To hear the related 5-minute audio file that I uploaded today as my Morning Journal flash briefing for Alexa devices, please click on the play button:
Safe-Driving Tips I Learned Yesterday from Nicholas
Be ready for a green light to turn yellow. DO NOT try to beat the yellow light at an intersection.
On a left turn at an intersection, choose the left lane of the new direction—not the right lane (see diagram above.) I’ve been doing this wrong for 50 years.
Glance at the rear-view mirror every few seconds.
Click the turn signals on as soon as possible on a ramp.
I scheduled a driver evaluation with Mullens Driving School in Scarborough, because I wanted to know if, at age 74, my driving is safe enough for our trip to Florida. We leave Thursday.
Nicholas, my instructor, pointed out the tips above. He also said I’m good to go for a 1,400-mile drive. He filled out an evaluation sheet as he rode in our Tesla’s passenger seat.
He scored me as “good,” the highest score, on 14 skills. They ranged from “starting and stopping the car smoothly” to “expressway driving” to “traffic awareness.”
After leaving him at the driving school parking lot yesterday evening, I felt like the tin man, lion, and scarecrow all in one. In addition to giving me useful tips, Nicholas gave me a solid dose of confidence in my driving.