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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 December 10, 2008
 number 30
We are glad to send you the 30th INFO MANEJO's issue. Today you will learn why we must stay alert when we drive and different indicators of vehicle problems.

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
    Preventing distractions
We have previously said that driving a vehicle means more than just moving the steering wheel and pressing pedals, even when physical demands are few. A teenager and a superior mammal -like some kind of chimpanzees- can do it without any trouble.

Among the actions of superior cognitive functions used to drive a vehicle safely, ATTENTION is between them. Some people say that we should "pay attention to everything", but this is impossible. Being alert means filtrating and selecting useful parts of the various and numerous available internal and external information for different situations and contexts -significant stimuli-.

When we are in front of the steering wheel, the attention level and its permanence will control our actions and behaviors in order to reach an efficient and safe performance till the end of the trip. It can happen that as soon as we enter our vehicle, we operate the controls, we look at the boards, we talk over the hands free device or chat with the passengers and we do everything at the same time. Meanwhile, outside the vehicle there are also situations that demand our attention, such as kids running with a ball, posters and other car's sudden maneuvers, etc.

The Intelligent Driver knows that previously said is part of what we find on the streets every day and he uses the anticipation to be aware of these. Anticipating does not mean guessing, we can not visualize future situations before they happen -for instance: tomorrow we will crash our car in a unkown street-, accidents are unique and unrepeatable, however they are preventable. A drivers' ANTICIPATION capacity can be taught and trained and this will make possible to reduce to the minimum expression distractions and accidents, and it will allow us to acknowledge that:

…distractions exist and are risky:

   Lifting something from the vehicle's floor it is not that urgent and it can wait, we must consider that traffic keeps on flowing.

…our own distraction signs:

   We must learn to know these indicators when they signify that we are bored or that we are not paying attention. For instance, we should check frequently what we see on our left and right. If we realize that the landscape has changed, it means we were not really focused.

…that a distraction is an "attraction" or attention towards somewhere else:

   If we see that there is an accident on the opposite lane, we should focus on our lane, for example, by checking the correct distance with the vehicle before us.

…our vehicle's limitations:

We have surely noticed how useless is our effort to concentrate in something we do not have interest in it. When driving is boring, we must remember how dangerous this is and stop. We must focus on another more stimulating activity or think on new ways of maintaining our attention focused, and later keep on driving.

The intelligent driver plans his trip, knowing beforehand the critical points on his way that might distract him, focusing his attention and keeping it at a safe level till the end of his trip.
  Manejo
    Failures easy to be detected
A lot of vehicles' mechanical damages or irregular behaviors have their origin in the lack of a proper maintenance, which ends up in a risky condition that might leave us stopped in the middle of the street.

The intelligent driver can early identify the failure symptoms, a vital fact for driving safely. Some common failures:

Problema Causas probables Riesgos Acción
Driving in a straight line and we notice that the car goes towards one of the sides. + Wrong tire pressure.

+ Nonaligned wheels. 		+ Come out of a bend, because of excessive deformation of the deflated tire.

+ Tire breaks because of the partial pressure loss and excessive temperature.

+ Braking distance increase.

+ Directional control loss due to the wheels blockage.

+ Tire premature and uneven wear out. 		+ Check the tire pressure and conditions.

+ Go to an official repair shop to control the steering alignment.
When braking, one or more back wheels block easily. + Deficient front brake pincers action.

+ Pressure loss in one of the circuits.

+ Excessive brake pads worn out and disc crystallization. 		+ Braking distance increase. + Stop the vehicle and immediately go to a specialized repair shop to check the whole braking system.

Wheel inclination when turning and bouncing on flat streets. + Worn out shock absorbers or leaks. + Stability loss and longer brakes.

+ Tires worn out with an undulating shape. 		+ Have the shock absorbers being checked by a specialist, if there are faulty ones, replace them.

When accelerating we hear a loud screech that disappears when the gear is stabilized. + One of the belts slips.

+ A mechanism triggered by a belt is stuck. 		+ Belt being cut and stopping the system on which it acts.

+ Check the belts state and replace any that has lost rigidity.

+ Go to the repair shop to check if any pulley or mechanism is stuck.
When we press the clutch pedal we hear a screech that disappears after releasing it. + The casing clamp or the clutch pushing roller bearing are worn out.

+ The diaphragm spring and the mechanism are damaged.

+ Go to the repair shop and have the clutch checked.

+ Attention: Check if the driver rests his left foot on the pedal or presses it in excess. If so, he should correct the way of operating the pedal.

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Driving Consultancy - Av. Rivadavia 2031 - 3º 6 - CABA - Argentina - info@drivingconsultancy.com - (54 11) 5218-7023