I cannot keep the right distance. Why?

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Oxana
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I wrote this topic to help Club members and Newbies (10-) to understand the psychological roots of the problem and to correct their driving style accordingly.

You'll find five different cases with questions that need to be answered and a list of solutions for the mentioned case.

Type 1. You are afraid of being lost.
As human beings, we are afraid of being lost in unknown areas. That is why a driver wants to "hold a hand" of the other car and keeps very close distance between them.

Test yourself: Can you easily keep in mind and identify places without obvious differences? Do you feel that you're able to find the way out of anywhere? If yes, go to the next type. If no, then continue reading.

Solutions:
- Keep driving, and this fear will go by itself. By spending time in the desert, you will get familiar to shapes of dunes, color of the sand and other off-roading features. It's like to be a friend of twins. The first couple of months you will hardly understand who is who, but after awhile, you will realize that they are totally different people.
- If you manage to get lost, there is a standard procedure which will help you to get out. Stop your car, inform the Marshal, and follow given instructions.
- Do not be shy to ask for help. If you are not able to close the gap between your car and the car in front because you lost visual contact with it, ask the marshals to support you with a temporary lead.

Type 2. You drive by copying the movements of the car in front.
This technique applies to when you do not know your car well or you are not able to drive because of tiredness/sickness. You need to keep the car in front at a very short distance to watch and repeat its movements.

Test yourself: Do you really know the limits of your car? Do you have many stories about the performance of your vehicle in off-roading? If yes, go to the next case. If no, continue reading.

Solutions:
- An off-roader has to feel his/her own car, has to know necessary driving and recovering techniques, and must be able to read the terrain. No one expects that you will learn all of them at the same time. If you focus on learning the "character" of your car, of course, you will not have to bother yourself with training on sand reading or choosing the right techniques for driving. However, once you're confident in the drive, stop copying and try to figure out your own driving style.
- Read the car's manual. It might help you to get familiar with the vehicle faster, and you might discover many useful features in it.
- Take under control your copying technique, do not develop an addiction to being a car behind. You might need to lead one day.

Type 3. You are a racer by nature.
Some people have a different vision of speed.

Test yourself: Do you like when drivers give you a way on highways? Do you dream to be a professional racer? Do you pay a fortune for the traffic fines? If no, go to the next type. If yes, we have a problem... keep reading.

Solution: I'm one of you guys, and I have no solutions for us. The only thing that works on me is I really get upset and feel guilty when I hurt Legend. Find out your own weak points that will remind you to calm down.

Type 4. You are driving after a weak car or a bad driver.
There is no "driving after a weak car". You can't keep the right distance probably because you don't know the "language" of the car in front of you.

Test yourself: have you ever complained about driving after a weak car or driver? Do you think that the only places in the convoy where you can stay comfortable are the second or third leads? If yes continue reading, if no ignore it and jump to the other type.

Solutions:
- Each car brand has their own language (JEEP, Nissan, Toyota or other languages). I strongly advice you to learn them. However, I have to admit that it's much easier for us to drive with our own brand-community.
- Leave your ego at home. Don't divide members in the convoy on weak or strong. Think this way, if a car in front is killing your weekend, open your mind for new challenges or simply ask Marshals to let you overtake that car.

Type 5. You can't stay within the rules.
You don't care about the right or wrong distance at all, because you just want to drive. Feeling of freedom!

Test yourself: Do you think that the club discipline is too strict in general? Do you get offended when people say to you what to do? Do you feel that you desire more than you have now? If yes, continue reading.

Solutions:
- "Without rules, there is no order. With no order, there is no structure. Without structure, there are no limits. Without limits, there is chaos..." We have only one day a week to escape from city life, and WE NEED someone who will organize everything FOR US. The club takes care OF US...for free. So why should we complain about discipline after all?
- If after 3/6/9 months you still find it difficult to be bound by the rules, try to change clubs. There are many off-roading clubs in UAE with different viewpoints, standards, and requests.

I wish all of you a safe drive!

Everything you've read here is based on my personal experience and observations as a Newbie. I will appreciate it if marshals or other drivers would add some value and volume to this topic.
Love you all! :evanwhateverlinethi
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FrancisJK
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We'll keep that in mind. Nice write up Oxana. Well done!
Sridhar
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Hi Oxana,

Thanks for covering the psychological behaviourial aspects of the newbie drivers in such a structured report :045:. I do relate myself with some of the points (especially Type 1), as would other newbies, and will try your tips out in the upcoming drive.

Cheers,
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bombays
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Great work oxana. :045::045::045::045::045::045:
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Interesting topic ....

lets see member comment
and we will return later to add the experience comment & explain .
Adventures League of Mountains, Oceans & Sand Thrills
Adnan
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Great informative analysis Oxana,
By the way, where is your driving clinic location ?:yaeh am not durnk:
Suhail
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Excellent write up Oxana.. :like:
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Oxana
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Thanks guys for your support. I appreciate it.

Adnan;35590 wrote:Great informative analysis Oxana,
By the way, where is your driving clinic location ?
Dear Adnan, you need to wait... I must get two stars, then three stars, and then I'll be able to open a "door of my clinic" for advanced drivers :005:
Unfortunately, currently I can only understand feelings of Newbies...
By the way, this analysis was done for myself when I couldn't manage to keep the right distance. Now I'm much better :009:
momo
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Nice thread Oxana, I enjoyed reading it. :)
Adnan
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[quote=Oxana;35619]Thanks guys for your support. I appreciate it.
Hahaha no worries Oxana.you'll become Marshal very soon inshaa Allah with such enthusiasm. With due respect the advanced and marshals drivers needs a hospital or medical city.
Nevertheless I do like your analysis and much appreciated it. Bravooo



Dear Adnan, you need to wait... I must get two stars, then three stars, and then I'll be able to open a "door of my clinic" for advanced drivers :005:
Unfortunately, currently I can only understand feelings of Newbies...
By the way, this analysis was done for myself when I couldn't manage to keep the right distance. Now I'm much better
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