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> to stop within the distance you can see, driving fast enough to lose control on poor surfaces, being too fast to take a curve, and such. Agreed, but I classi

> to stop within the distance you can see, driving fast enough to lose control on poor surfaces, being too fast to take a curve, and such. Agreed, but I classify that as "driving like an idiot" - driving too fast for conditions is in a category beyond speeding. Part of driving well is knowing - outside of concerns for a ticket - when it's possible to speed safely (and by how much), and when it's not.

yongjik 13y ago
I doubt how anybody can claim they're "driving safely" when the only observer is oneself and there is no baseline to compare against. This is about as statistically meaningful as people buying homeopathy stuff because they "know" it works. At least homeopathy doesn't kill bystanders.
- bryanlarsen 13y ago
  93% of drivers think they're a better than average driver. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority#cite_note-26 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority#cite_note-...
  - azth 13y ago
    While I know what you're getting at, it is possible to have X > 50% of a sample be better (or worse) than the average -- just being pedantic :)
  - nb4hnp 13y ago
    People who complain about motorists being incompetent often fail to remember the thousands of other cars that they pass every single day without incident. 93% actually sounds low for people who are probably decent enough drivers. It's the rest of them that cause the problems that everyone loves to dwell on.
  - bagels 13y ago
    Amazingly... (assuming normal distribution) more than half of them are probably correct.
- GrinningFool 13y ago
  Nobody can judge what speed is safe for road conditions? A good driver can - even when that speed is actually lower than the posted speed limit.
hammock 13y ago
>I doubt how anybody can claim they're "driving safely" when the only observer is oneself and there is no baseline to compare against. Don't we all get observed and evaluated by a driving instructor before being licensed (think about what that word means) to drive? I'd say that meets your criteria
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- mikeash 13y ago
  In theory, yes. In practice, driving instruction and testing in the US is ludicrously inadequate. The driving test here is little more than making sure you're capable of writing your own name.

yongjik 13y ago

I doubt how anybody can claim they're "driving safely" when the only observer is oneself and there is no baseline to compare against. This is about as statistically meaningful as people buying homeopathy stuff because they "know" it works. At least homeopathy doesn't kill bystanders.

bryanlarsen 13y ago
93% of drivers think they're a better than average driver. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority#cite_note-26 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Illusory_superiority#cite_note-...
- azth 13y ago
  While I know what you're getting at, it is possible to have X > 50% of a sample be better (or worse) than the average -- just being pedantic :)
- nb4hnp 13y ago
  People who complain about motorists being incompetent often fail to remember the thousands of other cars that they pass every single day without incident. 93% actually sounds low for people who are probably decent enough drivers. It's the rest of them that cause the problems that everyone loves to dwell on.
- bagels 13y ago
  Amazingly... (assuming normal distribution) more than half of them are probably correct.
GrinningFool 13y ago
Nobody can judge what speed is safe for road conditions? A good driver can - even when that speed is actually lower than the posted speed limit.

hammock 13y ago

>I doubt how anybody can claim they're "driving safely" when the only observer is oneself and there is no baseline to compare against. Don't we all get observed and evaluated by a driving instructor before being licensed (think about what that word means) to drive? I'd say that meets your criteria

deleted 13y ago
[deleted]
mikeash 13y ago
In theory, yes. In practice, driving instruction and testing in the US is ludicrously inadequate. The driving test here is little more than making sure you're capable of writing your own name.