On 09/06/11 15:34, PICdude wrote:
> Depends on where you're at.  I've lived in a number of different
> places and can clearly see a difference between how people drive.
> Here in South Florida, people are very rude.  I'd say 99% of the time
> when I put on a turn signal to change lanes, the driver in the other
> lane will rush up to ensure I can't get in front of them.  And a cop
> recently did this to me too.

Try Leeds sometime.

Drive around Harehills and parts of Roundhay and you might as well be=20
writing a suicide note. Most people seem to treat driving as a "them vs.=20
us" situation, and act accordingly. Jumping red lights, amber-jumping=20
(accelerating when the light goes from green to amber), cutting in=20
without signalling, and tailgating are all commonplace.

Last I heard, Harehills had the highest incidence of uninsured and/or=20
unlicensed drivers in West Yorkshire... (no prizes for guessing where=20
the main DSA driving test centre for Leeds is!)

Even had some little yob throw a bunch of carpet tacks on the road while=20
I was in the middle of a driving test. Blew out the back near-side=20
tyre... yeesh. "Test failed: vehicle unsuitable for driving test."

I haven't had much luck with driving tutors either. =A36k in lessons and=20
tests, four tutors, two theory tests, nine failed practical tests (plus=20
the "vehicle failure") and I've called it a day. I think I'll stick to=20
the trains...

> Another fear of mine is the traffic-signal cameras that have started
> popping up everywhere.

Geez, those things are evil. And the speed cameras. The contrast in=20
statistics is quite amusing: the "Safety Camera Partnerships" are=20
howling about how speedtraps are a good thing, and how they reduce=20
accidents. Problem is, RTAs have been on a downward trend for years.=20
Correlation !=3D causation.

In some cases, the cameras have actually CAUSED accidents as people slam=20
on the brakes just before reaching them.... Yes you can drop 20MPH in a=20
couple of seconds, but God help the guy behind you!

I'm going to argue that there are plenty of circumstances where=20
*speeding up* is the correct way to avoid a collision (usually with a=20
vehicle behind you) or at least buy a few extra fractions of a second.=20
Indeed, in some road conditions (IIRC ice is one of them) speeding up is=20
the easiest way to regain control of the vehicle -- applying the brakes=20
will make you spin out.

Dealing with tailgaters, however, is easy: slow down. WAY, WAY down.=20
Somewhere around 20MPH is good :)

--=20
Phil.
piclist@philpem.me.uk
http://www.philpem.me.uk/

--=20
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