Higher speed limits, deaths?!

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid
This is why we need designated fast lanes. If you don't have the skill, drive in the slow lanes and let us better driver drive as fast as we want. It would be safer to have say two lanes of a four lane highway designated as fast lanes with legal 10-20 mph more limit. This would allow the fast drivers to be seperated from the crappy slow drivers.

Wait - you're what, like 16? Where did you acquire all of this driving skill, video games? Being a good driver has very little to do with "skill" and a lot to do with attentiveness. What "skill" is involved comes from experience. Maturity also plays a big part, which is why I'm glad you can't drive until you're 17 here. Teenage males account for so many accidents because they're immature and they THINK they have some kind of amazing driving skills.

Firstly, I am 17. Secondly, I actually bothered to learn how to drive before I took my road test. I have been taught how to control my car in a spin, and how to drive defenisvely. I have been driving vehicles since I was about 10. My father owns a rigging business, so I have been driving forklifts and moving trucks all my life. The skill I gained is from driving initially with someone experienced in my car, and then I learned much more by driving by myself. I am very attentive on the road. I keep my eyes all over it, meaning I make sure of all my blind spots and pay attention to all the cars around me. If you really want to test driving skill, come to NY and we will see who has learned more.

I'm glad you bothered to learn how to drive before you took your road test - you HAVE to learn to drive before you take your road test. I know you think you're a great driver now, but I'd be willing to wager that you'll still improve a lot with more actual road experience. As for your pseudo-challenge, I live in NJ and I've driven in Manhattan and Philly (which to me was worse because the roads are so narrow), not to mention the tangled mess of roads that is central NJ - I think I can hold my own on the road. I usually take it slow though, because to me it's not worth getting a ticket to turn a 40 minute drive into a 35 minute drive.

Here in NY, you really don't know how to drive to get a license. You can be a pretty bad driver and still get a license. Since I got my license in September, I have put on about 2000 miles (not including junior license over summer, where I could drive for work). I think I have been getting plenty of road experience, and am more qualified than the average driver.

You've had your license for a month... Yeah.

Learn to do math, more like 3 months. I have had my full license since September 11th, and my junior license since June 30th. So in reality, I have been driving solor for about 5 months, two of which were just for work. Also, did you read my previous post? I have been driving trucks and forklifts since I was 10. So I have had about 7 years of experience.

If you're equating the experience of driving a forklift with driving a car at 70+mph, I'd say you've pretty well demonstrated how much more you have to learn.

 

[AvesPKS]

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid
This is why we need designated fast lanes. If you don't have the skill, drive in the slow lanes and let us better driver drive as fast as we want. It would be safer to have say two lanes of a four lane highway designated as fast lanes with legal 10-20 mph more limit. This would allow the fast drivers to be seperated from the crappy slow drivers.

Wait - you're what, like 16? Where did you acquire all of this driving skill, video games? Being a good driver has very little to do with "skill" and a lot to do with attentiveness. What "skill" is involved comes from experience. Maturity also plays a big part, which is why I'm glad you can't drive until you're 17 here. Teenage males account for so many accidents because they're immature and they THINK they have some kind of amazing driving skills.

Firstly, I am 17. Secondly, I actually bothered to learn how to drive before I took my road test. I have been taught how to control my car in a spin, and how to drive defenisvely. I have been driving vehicles since I was about 10. My father owns a rigging business, so I have been driving forklifts and moving trucks all my life. The skill I gained is from driving initially with someone experienced in my car, and then I learned much more by driving by myself. I am very attentive on the road. I keep my eyes all over it, meaning I make sure of all my blind spots and pay attention to all the cars around me. If you really want to test driving skill, come to NY and we will see who has learned more.

I'm glad you bothered to learn how to drive before you took your road test - you HAVE to learn to drive before you take your road test. I know you think you're a great driver now, but I'd be willing to wager that you'll still improve a lot with more actual road experience. As for your pseudo-challenge, I live in NJ and I've driven in Manhattan and Philly (which to me was worse because the roads are so narrow), not to mention the tangled mess of roads that is central NJ - I think I can hold my own on the road. I usually take it slow though, because to me it's not worth getting a ticket to turn a 40 minute drive into a 35 minute drive.

Here in NY, you really don't know how to drive to get a license. You can be a pretty bad driver and still get a license. Since I got my license in September, I have put on about 2000 miles (not including junior license over summer, where I could drive for work). I think I have been getting plenty of road experience, and am more qualified than the average driver.

You've had your license for a month... Yeah.

Learn to do math, more like 3 months. I have had my full license since September 11th, and my junior license since June 30th. So in reality, I have been driving solor for about 5 months, two of which were just for work. Also, did you read my previous post? I have been driving trucks and forklifts since I was 10. So I have had about 7 years of experience.

If you're equating the experience of driving a forklift with driving a car at 70+mph, I'd say you've pretty well demonstrated how much more you have to learn.

Yeah, I mean, I thought I was hot sh!t at 17 as well...I had much to learn.

 

[KeithP]

This study was funded by the insurance industry. The insurance industry wants lower speed limits because then a higher percentage of drivers will exceed the speed limit and by a greater margin. This will cause drivers to get more speeding tickets. Once a driver gets a ticket, the insurance company comes along and raises rates. Plain and simple.

-KeithP

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: KeithP
This study was funded by the insurance industry. The insurance industry wants lower speed limits because then a higher percentage of drivers will exceed the speed limit and by a greater margin. This will cause drivers to get more speeding tickets. Once a driver gets a ticket, the insurance company comes along and raises rates. Plain and simple.

-KeithP

Is it possible that they want lower speed limits because that would encourage people to drive slower, which would decrease accidents, which would decrease the amount of money insurance companies have to pay out in claims? Same profit motive, but a more logical argument I think...

Edit: I've never understood why, in this capitalist society, people are so against companies making a profit.

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: Ionizer86
"The 12 states that raised their limits to 70 mph were California, Florida, North Carolina and Missouri."

Some news reporter sure makes lots of sense

I don't even think Arizona goes up to 70 (except maybe some really remote locations with no set limits.) The fastest any highway within the Phoenix area goes is 65, not that that keeps me from darting through the I-10 tunnel every day at anywhere from 125 (w00t!) to 25 (tanker truck accidents.)

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Is it possible that they want lower speed limits because that would encourage people to drive slower, which would decrease accidents, which would decrease the amount of money insurance companies have to pay out in claims? Same profit motive, but a more logical argument I think...

Edit: I've never understood why, in this capitalist society, people are so against companies making a profit.

I think the main point is that insurance companies have a vested interest in possibly tilting the results in a certain way.

As for the profit thing, maybe you should hand over some extra money to your insurance company just so that they can pad their bottom line.

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: Thraxen
Bad idea all around. What if someone doesn't feel safe driving at those high speeds? What you will end up with is a huge gap between the slowest and fastest cars on the same road. That is bad news... I don't care how good you think you are.

Can't handle your car at reasonable speeds? No license issued.

 

Originally posted by: AvesPKS

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid
This is why we need designated fast lanes. If you don't have the skill, drive in the slow lanes and let us better driver drive as fast as we want. It would be safer to have say two lanes of a four lane highway designated as fast lanes with legal 10-20 mph more limit. This would allow the fast drivers to be seperated from the crappy slow drivers.

Wait - you're what, like 16? Where did you acquire all of this driving skill, video games? Being a good driver has very little to do with "skill" and a lot to do with attentiveness. What "skill" is involved comes from experience. Maturity also plays a big part, which is why I'm glad you can't drive until you're 17 here. Teenage males account for so many accidents because they're immature and they THINK they have some kind of amazing driving skills.

Firstly, I am 17. Secondly, I actually bothered to learn how to drive before I took my road test. I have been taught how to control my car in a spin, and how to drive defenisvely. I have been driving vehicles since I was about 10. My father owns a rigging business, so I have been driving forklifts and moving trucks all my life. The skill I gained is from driving initially with someone experienced in my car, and then I learned much more by driving by myself. I am very attentive on the road. I keep my eyes all over it, meaning I make sure of all my blind spots and pay attention to all the cars around me. If you really want to test driving skill, come to NY and we will see who has learned more.

I'm glad you bothered to learn how to drive before you took your road test - you HAVE to learn to drive before you take your road test. I know you think you're a great driver now, but I'd be willing to wager that you'll still improve a lot with more actual road experience. As for your pseudo-challenge, I live in NJ and I've driven in Manhattan and Philly (which to me was worse because the roads are so narrow), not to mention the tangled mess of roads that is central NJ - I think I can hold my own on the road. I usually take it slow though, because to me it's not worth getting a ticket to turn a 40 minute drive into a 35 minute drive.

Here in NY, you really don't know how to drive to get a license. You can be a pretty bad driver and still get a license. Since I got my license in September, I have put on about 2000 miles (not including junior license over summer, where I could drive for work). I think I have been getting plenty of road experience, and am more qualified than the average driver.

You've had your license for a month... Yeah.

Learn to do math, more like 3 months. I have had my full license since September 11th, and my junior license since June 30th. So in reality, I have been driving solor for about 5 months, two of which were just for work. Also, did you read my previous post? I have been driving trucks and forklifts since I was 10. So I have had about 7 years of experience.

If you're equating the experience of driving a forklift with driving a car at 70+mph, I'd say you've pretty well demonstrated how much more you have to learn.

Yeah, I mean, I thought I was hot sh!t at 17 as well...I had much to learn.

Kid down the street from me thought he was hot sh!t too...his car ended up in the middle of a tree and it took the fire department over 2 hours to get him out of the car. That 17 year old is now dead, and I bet that he, along with most of his friends, thought they "knew" everything.

 

[virtuamike]

Originally posted by: FallenHero

Originally posted by: AvesPKS

Originally posted by: Descartes

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Originally posted by: KraziKid
This is why we need designated fast lanes. If you don't have the skill, drive in the slow lanes and let us better driver drive as fast as we want. It would be safer to have say two lanes of a four lane highway designated as fast lanes with legal 10-20 mph more limit. This would allow the fast drivers to be seperated from the crappy slow drivers.

Wait - you're what, like 16? Where did you acquire all of this driving skill, video games? Being a good driver has very little to do with "skill" and a lot to do with attentiveness. What "skill" is involved comes from experience. Maturity also plays a big part, which is why I'm glad you can't drive until you're 17 here. Teenage males account for so many accidents because they're immature and they THINK they have some kind of amazing driving skills.

Firstly, I am 17. Secondly, I actually bothered to learn how to drive before I took my road test. I have been taught how to control my car in a spin, and how to drive defenisvely. I have been driving vehicles since I was about 10. My father owns a rigging business, so I have been driving forklifts and moving trucks all my life. The skill I gained is from driving initially with someone experienced in my car, and then I learned much more by driving by myself. I am very attentive on the road. I keep my eyes all over it, meaning I make sure of all my blind spots and pay attention to all the cars around me. If you really want to test driving skill, come to NY and we will see who has learned more.

I'm glad you bothered to learn how to drive before you took your road test - you HAVE to learn to drive before you take your road test. I know you think you're a great driver now, but I'd be willing to wager that you'll still improve a lot with more actual road experience. As for your pseudo-challenge, I live in NJ and I've driven in Manhattan and Philly (which to me was worse because the roads are so narrow), not to mention the tangled mess of roads that is central NJ - I think I can hold my own on the road. I usually take it slow though, because to me it's not worth getting a ticket to turn a 40 minute drive into a 35 minute drive.

Here in NY, you really don't know how to drive to get a license. You can be a pretty bad driver and still get a license. Since I got my license in September, I have put on about 2000 miles (not including junior license over summer, where I could drive for work). I think I have been getting plenty of road experience, and am more qualified than the average driver.

You've had your license for a month... Yeah.

Learn to do math, more like 3 months. I have had my full license since September 11th, and my junior license since June 30th. So in reality, I have been driving solor for about 5 months, two of which were just for work. Also, did you read my previous post? I have been driving trucks and forklifts since I was 10. So I have had about 7 years of experience.

If you're equating the experience of driving a forklift with driving a car at 70+mph, I'd say you've pretty well demonstrated how much more you have to learn.

Yeah, I mean, I thought I was hot sh!t at 17 as well...I had much to learn.

Kid down the street from me thought he was hot sh!t too...his car ended up in the middle of a tree and it took the fire department over 2 hours to get him out of the car. That 17 year old is now dead, and I bet that he, along with most of his friends, thought they "knew" everything.

Hey, those forklifts go damn fast, give the kid a chance! They come in handy especially in NY, make your parking space and stuff.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: OS

Originally posted by: mugsywwiii

Is it possible that they want lower speed limits because that would encourage people to drive slower, which would decrease accidents, which would decrease the amount of money insurance companies have to pay out in claims? Same profit motive, but a more logical argument I think...

Edit: I've never understood why, in this capitalist society, people are so against companies making a profit.

I think the main point is that insurance companies have a vested interest in possibly tilting the results in a certain way.

Which I clearly agreed with.

As for the profit thing, maybe you should hand over some extra money to your insurance company just so that they can pad their bottom line.

donating to a company is a far cry from not faulting them for wanting to make a profit. Yeah, the insurance companies are evil for raising the rates of people who speed - they should have a flat rate, ignoring the amount of risk they take with individual drivers.

 

[freegeeks]

I don't get it why Americans think that Europeans are better drivers.
maybe we are in general better "technical" drivers but IMO Americans are far more disciplined on the road then the average European
I'm more relaxed driving in the USA then in Europe

driving over here is far more dangerous.
speed limit is 80 mph and even when you are driving 90 mph, people are just speeding by at an alarming rate.

my guess is that on the highway 70 % are driving faster then 80 mph.

don't get me started about France, Italy and Spain.
I've driven alot in these countries and most drivers are just nutcases

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: boyRacer

Originally posted by: faZZter
The problem is we have a bunch of crappy drivers. This is because almost anyone can get a license without having to pass any real test that matters. Also we allow POS cars that are ready to fall apart and not roadworthy to get out there with the cars in good condition.

The faster speeds are just fine if they would actually make people pass a real test to show they have the skill to operate a motor vehicle at speed before giving them a license.. Then require them to drive a decent car too.

...that and the fact that most of the drivers out there have no clue as to how to handle their cars during emergency manuevers... let alone trust their own cars... all hell breaks loose over here when it rains...

Sounds like Phoenix. You get a couple centimeters of rain, and all of a sudden half the roads are closed because of accidents. Some people try to blame it on 'well, when it rains, the oil on the roads rises to the surface and makes it more slick.' Ok, I won't argue that that does happen, but if you KNOW about it, then why the hell don't you change your driving to accomodate it?

 

[Thoreau]

Originally posted by: timlocke
Well, just to throw the fun in, I have an international license that allows me to drive commercially anywhere in the world. The very worst drivers are not in the US, though we do have some bad ones, they are in southern Europe and the third world countries. Here in the US they ensure that you can steer down the road and that you know what the signals and signs are for. In some countries signals and signs mean nothing. I personally believe that the only way an autobahn system would work here would be to have several levels of licenses just like they do in Germany. Only the highest level is allowed on the Freeways.

As much as I truly would love to see a system like that in place here, I doubt it'll happen. Once the jackasses who can't get the higher level license realize that they pay taxes and thus have the 'right' to use the roads, it'll be a huge mess. I would, however, counter that with the question of wether or not they have the right to wander around Area 51 since their taxes paid for that too. Fsckin' politics.

 

[Thegonagle]

Originally posted by: KraziKid

Firstly, I am 17. Secondly, I actually bothered to learn how to drive before I took my road test. I have been taught how to control my car in a spin, and how to drive defenisvely. I have been driving vehicles since I was about 10. My father owns a rigging business, so I have been driving forklifts and moving trucks all my life. The skill I gained is from driving initially with someone experienced in my car, and then I learned much more by driving by myself. I am very attentive on the road. I keep my eyes all over it, meaning I make sure of all my blind spots and pay attention to all the cars around me. If you really want to test driving skill, come to NY and we will see who has learned more.

I used to think just like you, so I know how you feel. But I think that 5 or so years into the future you will be able to reflect back and realize that you weren't all that back then. I'm glad that you learned emergency control and defensive driving--I really am--but even you will see your own skills improving drastically over the next several years and countless thousands of miles.

I can tell you that I drove for 7-8 years and well over 150,000 miles before I could honestly say to myself that I wasn't a significantly better, more mature, more skillful, mellow, and safer driver that year than the year before.

BTW, whenever it snows, go out driving late at night and find some parking lots. Go whip "sh!tties" and practice braking (without ABS--pull the fuse!) and turning. It's a lot of fun, but that's merely icing on the cake. Over time you will build real skill for dangerous conditions, which comes from experience and well developed reflexes. You'll also gain appreciation for good matching tires on all 4 corners of the car.