4 ms·

My fear off cars has been going up recently, mostly because of extremely dangerous driving, aka people using their phones I was rear-ended because the driver b

My fear off cars has been going up recently, mostly because of extremely dangerous driving, aka people using their phones I was rear-ended because the driver behind me was on their phone. When I am driving now, all I can see is the amount of people that are looking at their lap and completely ignoring the road. I have even seen people watching TV while driving. This has made me, for better or worse, a really conservative and defensive driver. edit: grammar good

trgn 4y ago
> The amount of people that are looking at their lap It's uncanny. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. That half cocked head, the periodic glancing up, one hand out of view. It's the posture of like half the drivers out there. It's new normal.
extr0pian 4y ago
This. I was born and raised in Portland and recently moved to Austin, having cycled and driven in both (though primarily in Portland). Both are often celebrated as being bicycle friendly, however in both cities, taking public transportation gives you a view into people's vehicles while you pass by and it's scary just how many people are texting or scrolling their social media feed while driving. I think Austin is a bit more dangerous because 1) there are far more oversized pickup trucks driven by city people that reduce the driver's visibility (part of the whole "Texas identity" thing) and 2) the city finds it acceptable to allow/encourage cyclists onto streets where the speed limit is 55mph which are basically highway speeds (sometimes there are painted bike lanes, sometimes there isn't). Within the first few months of moving to Austin, I had a middle aged woman aggressively cut in front of me while I was riding down a hill and yell at me for riding in the street (which is not only legal, it's required for cyclists). Then follow me home in her pickup truck and try to call the police. Police never showed up, likely informing her she was in the wrong.
prawn 4y ago
It's not even just the phone thing. I'm not from the US but have driven 10,000+ miles there in the last few years on various roadtrips. So many American drivers drive with a death wish, like they're invulnerable and are not fussed if they do or don't survive their next lane change.
- FigurativeVoid 4y ago
  You're totally right. Reckless driving abounds. When I was first driving (16) I got a ticket for some silly thing like turning on red when I shouldn't have, so I went to 'diversion program.' Every other person there was there for speeding, but the part that really got me was when the instructor asked everyone who thought they were a good driver to raise their hands, and we all did.
prirun 4y ago
Had the same thing happen to me 2 years ago while waiting at a red light. A woman blasted into me and the 2 cars in front of me. She ended up in the oncoming traffic lane and her car did a 180 so she was facing the opposite direction. This was at the end of an old bridge where the lanes are narrow and the speed limit is 35 MPH, ie, a hazardous road in the first place, and yet traffic routinely drives 50 MPH - without even paying attention! She had the minimum required insurance for KY, 25/50/10, which is ridiculously low. My ER visit was $22K, and the total bill was $45K after all was said and done, including a nose surgery. That is only the doctor/hospital costs, not pain and suffering. I had to pay $20K above my car settlement for a (used) replacement car. The bodily injury claim is still pending with my own insurance company for underinsured motorist, and they've ignored me for 4 months. I have a 2-year deadline coming up, so if they continue to ignore me, I'll have to sue them. And the fine for texting while driving in KY? That would be $25. It's been a shitshow for nearly 2 years, all because some dumbass was using her phone instead of driving. I hate driving now and avoid it whenever possible.

trgn 4y ago

> The amount of people that are looking at their lap It's uncanny. Once you see it, you can't unsee it. That half cocked head, the periodic glancing up, one hand out of view. It's the posture of like half the drivers out there. It's new normal.

extr0pian 4y ago

This. I was born and raised in Portland and recently moved to Austin, having cycled and driven in both (though primarily in Portland). Both are often celebrated as being bicycle friendly, however in both cities, taking public transportation gives you a view into people's vehicles while you pass by and it's scary just how many people are texting or scrolling their social media feed while driving. I think Austin is a bit more dangerous because 1) there are far more oversized pickup trucks driven by city people that reduce the driver's visibility (part of the whole "Texas identity" thing) and 2) the city finds it acceptable to allow/encourage cyclists onto streets where the speed limit is 55mph which are basically highway speeds (sometimes there are painted bike lanes, sometimes there isn't). Within the first few months of moving to Austin, I had a middle aged woman aggressively cut in front of me while I was riding down a hill and yell at me for riding in the street (which is not only legal, it's required for cyclists). Then follow me home in her pickup truck and try to call the police. Police never showed up, likely informing her she was in the wrong.

prawn 4y ago

It's not even just the phone thing. I'm not from the US but have driven 10,000+ miles there in the last few years on various roadtrips. So many American drivers drive with a death wish, like they're invulnerable and are not fussed if they do or don't survive their next lane change.

FigurativeVoid 4y ago
You're totally right. Reckless driving abounds. When I was first driving (16) I got a ticket for some silly thing like turning on red when I shouldn't have, so I went to 'diversion program.' Every other person there was there for speeding, but the part that really got me was when the instructor asked everyone who thought they were a good driver to raise their hands, and we all did.

prirun 4y ago

Had the same thing happen to me 2 years ago while waiting at a red light. A woman blasted into me and the 2 cars in front of me. She ended up in the oncoming traffic lane and her car did a 180 so she was facing the opposite direction. This was at the end of an old bridge where the lanes are narrow and the speed limit is 35 MPH, ie, a hazardous road in the first place, and yet traffic routinely drives 50 MPH - without even paying attention! She had the minimum required insurance for KY, 25/50/10, which is ridiculously low. My ER visit was $22K, and the total bill was $45K after all was said and done, including a nose surgery. That is only the doctor/hospital costs, not pain and suffering. I had to pay $20K above my car settlement for a (used) replacement car. The bodily injury claim is still pending with my own insurance company for underinsured motorist, and they've ignored me for 4 months. I have a 2-year deadline coming up, so if they continue to ignore me, I'll have to sue them. And the fine for texting while driving in KY? That would be $25. It's been a shitshow for nearly 2 years, all because some dumbass was using her phone instead of driving. I hate driving now and avoid it whenever possible.