Does this chart show traffic cameras work or does it show that East Europeans, Russians and Chinese people can't drive?

[^_^ 5,021]

[Darnell 8,478]

Chinese People Drive Great,

in China.

This slow moving static cr@p in USA is problematic, is not same mileau, at all - traffic laws too restrictive for fast action.

[SMR 368]

Neither. It shows that you need to think a second when deciding how to measure things. Deaths per 1000 km of road networks is an inanely stupid way to measure road safety. Deaths per 1000 km driven would be a much better metric. Otherwise you greatly penalize areas with busier roads where there are naturally more accidents per 1000 km of road since there are many more cars per 1000 km of roads.

Having said that, Russians are crazy drivers. It's not a question of can they drive. They can drive quite well and probably better than most Americans. It's a question of do they make safe decisions.

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

I lol'd @ Israel.

[mawilson 2,133]

I lol'd @ Israel.

Yeah, lots of cameras and bad drivers.

[james&olya 1,121]

Neither. It shows that you need to think a second when deciding how to measure things. Deaths per 1000 km of road networks is an inanely stupid way to measure road safety. Deaths per 1000 km driven would be a much better metric. Otherwise you greatly penalize areas with busier roads where there are naturally more accidents per 1000 km of road since there are many more cars per 1000 km of roads.

Having said that, Russians are crazy drivers. It's not a question of can they drive. They can drive quite well and probably better than most Americans. It's a question of do they make safe decisions.

I would have to agree, but with the added point that Ukraine has definitely got the craziest drivers as the chart demonstrates! People drive with no regard to speed limits or lane markings. A friend that I visited there drove like a 'bat-out-of-hell', 160 km/hr on the 2-lanes, weaving in and out! She was skillful but quite dangerous nonetheless. She was pulled over twice for speeding in one week and it only took a smile and the equivalent of $2.50 as a bribe to get it overlooked! Other drivers were worse. It made Russian drivers seem positively tame.

Edited January 26, 2011 by james&olya

[slim 1,514]

Canada and Ukraine have the same amount of cameras but significantly different rates of deaths. Cameras matter not.

US and Britain have the same amount of deaths but significantly different rates of cameras. Cameras matter not.

Cameras matter not.

[The_Dude 1,142]

Canada and Ukraine have the same amount of cameras but significantly different rates of deaths. Cameras matter not.

US and Britain have the same amount of deaths but significantly different rates of cameras. Cameras matter not.

Cameras matter not.

Are you under the delusion that the cameras are anything but a revenue stream (at least in the U.S.)?

[mawilson 2,133]

Are you under the delusion that the cameras are anything but a revenue stream (at least in the U.S.)?

Does it look like he is?

[Pooky 3,343]

I like the road deaths per 1000km of road, putting the USA and the UK at the same fatality rate.

Consider that the average traffic volume on UK roads is so much higher (60m people in a country that will fit into Texas with a LOT of room to spare vs 300m people), I'm amazed it's even close.

And yes, in the UK, traffic cameras do little more than pay for more traffic cameras.

[slim 1,514]

(60m people in a country that will fit into Texas with a LOT of room to spare vs 300m people)

People in Texas drive to their nextdoor neighbour's (extra u just for you guys!) house. People in Britain do not.

Take into account our vehicle-based society. Britain isn't set up that way since it's infrastructure was formed when people walked or rode horses. Oh, and they have all those cameras, too. Must be those cameras keeping them safe.

[Pooky 3,343]

People in Texas drive to their nextdoor neighbour's (extra u just for you guys!) house. People in Britain do not.

Take into account our vehicle-based society. Britain isn't set up that way since it's infrastructure was formed when people walked or rode horses. Oh, and they have all those cameras, too. Must be those cameras keeping them safe.

You evidently haven't heard about Europe's biggest parking lot, then. It's called the M25, or London Orbital Motorway and is a 3 (or more) lane highway that encircles outer London. Believe me, people drive in the UK, more than you might think. Just not very fast a lot of the time because every one else is on the road at the same time.

And the cameras are like rabbits. They breed at a phenomenal rate.

[slim 1,514]

Believe me, people drive in the UK, more than you might think.

And more people in Texas walk/use public trans than you might think. But, that doesn't change the fact that UK is set up to have more pedestrian, bike, bus, train, etc., traffic than Texas.

And the cameras are like rabbits. They breed at a phenomenal rate.

Exactly why we don't have many here. We know once govt. gets started on something the only way to keep it around is make the problem more prevalent.

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Guessing that India (unquestionable worst in the measure of road-deaths per 1,000 vehicles) would be between the 0 and 5 (on cameras) and over 50 (on deaths per 1,000 km).

[slim 1,514]

Guessing that India (unquestionable worst in the measure of road-deaths per 1,000 vehicles) would be between the 0 and 5 (on cameras) and over 50 (on deaths per 1,000 km).

So if India had more cameras they'd have a lower death rate?