[Stunnerable]

Speeding or pathetic drivers training?

The reason I ask is because I am an experienced driver and I have racing experience. I've raced for years and I drive fast.. still, I maintain a perfect drivers record and zero accidents! (Knock wood) In other words, I can DRIVE a car well beyond simple commuting. I feel comfortable "cursing" at 100MPH on an uncrowded highway yet I can't because the LAW says I can't. In my opinion, the people who park in the left lane are many times a hazard than me doing 100.. or 130 for that matter. I just want to get some opinions on the subject.

I believe the law exist only as a money maker and the focus should be on real drivers training and not on enforcing a speed limit.

What are your thoughts?

[c0nstant]

women

[ben14142001]

^hahahahah. It's just bad drivers. I race as well and I almost got hit about 3 times today because of lack of awareness by other drivers or people being overly aggressive. It sucks.

[VTECaddict]

it's just simply too easy to get a license in america...

[JohnnyRoaster]

People don't pay attention when they drive anymore. I see way too many people texting or talking on their phones when driving. I think cops should start pulling people over for doing stupid things like putting on makeup while driving. Most people in this country take driving for granted. Most people in Europe are much better drivers than the people behind the wheel here.

[O-cha]

It's not for a money maker, think of the other 90% of the people on the road and WHAT they drive.

You're telling me you would feel comfortable driving at 130 next to a minivan from the 80s that probably hasn't had it's brakes/alignment/tires or tire pressure looked at in year with a driver who isn't the brightest crayon in the box and is probably scratching his balls with one hand and talking on his cell with the other?

[Stunnerable]

Originally Posted by O-cha

It's not for a money maker, think of the other 90% of the people on the road and WHAT they drive.

You're telling me you would feel comfortable driving at 130 next to a minivan from the 80s that probably hasn't had it's brakes/alignment/tires or tire pressure looked at in year with a driver who isn't the brightest crayon in the box and is probably scratching his balls with one hand and talking on his cell with the other?

HAHAHA!! Thats true.

[Lemans_Blue_M]

Originally Posted by jh valley

women

[Spec 1]

Originally Posted by Stunnerable

Speeding or pathetic drivers training?

The reason I ask is because I am an experienced driver and I have racing experience. I've raced for years and I drive fast.. still, I maintain a perfect drivers record and zero accidents! (Knock wood) In other words, I can DRIVE a car well beyond simple commuting. I feel comfortable "cursing" at 100MPH on an uncrowded highway yet I can't because the LAW says I can't. In my opinion, the people who park in the left lane are many times a hazard than me doing 100.. or 130 for that matter. I just want to get some opinions on the subject.

I believe the law exist only as a money maker and the focus should be on real drivers training and not on enforcing a speed limit.

What are your thoughts?

Welcome to driving in America. You're right, the speed thing is a money maker. It's been proven in report after report that speed isn't the problem, and that traffic actually flowed better w less accidents if the limit was increased to 80-90% of most drivers' speed. However the "law" ignores this so they can continue to make $$.

Driver training in this country is pathetic. I ride motorcycles as well and there are seemingly morepeople ON the phone than OFF. People pull into you all the time without looking, they drive 15 ft off another bumper going 65mph, etc.

Originally Posted by O-cha

It's not for a money maker, think of the other 90% of the people on the road and WHAT they drive.

You're telling me you would feel comfortable driving at 130 next to a minivan from the 80s that probably hasn't had it's brakes/alignment/tires or tire pressure looked at in year with a driver who isn't the brightest crayon in the box and is probably scratching his balls with one hand and talking on his cell with the other?

1st off, that van wouldn't make it to 130mph, but I'd be MUCH happier AND safer if that minivan driver was trained better. I'd rather have him going 100mph in the middle lane (or right if open) so that fast cars can pass on the left without fear of ramming them from behind. With better training he'd be looking over his shoulder, and less likely to be on the phone. So yea, increase speed limits and train people better! Don't let any f*in lunatic get their license.

[ZJP]

The whole licensing procedure in the US is a joke. Any jackass can pass a written and 20 min drivers test, doesn't take much skill to do so. If the US would follow Europe in the sense of driving being a PRIVILEGE instead of a NECESSITY, we'd have less car accidents and less idiotic drivers on the road.

Germany is the third largest producer of automobiles in the world (exceeded only by Japan and the United States) and a country that takes its driving very seriously. This is understandable when you realize that a German driver’s license costs about $1500-2000, after a minimum of 25-45 hours of professional instruction plus 12 hours of theory, and such a license is good for life.

German and European traffic law has a few variations that North American drivers may not always be aware of. For instance, it is illegal to pass on the right on the Autobahn. Slow moving vehicles must always move to the right, and faster vehicles may pass on the left only.

[rcracer_tx]

Pathetic Driving by 95% of Americans and people with riced out crap thinking their car is a race car and the highways are their own personal track...

Its frustrating to drive in America because people don't look before turning, use blinker lights, go in the right lane if going slow, or have any common sense. And soccer moms are the most awful drivers to encounter imho.

[bdkevoIX]

stupid women and d bags on the cell phone are usually the ones who go 30mph on 60mph zone.

Also, old folks who just can't go above 20mph. They need to introduce mandatory re-exam after age of 60 or something. I would be glad to abide by it when I reach 60.

[Robert]

Originally Posted by Bryan0102

i think more people cause accidents from driving too slow than to fast, or cutting people off.

i agree with you, but then again if everyone who could drive fast safely did then wed have a whole new problem

Originally Posted by Stunnerable

Speeding or pathetic drivers training?

The reason I ask is because I am an experienced driver and I have racing experience. I've raced for years and I drive fast.. still, I maintain a perfect drivers record and zero accidents! (Knock wood) In other words, I can DRIVE a car well beyond simple commuting. I feel comfortable "cursing" at 100MPH on an uncrowded highway yet I can't because the LAW says I can't. In my opinion, the people who park in the left lane are many times a hazard than me doing 100.. or 130 for that matter. I just want to get some opinions on the subject.

I believe the law exist only as a money maker and the focus should be on real drivers training and not on enforcing a speed limit.

What are your thoughts?

I think more accidents are caused by unaware drivers or poor drivers but more severe accidents are results of excessive speed. The difference in energy released from impact at 30mph from a 65 vs. impact at 70 from a 130mph is tremendous. While it is likely to walk away from a 30mph impact it is less likely to walk away from a 70mph accident. Would I rather be involved in more accidents that I can walk away or fewer ones I can die from is a no brainer.

Originally Posted by Spec 1

Welcome to driving in America. You're right, the speed thing is a money maker. It's been proven in report after report that speed isn't the problem, and that traffic actually flowed better w less accidents if the limit was increased to 80-90% of most drivers' speed. However the "law" ignores this so they can continue to make $$.

I don't believe those reports are realistic. True, speed may not be the culprit of most accidents and that bad driving habits are, but raising the speed limit will NOT reduce accidents either because it was not the cause to begin with. Matter of fact is there will be same amount of accidents but more severe accidents. Raising the speed limit is not going to curtail careless driver from veering into others lane or stomp on brakes because they are distracted from conversations.

There is another paradoxical fact, majority of people think they are better drivers than others on the road so how can we have so many bad drivers is an interesting problem.

[Couch]

Originally Posted by VTECaddict

it's just simply too easy to get a license in america...

Precisely it. Driving has become a right instead of a priviledge.

It makes a world of sense to make it far more difficult to get a license. It also makes sense to do so for the environment, imo.

I'm guessing if you increased the difficulty of both the driving (90% of this) and written tests(10%) you would easily rid the roadways of 25% of the drivers. Unfortunately environmenatlist also see driving as a right instead of a priviledge, so they would be opposed to this.

Slow drivers, and those who do not understand the concept of a merge/lane change are an issue. But fast, irradic driving is also to blame.

[Year's_End]

-cell phones
-reading
-women (make-up)
-pets
-lack of awareness
-shitty driver's tests

[The Cthulhu]

Originally Posted by Bryan0102

i think more people cause accidents from driving too slow than to fast, or cutting people off.

i agree with you, but then again if everyone who could drive fast safely did then wed have a whole new problem

Speed is a relative thing. If you cut me off, changing from the right to the left lane of a highway at 50 mph, and I was in the left lane at 180 mph, you were going too slow.

People are oblivious, and defensive driving works on the assumption that EVERYONE is an asshole. People who track cars or participate in organized racing are probably less likely to weave through traffic on public roads and create dangerous situations and less likely to drive too slow.

I would agree that car enthusiasts are safer drivers provided that they don't drive very aggressively on public roads. I think that tracking your car or racing in an F2000 event is one of the best ways to learn car control. Defensive driving courses aren't all BS either. I think that the best drivers combine offensive and defensive driving tactics to keep their vehicle and other vehicles safe.

I've got a lot of respect for people who own bikes. I don't trust other drivers enough. All it takes is 1 moron to do something jaw droppingly stupid.

[josephr25]

Originally Posted by Bryan0102

nothings worse than being behind a soccer mom who is 1)a shitty driver to begin with and 2) driving a massive SUV like an escalade. And they automatically think they have a right to do whatever they want because they are in a bigger car than you.

I was coming out of a T-stop making a left turn (if you were at the center of the T, i would be on the right side). Keep in mind there is no stop for the center, where the road splits left and right. I was making my turn where all of a sudden a woman in an Escalade comes barrelling down the road and I brake just to make sure I don't hit her; i wasn't speeding or anything since it was a neighborhood full of kids. So we both pretty much stop in the middle of the road with me in the middle of my turn. Her idea of continuing on to her house was to drive in FRONT of me, pretty much on her wrong side of the road. I seriously felt like busting a U and chasing her down.

[rcracer_tx]

Originally Posted by Robert

I don't believe those reports are realistic. True, speed may not be the culprit of most accidents and that bad driving habits are, but raising the speed limit will NOT reduce accidents either because it was not the cause to begin with. Matter of fact is there will be same amount of accidents but more severe accidents. Raising the speed limit is not going to curtail careless driver from veering into others lane or stomp on brakes because they are distracted from conversations.

Speed is not the killer, It's difference in speed that is

We need to pass alot of stupid laws because people are just that: Stupid. Common sense says don't eat or drink while driving, put on makeup, talk on the cellphone, put stupid limo tint on their car, etc, but people have no common sense. We need to have stricter licensing, higher speed limits, and harsher penalties for reckless drivers. [/END RANT]

[Robert]

It would help if we participate in the election process and put representatives with similar values into congress.

[Stunnerable]

HA! Good luck with that! As long a people keep watching the news we aren't gonna see much change. America wants smooth talking salesmen in office and not someone who will hit us between the eyes with what we really need to do. Whenever those kind of people step up to the plate we dismiss them immeadately.. why? Because thats what the extremly liberal bought and paid for media tells us to do. Stupid people. ahh

Sorry.. you hit a nerve man.

[backtoreality15]

Originally Posted by Bryan0102

i think more people cause accidents from driving too slow than to fast, or cutting people off.

i agree with you, but then again if everyone who could drive fast safely did then wed have a whole new problem

I fucking hate it when I'm stuck behind someone using an on-ramp at 45 MPH... Dangerous shit.

[DevJ]

Originally Posted by bdkevoIX

Old folks who just can't go above 20mph. They need to introduce mandatory re-exam after age of 60 or something. I would be glad to abide by it when I reach 60.

Completely agree.