(OT) We should do something similar in Canada:
11-16-2007, 09:48 AM
#1
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(OT) We should do something similar in Canada:
<A HREF="http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/11/16/driving.stupid/index.html">36M Americans would fail driving test</A>
Mind you, I don't entirely agree with their method. I think that simulations that test your reaction to standard road challenges and daily situations are far more valuable than pen-and-paper tests. That's like saying if you pass your G1 (Ontario's written test), or if you're a bookworm, that you're good to drive.
The government needs to start shifting it's policies toward fact-based analysis, and away from this ridiculous "speed-kills" ideology cooked up by left-lane hogs and 20km/h grannies.
I might even agree to them using their newfound cash cow to perhaps fund or subsidize voluntary driver improvement programs - not just to improve driver education, but to improve driving skills with real-world training and testing.
I resent the fact that most people cannot afford, do not have access to, or are simply not aware of winter driving courses or similar programs.
Mind you, I don't entirely agree with their method. I think that simulations that test your reaction to standard road challenges and daily situations are far more valuable than pen-and-paper tests. That's like saying if you pass your G1 (Ontario's written test), or if you're a bookworm, that you're good to drive.
The government needs to start shifting it's policies toward fact-based analysis, and away from this ridiculous "speed-kills" ideology cooked up by left-lane hogs and 20km/h grannies.
I might even agree to them using their newfound cash cow to perhaps fund or subsidize voluntary driver improvement programs - not just to improve driver education, but to improve driving skills with real-world training and testing.
I resent the fact that most people cannot afford, do not have access to, or are simply not aware of winter driving courses or similar programs.
11-16-2007, 10:33 AM
#2
I don't know what province you are located in, but I find driving in BC (except Van)
to be exceptionally restful. Everybody uses their turn signals - even in parking lots! Peds are given right of way. etc etc etc.
I live in Northern California now, and when coming back here, it feels like driving in a 3rd world country. Scary! Even LA has better drivers!
I live in Northern California now, and when coming back here, it feels like driving in a 3rd world country. Scary! Even LA has better drivers!
11-16-2007, 10:41 AM
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Not always true but alot of the time it is because they are from the third world
Sometimes I wonder if they hand out a free drivers liscence when somebody immigrates to Canada. Not to say every immigrant cant drive but we have had a couple come through the place that I work and we have to take them out for driving lessons even though they already have a liscence. Some to afraid to even go on the highway.
11-16-2007, 10:51 AM
#4
We have plenty of that here. I know people who have lived in LA for years and
have never taken a freeway - ever. There was some noise about making a freeway merge and exit part of the driving test, but the protest was HUGE!
Hubby's family is from Asia. They drive like lunatics there. But since everybody is on the same page, it usually works. The problem is when one segment follows driving rules, and the other segment thinks the only rules are that there are none! ;-)
Hubby's family is from Asia. They drive like lunatics there. But since everybody is on the same page, it usually works. The problem is when one segment follows driving rules, and the other segment thinks the only rules are that there are none! ;-)
11-16-2007, 11:10 AM
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i live in ON. i agree! either collective chaos, or collective organized driving. don't mix em.
i have to say - i haven't travelled to many places, but i was suprised and impressed by the taxi cab drivers in Hong Kong. aggressive, fast, but somehow sensible and safe.
11-16-2007, 11:49 AM
#6
a comment...
I agree with BC drivers being polite. One problem I do see up there are cars with bald tires, metal to metal brakes, headlights out, etc. When it snows , the roads are like a gong show. Spending time up in the gulf islands is definitely very restful.
11-16-2007, 02:18 PM
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Bingo. Collective chaos brings order somehow
Couldn't believe it either, drivers in the Philippines were insane I thought. Yield for pedestrians, lol, nice concept but sorry, cars > person.
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11-16-2007, 04:28 PM
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All very well but the stuff they are testing has very little to do with accidents
Most people know you should not run stop signs and red lights but they do it even though they know they ought not to, or they somehow fail to even notice the stop sign or red light.
The number one driving error that causes most of the accidents is failure to anticipate. Most drivers give the appearance of driving on auto pilot. It's not that the average driver doesn't know the rules it is they don't concentrate when they drive.
There are also a substantial proportion of drivers these days who are willing to "take a chance" and play the odds that breaking atraffic rule will not result in an accident.
Not passing a theoretical knowledge test is not significant. Taking a real driving test and flunking it would be meaningful.
Proper car control is not taught or tested, high speed driving is not taught or tested, accident avoidance is not taught or tested and driving in winter or under adverse road or weather conditions is not taught or tested.
You have to take the initiative to take a defensive driving course (not terribly useful to skilled drivers but a real eye opener to the average guy) and spend real money to take a proper driving course.
Until we get serious about real world driving instruction and testing nothing will improve and accident rates will continue at current levels.
What has happened is that injury and especially death rates have declined due to huge improvements in vehicle handling and passive safety. We now have truly excellent cars available, even econoboxes would run circles around performance cars of thirty years ago (Top Gear did an interesting acceleration test between an E Type and an Aston Martin DB5 (the Bond car) on theone hand and a modern Honda Accord on the other. The Honda blew the doors off the older sports cars ina straight line. Under braking or in corners it would have had an even bigger advantage. There's no excuse to screw up while driving a modern car.
Nope, the problem is the driving instruction has not kept up to the improvements in the machinery. The cars today are so good it is crazy we can't reduce the accident rate substantially.
The number one driving error that causes most of the accidents is failure to anticipate. Most drivers give the appearance of driving on auto pilot. It's not that the average driver doesn't know the rules it is they don't concentrate when they drive.
There are also a substantial proportion of drivers these days who are willing to "take a chance" and play the odds that breaking atraffic rule will not result in an accident.
Not passing a theoretical knowledge test is not significant. Taking a real driving test and flunking it would be meaningful.
Proper car control is not taught or tested, high speed driving is not taught or tested, accident avoidance is not taught or tested and driving in winter or under adverse road or weather conditions is not taught or tested.
You have to take the initiative to take a defensive driving course (not terribly useful to skilled drivers but a real eye opener to the average guy) and spend real money to take a proper driving course.
Until we get serious about real world driving instruction and testing nothing will improve and accident rates will continue at current levels.
What has happened is that injury and especially death rates have declined due to huge improvements in vehicle handling and passive safety. We now have truly excellent cars available, even econoboxes would run circles around performance cars of thirty years ago (Top Gear did an interesting acceleration test between an E Type and an Aston Martin DB5 (the Bond car) on theone hand and a modern Honda Accord on the other. The Honda blew the doors off the older sports cars ina straight line. Under braking or in corners it would have had an even bigger advantage. There's no excuse to screw up while driving a modern car.
Nope, the problem is the driving instruction has not kept up to the improvements in the machinery. The cars today are so good it is crazy we can't reduce the accident rate substantially.
11-16-2007, 05:54 PM
#10
As somebody else pointed out, the police and politicians don't want a well trained driving force
That would mean fewer opportunities for tickets, which means less revenue, which means less budget to hire police. Same goes for all the people in the judicial system that administer this revenue stream. It's a self perpetuating system. Politicians always like to announce the hiring of more police, with average cisitzens rarely realizing the staff "shortages" come from these revenue activities tying up police in court when people do fight the system.
Just today I was at a red light on a 4 lane street by a school. I saw an Accord come flying up behind me on my right, looking like he was going to make a high speed right on the red (shakes head). Mind you there is no right turn lane or anything like that. Suddenly he halted part way in this turn (anything other than the benign Honda probably would have spun), paused for just the briefest moment, then shot straight ahead thru the red, to make a right in the next driveway past the intersection. Yes, he appeared to be FOB. Unfreakingbelievable! I wanted to follow him and deliver a beating!
Just today I was at a red light on a 4 lane street by a school. I saw an Accord come flying up behind me on my right, looking like he was going to make a high speed right on the red (shakes head). Mind you there is no right turn lane or anything like that. Suddenly he halted part way in this turn (anything other than the benign Honda probably would have spun), paused for just the briefest moment, then shot straight ahead thru the red, to make a right in the next driveway past the intersection. Yes, he appeared to be FOB. Unfreakingbelievable! I wanted to follow him and deliver a beating!