Speed Limits, Road Safety, Technological Change, Economic Growth

Going4TheDream

Really2 wrote: »

I agree, getting pulled over was standard procedure 20 years ago, even for minor stuff.
Police were visable nearly all the time. Now they are non to be seen, that has now turned into people pulling out on islands in front of traffic to save time.
People using right hand lanes to go left to save time etc etc.
The list goes on, standard have dived and the amount of dangerous manovers have gone up.

This happened to me, and when you politely point out errors people can be nasty. A guy literally just pulled out and stopped blocking all other traffic. I raised my arms (no verbal or v signs) as he had just cut me up. He reversed back round the roundabout and edged my car into the side of the road and proceeded to bang on my car and try to open the doors to drag me out all the time shouting he was going to kill me. It was terrifying. He was clearly in the wrong. I made no abusive gesture to him at all. There were cars all around but no one wanted to get involved and I suppose I cant blame them. I then tried to drive off and he followed me, as I was close to home I didnt want him to know where I lived so I pulled into a petrol station and he eventually got bored and drove off. I was a total wreck. I am female 5 foot 3 and weigh about 115lbs. He was a big guy. Why are some people such pricks when they get behind a wheel

Really2

Going4TheDream wrote: »

Why are some people such pricks when they get behind a wheel

Because the country allows them to be.:(

IronWolf

Not really. Trucking is still one of the most expensive ways to haul goods. Rail whips its a$$ on cost and speed.

grimsalve

Going4TheDream wrote: »

This happened to me, and when you politely point out errors people can be nasty. A guy literally just pulled out and stopped blocking all other traffic. I raised my arms (no verbal or v signs) as he had just cut me up. He reversed back round the roundabout and edged my car into the side of the road and proceeded to bang on my car and try to open the doors to drag me out all the time shouting he was going to kill me. It was terrifying. He was clearly in the wrong. I made no abusive gesture to him at all. There were cars all around but no one wanted to get involved and I suppose I cant blame them. I then tried to drive off and he followed me, as I was close to home I didnt want him to know where I lived so I pulled into a petrol station and he eventually got bored and drove off. I was a total wreck. I am female 5 foot 3 and weigh about 115lbs. He was a big guy. Why are some people such pricks when they get behind a wheel

Blimey, that's awful - stuff like this used to be called roadrage now it's just seems to be normal driving practice.

Sir_Humphrey

Going4TheDream wrote: »

He was a big guy. Why are some people such pricks when they get behind a wheel

You may have unintentionally mentioned a deficiency which explains his behaviour!

The_White_Horse

speed limits on the motorway should be abolished.

most speed limits should be abolished. they are nonsense. driving at 20mph at 3am beacause you are near a school is madness.

the police should just police "dangerous" driving. we need to get through people's heads that speed does not necessarily mean dangerous. sometimes it does, but not always.

Going4TheDream

The_White_Horse wrote: »

speed limits on the motorway should be abolished.

most speed limits should be abolished. they are nonsense. driving at 20mph at 3am beacause you are near a school is madness.

the police should just police "dangerous" driving. we need to get through people's heads that speed does not necessarily mean dangerous. sometimes it does, but not always.

The problem with that is you rely on peoples discretion and that will vary from one to another. You only have to see the nutters who already do 90 in torrential rain and limited visibility to know it really isnt a good idea.

At least with speed limits you have consistency even if it is seems consistently slow for some.

I do live nearish to a school and find it mad that there is a speed camera AFTER the school, not approaching it, but I wouldnt want traffic speeding down there at 70mph at 3am just because no school kids are around

chewmylegoff

in my view, the easiest way to improve both road safety and congestion would be to crush all uninsured vehicles.

also, i am somewhat confused by the measures that are used to tackle people driving without insurance and/or a licence. usually they seem to be banned from driving. suggest this isn't a very clever way to deal with them.

Really2

chewmylegoff wrote: »

also, i am somewhat confused by the measures that are used to tackle people driving without insurance and/or a licence. usually they seem to be banned from driving. suggest this isn't a very clever way to deal with them.

Indeed, is like banning a child from playing ball games on some grass marked "no ball games"

Banning someone from doing something they should not be doing is illogical, they know they should not be doing it so the ban is will not deter them from doing it again.

ruggedtoast

Going4TheDream wrote: »

This happened to me, and when you politely point out errors people can be nasty. A guy literally just pulled out and stopped blocking all other traffic. I raised my arms (no verbal or v signs) as he had just cut me up. He reversed back round the roundabout and edged my car into the side of the road and proceeded to bang on my car and try to open the doors to drag me out all the time shouting he was going to kill me. It was terrifying. He was clearly in the wrong. I made no abusive gesture to him at all. There were cars all around but no one wanted to get involved and I suppose I cant blame them. I then tried to drive off and he followed me, as I was close to home I didnt want him to know where I lived so I pulled into a petrol station and he eventually got bored and drove off. I was a total wreck. I am female 5 foot 3 and weigh about 115lbs. He was a big guy. Why are some people such pricks when they get behind a wheel

I suspect he was a pr1ck before he got behind the wheel, and continued to be one after he got out too.

People do get angrier faster and take more risks because of it in cars though; something I have noticed in myself and now try hard to counteract.