On Sat, 02 Jun 2007 09:09:53 -0500, John H. wrote:


Follow behind a car, using a 2 second interval (always) between you and
the car in front. Ride in the center of the lane. As you're following
the car, you'll notice sewer covers, gas line covers, etc., as they come
from beneath the car. Use countersteering to swerve and avoid the
covers, or anything else that pops up from underneath the car. This is a
good exercise in city traffic. It will help you miss the chunk of 4 x 4
that fell off the truck in front of you while on the highway!

With all due respect, I question the safety of this exercise. First, I
would never ride in the center of the lane. That's where all the oils,
nails, and other road debris accumulate. Ride in the left or right
track. The road is generally cleaner. Your visibility to other drivers
is enhanced, and you have slightly more escape paths.

Secondly, concentrating on someones' taillights is bad driving practice.
Concentrating on what comes out from underneath someones' car is even
worse. You should be looking farther down the road to enable reacting to
what the driver ahead of you is reacting to.

It's also my experience that city driving, in traffic, is far more
dangerous, and takes far more concentration and awareness than highway
driving. It seems to me, your exercise only increases the risk. There
are far better places to practice counter-steering.