Car Tech: What do you think is the biggest threat to safe driving?
- 5/30/07 11:37 AM
Speeding doesn't kill
by chuckbrewster - 6/4/07 6:19 AM In reply to: I agree but.... by morningloryDrivers that speed are not the cause of accidents. But, speeding and disrespct of others will cause accidents. Weaving through traffic, that is one that is even worse. If traffic is slow, can't change that by weaving in and out of lanes. But, you can change that by using the highways at times that are not rush hour. Go early, take a snack to eat when you get to work so you don't feel you are really early. But that helps to keep you calm because you didn't have to fight the rush.
drivers (fatigue)
by simplexveritas - 6/28/07 12:26 AM In reply to: I agree but.... by morningloryDriver fatigue. Or Driver distraction. But driver fatigure isn't addressed too often.
cell phones!
by lisa206 - 6/28/07 12:37 AM In reply to: I agree but.... by morninglorydefinitely cell phones! they are such a hazard to us all! whether it's texting or talking. SOME people can multi-task, others are completely unable.
Bad Drivers? Sure...
by dgbvan - 5/31/07 10:02 PM In reply to: Other Drivers... by per89sonYOK! I agree. Bad drivers are a menace, however, I find your respsonse a tad generic.
Here's why.
I think we all know what bad driving is, but why do people drive badly? Are they ignorant of how to drive well? Are they new drivers? Are they from out of town? Are they stupid? Yeah, maybe.
Personally, I think the biggest problem for drivers is distraction. A distraction is something, anything that takes your attention for more than two (2) seconds! Obviously, that will be different for different people, however, a cell phone is always, always, always a distraction. Whether you are answering, talking, dialing, looking up a number, texting - whatever, cells are distracting. Yes! I included talking. Bosh, you say. Well, I say that unless you are very different from me, I usually think when I talk and thinking out loud is always distracting for me. As for the other possible activities you might consider doing while usuing a cell phone ... obvious! I hope!
Definitely poor drivers...
by edgett - 6/1/07 8:02 PM In reply to: Other Drivers... by per89sonIn the U.S., people learn to drive in virtually any type of vehicle, and must demonstrate the ability to properly signal and basically keep the car in its lane in order to get a driver's license. Once armed with a valid driver's license, they are permitted to drive anything short of an eighteen wheeler without proof of additional proficiency, or additional training. Just because I can pass a minimum driver's test in a Ford Escort, why should this qualify me to drive a top heavy 6000 pound Chevrolet Suburban, or a 500 horsepower Mustang? If I demonstrate that I can, in no emergency whatsoever, maange to stop the same Escort for a stop sign I can see from at least a block away while driving at 35 miles per hour, how does this qualify me to make an emergency stop, or take evasive action, when the unexpected happens in front of me at 45 or 70 miles per hour?
We have done an amazing job in this country of blaming the vehicle for accidents that are in many cases totally avoidable. So when Sally goes off the road in her 5000 pound Ford Explorer, and reacts by desperately trying to jerk the car back onto the road, it is the Explorer's fault when she rolls over and kills herself and her children. Or when Billy takes Dad's new Shelby GT on the road and centerpunches a tree at 90 miles per hour, it is the Mustang's fault for having too much horsepower and taking Billy and his girlfriend out of the graduating class.
In most reasonable endeavors, these events are viewed as simply running out of talent in an otherwise controllable incident. It is not the fault of the vehicle, or that it failed to offer legitimate crash protection, but is the fault of the operator.
Automobile drivers should be trained like pilots. No pilot gets his license without dealing with the true emergencies that might arise when he flies; he must demonstrate proficiency at stall recovery, what to do when his engine fails on takeoff or landing, and what his reactions might be to threatening weather. And, should he decide that he wants to fly a larger and/or more powerful airplane, it is a requirement of law that he gain proficiency in that aircraft and demonstrate via check ride that he can deal with the greater complexity of the larger or different class of aircraft.
We kill 44,000 people per year with automobiles, and keep pointing our finger at the manufacturers, as if they can save us from our own ineptitude. Since this represents nearly 15 World Trade Centers every single year, one would think this would get our attention. We do this year after year on the insistence that everyone capable of driving in a straight line "deserves" the right to pilot an automobile.
I am not suggesting that all accidents are avoidable; many are simply a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time and some are the result of poorly maintained vehicles. Nonetheless, poorly trained drivers are the greatest risk on the road, period.
Lack of proficiency
by dan-daniels - 6/3/07 12:43 PM In reply to: Definitely poor drivers... by edgettIn the U.S.A. it has long been considered a "right of passage" to have a license to operate a motor vehicle. You take the test in mommy's Prius and daddy buys you a GT Mustang. Then you borrow daddy's three and a half ton Excursion to take the gang to soccer practice. All perfectly legal and acceptable. And we act surprised when things go terribly wrong. I still hold a C.D.L. and 40 years later I still believe in bonified proficiency tests.
Other drivers...
by euspos - 6/12/07 9:32 PM In reply to: Other Drivers... by per89sonOf course you can control them (other drivers). You can have them removed from the road, or better, never allowed there in the first place.
Start with a GOOD drivers education system, where students have to go through the classes (theoretical as well as practical) just to eventually earn the privilege to do a drivers exam.
When there, have a TRUE drivers exam. Not one where you sort of just drive around the block, park once between the cones and you are done.
Drivers exams in the U.S. are a joke - almost anyone can pass - and hence we therefore allow a lot of bad drivers on the roads.
And, once hopefully better educated, we can actually ask for more of the drivers, and expect that they know what safe driving is. If they fail in showing that, remove the driving privileges - for good.
pets are driving threat
by brucon41 - 5/30/07 4:36 PM In reply to: What do you think is the biggest threat to safe driving? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I travel alot for a living and the biggest threat is people with pets in the front seat or on their laps. Anything between you and the wheel and line of sight is a threat to everyone else on the road. I have seen many crashes and near misses caused by this type of driving than anyother beside cellphones.
PETS
by timmy 22 - 5/31/07 3:42 AM In reply to: pets are driving threat by brucon41I HAVE A CRATE IN MY CAR FOR MY DOG. SO HE IS SAFE AND NOT CLIMBING ALL OVER THE BACK SEAT. HAVE TO BE RESPONCIBLE WHEN YOU HAVE PETS.
You both are correct
by batman823 - 5/31/07 4:38 AM In reply to: PETS by timmy 22The responsible driver will keep the animal in the back seat or in the bed of thier truck. I believe the pet in the lap should go under the 'bad driver' portion of this poll. If your dog is upset and barking while in the kennel, that may be a distraction, but not much more of a distraction than another person talking to you.
Road Rage, Speeding, Grooming--not talking
by whozethere - 5/30/07 4:42 PM In reply to: What do you think is the biggest threat to safe driving? by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have seen people driving down the road doing a variety of things on my commute: threatening someone who cuts them off, speeding and tail gating the car ahead and grooming. Having witnessed people turn constantly to read someone in the car's expressions as they talk, I think if cell phones are outlawed than talking will need to be outlawed as well.
I agree with this combination of irresponsibile driving
by Greenseaturtle - 5/30/07 7:06 PM In reply to: Road Rage, Speeding, Grooming--not talking by whozethereSpeeders and angry drivers are clearly the most dangerous. However, people driving while eating, drinking coffee (or whatever) and talking on cell phones, while consulting their GPS are the likely cause of many other accident. Multitasking I think they call it! They risk others lives with poor their judgement.
It's a combination thing & bad training/manners
by carbonware - 5/31/07 5:52 AM In reply to: I agree with this combination of irresponsibile driving by GreenseaturtleI agree that it's a combination of things that makes bad drivers, not just new technologies but I thing it goes deeper. People in general more and more have not been raised up with morals, ethics, manners, or self responsibility. This translates to driving as it does in many other areas of life.
So many people have an entitlement attitude, they don't care about anyone or anything but themselves and that encourages bad behavior, disregard for others, and a lack of what I'd call "playing nice with others" If people don't care about their actions, whom they effect, how they are perceived and have no accountability then they will contribute to bad behavior, manners, and selfish attitudes while driving. Add to all that the many people on the road who can't seem to follow basic road rules, or perhaps never learned them at all and it's amazing we're not all dead! It is regional as well.
I travel a lot and there are some places (also commonly known for good manners, morals, etc). That also seem to have more polite and better focused drivers. I'l site Atlanta as one of the worst places I drive, and I'm amazed at how rude, and sloppy they drivers are. But wealthy areas seem to also be high on my list of poor drivers in that they seem to have a greater self interest and drive like they are the only ones on the road. next I'd say cities where there are many foreigners or illegals driving, they grew up with different rules and social constructs and it can come through in how they behave on the road.
To pay a compliment to one area that may surprise locals but I have to compliment Minnesota drivers who seem to follow the rules more than any place else I drive, and seem more polite, more willing to give drivers space and seem to generally stay on the road.
Speeders are Dangerous
by serpentmage - 5/31/07 7:26 AM In reply to: I agree with this combination of irresponsibile driving by GreenseaturtleSpeeders are dangerous? Says who?
If there was a direct link between speeding and accidents then there would be one worldwide standard on how fast is fast. Yet in Germany there is no limit, France its 130 KMPH, Canada its 100 KPH, etc.
People like to harp on speeders because speeders fill the coffers of many governments.
What is dangerous are reckless drivers, not speeders. And what are dangerous drivers are people that don't pay attention to their driving. That could be DVD's, cell phones, too slow driving, what have you.
IF YOU THINK SPEEDERS ARE BAD, UR MOST LIKELY THE PROBLEM
by mstark2284 - 5/31/07 8:11 AM In reply to: Speeders are Dangerous by serpentmageAs mentioned, European speed is far more advanced than we are. As most things around the world, everyone else is far more advanced, but we are still limited because the government still makes money off of the current setup. Speeders are either speeding around dummies that pull out on the road, slam on the brakes, the drives that are classified as the "brake tappers" does anyone know how to control their car without hitting the brakes every 20 seconds? I'm sure if you ask, no one knows what engine braking is. SAD! Anyone can get a drivers license because it politically creates money, traffic tickets they are going to receive, registration, buying a car, tags, tax on purchase to the state, car insurance etc.... The problem is us, its not the people, people behave the way we treat them. Statistically, People that receive traffic speeding tickets are more likely to break the law and speed even more than they previously did. Traffic violations create more hostility toward government officials. Look at the glass half full not just half empty and see what WE ALL have created as our enemy. Not just oh, speeders, and blah blah blah are reasons why it is so bad. How about we get law enforcement to catch dui's and criminals in run down areas. No? because their life is threatened in bad neighborhoods, they wont be caught in there, they don't do dui check points on Friday and Saturday nights like they should. SLACKERS WHO GET PAID=LAW ENFORCEMENT. but we have them giving out tickets in school zones going 3 mph over? ridiculous world. The new generations, the young people of today WILL be changing this, there wont be funding for all the crap the older generation has created, job cuts and job elimination. STOP THINKING we are solving problems with tickets and crap, because all we are doing is DESTROYING society and training them to act how law enforcement does in America, like animals.
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