The Correct Driving Position (How do you drive)

[Djerms]

Oftentimes I see drivers staying too close to the steering wheel. There are also some almost lying down when driving. Kayo, how do you do it? Is there really a right way to do it? Are there pro's and con's in applying a specific style in driving? Me, I just apply my most comfortable position.

[BongersVX200]

When I'm driving my REVO, i am more comfortable driving with my arms almost straight from the streeing wheels. My seat is adjusted away from it and my back rest is inclined more than 90degrees. So , para na rin akong nakahiga AS what have you mentioned. Kasi, kung malapit ako sa manebela at medyo naka angle ang arms ko, nanga2wit ako sa pag mamaneho. This is a good question.. WE need more opinion from other on this...

[Jayo]

Arms almost straight, face is far away possible from the steering wheel, especially if airbag equipped! There's usually a warning on the visor. I continuously adjust seatback/backrest due to low back problems, signs of ageing.

[nicolodeon]

My driving position is not too near the steering but not too far. Theoretically, if you position yourself too near the steering wheel, your turning force would only come from your forearm. This would cause a strain in your arm if your vehicle is difficult to turn (kung denins power steering). However, if you're very far from the steering, you would loose force sa arms when turning. Also, try not to slouch espescially during long drives: it would case strain on your lower back.

As for your legs, if you're seat is set back far, you might cause strain on your calf and knees (assuming if you're driving a M/T vehicile. This is especially true if you're in the middle of heavy traffic. However, being too close does not also do your knees, ankles and legs good.

For the position on the hands on the steering wheel, it really depends on the driver's preference. I do the 10-3: left hand 10 o'clock, right hand 3 o'clock.

Some links that might be of interest:

http://www.grubbsauto.com/technotes/position.html

http://www.yehey.com/lifestyle/motor...2.aspx?id=3119

Happy reading.

[gaijin]

For as long as I am comfortable driving and where the safety of myself, my passengers, and those outside are ideal.

the following was taken from smartmotorist.com:

Sit slightly reclined with your shoulders comfortably back in the seat. Sit as far back from the steering wheel as possible while still remaining in safe control of the vehicle.

Hold the outside rim of the steering wheel at "9 and 3 o'clock" or slightly lower. This position will minimize the risk of injury to your arms, hands and fingers in case your airbag deploys. Your arms should be bent slightly.

Be able to pivot your right foot from the accelerator to the brake pedal without lifting your heel from the floor.

Not checking your "blind spots" - those areas just outside the field of vision - can have disastrous effects when merging onto the highway or changing lanes. In fact, thousands of accidents occur each year because people who are changing lanes fail to see a vehicle that is right next to them before making such maneuvers! One of the ways you can protect yourself is to make sure your vehicle's side and rearview mirrors are positioned for maximum road view.

For the driver's side mirror: Place the side of your head against the window, then adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view. For the passenger's side mirror: While sitting in the driver's seat, lean to the right so that your head is in the car's centerline. Adjust the mirror until the side of your vehicle comes into view.

There's an easy test you can take to make sure your mirrors are aligned correctly: When a vehicle leaves the field of vision of your rearview mirror, you should be able to see it immediately in one of your side mirrors.

Where to put hands on the steering wheel? Times are changing

By Gary Richards

From the first day in driving school, this lesson is drilled into our heads: Firmly grip the steering wheel in the 10-2 position. Now, law enforcement agencies are training officers to place their hands lower on the steering wheel, and some drivers' groups are changing position on hand position.

For more than a year at the San Jose, Calif., Police Department, the recommended hold has been 9-3. The American Automobile Association also prefers 9-3. For the California Highway Patrol, the position can be as low as 8-4. "My daughter came back from driving class and said they were teaching her to hold the wheel at 10-2," said Robert Sepulveda, a San Jose officer who has trained new cops in proper driving techniques. "I told her that's not what we teach . . . that 10-2 is inappropriate."

The 10-2 position is the traditional favorite because, in theory, a higher grip allows a driver to keep the car running smoothly without needing to jerk the wheel suddenly if he is cut off or there is a hazard in the road.
But air bags are changing that equation. During a collision, the bag will explode out at more than 100 mph, protecting the driver's head and chest from slamming into the front of the vehicle. With the hands at 10-2 or higher on the wheel, a driver's arms can get walloped or thrown back into his face if an air bag deploys.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration takes a neutral position on the grip, saying there is not enough evidence of arms or wrists being broken by exploding air bags to recommend 9-3 over 10-2 or anything else. However, the agency does say that the arms of drivers holding the steering wheel from the side are not as likely to be caught between their bodies and the air bag.

At this point, most position changing is happening in law enforcement. Although the California Department of Motor Vehicles says it has no preferred position, many local driving schools say the DMV tells them to teach motorists the 10-2 grip. "It's 10-2 according to their 2001 handbook," said Ruth Zimmer, owner of Advantage Driving School in San Jose. "Of course, the DMV is always three years behind."

Many drivers do not heed any of the recommended positions as they cruise down a freeway. Some prefer the 10-and-a-drink position or the 1 o'clock only hold. "I'm bad. I'm bad. I know that," said Donnae Youngman, a legal assistant in Palo Alto, Calif., who usually rests her left arm on the window side while the right arm grips the bottom of the wheel. "If something crops up on the road when I'm driving, I'll go back to 10-2. But now they don't know if that is right?" That's right.

"I can help stir things up even further," said Steve Schwab, the police chief in Morgan Hill, Calif., who recently sent his officers to an emergency vehicle operations course in Alameda County where the recommended position was 7-5. "The reason is to ensure that if they crash and the air bag goes off, the driver's arms are pushed down or out, not up," the chief said. "But keep in mind that all this controversy about hand positions is targeted toward training drivers of emergency vehicles in high-risk situations."

For the CHP, 10-2, 9-2 or 8-4 are all approved positions. The reason: "All vehicle steering wheels and air bags are not created equal," said Pete Barra, public information officer for the CHP's Bay Area division. "Not to mention the comfort level of the driver's hand position."

But Gordon Booth, owner of Drivetrain in Willow Glen, Calif., doesn't go along with the idea that lower is better. "I don't think there is one catch-all hand position," he said. "If you are in fairly heavy traffic, I would disagree with anything less than 9-3. I much prefer 10-2 or even 11-1.'

Traffic cops say in recent years, another new position has gained considerable popularity. "Mostly, I see the left hand up on the wheel," said San Jose officer Sepulveda, "and the other hand on a cell phone."

[1D4LV]

my position is slight angled around 75-80 degrees with my arms in a "V" position on the steering wheel, location of the seat is just right so i can reach the pedals.

nung bata-bata pa ako, ang position ko is halos nakahiga na. mga 45 degree inclined. i guess the more you get older, the more you have to straighten up your seat because of back pains.

[ILuvDetailing]

I don't keep my arms too straight nor too bent, and my seat is at around 95 degrees, sakit kasi sa likod pag masyadong nakahiga. I also installed wider aftermarket rear view mirrors and "blind spot" mirrors so I that I can have the best view possible when I overtake. Also when I take my foot of the accelerator I keep it on the brakes, I never rest my foot on the floor just in case I need to make a sudden stop.

[the_wildthing]

Basta mahalaga walang sasakit na parte ng katawan kahit anong haba ng biyahe.

[chris_d]

I sit properly, no slouching, headrest up, hands at 4 and 8 o'clock position, pag one hand 6 o'clock position. Arms are not straight, but at an angle of 135 degrees or so. I am tall so the seat is far back and there is more than 1 and a half feet between me and the steering wheel.

[silhouette]

Basta mahalaga walang sasakit na parte ng katawan kahit anong haba ng biyahe.

i agree! as long as you're comfortable with whatever position you are in to, it's the right position...