POSITION

In the GAAP System, an extravagant space POSITION is the outcome of properly exercising the other three characteristics. approaching your position in traffic strategically is the outcome of successful deployment of the other three characteristics. You simply can't practice GENTLENESS when you're too close to another car. If you are driving in a tight traffic group of several cars. it's not possible to be aware of all possible risks. Many drivers approach their position in traffic tactically. Their position is determined by how close they can drive to risk, how quickly they can get to "there" and sadly, how they can be ahead of everyone else. Simply put, the goal of GAAP System driving is to be driving in the Position of least risk. That Position is a function of being Gentle, Aware and Anticipatory.

Fortunately, strategic positioning is probably the easiest characteristic of the System to deploy. You simply make it your strategy to drive where the risk is as low as it possibly can be. You can drive this way on any road or highway. It doesn't mean you don't drive in heavy traffic. It simply means you don't drive inside heavy traffic. What's the difference? No matter how heavy traffic is, any and all drivers can find a risk neutralized POSITION. This is the position that assures you remain aware of all risks as they arise because you have sufficient space to facilitate safe scanning practices. Further, you are free to anticipate unseen risk, and can gently change position to maintain risk neutrality.

We like to refer to this strategy as Extravagant Space Management or ESM. The extravagant space you give yourself is a gift box of peace wrapped in safety with a ribbon of confidence.

Here are the tactical steps to deploy a strategy of ESM

1. NEVER allow your following time to be less than three seconds. More is better, three is MINIMUM!

2. ALWAYS seek to drive where adjacent lanes are open.

3. ALWAYS make room for merging traffic. Never close a gap to keep someone from merging. Rather, enlarge the gap to allow for easy merging and maintaining your three second space.

4. ALWAYS control your following distance by taking your foot off the gas pedal. If you have to brake to control following distance, you're following too close.

5. ALWAYS avoid driving inside traffic groups. Traffic groups force you to focus only on the vehicles closest to you. Traffic groups rob you of awareness and the freedom to anticipate what can't be seen.

6. ALWAYS avoid driving along a line of parked cars. If unavoidable, use minimum possible speed and maximum anticipation.

7. ALWAYS move into your exit or turn lane as early as possible. Never wait hoping to gain a few car-lengths. Doing so increases risk and the time saved is measured in single digit seconds.

8. NEVER give up your space to make a sudden correction. If you're not in the correct position to make a gentle lane change or exit, go the the next exit. Even if you go a mile or two out of your way.

Notice in the above that we use the words NEVER and ALWAYS. If you never make the one time exception (ONCE), you'll never have to wish you hadn't.