Another explosion reported in Austin, TX

[Steeleballz 7,550]

14 hours ago, -Trinity- said:

Couple weeks ago a lady wasn't paying attention, probably texting, and she ran into my husband's car who at that moment was taking a left turn ( green arrow). Car was total loss, but fortunately he made it without any injuries.

 

She had the audacity to lie ( after she told him that her brakes quit working) and file a false report.

 

Three days ago, a friend of my husband nearly survived a bike accident after the guy who was riding the bike run a red light, and  he was hammered. He died, she survived which is a miracle cause she wasn't wearing a helmet.

 

Sometimes I wonder how  in the world people got their driver's license. They are a danger on the road.

 

     Some are bad from the start, but many people just get lazy and develop poor habits over time. If I had to bet over/under, I'd say more than half of adults would fail their road test if they had to retake it without preparation. 

[bcking 3,157]

1 minute ago, Steeleballz said:

 

     Some are bad from the start, but many people just get lazy and develop poor habits over time. If I had to bet over/under, I'd say more than half of adults would fail their road test if they had to retake it without preparation. 

Part of the problem is just expected human behavior.

 

If you have an officer sit in someone's car and say "Okay now we are going to test your driving ability", I think most people will pass just fine. Especially with the requirements to pass the driving test in the US.

 

As soon as the officer leaves the car though? All bets are off.

 

It's all about perception. Even though motor vehicle accidents are all too common, the overall incidence compared to the whole population still remains quite low. Most people will be safe in the assumption that it "won't happen to them", at least until it does. Combine that with the risk of actually being called out for bad behavior. Speeding people tend to be more aware of because tickets do happen, but erratic driving or tail gaiting? Yes technically a cop can ticket you but that is far more difficult to identify and far more rare.

 

So in general it's really easy to just do whatever and feel comfortable knowing that the chances of either A. Getting caught or B. Getting in an accident remain quite low. It's easy to just "get away with it".

 

Not sure how to really improve it, unless we set up more automated systems to enforce safe driving practices. People tend to not like "speed traps", so I'm not sure how they would take to systems on highways that detect erratic lane changes or following to close. 

[-Trinity- 513]

26 minutes ago, bcking said:

I assume you have taken a US driving test.

 

It's hilariously easy.

 

My wife was worried about taking another driver's test after driving in the UK for ten years. I kept trying to explain to her that it is different from the UK but she thought I was crazy. Once she took the test she realized I was telling the truth. She had to make 2 left turns and three right turns. She drove around a neighborhood for 5 minutes. Then she came back. 

I did an US driving test, didn't even leave the DMV parking lot....

 

I just thought it was because I already had a driver's license. But it's indeed a joke, and it explains the many, many memorial spots I see along the roads.

 

[Steeleballz 7,550]

7 minutes ago, bcking said:

Part of the problem is just expected human behavior.

 

If you have an officer sit in someone's car and say "Okay now we are going to test your driving ability", I think most people will pass just fine. Especially with the requirements to pass the driving test in the US.

 

As soon as the officer leaves the car though? All bets are off.

 

It's all about perception. Even though motor vehicle accidents are all too common, the overall incidence compared to the whole population still remains quite low. Most people will be safe in the assumption that it "won't happen to them", at least until it does. Combine that with the risk of actually being called out for bad behavior. Speeding people tend to be more aware of because tickets do happen, but erratic driving or tail gaiting? Yes technically a cop can ticket you but that is far more difficult to identify and far more rare.

 

So in general it's really easy to just do whatever and feel comfortable knowing that the chances of either A. Getting caught or B. Getting in an accident remain quite low. It's easy to just "get away with it".

 

Not sure how to really improve it, unless we set up more automated systems to enforce safe driving practices. People tend to not like "speed traps", so I'm not sure how they would take to systems on highways that detect erratic lane changes or following to close. 

 

   I'm just not sure about that part. People will do their best if an officer is in their car, but I can just see how many people don't know basic things like what to do at flashing red lights, what a yield sign means, how to use turn signals and God forbid you get behind an adult trying to parallel park here in Colorado. You will sit for 20 minutes watching them go back and forth until they give up and realize they can't do it.

 

  It's not about wanting to do good, I think it's just that many of these skills are use it or lose it, and after years of not doing things properly people just don't know how any more. 

[bcking 3,157]

Just now, -Trinity- said:

I did an US driving test, didn't even leave the DMV parking lot....

 

I just thought it was because I already had a driver's license. But it's indeed a joke, and it explains the many, many memorial spots I see along the roads.

 

I've often wondered if it is partly because of the reality of so much of the United States. Public transportation is often seriously lacking, and on average we drive a lot more to our destination (and to work). A stricter driving examination with frequent failures would be potentially a lot worse in the US since driving is more "necessary".

 

In the UK driving seems to be more convenience for a lot of people. Most of my wife's friends have a license, but their commute to work is by train. The car is more for personal use (grocery store, visiting people etc...). My wife had a license but lived many years without a car and got on just fine. Her work had a shuttle from the nearby town into the complex where the offices were. 

 

First time failure rates are routinely in the 50-70% range in the UK, in the US most of the failures come from the written test. I haven't found a nationwide list but I found one article about a single state that said some test center's failure rates were as low as 10%.

 

9 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   I'm just not sure about that part. People will do their best if an officer is in their car, but I can just see how many people don't know basic things like what to do at flashing red lights, what a yield sign means, how to use turn signals and God forbid you get behind an adult trying to parallel park here in Colorado. You will sit for 20 minutes watching them go back and forth until they give up and realize they can't do it.

 

  It's not about wanting to do good, I think it's just that many of these skills are use it or lose it, and after years of not doing things properly people just don't know how any more. 

The question is how many road tests actually deal with those issues?

 

My wife's road test included two traffic lights. She turned left on one (and it had a left turn signal), and turned right on the other. She then had to drive in a neighborhood with bumps (oh no, bumps!) and had to keep to the speed limit. The largest road she was on had two lanes.

 

This wasn't in the middle of nowhere. This was our closest test center in North Houston.

 

Turn signals, for example, I think are something that people would use if an officer was sitting in their car and then quickly not bother once they are alone again.

[Steeleballz 7,550]

Just now, bcking said:

 

 

The question is how many road tests actually deal with those issues?

 

My wife's road test included two traffic lights. She turned left on one (and it had a left turn signal), and turned right on the other. She then had to drive in a neighborhood with bumps (oh no, bumps!) and had to keep to the speed limit. The largest road she was on had two lanes.

 

This wasn't in the middle of nowhere. This was our closest test center in North Houston.

 

Turn signals, for example, I think are something that people would use if an officer was sitting in their car and then quickly not bother once they are alone again.

 

    I had to parallel park for my DL test but obviously that was a long time ago. May be different now, and I'm sure it varies by state. I would think if you have to do basic things like lane changes and signalling correctly. If not, that kind of explains a lot because many people seem to have issues with those things.

[bcking 3,157]

4 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

 

    I had to parallel park for my DL test but obviously that was a long time ago. May be different now, and I'm sure it varies by state. I would think if you have to do basic things like lane changes and signalling correctly. If not, that kind of explains a lot because many people seem to have issues with those things.

Oh ya she did parallel park first...but it was at the centre with no cars around (just poles). She hit the curb the first time and got to try again.

 

I think she also had to back up like 15 feet in a straight line.

 

In the UK she had to reverse up a hill and around a corner, without touching the curb (also in a manual, her car here is automatic)

[-Trinity- 513]

46 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

 

     Some are bad from the start, but many people just get lazy and develop poor habits over time. If I had to bet over/under, I'd say more than half of adults would fail their road test if they had to retake it without preparation. 

I think you're right. When I was studying for my written test I would ask my husband random questions, he was shocked that he just didn't knew the answer to it sometimes.

 

And it's not just being lazy, people get overly confident. Ask a random person about his driving skills,  and they will tell you that they are a great driver, but other driver's suck at it.

 

Another irritation of nine: drivers who won't let you merge, even when you clearly use your signal. And drivers who don't use signals at all, and assume you can read minds.

[bcking 3,157]

5 minutes ago, -Trinity- said:

I think you're right. When I was studying for my written test I would ask my husband random questions, he was shocked that he just didn't knew the answer to it sometimes.

 

And it's not just being lazy, people get overly confident. Ask a random person about his driving skills,  and they will tell you that they are a great driver, but other driver's suck at it.

 

Another irritation of nine: drivers who won't let you merge, even when you clearly use your signal. And drivers who don't use signals at all, and assume you can read minds.

I think overconfidence is a natural human tendency in many people (possibly most).

 

For example, everyone likes to overestimate their own reaction times, and many never really have it tested in the real world so they would never really know otherwise.

[-Trinity- 513]

33 minutes ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   I'm just not sure about that part. People will do their best if an officer is in their car, but I can just see how many people don't know basic things like what to do at flashing red lights, what a yield sign means, how to use turn signals and God forbid you get behind an adult trying to parallel park here in Colorado. You will sit for 20 minutes watching them go back and forth until they give up and realize they can't do it.

 

  It's not about wanting to do good, I think it's just that many of these skills are use it or lose it, and after years of not doing things properly people just don't know how any more. 

Lol, I see this on a daily basis; when I pick up my kids from school there are crossing guards. And for some reason the same parents who pick up their kids from that school, don't know whether to stop or drive when she stands on one side of the road, instead in the middle of the crossroad.

 

A week ago, me and the crossguard almost got run over by a lady who ignored the sign that specifically says not to speed when lights are flashing, she ignored the crosswalk I was walking at that moment, and she ignored the crossing guard who was waving her stop sign and literally had to jump in front of the car to make her stop.

 

Luckily, I saw she wasn't going to stop at all, so I stopped halfway the crosswalk to avoid getting run over.

 

 

[-Trinity- 513]

7 minutes ago, bcking said:

I think overconfidence is a natural human tendency in many people (possibly most).

 

For example, everyone likes to overestimate their own reaction times, and many never really have it tested in the real world so they would never really know otherwise.

Yeah that's why like to keep a great amount of distance. Been in an accident once, and hopefully will never again. Even when someone is honking their horn behind me, I don't cross multiple Lanes of traffic, just to be 20 seconds faster.

[OriZ 3,157]

2 hours ago, bcking said:

I assume you have taken a US driving test.

 

It's hilariously easy.

 

My wife was worried about taking another driver's test after driving in the UK for ten years. I kept trying to explain to her that it is different from the UK but she thought I was crazy. Once she took the test she realized I was telling the truth. She had to make 2 left turns and three right turns. She drove around a neighborhood for 5 minutes. Then she came back. 

I have to say my test here was a little longer than that, but I hear ya. When we moved here it was 13 years since my test, so although I know I'm a good driver, I didn't know what kind of habits I may have picked up along the years that they might not like. Well it was really easy and I passed, although I did actually get points deducted for slowing down before a crosswalk. I'm sorry, but in Israel if you don't, you fail THE WHOLE TEST(they don't have a points system there, or at least they didn't then - one mistake was a fail). Here I got dubbed "erratic" for it. Funny stuff.

Edited March 22, 2018 by OriZ

[OriZ 3,157]

2 hours ago, Steeleballz said:

 

   I'm just not sure about that part. People will do their best if an officer is in their car, but I can just see how many people don't know basic things like what to do at flashing red lights, what a yield sign means, how to use turn signals and God forbid you get behind an adult trying to parallel park here in Colorado. You will sit for 20 minutes watching them go back and forth until they give up and realize they can't do it.

 

  It's not about wanting to do good, I think it's just that many of these skills are use it or lose it, and after years of not doing things properly people just don't know how any more. 

I agree with you, people just don't have the proper skills and should not be allowed on the road. Not sure how they even passed to start with because I don't even believe some had them to start with. And around here no one seems to know how to read signs or knows what they mean, so many will turn left where there's a sign right above their head with a crossed off arrow, or do a U turn where it's not allowed. But they'll sit for 10 seconds after the light turns green, hell at times I've seen people sit through the whole light. Go figure that one out. If it's not texting it's some severe day dreaming.

[OriZ 3,157]

2 hours ago, bcking said:

Oh ya she did parallel park first...but it was at the centre with no cars around (just poles). She hit the curb the first time and got to try again.

 

I think she also had to back up like 15 feet in a straight line.

 

In the UK she had to reverse up a hill and around a corner, without touching the curb (also in a manual, her car here is automatic)

Funny you should mention that - in my test I had to parallel park. I actually wasn't too happy with how I did it - normally I do a much better job, but the tester was like "great job!" I'm thinking to myself if he calls that a great job...

[Voice of Reason 10,298]

8 hours ago, OriZ said:

"down 98%" is right. "lowest percentage drop" is not lol.

 

Lowest percentage theft would be correct, highest percentage drop would be too. but not lowest percentage drop.

 

Anyway not trying to pull a bcking on you  

I know, I saw it too.  Some of the BEST memes out there are completely ruined by improper grammar.  Kills me sometimes.