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 Previous issues: (ESPAÑOL)

Number 1 / Sep 28, 2007
  - Which is the proper driving position? (1)
  - Using automatic transmissions
  - What is a vehicle policy good for?
Number 2 / Oct 4, 2007
  - Which is the proper driving position? (2)
  - What to do when the engine overheats
  - Evaluate and train drivers
Number 3 / Oct 11, 2007
  - How to brake correctly (1)
  - How to distribute load in trucks
  - The reasons why road research is necessary
Number 4 / Oct 18, 2007
  - How to brake correctly (2)
  - Tips to conserve the battery
  - Auditing vehicles
Number 5 / Oct 25, 2007
  - How to brake correctly (3)
  - How to maintain tires in good conditions?
  - Managing vehicle risk
Number 6 / Nov 1, 2007
  - How we adjust car mirrors?
  - How to prevent the engine from overheating?
  - Accidents study
Number 7 / Nov 8, 2007
  - Precautions when driving at night
  - Fifth Wheel and King Pin (1)
  - Trip planning, a combining tool
Number 8 / Nov 15, 2007
  - Braking with air brakes
  - Fifth Wheel and King Pin (2)
  - Repair shop audits
Number 9 / Nov 22, 2007
  - The overtake manoeuvre (1)
  - Tire maintenance (1)
  - 24hs driving safely recording
Number 10 / Nov 29, 2007
  - The overtake manoeuvre (2)
  - Tire maintenance (2)
  - Taking responsibility for the hired driving
Number 11 / Dec 6, 2007
  - Driving when it rains
  - Understanding tire markings
  - Access control
Number 12 / Dec 13, 2007
  - Driving with Anti Lock Braking System
  - Coupling system safety
  - Safe driving, Values and Culture
Number 13 / Dec 21, 2007
  - When it's better to avoid driving?
  - Safety chains for coupling systems
  - Management rules and certification
Number 14 / Dec 27, 2007
  - Overspeed brakes' trailers
  - Air conditioning maintenance
  - Where to start from
Number 15 / May 14, 2008
  - Driving Definition
  - Clutch maintenance
Number 16 / May 28, 2008
  - The Attitude's influence when driving
  - Gear box oil
Number 17 / Jun 11, 2008
  - Driving through curves
  - How to choose the best tires
Number 18 / Jun 25, 2008
  - Anxiety effects in driving
  - Maintained shock absorbers, safety vehicles
Number 19 / Jul 10, 2008
  - Driving backwards
  - Prepare your vehicle for cold weather
Number 20 / Jul 23, 2008
  - Sleeping well, better driving
  - Exhaust fumes colour diagnosis
Number 21 / Aug 6, 2008
  - How to ascend and descend slopes safely
  - The engine cooling system
Number 22 / Aug 20, 2008
  - Dysfunctional beliefs in women and men driving
  - Safe Load in Tank Trucks
Number 23 / Sep 3, 2008
  - Driving in the fog
  - Safe lights
Number 24 / Sep 17, 2008
  - Driving in the fog - Second part
  - Hydraulic brakes safe maintenance (1)
Number 25 / Oct 1, 2008
  - Bad habits and their influence in behaviour
  - Hydraulic brakes safe maintenance (2)
Number 26 / Oct 15, 2008
  - How we learn to drive
  - Reducing tire air pressure
Number 27 / Oct 29, 2008
  - Crossing junctions
  - Dangerous alterations and modifications on heavy vehicles
Number 28 / Nov 12, 2008
  - Driving and distraction
  - Common transmission failures
Number 29 / Nov 26, 2008
  - Two different ways of understanding "Driving"
  - Safe lights
Number 30 / Dec 10, 2008
  - Preventing distractions
  - Failures easy to be detected
Number 31 / Jan 14, 2009
  - "Accident", its definition
  - Electronic Stability Control
Number 32 / Jan 28, 2009
  - Fatigue, the driving enemy
  - The steering on vehicles
Number 33 / Feb 11, 2009
  - Perceptual phenomena
  - Steering regulation
Number 34 / Feb 25, 2009
  - Car drivers and bikers, an intelligent coexistence
  - Progress in steering systems
Number 35 / Mar 11, 2009
  - Wrong horn usage
  - How the clutch works
Number 36 / 25 Mar, 2009
  - Driving in snowy roads
  - Clutch maintenance
Number 37 / 8 Abr, 2009
  - Understanding signposting
  - Expiring dates
Number 38 / 22 Abr, 2009
  - Rage control
  - The importance of the engine's torque when driving (1)
Number 39 / 6 May, 2009
  - Can we improve our driving techniques?
  - The importance of the engine's torque when driving (2)
Number 40 / 20 May, 2009
  - Driving and antidepressants, a dangerous combination
  - Correct 4x4 transmissions usage
Number 41 / 3 Jun, 2009
  - The attention degree can be improved
  - Maintenance: the key to extend the engine's service life
Manejo Inteligente Manejo Inteligente
 www.drivingconsultancy.com
Info Manejo October 1, 2008
 number 25
We are sending you the 25th INFO MANEJO's issue. Today we bring you the second part of recommendations for hydraulic brakes maintenance and you will learn about why bad driving habits are unsafe.

We also invite you to visit our new web site where you will find previous INFO MANEJO issues, in their Spanish and English versions.

Manejo
    Bad habits and their influence in behaviour
Usually, our behavior is governed by rules and laws that regulate situations and the environment we live in. From a psychological aspect, various analyses indicate that we drive under the influence of two types of rules:

* Formal rules are meant to take care of ourselves. An example is a rule that prohibits "crossing in an intersection if the traffic lights are red".

* Informal rules, social conventions, "be courteous and give way to other drivers".

Possibly, a traffic system considered under these terms would work without problems.

Violating rules represents a transgression to arbitrary conventions, which regulate the drivers' behavior within a values' scale: hurrying up to park in the last free spot is not as risky as crossing the railway when the barrier is down.

At this point, is useful to talk about evidences that indicate that children, from a very early age, are able to distinguish between the two types of rules and their consequences. Not complying with some laws it does not seem very often to be a conscious decision, nevertheless, why does it happen and how can we prevent it?

Generally, attitudes are considered to be the responsible for our conduct and we can deduce that if an attitude is modified, we automatically produce changes in our conduct. However, it is not as easy as it seems and this is because sometimes habits do not let us act as we want to or must.


From the psycho motor action, we can mention the case when people learn to drive, they press at the same time the brake and the clutch pedals. Then, after a while, they can not change this way of doing it, even when they are explained that that is a riskier way of braking. Similarly, habits also determine attitudes when we systematically disrespect speed limits, because we believe that although we go very fast, we are certain that we drive safely thanks to our abilities.

Habits have an influence on our cognitive limits capacities -we can only do a reduced number of actions at the same time- widening their spectrum, but only when situations are recognized.

The driver actions will be more complex and even though he ignores that because nothing ever happened to him, he turns to a daily practice of an incorrect procedure, clung to bad habits, maybe because he believes the unknown might be worse. This represents a wide possibility of making behavior judgment mistakes that finally turn into risky actions affecting the others and their own safety.

Can bad habits be changed? As they are constituted very fast and are empiric -they proceed from experiences-, not only the proper training will direct our cognitive capacity towards safety. After some working time, these bad habits will remain properly eradicated and as we will have more control, we will drive safely.

  Manejo
    Hydraulic brakes safe maintenance    
Second part
Advice for drivers

1 Avoid using brakes excessively, throughout extended or repeated times. These might produce a performance loss originated by high temperatures. Some experts sustain that "the less we use the pedal brake, the better we will drive".

2 Excessive heat might cause random and temporary changes in the brake pads and brake shoes. This causes efficiency loss while brakes heat up (fading or vaporlock). Stop the vehicle and wait until it cools down. Check for any abnormality.

3 If the pedal is in a lower position than usual we should check the pads worn out. Bear in mind that the disc brake wears out and strains due to the high extreme temperatures which produce changes in the steel hardness. In these cases, if the surface is deteriorated is preferable to change discs.

4 Complement the braking action using the proper gear that positions the engine in its maximum deceleration zone -maximum torque-, especially in downhill roads.

5 Apply the brake intensively at the beginning and later lighten while the vehicle stops. Apart from a more comfortable braking, you will avoid blocking wheels and losing control.

6 Do not brake with the gear box in neutral or dead point nor press the pedal clutch at the same time than the pedal brake, because it disconnects the engine from the transmission. The clutch is used to avoid the engine from stopping when it is about to detain, and not to brake. This maneuver will make you travel more distance when braking and might block the front wheels if the vehicle does not have ABS.

7 As liquids do not compress, if the pedal feels spongy or soft, there could be possibly some air in the circuit or some liquid loss. Check the vase level and see your mechanic.

8 Pay attention to squeaks or abnormal noises when braking, these might indicate that there might be belts or brake pads worn out. Take your vehicle to the repair shop.

9 If when braking the pedal and/or the steering wheel trembles, the disc faces might be irregular. They need to be corrected, make sure you do this in an authorized repair shop.

10 Vehicles with back drum brake wheels lose their capacity when transiting through fords or puddles and skid the vehicle. Reduce speed and before continuing check the recuperation level, using the parking brake at the same time it accelerates.

11 Check the brake fluid periodically, you can do this without opening the recipient -ABS vehicles have various compartments-. If it is below the indicated level, it must be refilled with authorized fluid and by specialized personnel.

12 The brake fluid is a hygroscopic compound. It contaminates thanks to its characteristic of retaining water from the environment humidity, in vapor or liquid form, damaging the metallic system components. Check the maintenance manual to know when to replace it. It is recommended not to exceed a 2 years period or 50.000km.

13 In normal adherence conditions and in leveled terrains a vehicle must keep its running line when braking, even if we release the steering wheel. Deviation tendency to one of each side might indicate a failure in one of the wheels. If no wheel has deflated, check in a repair shop how each wheel brakes with a brake meter. Both wheels of each axis must break the same and show the same values.


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