Thread: I have a theory about the DMV

Khaos, you don't have to go to an Ivy League to experience that. Try going to an Aggie school where everyone thinks they need a truck or large SUV of some sort. You'd think parking lots were made by the devil with all the problems those kids have parking. It's enough to give you high blood pressure and a heart attack.

I've noticed a lot of posts about cells/texting. Don't get me wrong, I think texting is dangerous because it means you're not looking where you're going and I think cells are dangerous because a lot of people cannot multitask and you have a hand off the wheel so reactions are inhibited. And yes, using a cell without a hands free in NY is illegal, but no one seems to care.

But, for the most part, the bad drivers that I've been seeing have not been using cells - they are just bad drivers. Sorry to say it, but, at least for me, it is by far older people and women. Older people seem more likely to drive under the speed limit and women seem more likely to fail to signal/merge poorly/not look before changing lanes.

I will acknowledge that men do these things too and that I am quite sure I see more women than men driving - so this is not me stereotyping. These are my observations. (I love how I'm a male and feel the need to include this disclaimer.)

59caddy, your driving record is very impressive. I've been driving for 7 years (but not much during my 4 years of college. No tickets and one accident (a guy took a left turn straight into me and claimed he had a turning arrow; he didn't and I knew he didn't because it was about 500 feet from my house).

In Atlanta if you drive a BMW, you don't have to abide by any traffic laws.

I really need to get me one.

-Rob

I'm all for the advanced license idea!

We were having this conversation a few days ago at work. I said "I usually just move to the right and see if I can get that car to go any faster" and someone else said "I just pass on the inside". I said "Huh?" and he said "you know, the shoulder".

I wonder how much automatic transmissions influence those bad lazy driving habits? They require very little attention and no hand/brain/leg coordination.

What I hate most about driving here is that people do not give a shite about flow of traffic and others around them. The cops are pretty useless too, I have never seen them giving tickets for anything but speeding and lane violations.

What is even worse than left lane a-holes are those people who will not let you change into their lane at any cost. The moment you switch on your turn signal, they race to get ahead to block you. It seems like a growing trend these days and it is mainly done by woman in luxury cars as far as I can tell.

I think there are a few things that need to be taken into consideration. (you'll have to excuse some of my examples if they aren't 100% correct or p.c.)
#1-The DMV will give a dirvers license to pretty much anybody.
#2-Unlike many countries you are not required to be able to read, write or even understand the "prominent" language to receive a D.L. (the D.M.V. here in Portland has something like 12 different language options for individuals looking to get a license).
#3-America is a cultural "melting pot" You have everybody from the courtious English "Gent" who'll give right of way, use signals etc to the former Saigon taxi driver who doesn't know what a turnsignal is and will drive down the wrong side of the road simply because it suits them.
#4-Many U.S. citizens think that they are entitled to certain things, actions, behaviors etc. The idea a lot of people have that they are important or special and that everybody needs to pucker up and kiss their rosy a**es. Even individuals who have done absolutely nothing usefull in their life think that they deserve special treatment and that whatever they have going on is the only thing that matters in the world even if that thing creates an enourmous inconvience for anyone/everyone around them.
I'm gong to stop now but yeah, I agree, there's issues.

Originally Posted by sparq

I wonder how much automatic transmissions influence those bad lazy driving habits? They require very little attention and no hand/brain/leg coordination.

I've wondered about that too. Compounded, maybe, by all these HUGE luxury SUVs that are basically living rooms on wheels, and now by GPS units so you don't really even have to pay much attention to where you're going. It seems to me that the more time Americans spend on the road, the less we want to be actual drivers.

... The cops are pretty useless too, I have never seen them giving tickets for anything but speeding and lane violations.

Amen to that. I don't even see them giving tickets for lane violations around here. There's one eight-mile stretch of four-lane road I often drive to work where, if you see a big truck or other slow-moving vehicle up ahead, the likelihood is about 95% that it's in the left lane. The state police could wipe out Illinois's budget deficit in a month just by hanging out there and writing tickets.

~Rich

Here in Australia, it's really not too bad... at least not in Queensland...

Mostly bad drivers don't drive much, because they're afraid of good drivers, who usually do the various things most of you are either too polite, or legally not allowed to do. See, our police, in 8 out of 10 cases, see that the driver is of poor quality, and turn a blind eye, thus leaving those deserving of holding licenses free to roam.

There is also the fact that these days in our lovely country, learners have to hold their Ls for a minimum of 1 year, and 100hrs total logged driving time before their even paid any attention at our DMV equivalent. After this, they must spend 3 years displaying a P, or Provisional plate on their car, thus meaning that even speeding or in some cases not displaying this plate while on your P permit, can lose you your license. So by the time we're big boys and girls, most of us are fairly capable.

Oh, also the Road Rage in this area is fantastic. Drive here one day and you'll get the finger.I've seen other drivers get out of their car and give another's the boot treatment dozens of times. About once a month or so, someone gets shot over something due to traffic. I see accidents daily. And a fender bender can get nasty too. A nice town I live in, I commute with my gun Everywhere,(even Maryland)! Yes, it's like that here. 2nd worst traffic (behind LA CA.) in America.