Driving Safely With Lexus

06.3.10

I spent the morning driving with the team from Lexus. I’ll share a lot more detail with you later, but I wanted y’all to know a few safety related items:

When driving make sure your hands are at 9:00 and 3:00. Nine and three is fine for me. Many of us learned to drive with our hands at 10:00 and 2:00, but airbags make that an unsafe habit.

You should just barely see your own car in your side mirrors. My mirrors have been pointed too close to the body of the car. By having the mirrors out to the side a bit more, you reduce your blind spots significantly, almost completely on the passenger side.

Your steering wheel should point at your chest. Heaven forbid you get into an accident where you need those airbags, you don’t want them to deploy in your face. Make sure that wheel is pointed at your body for extra safety.

If your car has ABS brakes (be smart and buy one that has them) you do NOT want to pump the brakes if you are skidding. ABS (anti-lock braking systems) will automatically pump the brakes for you, many times faster than your foot ever could.  The ABS brakes make it so that you can keep control of the car even while braking hard in any condition.

Any car can be popped into neutral at any time. For many of you this will sound basic, but sometimes the basics matter. Every driver should know that without the car in gear it doesn’t matter how hard you press on the gas pedal, it will not accelerate.

There’s a ton more information I’ll share with you later, but I had a great time ruining the transmissions driving with Lexus today. We popped cars into neutral from 45 mph, we applied gas and brake at the same time, we skidded around on slippery surfaces, and we took hard turns braking in the sand.

It was fun, and it kicked the crap out of their cars, but it also made me happy about the way my family buys cars. Basically, we look for cars with five star safety ratings, and then we go shopping. When you get to hang out with a safety engineer you realize two things:

1. Safety engineers are really really really smart.
2. My family deserves to be safe.

Surprise of the day? Their big SUV? You know the LX? Not tippy at all. Which is weird, because I expected that thing to wobble.

  • http://www.smartassmom.com traci

    All I know about that LX is the one on the showroom here has the same sticker as the Rover I so desperately want.

    • http://JessicaGottlieb.com Jessica Gottlieb

      Every time Jane sees a Rover she whispers “tree killer”.

      So… no to the Rover.

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  • Joe

    You got to spend the day fooling around with Lexus engineers? I’m envious.

    I wasn’t aware of the first and third points (hands on wheel and wheel position). Good to know. Thanks!

  • http://amysawesomenest.blogspot.com/ AmyLk

    Good tips! I HATE the way the pedal bounces with the ABS. Scary!

  • http://marcywrites.com Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association

    Just for disclosure. Were you compensated for this post by Lexus?

    • http://JessicaGottlieb.com Jessica Gottlieb

      Yes, they gave me three water bottles, and a salad.

      Trust me, if I have a financial relationship with someone I’ll disclose it.

  • http://marcywrites.com Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association

    Thank you for replying about your huge contract with Lexus (3 bottle waters and a salad!:)..

    But I am now more confused than ever. You keep telling us not to work for free. But aside from the hydration and fiber received from this event, is this not a free advertisement for Lexus?

    It would help if maybe you can clarify this point for me. If you wanna that is.

    :)

    • http://JessicaGottlieb.com Jessica Gottlieb

      I see you coming from another site, and I understand that you are speculating about how bloggers spend their time.

      Let me make this very easy on you. Whenever there is an automotive event in or around Los Angeles I am there. I am there because this is not the only place I write, and I love cars. I’m at the press days for the LA Auto Show, I drive cars from Lexus, Ford, GM and more.

      I also attend tech events, because they are relevant to my life.

      If you are confused as to why I’d want to spend my morning driving a car fast through sand, water and tight curves, then it’s unlikely that you’d ever understand why I do anything.

      Marcy, I have answered every question from you, and you and I both know that you fall under the “troll” category. You’re not a regular reader, you’re not part of my community, and I am most certainly not part of yours. You can continue speculating, and trying to figure things out. I’m sure that it will keep you very busy, but I’ve entertained you for the last time.

  • http://marcywrites.com Marcy from The Glamorous Life Association

    Oh Jessica you are wrong. And um, insulting too. But I bet you are okay with that…I had heard for more than a year now that you had a ‘mean streak’, and I see now that might be true. Especially when you are defensive I guess. Too bad.

    I am not a troll. And I have indeed read you for little over a year. I have enjoyed some of it. Some of it I have disagreed with. And some of it was intriguing. Just because I decided to write you on this issue, does not make me a troll. I suppose you might feel that way because I am trying to understand your policies. And not agreeing with you. Is that a troll? I don’t know…I always thought a troll was someone who was totally not involved in the same community and was just trying to cause problems for entertainment value. Again. Not me.

    And I did indeed come to this post after reading ABDPBT post in which she was questioning your motivation on the replacement of washer and dryers. Not so much that anyone thought you got them for free and did not disclose- but more from the point of view, that if you DIDn’t get them for free, why all the free press for them? And I was SHOCKED that you were so elusive about the whole thing to ABDPBT. I mean, when I have nothing to hide. I tell people everything. You told her to ‘make something up, you always do’. I thought that was just crazy. And so not classy at all. I mean no response would be better than that.

    Okay so you have an interest in cars. ME TOO. I have actually rebuilt vintage Chevys, I buy a new car almost every year and often attend car shows and do car testing thingies like yourself. I love them. SO fun. See Jessica? I get it.

    But where you lost me is….doing it, then talking about it all…with no compensation seems counter intuitive to you many many posts about us bloggers ‘not giving it away for free’. Something I really took to heart (I wrote a post called “I am no blog-slut”) based on your thoughts.

    So now the message I am getting is…’go ahead and give it away for free if you really want to”…er, something like that. I am just terribly confused.

    You could delete this comment. I get that. But I am happy just to know you read it. Maybe you want to reply to me offline (er, email I mean)….I would just like some clarification as to working for free for brands as a blogger. Where do you stand. Has your thoughts changed?

    Regards,
    Marcy (If I was a troll I would be the one with the big yellow don king hair)
    :)

  • http://www.rageagainsttheminivan.com Kristen

    Aww, man. I got an invite to Camp Lexus and was on the fence. Had I known you were going, I would have pulled it together and gotten my ass there. :)

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  • http://www.inskiplexus.com/ Boston Lexus

    After reading your description, I think I’ve to try for a Lexus soon.
    I’ve to treat it how comfortable and safe to drive this model.