Idiots on the road really piss me off

[Scott Asheville]

The sooner computers drive cars, the better for all of us. Yea, I'm a software engineer, so I realize it's still a few years off. Drunks. Sleepers. Texters. Big Mac eaters. Yelling at wife guys or gals. Yea, we can all chill out and let the machine drive us safely.

I look forward to legislation that basically says "public highways, public rules - you don't like automation, walk". I figure we get there by 2050. People will look back at people routinely maiming and slaughtering each other in large numbers while driving cars (murder by car) as the dark ages.

https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/yearly-snapshot

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[Dad]

Three years ago, I'd had my new Hyundai Tucson for about 2 months and some idiot rear-ended me in stop-and-go road construction traffic. Damage, about $1500. Well, today, after almost six months of owning my Maverick the same damned thing happened again. Fortunately, the only damage this time was white Toyota paint to my trailer hitch. I don't understand why people can't pay attention. (Audio removed due to some language.)

$100 says he/she was fiddling with their phone. Seriously people. You need to check your phone at a stop light?!

 

[Dad]

one of the reasons I put a hitch cover (homemade out of an old cutoff hitch with ball) on the truck. sticks out just a little, not enough to trip over going around the truck, but enough for just such an occasion.

Got a picture? Great idea.

 

[Dad]

Glad you're ok and that it was just minor damage!

I guess there are different kinds of drivers. Some are easily distracted by passengers, phones, etc. They seem to treat driving as something that is easy, casual.

Personally, I'm the type of guy that treats driving as a deadly serious activity. I prefer to not hold conversations while driving, won't touch my phone or eat while driving, will pull over into a parking lot if I absolutely must actually touch the phone, I'm hyper-vigilant about scanning mirrors/gauges/road, always looking for a defensive driving exit path, always signal, etc.

It's a tradeoff. I haven't been the cause of any wrecks, but I can't do long drives, as the mental effort is eventually taxing.

Good advice. I tell my kids (and grand kids) driving is 30% you and 70% watching what the other guy is doing.

 

[Don806]

Got a picture? Great idea.

 

[Deleted member 5352]

Nitpicking was not my intention. Take a chill pill.

 

[Charles]

I’m putting my trailer receiver on tomorrow!

 

[MostlySafeBear]

The sooner computers drive cars, the better for all of us. Yea, I'm a software engineer, so I realize it's still a few years off. Drunks. Sleepers. Texters. Big Mac eaters. Yelling at wife guys or gals. Yea, we can all chill out and let the machine drive us safely.

I look forward to legislation that basically says "public highways, public rules - you don't like automation, walk". I figure we get there by 2050. People will look back at people routinely maiming and slaughtering each other in large numbers while driving cars (murder by car) as the dark ages.

https://www.iihs.org/topics/fatality-statistics/detail/yearly-snapshot

Even with the facts/statistics right in front of them, people will cling to outdated views and old tropes, such as some variation of "I don't trust computers driving, ever" or "That's as may be, but I enjoy driving too much to give it up to a computer".

Distrust or enjoyment aside, the facts overwhelmingly say that we are TERRIBLE drivers overall. We are just not wired for the kind of constant overall attention that a computer can give a task like driving, nor do we have nearly as good of a reaction time. We do excel at some things such as identifying and dealing with unexpected situations, but I expect that purpose-built computers will gradually get better at thing like that.

 

[TexasHybrid]

Thread now has a tangent on software in vehicles.

The reality is software is now required to drive; unless one purposely goes and obtains a 100% no computer vehicle.

Assuming no EMP event ...

The vehicles that are not connected will still work. If your vehicle is connected, like everything now sold, good luck. At some point someone will decide when you get to operate said vehicle and where.

OTA updates are great, until they are not.

I say this and still look at the Maverick Hybrid and think, what a great vehicle. Multi purpose, capable and small compromises to do this.

EMP Event -- well that is just really bad news. Will leave it up to the readers to look further into this horrid situation.

---
EMP - Electromagnetic Pulse
OTA - Over the Air

 

[MostlySafeBear]

Thread now has a tangent on software in vehicles.

The reality is software is now required to drive; unless one purposely goes and obtains a 100% no computer vehicle.

Assuming no EMP event ...

The vehicles that are not connected will still work. If your vehicle is connected, like everything now sold, good luck. At some point someone will decide when you get to operate said vehicle and where.

OTA updates are great, until they are not.

I say this and still look at the Maverick Hybrid and think, what a great vehicle. Multi purpose, capable and small compromises to do this.

EMP Event -- well that is just really bad news. Will leave it up to the readers to look further into this horrid situation.

---
EMP - Electromagnetic Pulse
OTA - Over the Air

Yes, modern vehicles are essentially rolling computers.

Worrying about an EMP event is, in my opinion, a fool's errand. Worry about the stuff that you can actually do something about, instead of vague fears that you can't do anything about.

Even if you had an all-mechanical vehicle, an EMP would have wide ranging effects that would still eventually make it inoperable, since most fuel pumps at stations are computerized, and even if you somehow found an old one still in service, oil refineries certainly are also computerized.

 

[TexasHybrid]

Yes, modern vehicles are essentially rolling computers.

Worrying about an EMP event is, in my opinion, a fool's errand. Worry about the stuff that you can actually do something about, instead of vague fears that you can't do anything about.

Even if you had an all-mechanical vehicle, an EMP would have wide ranging effects that would still eventually make it inoperable, since most fuel pumps at stations are computerized, and even if you somehow found an old one still in service, oil refineries certainly are also computerized.

Agree; but I think I sorta said that already. You did a good job of expanding.

 

[KGiles]

Glad you're ok and that it was just minor damage!

I guess there are different kinds of drivers. Some are easily distracted by passengers, phones, etc. They seem to treat driving as something that is easy, casual.

Personally, I'm the type of guy that treats driving as a deadly serious activity. I prefer to not hold conversations while driving, won't touch my phone or eat while driving, will pull over into a parking lot if I absolutely must actually touch the phone, I'm hyper-vigilant about scanning mirrors/gauges/road, always looking for a defensive driving exit path, always signal, etc.

It's a tradeoff. I haven't been the cause of any wrecks, but I can't do long drives, as the mental effort is eventually taxing.

If I had to guess, I'd say you ride a motorcycle too. That's how I was taught to ride years ago. Always looking for an exit path. Drive like everybody is trying to kill you.

 

[MostlySafeBear]

If I had to guess, I'd say you ride a motorcycle too. That's how I was taught to ride years ago. Always looking for an exit path. Drive like everybody is trying to kill you.

Actually, I've never ridden a motorcycle, nor do I have any real desire to be so vulnerable. I just take driving deadly seriously. Some people can be very cavalier about the risks I guess, but for me if someone died because of a lack of focus or inattention on my part, I doubt that I could live with myself.

 

[TSAINTS1115]

This is a good moment to point out that in a situation like this when both cars still run ............PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER. Then you can get out and evaluate the situation, exchange whatevers, fist fight, etc.
Doing it in the lane of traffic only increase the chances of others also getting in a crash at most or jacks up traffic at the least.
No, you don't have to wait for police to arrive and see what happened, they can deduce what happened on the shoulder. And the first thing they'll tell you.......Pull over to the shoulder!

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