motorcycle training), most of which is about observation. Like watching for the front wheels turning on a car well down the road, and who isn't indicating but might well pull out anyway.
A lot of that sort of thing is down to experience, and a more or less total lack of faith in the other guy.

I'm sure that my observation has kept me out of more risky situations than my car control has, and I stand by my observation score

People are definitely overestimating their skills but only because they have never seen people who can really do their stuff WELL - if they had, their scores might be somewhat lower

You aren't wrong for a lot of people, but some of us do know what we are on about, honest!

Although if you'd asked me 25 years ago, I'd have given you much higher scores for bike control than I did just now for cars

Alan Woodford

 

[DRZ]

Why are you and various others when you say how good a driver must be, compare them to race drivers and say "why are you not a racing driver if you are so good"
Racing drivers dont drive, they race cars.
They are notoriously AWFULL drivers in the real world, as each and everyone of them will tell you.

Whats so special about police drivers?
Police vehicles killed 44 people last year with their elite high speed driving skills 10 other people were killed in chases where they themselves crashed.
I cant find figures for how many other accidents they have, but in 1999 the met police alone were involved in 5,500.

I was talking about their elite driving people, not all police drivers are the same standard are they? Sorry if that wasnt clear.

Of course when they are driving fast in persuits the risks are higher, its not unsuprising they have a few accidents. They probably do a lot more miles than average too

RE the race drivers thing - Are you saying that MS, FA or JPM have terrible car control? What about Mr Loeb? Makkinen? McRae? How about Valentino Rossi - he cant control that bike of his? Are they smooth?

I am willing to bet two things about you, and I dont even know you.

1. Any one of the people I named above could get any car of your choice around any circuit of your choice faster than you.

2. You would fail the highest standard Police observation test first time if you took one tomorrow.

Argue with me all you like, but I would be EXTREMELY suprised if you could prove me wrong on either front.

 

[atpbx]

I was talking about their elite driving people, not all police drivers are the same standard are they? Sorry if that wasnt clear.

Of course when they are driving fast in persuits the risks are higher, its not unsuprising they have a few accidents. They probably do a lot more miles than average too

RE the race drivers thing - Are you saying that MS, FA or JPM have terrible car control? What about Mr Loeb? Makkinen? McRae? How about Valentino Rossi - he cant control that bike of his? Are they smooth?

I am willing to bet two things about you, and I dont even know you.

1. Any one of the people I named above could get any car of your choice around any circuit of your choice faster than you.

2. You would fail the highest standard Police observation test first time if you took one tomorrow.

Argue with me all you like, but I would be EXTREMELY suprised if you could prove me wrong on either front.

You always without fail, bring this one up, racing car drivers, are terrible drivers on the road.
They all openly admit it, see you think driving is going fast round a track.
I see driving as:

A:Getting from A to b as fast as possilbe.
B:Not hitting things.
C:Not getting nicked.

Racing car drivers have to worry about:
The financial implications of A
Or about B at all on the track.

You do have a bee in your bonnet about how great a driver i am, this is the third time we have had this conversation, and im still as fantastic a driver as the first time we had it.
I dont see why it upsets you so much that i can stand by my record and indeed some of my feats of driving excellence and be proud of them.
Mabye if i was a bit more PC and humble, and said:

"well, im average, at everything, i dont strive to be better than everybody else, i am no better, than anybody, at anything, we are all just as average as each other, me no more average than anybody else you understand"

You could put wogan in a Trabant and race me round silverstone and he would problably be faster than me.
And of course, going round silverstone fast, at someone elses expense, with state of the art protection and all kinds of techno gubbins trying to stop you spinning out is a true test and example of a mans driving ability.

But driving at 100mph down a road no wider than your van, with 15 miles and 10 minutes to go till you have failed your 9am and get fined 15 quid because you left late because of someone elses incompetance, in the pouring rain, in the thick mud, with no traction control, or ABS AND making your destination AND doing it safely AND out of your own pocket and with your livelyhood on the line, aparently.................isnt.

Get Rossi on the phone and he can race me in any van he chooses, to anywhere on the planet, and if he looses he has to give up all his money.
See if he takes that one up.

Or if you cant get him on the phone, you can race me instead.

And if you loose, all you have to do is admit i am a great driver.

PS:
I'm also the best left winger in the grantham league as well.

 

[DRZ]

You always without fail, bring this one up, racing car drivers, are terrible drivers on the road.
They all openly admit it, see you think driving is going fast round a track.
I see driving as:

A:Getting from A to b as fast as possilbe.
B:Not hitting things.
C:Not getting nicked.

Racing car drivers have to worry about:
The financial implications of A
Or about B at all on the track.

You do have a bee in your bonnet about how great a driver i am, this is the third time we have had this conversation, and im still as fantastic a driver as the first time we had it.

The second time.

I dont see why it upsets you so much that i can stand by my record and indeed some of my feats of driving excellence and be proud of them.
Mabye if i was a bit more PC and humble, and said:

"well, im average, at everything, i dont strive to be better than everybody else, i am no better, than anybody, at anything, we are all just as average as each other, me no more average than anybody else you understand"

PC? Pfft.

If you are putting yourself as a 10 then you can expect to be judged against those regarded to be the best drivers in the world.

You could put wogan in a Trabant and race me round silverstone and he would problably be faster than me.
And of course, going round silverstone fast, at someone elses expense, with state of the art protection and all kinds of techno gubbins trying to stop you spinning out is a true test and example of a mans driving ability.

But driving at 100mph down a road no wider than your van, with 15 miles and 10 minutes to go till you have failed your 9am and get fined 15 quid because you left late because of someone elses incompetance, in the pouring rain, in the thick mud, with no traction control, or ABS AND making your destination AND doing it safely AND out of your own pocket and with your livelyhood on the line, aparently.................isnt.

I didnt limit it to special race cars. Pit you in your van against a WRC driver in your van down some lanes... I wonder who would win?

Oh, and driving like that and being safe dont often occur at the same time.

Get Rossi on the phone and he can race me in any van he chooses, to anywhere on the planet, and if he looses he has to give up all his money.
See if he takes that one up.

Wise up.

Or if you cant get him on the phone, you can race me instead.

And if you loose, all you have to do is admit i am a great driver.

If you pay for the vehicle hire and the track time, you are on!

I would just like to point out that in speaking out you made yourself the target of my posts, I didnt actively seek you out. From here, it would seem that you seek me out to start these little debates about your driving I have never said you were a rubbish driver, I merely stated that I would be suprised to see that you were in fact anywhere near as good as you seem to think you are

 

[Simon]

Wow you guys are modest!