distracted driving

ddavidv wrote:

vwcorvette wrote: And, sorry to say, but research shows advanced DE schools and avoidance programs, in the long run, have a negative effect on new young drivers as their perceived skill level outpaces their actual skill level.

I've heard this argument before. Please provide the tech to back up your statement. I teach one of these courses. We've received numerous emails and letters from students and parents describing instances where the training they received directly saved their bacon. From personal experience I have either avoided or diminished several probable nasty wrecks during driving. Though some (usually teen males) will abuse the knowledge provided I believe the vast majority of teen advanced driver training is extremely useful.

I have no data, but I was involved with a group teaching an avoidance program and it had the exact negative effect vwcorvette mentions. Part may have been the way it was structured, but it definitely existed.

I was nearly rear-ended last week by a young driver. No cell phones were involved. It was an old school type of distraction. Cute girlfriend. At least that I can sympathize with. The cellphone thing makes me want to choke the idiot.

Way back when I first started commuting (21 years ago) I would see people reading the newspaper or books while driving, in the case of the newspaper I don't even think he could see out the window because he didn't have it folded. Then I would see people slumped to the side with one hand on top of the wheel. That turned out to be people on the phone, and I still see that a lot today. More recently, people have started putting their phones on speaker and then holding it by their mouth. I don't get what this accomplishes. I saw a guy who had a 12 volt TV on his dashboard one time, he was watching Sanford & Son. People have stopped signaling for lane changes because other drivers would accelerate to block them when they saw the signal. So now it's all stealth swooping, drives me nuts. People are afraid to merge at speed, and then others are impatient so they merge early, which freaks out the people already on the road, and next thing you know traffic is completely stopped. People will cut off trucks, slam on the brakes for no reason, drive 90 one minute and then 50 the next, use the shoulder for passing, etc. I'm pretty sure my next car should be deathproof.

At 57 I'm no doubt the most responsible driver I've ever been, bagged over 1M miles easy. Sure, had those youthful indiscretions and bent sheet metal back in the day but nobody ever got hurt.

These days, why do I suddenly feel one of these berkeleying numbtards has my number? Some days I hate to leave the yard.

Had to spend some time in traffic yesterday. Noticed a Kia Sorrento to my left driving poorly and then she nearly rear ended the guy in front of her. I pull alongside and she was STILL LOOKING DOWN AT HER PHONE! Even after very nearly driving up the ass of the F-150 in front of her..... Her window was down so I suggested (very kindly I thought) that she please "Put down the berkeleying phone and pay attention!". She rolled up her window and continued texting, and due to traffic being so heavy I saw her on and off for the next several miles. Always looking down.

This is why I don't DD the Miata, idiots hit me they'll be hitting something truck sized.

Seriously, a low car in bad traffic has to be stressful. I was behind a new Corvette yesterday and it seemed ridiculously low to me, and I'm in a Mazda 3, not a truck. I could totally see someone in a crossover missing it completely.