Do pilots make better car drivers?

[Cacophonix]

I was wondering about this today as I "meandered" down the M20 to Headcorn?

I don't raise this point because I think that I am better than average, because I am sure I am not, but do wonder if the ability to think in 3 dimensions, plan in anticipation and multitask does add some value in the whole driving, safely, process?

What do ops-normalisers think?

I do know that pilots, however good or bad, have bigger dicks, because I am always being told that I am a big dick!

Seriously though, how good a driver do you think you are and who was the best or worst driver you ever came across?

Caco

[CharlieOneSix]

When I took my Advanced Driving Test a couple of summers ago the examiner said that the best four tests he had conducted that year had been of pilots. He said that excellent situational awareness was one of the obvious factors that seemed to be a common thread.

Having said that one of my entry was flying front line on Sea Vixens before he managed to pass his driving test at the third attempt so it isn’t necessarily true that pilots are better drivers. The worst driver - my brother who hurtles down his Devon lanes oblivious of what might be coming. He terrifies me. Even on main roads he lacks any anticipation being hard on both brakes and accelerator, a horrible stop/go driver.

[ian16th]

When I took my Advanced Driving Test a couple of summers ago the examiner said that the best four tests he had conducted that year had been of pilots. He said that excellent situational awareness was one of the obvious factors that seemed to be a common thread.

Having said that one of my entry was flying front line on Sea Vixens before he managed to pass his driving test at the third attempt so it isn’t necessarily true that pilots are better drivers. The worst driver - my brother who hurtles down his Devon lanes oblivious of what might be coming. He terrifies me. Even on main roads he lacks any anticipation being hard on both brakes and accelerator, a horrible stop/go driver.

This takes the debate back to the old chestnut, is passing the driving test the mark of a good driver?

I always maintained that UK driving schools taught their students to 'pass the test', they did not necessarily teach students good driving techniques.

I always think that I was lucky, in that I learnt to drive vehicles with crash gearboxes on largely empty RAF airfields, then I experienced playing in traffic. By this time I was competent handling vehicles up to Bedford 30 cwt.

But I did pay a BSM school to teach me to pass the test!

[wings folded]

Prince Philip was a pilot

[Pontius Navigator]

Prince Philip was a pilot

So was POW.

[ExSp33db1rd]

One might think so ? in view of ....

think in 3 dimensions, plan in anticipation and multitask does add some value in the whole driving, safely, process

but not sure. I feel that I am driving like that, but Mrs. ExS doesn't always agree !

60 years ago took the Advanced Motorists Test, and their handbook "suggested" that the best line through a right hand bend, for instance, was to start as far left as possible on the available road, take the apex of the corner close to the middle, and end up leaving on the left hand edge again. They described this a "taking the top off the egg" manouevre, i.e. take the straightest line through a bend. A local motor cycle concerned group, advocating road lessons for seniors and the like, have just published a picture of a motor cyclist near the centre of the road in the middle of a bend, as per my Advanced Motorist advice of yesteryear, with the caption - The Wrong Line, learn from an expert - usual story, ask two people and get three answers.

Following my Adv. Mot. teaching, and on my bike following Mrs. ExS in her car recently, she later complained - "can't you keep that thing in a straight line ?" Now that we have a permanent daylight headlight requirement, my moving left and right behind her, and the consequent moving of my headlight in her rear view mirror line of vision, through the many twists and turns of our local roads, distressed her.

[Sisemen]

Not sure about being a better driver but I still catch myself pulling back on the steering wheel when I approach a hill

[Slasher]

Hell yes.

BTW I had a chat with a good mate of mine the other day and Headcorn was mentioned in passing. England has Maidenhead and Beachy Head so why isn't it called Cornhead?

Headcorn sounds like something you heat up on the kitchen stove to munch on while watching female mud-wrestling on the telly.

[Sisemen]

"Headcorn may have originated as a "denn" or clearing, to which pigs were driven in the fall to feed on acorns in the Wealden Forest."

[Capetonian]

Most of the pilots I know are good drivers, or at least, I feel confident and safe when I'm in their cars, and they drive smoothly although one is a bit reckless and doesn't give himself enough separation from other vehicles. I am not sure if pilots have better spatial awareness when driving.

Having learned a bit of basic flying in light a/c in Kenya, I remember the guy I flew with always insisted on a walk round before take off and on arrival, and he was always very aware of fuel remaining and checking other instrumentation. Those are habits I can't get out of when I drive a car, although I am not so fanatical about the walk round on arrival.

[probes]

Hmmm... I've heard they tend to try to take off regardless of the vehicle?

Sise,

[Alisoncc]

I would suggest that pilots are far more aware of the limitations of any machine they are in. Whether aircraft, car or even boat. Far more aware of the external environment - ice, snow, all meteorological conditions as they can impact the performance of both aircraft and car. Given the necessity for flight planning it will be second nature to know all the waypoints/turn off points before hand, so will invariably be correctly positioned well before the arrival of same.

When driving I have often been commended for the smoothness of my driving. No sudden accelerations, harsh braking or irate motorists blasting their horns over my actions. I normally replied "when flying with the passengers picking up the tab, the smoother the flight the happier they are". It's nice to be thanked by pax before they depart the airport, and have had them ask for me when re-booking. Which is pretty terrific. Just carries across to my driving.

[CremeEgg]

Better spatial awareness, anticipation and mechanical sympathy does in my opinion make pilots better drivers. Often rather faster than average but always smoother. Taught by my Dad (who also taught others to fly for a living) I'm often praised for my smooth driving style albeit a bit quick. Many of his colleagues used to praise my driving even at age 19 or 20; I was chuffed as several of them used to fly for a living and compete in the Monte Carlo rally for fun as privateers. (Does that still happen?) so I took note of their opinion.

However, there are always exceptions - guy I worked with PPL Spamcan flier who was frequently very late for work as he had run out of fuel on the way in. He would expect Council dustcarts to give way to him in his little Austin Allegro and showed little mechanical sympathy. Perversely never had any problems with his piloting skills.

[Pontius Navigator]

At school one of the Masters would follow the straight line principle even using the whole road to staighten a bend. I still try and do this.

He lost a leg in a motorbike accident.

One of our pilots, his dad an advanced police driver, showed how, approaching a bend you should slow down as the road ahead appeared to disappear. As soon as the road started to widen again apply power. Naturally both occur before the bend with the car accelerating in the bend.

The other thing I have noticed about pilots, they drive wrecks

[Magnus]

Did POW not bend a 146 on landing?

[G-CPTN]

Did POW not bend a 146 on landing?

He didn't not bend it - he did bend it.

The aircraft overran on landing at Islay, and its nose undercarriage failed and broke away on the rough ground, just beyond the end of the runway. It is reported that the aircraft touched down on its nose wheel some 1,500 feet down the runway, travelling 32 knots too fast with a 12 knots tailwind component.
It is understood that the wheel brakes were then applied 'before the full activation of the anti-skid protection systems' causing both inboard main wheels to lock and the subsequent failure of their tyres.

CRM:-

The Board of Inquiry found the captain 'negligent' in that '(he failed) to intervene when the aircraft performance and limitations were exceeded in the final stages of the flight'.
The navigator was also found 'negligent' for 'failing to advise the captain of the tailwind component and to draw his attention to the inaccurate approach parameters.'

[JimR]

Exspd33, I think the problem with a bike being at the apex is that it depends if the wheels are on the centre line. If they are, and you're going at a decent speed, then your head could be well over the centre line; i.e. ready to be decapitated by a passing car. This of course does not apply to a car. Yes, I drove various motor cycles for many years although found in my latter years that I was far more careful than in my youth. Nothing to do with flying experience, just self preservation.

[jimtherev]

And t'other thing I remember from advanced driver training is the injunction to remember that everyone else on the road is an idiot. True, even if not universally...

[ExSp33db1rd]

The other thing I have noticed about pilots, they drive wrecks

Yes ! That's me. 1991 Toyota Vista ( small engined Camry shape ) very sunburnt, and bashed in the front of the front mudguard, but sufficiently held together - by my expert pop-rivetting technique - to ensure that the front bumper is not flapping around ( said my mate, who is the owner of the garage that gives me the compulsory 6 monthly"safety" check ! )

...it depends if the wheels are on the centre line.

Agreed, if there is any approaching traffic the system is abandoned in favour of survival ! So I add a few more inches to my journey length ? Big deal.

This of course does not apply to a car.

Opposing wing mirrors ? Thinks ... if you are in a right hand bend, and close to the apex, shouldn't opposing traffic be hard over to their left ?

Not important.

[Pontius Navigator]

"Thinks ... if you are in a right hand bend, and close to the apex, shouldn't opposing traffic be hard over to their left ?"

You would start close to your left side to open vision to the right. Similarly the opposing vehicle would be to its extreme right to open up vision left.

As is negotiates its left hand turn it should be right in on the left just passed the apex on its bend. At the same time you should also be pulling towards them and the apex either on the centre line or even to the edge of their lane.

You should miss.