on around the vehicle and where it ’ s headed . The objective is to allow the driver to work the vehicle instinctively , which thereby not only facilitates the detection of surveillance , but also helps in the avoidance of crashes because during an emergency the driver ’ s attention is drawn away from the act of driving the vehicle . We want to instill the ability for the driver working the car to be on autopilot , which effectively helps keep the driver moving !
How do we become more instinctive and function at our peak potential ?
For one , the driver should only use 80 % of their abilities , which allows for effective stress management . The remaining unused 20 % will account for all the unknowns that they will encounter .
Now let us go back to our two drivers we mentioned above and add some more pieces to our scenario in order to paint a full picture .
They both hop into their respective vehicles and head out of the compound start their route . As they approach an intersection , it is observed that there are several vehicles blocking the route and some unusual movement in the area . With our understanding of plans fail and preparation does not , which driver is better equipped to deal with this issue ?
Driver 1 : Having done the preparation work , is more relaxed in this situation as he / she developed several alternative options during their prep work . This preparation also allowed the driver to be more focused on their role , scanning their environment , picking out the anomalies of the area , and being able to observe the issue from a greater distance away , therefore allowing the driver to put a contingency option in place and avoid the potential threat encounter .
Now , Driver 2 : They are not so fortunate in this same scenario . For one , they did not have a plan to start with . They also did not check their vehicle and relied on someone else to do it . Driver 2 now has a vehicle issue that they are trying to diagnose , keeping them from scanning the environment . Before the driver realizes it , they are stuck in the chokepoint , unaware of the potential exits , this driver is now in a state of high stress as they scramble to seek out options to get the vehicle MOVING and off the X .
This is just a small example of why preparation is key to any plan . I have yet to see in my career any initial plan work out the way it was intended . There is always some small or large detail that needs to be added in order for the plan to work . Those details are your preparation . When you prepare , options present themselves , plans evolve , collaboration with the team takes place . Roles are assigned , objectives are set , and the mission goes on .
TECHNIQUES NOT TRICKS INCREASE SURVIVABILITY
If you have been in this industry long enough whether it ’ s military , private contracting , or law enforcement ; you will come across some things that may seem great in theory however , they come up short in the real-world application aspect of it .
One of the most common issues that I have come across is the use of racing jargon and racing lines through corners . These tips and techniques are great for the racetrack and for all intents and purposes , that is where they need to stay . When it comes to tactical and high-speed driving , it must be taught and learned from the perspective that the driver will be using it on public roads .
It needs to be conveyed and understood that in real life , the risk of taking a corner at the limits of adhesion is not worth the few seconds saved or the lives of those you are entrusted with if the situation goes bad . Some key differences between the racetrack and operational driving are :
Traffic will be coming in all directions on the roadway . Blind corners mean that you have to stay in your own lane until it can be verified as safe .
The corners are not be monitored by racing officials . There are many types of vehicles on the road that are different shapes , sizes , various speed of travel whereas in racing ; the vehicles are the same types and traveling at similar speeds .
In an actual race , each driver has the same purpose and has similar training .
Apexes and braking reference points are not identified on public roads .
In real world application , other drivers are paying very little attention to the traffic situation , they are not perceiving your
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