DRIVING

Careless Driving Tickets: Reading While Driving

 Drivers can receive careless driving tickets for a number of reasons. One such offense is reading while driving, which is more common than many people think. Though difficult to prove unless a law enforcement officer observes it, this behavior is a dangerous distraction that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports increases drivers' chances of being involved in motor vehicle crashes by three times.

One reason that people read while driving is text messaging, which has received considerable media attention recently. Though the act of sending a text probably receives more coverage, the act of reading received texts is just as distracting. Drivers who read a text message not only physically take their eyes off the road, they take their cognitive attention off driving to process the message and perhaps formulate a response to it before beginning to type. Drivers who read text messages are just as subject to emotional reactions of surprise, happiness, or anger as those who talk on cell phones, which can mentally distract the driver for several minutes or even for the rest of the driving journey.

Reading maps and directions is also distracting for drivers, and the act of doing so is often accompanied by the process of looking for an address, the stress of being lost, and/or the confusion of driving in an unfamiliar area. If the driver is on vacation or a business trip, she or he may even be driving an unfamiliar vehicle. Again, the physical act of reading combined with mental and emotional distress creates a dangerous driving distraction. Drivers who need to consult a map or directions should pull over in a safe place; this will also give them time to orient themselves to their surroundings before continuing the trip. Having a passenger who can act as a navigator is also helpful.

Commuters to work or school often face long driving trips with heavy traffic. At times they may not be able to move at all. These drivers are often tempted to distract themselves from the wait by reading books and newspapers. Unfortunately, some of these drivers continue to read once traffic is moving again. The risks of doing this in heavy stop-and-go traffic are obvious. Books can be purchased on CD and podcasts can be downloaded from a variety of websites, and if the subject matter is too distracting, the driver can turn it off and concentrate on driving.

A defensive driving course may be required to satisfy a careless driving ticket; the course will also help drivers who have become complacent to reeducate themselves about the importance of remaining fully alert while driving.

HOW TO GET A KOREAN DRIVER´S LICENSE 

Listen to the video and answer the following questions:

 1) What does he decide to do?
  a) To get an international driver´s license
  b)  To get a Korean driver´s license
2) What are the two reasons for doing this?
3) Where did he go to get the driver´s license?Where can you find this place?
4)How much did he pay for the total cost?
5) What tests did he have to do?
6) What do you have to give them when you get your Korean driver´s license?
7) What do you do if you want to go home or leave for another country?
8) What was the most tricky part when he did the test?
9) How can you pass the exam?
10) What does he suggest using to drive better in Korea?
11) What are the most difficult areas to drive in Korea?

Road Trip Idioms 

Here you are some expressions and idioms from the video
hit the open road-drive on the motorway 

to take a road trip-to travel on the road

Shotgun -The passenger seat in a vehicle. Origin: the American west (i.e. during the 1800s.) The "shotgun" was the person that sat next to the driver of a wagon with a shotgun, watching for trouble. When three or more people are to ride in a car, one of the non-drivers will often "call" shotgun, meaning that they get the privilege of riding in the passenger seat.

We´re cruising along-to drive pleasantly(here by car)

We have to floor it -to step on the accelerator

Tailgate(we had a rude driver tailgating us)-drive very closely behind someone

Road rage- anger or violent behaviour caused by someone else's bad driving or the stress of being in heavy traffic.

He zoomed around us and cut us off-nos pasó como un rayo y nos cortó el paso

To hit the brakes-pisar los frenos

A freeway - a limited access highway with grade separated junctions normally with a divided highway and without traffic lights or stop signs.

When we came to a crossroad we made a U-turn-cuando llegamos a un cruce hicimos un giro en forma de u

To fill the car up-to put gasoline/petrol in the tank of the vehicle

We are on the road again-back to drive

Driving a Car / Discussing Abilities

Car basics inside

Car basics under the bonnet 

Ray Charles - Hit The Road (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) What you say? (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) Woah Woman, oh woman, don't treat me so mean, You're the meanest old woman that I've ever seen. I guess if you said so I'd have to pack my things and go. (That's right) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) What you say? (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) Now baby, listen baby, don't ya treat me this-a way Cause I'll be back on my feet some day. (Don't care if you do 'cause it's understood) (you ain't got no money you just ain't no good.) Well, I guess if you say so I'd have to pack my things and go. (That's right) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) What you say? (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more, no more, no more, no more.) (Hit the road Jack and don't you come back no more.) Well (don't you come back no more.) Uh, what you say? (don't you come back no more.) I didn't understand you (don't you come back no more.) You can't mean that (don't you come back no more.) Oh, now baby, please (don't you come back no more.) What you tryin' to do to me? (don't you come back no more.) Oh, don't treat me like that (don't you come back no more.)