Tips for driving on crowded streets

Driving a car on crowded streets in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City is always a big challenge, especially at rush hour or at dusk.

Driving in big cities with dense traffic is a nightmare for drivers, especially those who are new to driving. However, you can still drive safely if you are willing to gain experience and be careful every time you get in the car.

Driving on crowded streets during rush hour is a nightmare for drivers. (Illustration: Internet)

For new drivers, car scratches are inevitable because in big cities like Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, driving in a traffic jam is not easy at all. Before becoming a "silky driver", drivers must go through a period of getting used to the car and having real-life experiences.

Study the theory carefully.

This is a prerequisite for safe driving in urban areas. First, you must thoroughly study the theory and Road Traffic Law.

You should also carefully read the user manual that comes with the car, understand the functions of the indicator lights on the dashboard, know the symbols, locations for changing oil, changing coolant, windshield washer fluid, cleaning the air filter, checking tire pressure, how to change tires, some principles of car construction... When operating the car, you must drive slowly, stay in the correct lane and do not get impatient when taxis or other cars honk to overtake.

Overtake other vehicles

If you are not confident in driving and have to "force the lane" for the car behind to pass, it will be very difficult to return to the old lane. If you want to pass, just let them take the lane and move forward. Conversely, you should not pass other cars, you must maintain a stable speed. If you have to pass, you must have the conditions to do so and should pass on the left.

Before overtaking, remember to turn on the turn signal, honk the horn, put the gear in the right gear and be decisive when overtaking. After overtaking, ask for permission to return to the lane. Driving in these conditions, you must carefully observe the front, back and sides of the vehicle to have a good driving feeling.

When driving on a crowded road, do not turn the steering wheel hard, avoid sudden braking because there is a risk of being hit by the rear of the car from the cars behind and the number of motorbikes rushing towards. A small share of the drivers is that in crowded urban areas, you should keep enough distance to avoid hitting the car in front but do not let the motorbike pass. Because if a motorbike "gets through", many other motorbikes will squeeze in when the road is congested, and thus, your car will "stop". In these cases, remember to keep the clutch, do not increase the throttle, and shift to 2nd or 1st gear.

Don't get distracted

Another thing for new drivers is that if you want to listen to music, only play it at a low volume so as not to be distracted when dealing with situations on the road. You should also not use your phone while driving, only in case of absolute necessity, you should use hands-free mode via bluetooth. If one hand is driving and the other hand is listening to the phone, the driver's reaction time will decrease by 200% instead of the original human reaction time of 100%.

When crossing intersections, pay attention to read the signs to avoid violating the Road Traffic Law. Absolutely do not run after buses because there are turns only for buses, cars are not allowed.

You must determine that if you drive a car on a crowded street, you cannot go as fast as a bicycle or motorbike. Because the safety of yourself and others is the most important thing, not speed. When driving on a crowded street, always remember that driving on a crowded street is not an easy job and a good driver must be a safe driver.

Focus on observation

In addition, drivers also need to pay attention to objects (bicycles, motorbikes...) going in the same direction because they do not know that you are behind. Especially on crowded and noisy roads, they cannot hear the sound of vehicles. Objects going in the opposite direction can be observed so there is no need to worry, they will avoid them themselves (no one is foolish enough to crash into a car). However, you also need to pay a little attention because sometimes the road is too crowded and they have no place to avoid.

If the road has a hard divider (eel), try to stay close to the eel, do not leave enough space for bicycles or motorbikes to get in. Because if they do, they will go in immediately, very dangerous and can scratch your vehicle. You can only keep one side, the other side has to suffer.

Keep your distance

If the car has to crawl due to traffic jam, you should try to keep a distance from the car in front wide enough to not "kiss" and narrow enough for motorbikes to not get through. Because if one car gets through, the whole group will get through, when they get past, they will be stuck and you will not be able to "move", and at the same time, they will easily scratch the bumper of your car. However, for new drivers, keeping this distance is relatively difficult.

For those crossing the road who are elderly, children, women, or people from other provinces (on foot or by car), you must pay special attention. It is best to slow down and stop completely, because these people often cross the road indecisively. Sometimes they cross halfway and then turn around when they see a car approaching. Not being careful can be very dangerous.

In case of traffic jam, try to be patient, do not try to find a way out because this will only make the situation more complicated. When the road is crowded, absolutely do not turn around, this can easily lead to traffic jam on the whole road.

In addition, drivers should remember to turn on their lights as soon as it gets dark. After a day of work, most people are tired and in the current bad traffic conditions, their reflexes are impaired./.

According to VOV