Dangerous time to be on road

[FinallyRetired]

The most dangerous time to be on the roads, except perhaps for New Years Eve, is this time of the year following high school graduation. I feel sorry for the many teens whose life is snuffed out instantly in head on collisions. Yesterday there were five such teens in New York, and last week three teens lost their lives in my area. Every day there's at least one or more.

The problem is the large number of teens with new licenses and with a lot of time on their hands. Even if they've taken driving school, there are so many things about defensive driving that require experience. Like looking behind you before passing, instead of simply relying on a rear view mirror with its blind spot. Or how easy it is to lose attention while on a cell phone or a conversation with a rear seat passenger. All it takes is a few seconds and one can lose control of the car.

I'm always extra careful when I drive this time of the year, and wish we could be more restrictive on licensing new drivers.

 

[Joss]

".... there are so many things about defensive driving that require experience. Like looking behind you before passing, instead of simply relying on a rear view mirror with its blind spot. Or how easy it is to lose attention while on a cell phone or a conversation with a rear seat passenger."

Not to be flip, but I don't really notice much improvement gained by a lot of "drivers" from experience. One benefit of motorcycle riding is learning it's better to just expect people to be idiots ALL the time.

 

[HFWR]

One benefit of motorcycle riding is learning it's better to just expect people to be idiots ALL the time.

Amen, bro!

 

[cantlogin]

".... One benefit of motorcycle riding is learning it's better to just expect people to be idiots ALL the time.

I'm certain that motorcycle experience improves automobile driving skills.

 

[dex]

Did this spark this thread?
Cheerleaders killed in fiery head-on crash - CNN.com

 

[FinallyRetired]

Did this spark this thread?
Cheerleaders killed in fiery head-on crash - CNN.com

Yes, Dex, that's what I read before starting this thread. But that was just the last straw, here were four teens killed on the Beltway earlier this month.

ABC 7 News - Family, Friends Mourn Victims of Beltway Crash

And there were a few other teens killed in auto accidents close to our area. It just seems to me that as soon as school is out we begin hearing of a lot of these types of accidents.

About the motorcycles, I agree most motorcycle riders are better drivers and more defensive because they have to be. But a few of them are completely irresponsible as well, zooming in and out of traffic at high speeds. One of them caused a huge multicar accident last month on the Beltway that closed it most of the night. Several motorists were killed, and the motorcycle ran away and has yet to be located.

http://www.wusa9.com/news/news_article.aspx?storyid=59249&provider=gnews

 

[bosco]

"One benefit of motorcycle riding is learning it's better to just expect people to be idiots ALL the time.

I find it incredible when I ride my motorcycle how often drivers that drift from one side of their lane to another are blabbing away on their cellphones. I don't notice it so much when I am in an auto--I guess I'm just more hyper-alert when on the bike.

I call it the cellphone weave. It's different than a drunken weave. Sometimes the driver isn't on the cellphone and is distracted for other reasons. But 80% of the time, it's the damn phone. I wish we would get out of the dark ages and just enforce strict driver distraction laws. Not just cellphones, although they seem to be the worst offenders these days.

Ever notice how we are at the same stage with cellphones that we were with drinking and driving 50 years ago. "I can drive while I talk on my phone safely." Right up there with "I can hold my liquor."

 

[Bigritchie]

I hate cellphones, I get so sick of customers yacking on their cellphones while I am trying to take their orders. Another reason I am FIREing.

Now I just utterly ignore and skip idiots that do not have the common courtesy to get off the phone. It just utterly amazes me that people must talk or text 24 hours a day, and this is adults not teenagers.

 

[lets-retire]

I recently read an article comparing U.S. drivers with European drivers. It said one of the biggest differences is the lack of distractions for European drivers. I don't drive European cars, but from what the article stated cars built in Europe for Europe do not have cup holders.

I think one of the biggest problems with American drivers (warning opinions to follow) is they drive a lot when they are young, dumb, and invincible, but not as much when they age. As Americans age they normally do not drive as much and eventually get to the point where the drive to and from work and maybe some errands. The total time most Americans seem to drive per day is maybe two or three hours, in similar driving conditions. This does not lead to improving ones skill. It kind of reminds me of those Visa card commercials, where the one person pays with cash and throws a monkey wrench into a well oiled machine. As soon as something out of the ordinary (some might say emergency driving) happens most American drivers can not react instinctively and end up in a crash. When you compound the poor driving skills with the distractions of a cell phone, drinking, eating and other things it is amazing there are not more crashes.

 

[bpp3]

And here I was expecting another Paris Hilton thread.