QOTD: What's Your Biggest Weakness As A Driver?

Tim Healey
by Tim Healey

It’s a safe bet that most car enthusiasts are good drivers — or at least, generally speaking, better than the average member of the general public.

Even though we all occasionally run into trouble.

As a former co-worker once told me: “Podody’s nerfect.”

I’d guess each and every one of us has some sort of Achille’s heel when it comes to driving. You probably are perplexed by/struggle with at least one particular aspect of maneuvering a vehicle. I’d like to know what aspect vexes you.

I’ll start. Last week I was testing a Chevrolet Suburban and found myself getting nervous while making tight-quarters maneuvering in parking garages and approaching the car wash. Indeed, most of the damage I’ve done to press-fleet vehicles has involved taking a truck or large SUV and turning too tightly and scraping a bollard or pillar. I had similar issues during my dealer days.

For whatever reason, I struggle with long-wheelbase vehicles and tight turns. I’m generally competent at placing a vehicle where I want it, but in this situation, I get it wrong sometimes.

I almost put parallel parking here — as a child of the suburbs, I wasn’t very good at it when I first moved to the city. But living in densely packed parts of Chicago for the better part of two decades has helped me improve, and today’s camera and parking-sensor tech helps (though I suppose one could argue it’s a crutch that keeps me from further developing my skill). I’m a much better parallel-parker than I was a teen.

So, what’s your deal? What part of driving causes you issues, even after decades behind the wheel? Even if you’ve got track/autocross/off-road experience? Are you a bad parallel parker? Do you, like at least two people I knew in college, struggle with highway speeds? Are you not smooth with braking or accelerating? Are you klutzy when driving a manual? Bad at backing up? Terrible at trailering?

Let us know down below.

[Image: Roman Samborskyi/Shutterstock.com]

Tim Healey
Tim Healey

Tim Healey grew up around the auto-parts business and has always had a love for cars — his parents joke his first word was “‘Vette”. Despite this, he wanted to pursue a career in sports writing but he ended up falling semi-accidentally into the automotive-journalism industry, first at Consumer Guide Automotive and later at Web2Carz.com. He also worked as an industry analyst at Mintel Group and freelanced for About.com, CarFax, Vehix.com, High Gear Media, Torque News, FutureCar.com, Cars.com, among others, and of course Vertical Scope sites such as AutoGuide.com, Off-Road.com, and HybridCars.com. He’s an urbanite and as such, doesn’t need a daily driver, but if he had one, it would be compact, sporty, and have a manual transmission.

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  • Jo Borras Jo Borras on Mar 10, 2022

    I cannot resist a big puddle/opportunity to "splash" with the car. I don't do this to people (I'm not a psycho), but if there's no one around? SPLASH!! I can't help it. I have curbed wheels, slammed into potholes, and other such stupidity, and I never learn.

    • See 1 previous
    • RHD RHD on Mar 10, 2022

      I'm with you on that one - I love to create a huge rooster tail when rainwater accumulates. Maybe those who don't drive through the water but wish they would might dare to do it, and enjoy the moment, if they see me do it. It could just be that as the years add up, acting like a silly kid for a few seconds just for the hell of it makes you feel just a bit younger. What I do badly - hitting the curb with the bottom of the lower edge of the front bumper when parking. It doesn't happen often, but every now and then is too often.

  • Moparmann Moparmann on Mar 10, 2022

    I have trained myself to not become overly worked up about the following pet peeves: indecisive drivers, people who touch brakes repeatedly to slow down, people who pull out in front of you at a much slower speed/failing to speed up (augmented by going 50 feet & turning off when there was no one behind you), those who can't merge properly, people who find my cruise controlled speed too slow, pass me - jump in front of me, and then I have to brake for them, people who can't judge distances, and drive a 1/2 car length from the curb on narrow streets....I think that's enough, although I'm CERTAIN that there are more that I could list! :-)

  • MaintenanceCosts It's not a Benz or a Jag / it's a 5-0 with a rag /And I don't wanna brag / but I could never be stag
  • 3-On-The-Tree Son has a 2016 Mustang GT 5.0 and I have a 2009 C6 Corvette LS3 6spd. And on paper they are pretty close.
  • 3-On-The-Tree Same as the Land Cruiser, emissions. I have a 1985 FJ60 Land Cruiser and it’s a beast off-roading.
  • CanadaCraig I would like for this anniversary special to be a bare-bones Plain-Jane model offered in Dynasty Green and Vintage Burgundy.
  • ToolGuy Ford is good at drifting all right... 😉
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