Put your smart safe driving tips here

[nscaler]

I read in another thread about safety concerns and the smart. One involved blind spots. Being in another vehicles blind spot to be exact.
I used to ride motorcycles and you really had to watch out for the same thing. The motorcycle is even smaller than the smart.
The trick is to stay out of the other driver's blind spot whenever possible. The worst place to be is with your bumper even with the rear wheel of any other vehicle and staying there. Either side. This is the place that all drivers cannot see without turning their heads to look before changing lanes. This actually works real well with any vehicle.
Or you could pretend you are invisible. That was the way I rode my motorcycle. People look right through you.
The DRL helps too - just not from the sides or rear. That is why motorcycles must (at least in CA) have their headlights on at all times.

Any other safety tips? Post away!

[SmartAzz]

Originally Posted by nscaler

The DRL helps too - just not from the sides or rear. That is why motorcycles must (at least in CA) have their headlights on at all times.

That is exactly why we use headlights on all the time, just like a bike.

The only thing I can think of offhand is keep both hands on the wheel on the freeway and bridges, the wind can catch you off guard and it will move this little car around

[Alchemy R]

Speaking of blind spots... this takes some getting used to if you currently adjust your side mirrors the way I was originally taught. Once you're used to it you'll see how much better it is for eliminating blind spots.

It does make parallel parking a little trickier in some cars though.

Corrct mirror adjustment:

First, adjust the rear-view mirror to give a view directly to the rear. Position it so that it covers the view straight out the rear window. Don't tilt it to one side to assist with the view of traffic to either side of your car.

Next, the driver should lean their head until it just barely touches the driver's side window. Then, adjust the left side mirror so that the side of the car can just be seen.

Finally, the driver should lean their head to the right towards the middle of the car and adjust the right side mirror so that they can just see the right side of the car. The driver should not be able to see the side of the car with their head perfectly upright.

[blackbeagle]

My tip:

You know about the gawkers. They wave, they point, they take pictures, they give thumbs up, etc.

What do we do? We acknowledge them by waving or giving the thumbs up at the same time. In the meantime, our eyes are on them and not the road in front of us.

To me, that's dangerous. I try to ignore them as much as possible. I don't want to seem rude but paying attention to the road and the cars ahead of me is a little more important.

[Lisa and Leslie]

My tip: Be mindful when backing-up that rear view is compromised in the cabriolet; so, have a good sense of the dimensions of the area and your car. Another tip, or safety feature, is to attach a wide-angle magnifier to your passenger side mirror.

[SmartAzz]

Originally Posted by blackbeagle

To me, that's dangerous. I try to ignore them as much as possible. I don't want to seem rude but paying attention to the road and the cars ahead of me is a little more important.

I agree, especially when they walk innnncccrredibly slow, or even stop for a time, when walking in front of you at a stop sign, sometime I just want to

Seriously though, I've been amazed at the people taking significant time doing that when crossing, it is not only very frustrating at times it is dangerous because someone behind me is bound to get impatient and go to cut around.

[skyzdlimit59]

Most of the issues I have found worth focusing on have been mentioned. The blind spots in the cab were a shock in the beginning. I purchased a magnifier for the drivers side mirror and found that to be a tremendous help.
I have found people to be a distraction. I love the attention but need to be cautious when moving.
Being in another's blind spot is a big one! Especially since I believe it may have caused my fender bender. The woman was backing up and I was positioned in a place where I don't think she saw me through her mirror, and she didn't bother turning her head to make sure she was clear.
I do think that driving this car has made me a more aware driver. I am extra careful now, knowing that I am smaller. Although I'm not afraid of its size, I am respectful that it requires some extra focus while driving.
My 2 cents.