Are people driving worse than they used to a few years ago, or am I just noticing it more?
A few months ago I came within 25 feet of a headon collision with a SUV. I knew what the outcome was going to be, without a doubt. Since then, I may be watching more, but I see more stupid moves every time I look. On my way to Lake Placid I was in a four lane undivided highway. A car was on my right, a pickup was signaling for a left turn ahead of us. We’re close, the idiot goes. And joy, he’s pulling a full sized equipment trailer. I hit the brakes hard, the guy to my right locks his up. We both came to a stop. The moron goes on his way. What are you idiots thinking. And I’ve got another one worse than that.
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I think you may just be noticing it more. I’ve noticed the same thing. There are times when I’m paying a lot more attention to everyone else on the road (usually when my children are with me) and it always seems like I notice more people driving badly during those times. When I’m by myself, I don’t watch other driver’s as closely and don’t notice poor driving as much.
When you look in the mirror do you see the face of an old codger?
That said, there are more distractions than ever when you consider texting and phone use.
Back in our day, we didn’t sext while driving We actually did it. Talk about distraction!
People ARE driving more poorly.
It’s symptomatic of an increase in selfishness in general.
@Crashsequence2012 I agree, they are driving worse. My other example, also on the way to Lake Placid. I come over the crest of a hill, there’s a trailhead, that’s really busy, cars lining both sides of the road for a good ¼ mile plus. I hit the brakes and move to my left, so I have more time and space if a pedistrian or pet comes out in the road, because I know that’s a high probability. There’s about ½ to ⅔ of a car width to my left. The idiot in the suv behind me decides to pass me in the middle of all of it. I look and I’m thinking idiot, there isn’t a car width there. He’s still coming. It’s going to be one hell of a wreck if I don’t give him room, and it’s going to be instant death for anyone that opens a car door as we go two wide. What a clusterfuck. I braked as hard as I could to get away from him. What an idiot.
Oh, I don’t know. I think the more experienced we get, the more we recognize idiot driving. I can also look back on when I was a teen and understand that I was the idiot driver!
You mention an SUV.
A literally HUGE part of the problem right there.
Before these troop carriers were available safety was a mutual concern. Now it’s survival of the biggest over the survival of the agile.
Now “safety” is a lazy and selfish pursuit. Instead of developing some skill at piloting an automobile and avoiding accidents so many now just believe that their three ton body on frame tank will protect them when the inevitable happens.
Those could have been posted by me. Except for the last one. >_<
@funkdaddy Oh god that’s so funny. Bad drivers drive me fucking nuts. I didn’t realize I was driving the collective nuts with my pet peeve. I will reign in my driving questions.
@Adirondackwannabe – no no, I just thought it was funny too. Not driving me nuts at all, I think we all have our peeves that we’ll never really be rid of or understand.
I read the last one @Adirondackwannabe…You know, I think it’s important to find some way to telegraph to your passengers that you have seen whatever is coming up. Like, you see a guy turning left on the highway. You can see that he’ll probably complete his turn before you get there, and even if he doesn’t, you know you have plenty of time to react….but it doesn’t hurt to let up on the gas a bit (or move over or whatever) even if it isn’t strictly necessary so your passengers know that you’ve seen the situation and you’re ready for it. Being a passenger is SCARY.
Keep asking your driving questions! I share your passion for bad/scary driving!
There are so many distracted drivers these days that I hate to be on the road! I can’t pass 4 cars without seeing someone blabbing on the phone in heavy traffic or TEXTING for pete’s sake! The other day I was on a 4 lane during rush hour and I saw a young female that had just come aroung me speeding, smoking a cigarette, and texting, while her (maybe) 4 year old child was in the passenger seat in the front without a seatbelt on. So many have such a lack of respect for life these days it is just plain sad. So many teens do not understand the dangers of texting and driving it is just pathetic. I know adults that do the same too, but I feel that teens really just don’t understand that it could be their loved one that they may kill while doing so.
Yes I think that your observations are right on (for many of the reasons mentioned above). I drive 62 each day to and from work through very heavy traffic and I have a lot of crazy driving stories to tell. In order to stay as safe as possible we have to always be totally alert and drive very defensively.
Here are some defensive driving maneuvers that I regularly perform:
Never allow a car or especially a large car or truck to follow you too close. Speed up and or change lanes.
If someone is weaving in and out of traffic and speeding then move over to the right slow lane as soon as you can and achieve a safe driving distance. This will help to keep you safe as an accident is imminent.
Come to a full and complete stop as all stop signs. I know that I’m the only one on the planet that dose this. But it is a good idea to get into that habit especially while in unfamiliar areas.
Safety is no accident.
There are as many shit drivers as there’s always been, probably since the pony & trap days.
Maybe you’re just getting more cantankerous as you get older.
Americans never really drove particularly well. There is simply a general cultural refusal to accept bad driving for what it is: dangerous and selfish.
There may be something akin to the Dunning–Kruger effect, as well. The shittiest drivers tend to regard themselves as the most competent, which doesn’t bode well for the public. And then, despite the fact that the U.S. is basically a police state in most regards, drivers actually get very little punishment when they do screw up.
@ucme You may be on to something. I’m getting tired of assholes trying to kill me. It’s getting old, like me.
@bolwerk That is a good point. The most clueless think they’re doing just fine. And bad driving never get’s punished in the US.
Just for the record, someone tried to kill me again tonight.
I came over the crest of the hill were I nearly got it two months ago, a van was three feet into my lane and still coming my way.
Was he getting ready to pass or just being retarded?
Just being retarded. There was no one for him to pass. It was a company truck, he was probably on the phone or something.
Too all that suggested that Americans cannot drive:
This American can drive.
He can heel and toe. He can steer with the throttle. He understands ocular driving.
He does not appreciate the generalization.
@Crashsequence2012 GA. You know how to steer with the throttle? That is so so much fun. It’s so much easier now that steering rates are so much faster. My Z-28 was a about half a turn lock to lock. My Chevelle was 3½ turns. It’s in the boneyard.
I have an Integra (DC1) with a 24mm rear swaybar added.
Oh god, another gear head.
Installed by myself no less.
Don’t get me started.
Wo0t!
Membership test number two: How many crashes?
I’m at 10, if I count getting hit by a car. Three weren’t my fault. But I’ve never hurt anyone other than me.
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