City Driving
Driving in the city presents a very unique set of challenges. Traffic tends to be far heavier, and depending on the city, some still have incredibly narrow roads which can difficult to navigate if you’re not a local. Furthermore, parked vehicles often obscure your view of the road, making it even more difficult to get a clear view of the traffic ahead. All of these problems, as well as many others, tend to make city driving one of the most complex places to drive, which is why even experienced drivers may try to avoid any sort of busy city centre.
City Driving – Plan Your Route
The first method of dealing with city driving is planning your route. Modern cities are incredibly well signposted. Despite this, it can still become easy to get lost and miss your turning or exit. Having an idea of the vague direction you’re planning on going to helps you identify signposting and be able to plan exactly where you are turning next, miles before. Tips that may help are:
- It’s much safer to go around a roundabout again if you’ve missed your exit, never try to cut in
- Cities often have very confusing one way systems, if you find yourself stuck in one, stop in a safe place and calmly work out where you need to go and how you’re going to get there.
- Leaving around 30 minutes earlier will help you factor in simple mistakes like missed turning and will result in less stress if something does go wrong.
City Driving – Keep Your Distance
Another unique challenge of city driving is stopping distances. The driver is always in control of the space around them so this should be used to their advantage. In this packed environment, brakes will be slammed and parked cars may suddenly open their doors or swerve out into the road. By keeping a larger gap between you and the car in front, you massively reduce your chances of collision if an incident does occur. You don’t have control over the space behind your vehicle. However, if you do realise the car behind is far too close, it’s often best to break extra early to avoid them slamming into you. It may be their fault, however, this is not the correct mentality to have. If you can avoid an accident it’s best to do so. If you are hit from behind it could result in weeks of pain from whiplash and the hassle of insurance claims.
City Driving – Vulnerable Road Users
The volume of traffic in a city is also something to keep into consideration. As well as regular vehicles, you also have vulnerable users on pedal bikes or mobility scooters. These users are legally allowed to travel on the road and on the pavement, so you must be extra wary of them. Ensure that you leave a large enough gap and be patent. Pedestrians are a regular occurrence in cities. Modern cars are incredibly quiet have the potential to startle pedestrians. Furthermore, they also are distracted by music or their phone. Therefore you should always assume someone could walk into your path and be prepared if this does occur.
City Driving – Creep and Peep
A rule that is vital in cities is the peep and creep. This is used when exiting a busy junction, where there are vans or other obstacles blocking your field of view. You should, therefore, creep forward incredibly slowly and peep out as far as you can. By using this you are less likely to have a collision as you are much more away from the oncoming hazards. You are also inviting those on the road to slow down and allow you to pull out.
City Driving – Meeting Vehicles
The final hazard that is prevalent in the city is narrow roads. A vast majority of roads were not built to accommodate the massive levels of traffic that flow through them. You should be aware of the width of your car. Be prepared to give way to oncoming vehicles. Priority must be given and not forcefully taken.
In conclusion, city driving is a unique challenge that you will most likely have to tackle eventually. By using these tips and tricks you are far less likely to be involved in an accident and will overall have a much nicer experience.
