Drive it Like You Stole it
Start your engines
As a young Recon Marine, I was sent to the BSR counterterrorism driving course. The training was held at Summit Point Raceway, not far from near Charles Town, WV, close to where I grew up. We trained on a racetrack that held car races on weekends. Most of the instructors were professional race car drivers.
We learned about vehicle dynamics, weight and traction transfer, threshold braking, Y, J, handbrake turns, and the PIT maneuver (Precision Immobilization Technique) shown below.
While the course was a blast, the most useful advice I received was from a one-eyed race car driver in the passenger seat while we were barreling around the track in a three-vehicle convoy simulating getting a VIP away from an ambush. I was in the third vehicle, trying to both keep the chasing bad guys from passing me while staying on the tail of the VIP’s vehicle driving over 100 MPH.
Every time the lead vehicle hit the brakes to negotiate a turn or obstacle, the VIP car slammed on its brakes, and I came close to running into them.
The instructor calmly asked, “What do you see ahead of you?”
I was annoyed by the question because I was trying to stay focused, but I answered, “I see the back of the vehicle in front of me.”
“There’s your problem,” he said. “You're not looking far enough ahead.”
Annoyed, I responded with, “Where in the f*ck am I supposed to be looking?”
“Look through the car in front of you. Look through the rear windshield and the front windshield, watch the lead car's brake lights. You’ll gain at least a half-second advantage.”
This is a useful skill I still apply today when driving, but it is also useful outside of the car.
Too often we become fixated on the problem right in front of us. Or the behavior of the person who annoys us.
If we look past the problem or the person we can better see what is causing the problem or behavior and put ourselves in a better position to act rather than react.
Until next week, Keep Walking Point!
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See you next Thursday!
Awesome analogy. Many people can't see past the brake lights...but this helps visualize the process and how to navigate life's challenges....
I love that advice. Thanks for sharing.