4 ms·

To state my European prejudices, you also seem to value being allowed to drive without proper training, and driving around in bulky vehicles that are basically

by codeflo 12y ago

To state my European prejudices, you also seem to value being allowed to drive without proper training, and driving around in bulky vehicles that are basically designed to use the other car as their crumple zone. Those two things are possibly related.

hueving 12y ago
Well it sounds like they are pretty baseless prejudices. You must pass a skills test, even if not as rigorous as some countries. Additionally, the idea that the other car is the crumple zone was valid maybe 50 years ago. Safety tests are conducted by smashing cars into walls that don't crumple. Everyone I know who has been in a crash hasn't been due to improper training, it been because of ignoring rules that they knew very well (speeding, texting and driving, etc). I don't know anyone that has crashed because they didn't know how a stop sign worked.
- jbrooksuk 12y ago
  > Everyone I know who has been in a crash hasn't been due to improper training, it been because of ignoring rules that they knew very well (speeding, texting and driving, etc) How can anybody not know that texting and driving is a bad idea? That's just stupid.
  - bkmartin 12y ago
    But people do stupid things every day. Smoking is stupid, binge drinking is stupid, not wearing your seat belt is stupid... all have consequences. The point still remains, it is a choice people make to not follow the rules that causes most of the problems. Now, how do we get people to follow the rules better?
  - bkmartin 12y ago
    But people do stupid things every day. Smoking is stupid, binge drinking is stupid, not wearing your seat belt is stupid... all have consequences. The point still remains, it is a choice people make to not follow the rules that causes most of the problems. Now, how do we get people to follow the rules better?
  - mytochar 12y ago
    "Crud. I'm stuck in traffic. I gotta let them know I'm going to be 15 minutes late! D:" It just takes one time to screw up.
- DanBC 12y ago
  Do they know safe stopping distances? Not in meters[1] but what that looks like when driving? Picking one state at random it seems ridiculously easy: http://www.dmvflorida.org/driving-test.shtml http://www.dmvflorida.org/driving-test.shtml California gives you a 20 minite behind the wheel test! http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl22 http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/fast_... Alabama says that you may fail if: 1. If you are involved in an accident. 2. If you violate the law. 3. If you drive recklessly or dangerously. 4. If you fail to cooperate with the examiner. 5. If you make several errors in safe driving practices because of habit or not enough practice. http://dps.alabama.gov/Documents/Documents/Road_Test_Study_Guide.pdf http://dps.alabama.gov/Documents/Documents/Road_Test_Study_G... (Although all three states also have written components to the test). [1] or whatever the hell weird unit they'd use in the US. Yards?
  - Dylan16807 12y ago
    Yards are meters, done. That's like the one unit it doesn't make sense to pick one.
- vinkelhake 12y ago
  As someone who has driver's licenses from both Sweden and California: the testing in California was a joke compared to what I went through in Sweden.
ebbv 12y ago
These two factors are definitely a huge part of the problem in the US. Our driver education system is a joke, and our driver testing is even worse. Combined with police department cutbacks all over the US, meaning that proper enforcement of the existing lazy laws is low. Many or most people in the US also mistakenly believe that these giant vehicles are safer than smaller ones, since again, they are totally uneducated about the realities of vehicle safety. The state of driving in the US is truly horrendous.
- seanp2k2 12y ago
  "Everyone else has a truck with a high bumper, so I also need a 7-person 3-ton SUV so they don't smash into my windshield" It's a bit of an arms race.

by codeflo 12y ago

hueving 12y ago

Well it sounds like they are pretty baseless prejudices. You must pass a skills test, even if not as rigorous as some countries. Additionally, the idea that the other car is the crumple zone was valid maybe 50 years ago. Safety tests are conducted by smashing cars into walls that don't crumple. Everyone I know who has been in a crash hasn't been due to improper training, it been because of ignoring rules that they knew very well (speeding, texting and driving, etc). I don't know anyone that has crashed because they didn't know how a stop sign worked.

jbrooksuk 12y ago
> Everyone I know who has been in a crash hasn't been due to improper training, it been because of ignoring rules that they knew very well (speeding, texting and driving, etc) How can anybody not know that texting and driving is a bad idea? That's just stupid.
- bkmartin 12y ago
  But people do stupid things every day. Smoking is stupid, binge drinking is stupid, not wearing your seat belt is stupid... all have consequences. The point still remains, it is a choice people make to not follow the rules that causes most of the problems. Now, how do we get people to follow the rules better?
- bkmartin 12y ago
  But people do stupid things every day. Smoking is stupid, binge drinking is stupid, not wearing your seat belt is stupid... all have consequences. The point still remains, it is a choice people make to not follow the rules that causes most of the problems. Now, how do we get people to follow the rules better?
- mytochar 12y ago
  "Crud. I'm stuck in traffic. I gotta let them know I'm going to be 15 minutes late! D:" It just takes one time to screw up.
DanBC 12y ago
Do they know safe stopping distances? Not in meters[1] but what that looks like when driving? Picking one state at random it seems ridiculously easy: http://www.dmvflorida.org/driving-test.shtml http://www.dmvflorida.org/driving-test.shtml California gives you a 20 minite behind the wheel test! http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/fast_facts/ffdl22 http://www.dmv.ca.gov/portal/dmv/detail/pubs/brochures/fast_... Alabama says that you may fail if: 1. If you are involved in an accident. 2. If you violate the law. 3. If you drive recklessly or dangerously. 4. If you fail to cooperate with the examiner. 5. If you make several errors in safe driving practices because of habit or not enough practice. http://dps.alabama.gov/Documents/Documents/Road_Test_Study_Guide.pdf http://dps.alabama.gov/Documents/Documents/Road_Test_Study_G... (Although all three states also have written components to the test). [1] or whatever the hell weird unit they'd use in the US. Yards?
- Dylan16807 12y ago
  Yards are meters, done. That's like the one unit it doesn't make sense to pick one.
vinkelhake 12y ago
As someone who has driver's licenses from both Sweden and California: the testing in California was a joke compared to what I went through in Sweden.

ebbv 12y ago

These two factors are definitely a huge part of the problem in the US. Our driver education system is a joke, and our driver testing is even worse. Combined with police department cutbacks all over the US, meaning that proper enforcement of the existing lazy laws is low. Many or most people in the US also mistakenly believe that these giant vehicles are safer than smaller ones, since again, they are totally uneducated about the realities of vehicle safety. The state of driving in the US is truly horrendous.

seanp2k2 12y ago
"Everyone else has a truck with a high bumper, so I also need a 7-person 3-ton SUV so they don't smash into my windshield" It's a bit of an arms race.