More Related Content
Similar to Where am I? (20)
More from Glenard Munson (8)
Recently uploaded (20)
Where am I?
- 1. Where Am I ??? Using Reference Points for Driving and Parking Copyright: The Educated Driver The illustrations used in this presentation are a guide to Vehicle Reference Points (VRP), and they will differ slightly from vehicle to vehicle. However, they are fairly reliable, and it is up to you, the vehicle owner, to determine the PRECISE VRP of your vehicle.
- 2. Copyright: The Educated Driver 90% of our decision-making, while driving, is derived from what we see. Unfortunately, we have been instructed for years to keep your eyes on the road ahead, which is a vision-fault. Your eyes should be constantly moving, searching for, and identifying, hazards and the driving environment. One of the biggest neglects in vision training for new drivers , is identifying the vehicles actual location, within a lane, next to a curb, or parking. We are going to have a look at how using Visual Reference Points (VRP) can assist you in knowing precisely where you are.
- 3. Copyright: The Educated Driver Lane Positioning For the past several decades, Highway Departments have been moving towards a standard, 12-foot wide lane, to more easily accommodate larger SUVs and trucks. A new driver tends to feel crowded in a lane that generally has 3 feet of space on either side of it, because they havent been taught how to reference ahead using sight lines. This position (centered) in the lane, is referred to as LP1 (Lane Position 1)
- 4. Copyright: The Educated Driver Lane & Curb Positioning For positioning your vehicle in a lane, you have four basic VRP sightlines, two on the left and two on the right. Each one is designed to put you within either 3-6 inches of the lane- line or curb, or 3 feet from the lane-line. To determine YOUR vehicles VRP, park in an open area next to a curb or visible line to your left, within 3-6 inches if the line. Exit the vehicle to be sure of your position. Then, sitting in a normal driving position, and without moving your head, look towards the curb and notice where the curb or line intersects with your vehicle. It should be right about where your left headlight, or hood seam, is. This can help you to be centered in a parking space. Repeat this for parking 3 feet from the line, and you should notice that the point of intersection is just above the left wheel. This VRP will help you to maintain center-of-lane (lane position 1) while driving.
- 5. Copyright: The Educated Driver The Circles show the corresponding locations in the drawing, as well as in the photos. 2003 Mitsubishi Galant: VRP is above the left headlight. 4 inches from line. 2003 Mitsubishi Galant: VRP is above the left wheel-well. 3 feet from line. Lane & Curb Positioning
- 6. Copyright: The Educated Driver Since you sit on the left side of the vehicle, right-side VRPs are a bit more tricky, due to the more extreme angle of the sight-lines. As you did for the left side VRP, park in an open area next to a curb or visible line to your right, within 3-6 inches if the line. Exit the vehicle to be sure of your position. Then, sitting in a normal driving position, and without moving your head, look towards the curb and notice where the curb or line intersects with your vehicle. It should be right about where the center of your hood is. This can help you to be centered in a parking space. Repeat this for parking 3 feet from the line, and you should notice that the point of intersection is just above the right headlight. This VRP will help you to maintain center-of-lane (lane position 1) while driving. Lane & Curb Positioning
- 7. Copyright: The Educated Driver Lane & Curb Positioning 2003 Mitsubishi Galant: VRP is above the center of hood. 3 inches from line. 2003 Mitsubishi Galant: VRP is above the right headlight. 3 feet from line.
- 8. Copyright: The Educated Driver Positioning for Parking While sitting normally in the drivers seat, a quick glance at your side-view mirrors can give you a good idea of when to stop, while pulling into a parking spot. Notice how the front separator line of the parking spaces, or curb, or even the line of bump-stops at the end of a parking space, can be seen lining up just beneath the mirrors (or the door hinge- post if there is no mirror on that side). This will place you about 3-6 inches from the stop. This also works for stop lines at intersections.
- 9. Copyright: The Educated Driver Positioning for Stopping Speaking of stop lines, all 50 states require you to stop with your entire vehicle BEHIND, not ON, the stop line. This VRP with the mirrors can help you to comply with the law. Sometimes, you cant see the stop line, then what? At intersections, you will note that the YELLOW line stops AT the white stop line. This can be used as a visual reference in those cases. Also, a STOP line before a crosswalk means stop at the line, NOT at the crosswalk.
- 10. Copyright: The Educated Driver Positioning for Parking Both angled and perpendicular (straight- in) parking, require a slightly different VRP, by using the empty space itself. For angled parking, keep a distance of roughly 5 feet AWAY from the parking space ends, and for perpendicular parking, about 6-8 feet away. Drive straight ahead until you can see at least 他 of the way INTO the parking space; then keep looking at the END of the parking space as you turn into it (we call this looking through the space) for your visual pathway.
- 11. Copyright: The Educated Driver Using Reference Points for Driving and Parking Of course, none of these VRP tips will work if you cant even sit properly when driving. Taking in the scene with a gangsta lean or any improper position while seated, will not allow you to see the driving environment, and use the visual references shown here. Drive like a driver who is educated about his or her skill!