The Smith System of defensive driving (or riding)

[caspernz]

You can apply the Smith System on 2, 4, or more wheels.

It operates on 5 key principles:

Aim High In Steering
Look at least 15 seconds into your future, not just at the vehicle in front of you.

Get the Big Picture
Look for hazards. (Other Motorists, Pedestrians, Vehicle doors opening, etc.)

Keep Your Eyes Moving
Don’t stare. Use your peripheral vision. Stop the fixed habit stare.

Leave Yourself an Out
Monitor the space cushion around you.

Make Sure They See You
Use your signals. (Directionals, 4-way Flashers, Head Lights, Brake Lights, Horn, Hand Signals.) Make eye contact.

So for those who are resistant to taking some training by an external provider, the Smith System is a simple approach to defensive driving/riding. Or put another way, it's a simplistic version of Roadcraft (think Rideforever).

The easy way to remember the 5 keys is as follows:

A - all

G - good

K - kids

L - like

M - milk

So to get the 5 Keys memorised, we use the "All Good Kids Like Milk" memory prompt. Must work, for it's been a while for me since I was first shown the Smith System.

PS. At no point is the reliance on luck advocated as an integral part of the Smith System.

[Moi]

And for those of us who don't do words very well, there's a film...



Love the cars...

[caspernz]

And for those of us who don't do words very well, there's a film...

Love the cars...

Thanks Mark, there's no shortage of video clips on the Smith System. It's a system used by many commercial trucking operations, especially DG ops, which is where I learned it.

[onearmedbandit]

Some prefer the CASSINA System.

C - Chances are you didn't crash because of luck.
A - Actually any time you avoid a crash there was an element of luck involved.
S - Since none of my crashes have been my fault, I don't need advice I just need luck.
S - Sometimes luck isn't enough so you might need a larger vehicle.
I - I'm thinking maybe an SUV would be large enough.
N - Never trust dogs. They are very unlucky. Well those that have met me have been.
A- Assume everything. Then let luck sort it out.

[caspernz]

My bullshit detector just went into overload...thanks Fraser!!

[Akzle]

:

A - all

G - good

K - kids

L - like

M - milk
.

it's a shame that twit must be lactose intolerant.

[caspernz]

it's a shame that twit must be lactose intolerant.

The twit in reference isn't about milk, but bovine excrement my good man...

[scumdog]

And for those of us who don't do words very well, there's a film...


Love the cars...

1956?
I dont think so, the car is a '60 by the look of it.

[MD]

So we have replaced the packet of fags 'distractions' with the mobile phone 'distraction' So much for technology improving our lives. All it's done is provide another distraction to kill ourselves while driving. A far more common distraction than motoring has ever had before.

I'd say those cars look more early 1960s than 1956. Maybe the system was created in 56 and they did that film later on.

Give it whatever name you like. It just boils down to common sense around using your eyes. Avoid eye target fixation, look further ahead, look for hazards both near and far, look for an escape if it all goes pear shaped.

Mr Smith was a wise man for his time though. Well done that man for spelling out the bleeding obvious to people who need it pointed out to them.

[Moi]

1956?
I don't think so, the car is a '60 by the look of it.

That appears to be the date on the opening credits, albeit cutoff when transferred to video...

Have to agree, the Falcon didn't appear until late 1959 early 1960 and at 2m52s there seems to be one approaching... may be it was a prototype that had escaped...

[caspernz]

Mr Smith was a wise man for his time though. Well done that man for spelling out the bleeding obvious to people who need it pointed out to them.

Some folks do some of the things in the Smith system naturally, to me it's about applying a systematic approach that most can follow. Those who adopt it, seem to do quite well in terms of accident prevention.
So in a statistical sense it works, yet it doesn't account for stray dogs and the screw-ups of others that some may be blind to until past the point of no return...