Recently I had five separate situations (in only one day) when other drivers made massively stupid decisions while I was piloting a car built in 1960.
Granted, 1960 was not exactly yesterday in terms of modernity, but it was not a time when automotive engineering was stuck in the Model T era either, so I was not impressed with the five incidents that inspired this article.
Jim Sutherland
For the record, the car was essentially in stock condition except for a disc brake system on all four wheels because the previous owner had young kids and did not want to put them at risk riding in the sedan with him. Additionally, neither the car nor I ended up with dents.
I commend the former owner for his brake upgrades because the car’s stopping system got a big workout when five separate boneheads decided to test the old ride’s binders that fateful day. Fortunately, the brakes worked great and helped me avoid a collision with the five morons in other vehicles.
We at MyStarCollectorCar have touched on this very topic a few times over the past 17 years, but the subject matter deserves to be showcased on a regular basis for our loyal readers. So, I decided to write another piece on this topic while I am still worked up by the behavior of idiots behind the wheel on the road.
Firstly, many other drivers do indeed view every vintage vehicle as a contemporary of the Model T and assume (wrongly) that most of them are unable to reach modern speeds in traffic. It’s the kind of assumption that inspires them to dart in front of an old classic because they believe the old ride’s top speed is somewhere between a fast walk and a slow trot. My advice is to be very mindful of your brake foot and steering hands while assuming the worst when faced with these circumstances.
Secondly, let them know you are around by turning on your lights so they can process the information between texting and yelling at kids in their vehicles. The bad drivers may be a little light in the grey matter, but at least they may be aware of your existence before they cut you off on a road.
Thirdly, use the option to flash your headlights if it appears the selfish mental midget in the offending vehicle wants to enter your lane just to stay ahead of your classic car. Bear in mind they desperately need a wake-up call at this point while handicapped by a room temperature IQ in a house without power in winter.
Fourthly, use your horn option if the situation warrants it. Make the other driver very aware of your existence if their self-centered decisions pose a danger to you or your old car’s health. The good news is most vintage vehicles had factory horns that could wake up the dead. Even brain-dead drivers.
The fifth and final course of action is gentle use of hand gestures to indicate your disapproval of other drivers’ thoughtless and self-centered actions once you have avoided a collision with them. This kind of basic sign language is a simple but effective way to educate a driver who does not respond well to conventional teaching methods.
Driving an old car in today’s traffic requires extra dollops of guts and critical thinking, but it’s worth it.
Jim Sutherland
BY: Jim Sutherland
Jim Sutherland is a veteran automotive writer whose work has been published by many major print and online publications. The list includes Calgary Herald, The Truth About Cars, Red Deer Advocate, RPM Magazine, Edmonton Journal, Montreal Gazette, Windsor Star, Vancouver Province, and Post Media Wheels Section.
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