I always try to look both ways and then double check, which kept me from pulling out of my driveway in front of a car that 'came out of nowhere' yesterday. pulling a trailer most of the time makes me extra cautious but it seems more and more often the 'other driver' is on autopilot.
It takes vigilance to avoid accidents. People who drive as if they're the only ones on the road are the biggest threat, speed notwithstanding. My wife was in a terrible accident that was at the speed limit because someone decided to make a turn in front of her. They didn't have the time to make it, they didn't try and go fast to cross the intersection, they just slowly pulled out...and then stopped dead center in the middle of the road when they saw the 3 cars coming at them. My wife's car was in the middle lane and had nowhere to go, so while those on the left and right of her swerved around the front and back of the car, she t-boned them.
No one was speeding. But the moron who stopped in the middle of the street proclaimed he wasn't wrong because the light was green as he made his turn in front of oncoming traffic--who of course also had a green.
The idea that driving slow = safe, and therefore you don't need to worry about anything else, is highly erroneous.
The Jedi Master
The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
I could probably rant about bad drivers all day, so it's best that I don't get started. I'll just say that I agree with Jedi Master, that self-absorbed clueless drivers are probably more of a threat than someone who is driving a little fast but is paying attention. I'd like to see a public service announcement or a warning label in a car that addresses that - "Remove head from ass before operating vehicle."
Ken Cartwright
No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.
I also have to wonder about people's reaction times. Every day I see someone pull up to a red light where the traffic the other direction isn't coming. They sit for 10-20-30 seconds, looking EVERYWHERE...and then as soon as the light changes and that traffic starts coming...they pull out in front of them!!
They literally could've made the turn at any earlier point and been safe, but they don't. Instead JUST as the light turns and the traffic starts to move they pull out! Did it take that many seconds for their tiny brain to process that the cars were all stopped at a red and weren't moving? Then they pull out just as the light turns and cut off the cars??
The Jedi Master
The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
Joined: Apr 2001 Posts: 121,383PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
PanzerMeyer
Pro-Consul of Florida
King Crimson - SimHQ's Top Poster
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 121,383
Miami, FL USA
Originally Posted By: Jedi Master
I also have to wonder about people's reaction times. Every day I see someone pull up to a red light where the traffic the other direction isn't coming. They sit for 10-20-30 seconds, looking EVERYWHERE...and then as soon as the light changes and that traffic starts coming...they pull out in front of them!!
They literally could've made the turn at any earlier point and been safe, but they don't. Instead JUST as the light turns and the traffic starts to move they pull out! Did it take that many seconds for their tiny brain to process that the cars were all stopped at a red and weren't moving? Then they pull out just as the light turns and cut off the cars??
The Jedi Master
It's not that. Those people you've observed were most likely texting or surfing the web on their phone. I see it all the time in Miami. It's also why so many drivers now seem to take 10-15 seconds AFTER a light goes green before they hit the gas. Ugh.
“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
No, I can see their heads. They look at the stopped cars to the left. They look across to see the cars also not moving. They look back. They look again. They're staring in multiple directions at obviously motionless cars. Light changes, cars start to move, they pull out!
The Jedi Master
The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
Bad drivers had always frustrated me, but I realized recently why I think it bugs me as much as it does. I think it's because I see it as a reflection of how they live their lives in general. I mean, if people aren't paying attention and focused on what they're doing when they're behind the controls of 3500+lbs of hot rolling death amidst hundreds of other death-mobiles, when are they?
Ken Cartwright
No single drop of rain feels it is responsible for the flood.
Of course the safest thing would be if the cars all drove themselves. If every car did the exact same speed and drove the exact same way it would be so much safer. To have those who believe the speed limit is like the speed of light and can never even be approached mixing with those who think it's a minimum that you only drop to in worst case scenarios and those who change lanes to pass someone doing .5 mph slower than them, both doing under the limit as well, is a recipe for disaster.
The Jedi Master
The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
Every light is a Light Tree must mash gas get tires to go up in smoke and race to the next light
This reminds me of a street in the Sunset district of SF (I forget the name of it). Every light for quite a while is timed for the speed limit. If you go faster you'll have stop at every light. Go the limit or a little under and you'll rarely have to stop. Guess how many people haven't figured that out? Sigh.
That video is actually quite brilliant. This is a concept I've been thinking about lately - the concept of how people are driving with no margin for error. But this takes it to the next level - no margin for someone else's error.
And I think that this is something that will take a long time to be accepted here because people are too self-absorbed. People seem to no longer believe in "it takes a village" - everyone is out for themselves.
One of the many issues with that attitude is this margin of error issue - people perceive this as someone taking away something be it time, the win at the drag strip in their head, etc. so why should I watch out for the other guy?
Besides accidents, this also causes traffic as a whole to go slower. There are lots of studies and theoretical models that show when a pack is moving at the same speed, someone trying to go faster slows the whole pack down. So if the anomaly didn't do that the whole pack gets to their destination faster even if the pack is going slower than the speed limit. But everyone is too busy looking out for number one.
Interesting as the study I read said the model indicated when just under 2/3, in the low 60% range, did NOT follow the laws exactly the traffic was the best. When 100% followed the rules exactly or 100% broke them it was far worse.
Quote:
There are lots of studies and theoretical models that show when a pack is moving at the same speed, someone trying to go faster slows the whole pack down
I cannot even conceive of a way in which that would be possible. How can someone wanting to go faster make other people go slower unless they are deliberately slowing down?
Anyway, it is indeed a matter of everyone looking out for themselves, whether the attitude is "I need to get there faster" or "no one should be in any more of a hurry than I am, and I will even move my car to block others from passing me, and I will even travel over the speed limit to get to that position and THEN slow back down" because they've decided they are the ones in charge of the road.
It doesn't really matter whether you're going fast or slow, as soon as you're imposing what you want on others it's a problem.
The Jedi Master
The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
Because someone who is trying to go faster than the pack will drive dangerous in order to gain position. This can be tailgating or lane shifting but whatever the case may be it causes to pack to slow down in order to create a larger safety zone.
You see it all the time on the highway. You and a group will be going 10 or so over the speed limit and some d-bag will fly up behind and start tailgating in the hope that you let them through. This causes the rear cars to bunch up on the middle cars. The middle cars then bunch up on the lead cars and the whole pack drops 10-15mpg which only makes the new guy that much more crazy.
Then you have the mentality of people who just like to #%&*$# with others. I can speed all day long 5-10 over the limit but if someone jumps on my ass and tail gates me then I will slow down 5 under just to piss them off. Then when they switch lanes to get around me I will pace them so they cant switch lanes and miss their turn.
If they would maintain a safe distance they could go 5-10 over with me but as soon as they provoke me then everyone loses.
And that mentality is very prevalent with other drivers. I have had people do it to me and cause me to miss my turn or have to back off to a safe distance. I am glad they do it too because it is what I deserve when I am driving like a ****.