An important aspect of driving defensively, is to evaluate and anticipate the actions of other drivers.
Here is a guide that can help you be prepared for the other guy. Shields up!
See also: Why some countries drive on the left side of the road versus the right side
| Characteristics | Driver |
|---|---|
| One hand on steering wheel, one hand on horn | New York |
| One hand on steering wheel, one finger out window | Chicago |
| One hand on steering wheel, one hand on newspaper, foot solidly on accelerator | Boston |
| Both hands in air, gesturing, both feet on accelerator, head turned to talk to someone in back seat | Italy |
| One hand on steering wheel, one hand in pants, cradling cell phone, brick on accelerator, gun in lap | California (Los Angeles) |
| One hand on steering wheel, one hand drumming on dashboard, laptop in lap, left foot tapping, right foot on brake waiting for pedestrians to move, head bobbing from side to side | California (San Francisco) |
| One hand on laptop, one hand at on-board navigation/Internet console installed in dashboard, having an executive meeting with six other people on hands-free cell phone, Palm Pilot wedged between knees to watch stock quotes, shoes kicked off and feet crossed because traffic hasn't moved in an hour | California (Silicon Valley) |
| Both hands on wheel, eyes shut, both feet on brake, quivering in terror | Ohio, but driving in California |
| One hand on 14oz. double shot latte, one knee on wheel, cradling cell phone, foot on brake, mind on radio game, banging head on steering wheel while stuck in traffic | Seattle |
| Both hands on steering wheel in a relaxed posture, eyes constantly checking the rear-view mirror to watch for visible emissions from their own or another's car | Colorado |
| One hand on wheel, one hand on hunting rifle, alternating between both feet being on the accelerator and both on the brake, throwing a McDonald's bag out the window | Texas city male |
| One hand on wheel, one hand hanging out the window, keeping speed steadily at 70 mph, driving down the center of the road unless coming around a blind curve, in which case they are on the left side of the road | Texas country male |
| One hand constantly refocusing the rear-view mirror to show different angles of big hair, one hand going between mousse, brush, and rat-tail comb, both feet on the accelerator, poodle steering the car, chrome .38 revolver with mother-of-pearl inlaid handle in the glove compartment | Texas female |
| Engaged in heated political discussion on speaker phone with espresso in one hand and croissant in the other, aiming for pedestrians who have the mistaken notion that crosswalks are for them | Québec |
| One finger on steering wheel of jacked up 4x4, Charlie Daniels blaring from speakers, dead coyote in back, hay blowing out of truck bed | Montana |
| Two hands gripping wheel, blue hair barely visible above windshield, driving 35 on the Interstate in the left lane with the left blinker on | Florida |
| One hand on the wheel, the other on his sister | Arkansas |