Driving: How dangerous is it really?

[SpencerH]

Originally posted by Provost Harrison

Quite frankly, if he'd have been parked across my driveway, I would have nudged it out the way too...serves him f**king right.

Gotta agree with that but it depends on what you're driving. I once pushed an *******'s car out of the way with my old truck. I left myself lots of room when I parked, but when I came back to the truck I found I had 1ft in front and 6in of space behind me. This was a 4 speed 71 Ford crewcab 3/4 ton truck with no power anything with a big steel bumper in back. What was the idiot thinking? I put er in reverse and 'gently nudged' the SOB back about 4-5 feet so I could get out. I doubt he drove anywhere that night.

[Provost Harrison]

Oh absolutely Spencer, I couldn't budge a car with my small thing, but in principle, I would

[Az]

"obbeying the rules" is important. however, driving faster than the speed limit is not dangerous as people try to make it. Only 0.8% of all traffic accidents occur because of speeding.

I was involved in a car accident a couple of weeks ago. I didn't push the breaks hard enough, when I tried to change lines, and hit the corner of the car infront of me.

Yesterday it rained, and some guy infront of me hit the breaks REAL hard. he had ABS, I didn't. My wheels got locked, the engine shut down, and I had about a sec to try and steer the dead ( no hidraulics, coz the engine was off) wheel, and avoid a collision, while simultaneously trying to restart my car. During all of this my car was sliding at about 30 mph, to the car infront of me. I dodged the bullet that time.

[Provost Harrison]

You stalled?

[Bereta_Eder]

I once took down a motorcycle with two people on it.

I was in a big hurry and I thought I could overtake them and turn from the left lane to a right street, they were on the inner lane. Turns out I couldn't, even though I didn't realize anything then and there.

The moment I had turned the street an old woman next to me on the pavement starts screaming like a banshee "HE KIIIILLLLED THEM!!! HE KIIIIIILLEEEEEDD THEM!!!".

Quite breathtaking.

I stop the car get out and see the surealist site of the motorcycle on the asphalt behind me and its two riders moaning and groaning on the street.

With what little breath was left in me I dashed to their side loudly proclaiming my status as being a w@nker.

Fortunately nothing serious except for some bruises and cuts. The bike appeared ok too.

They just rided it and left saying they were alright. No dead, no hard feelings and propably not an insurance of their motorcycle for themselves.

[Az]

You stalled?

yes. You should see my tires. ****ing public safety hazard.

[Provost Harrison]

Originally posted by UberKruX
Passanger: 2
my mom once opened her door into traffic and a van tore the thing clear off. stupid mom.

I saw this nearly happen yesterday when someone jumped out in front of a car opening the door and this other driver had to really hit the brakes...the irony of it was, the person exiting the car was a policeman from a police car. And these are supposed to be advanced drivers I had one pull across in front of me and park on the wrong side right in front of me meaning I had to slam on the brakes and do an emergency stop...sometimes you wonder if their training is what it used to be

One accident, a rear end shunt when the roads were really wet, I'd just come over the hump of a bridge and there was a huge queue of traffic and I couldn't have seen him or stopped in time. Only a small tear in his bumper. Only thing is though, it was a bloody Porsche Boxster

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Azazel
however, driving faster than the speed limit is not dangerous as people try to make it. Only 0.8% of all traffic accidents occur because of speeding.

Around 35% of fatal accidents are due to speeding.

[Adam Smith]

After rummaging through my hard drive, here are a few quick stats for US highway accidents in 2000.

Killed, Total: 41,821
Killed, 65 or Over: 6,643 (16%)
Killed, Rain, Snow, Sleet Conditions: 3,933 (9%)
Killed, Midnight-6am: 8,594 (21%)
Killed, Alcohol Related (BAC 0.01 or over): 16,653 (40%)

Categories are not mutually exclusive.

Source: US Dept of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Traffic Safety Facts, 2000, Tables 56, 57, 60.

http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/pubs/1.pdf

[Az]

Policemen are rather bad. but bus and taxi drivers are hell. The first know they're invisincible in this enormous piece of metal, the others are trying to make a buck, yet are not very wise about it. It's really funny to see them cutting through lanes and speeding only to line up with me at then next traffic light.

[Provost Harrison]

Mancunian taxi drivers are my biggest hate on the road.

[Az]

[QUOTE]Around 35% of fatal accidents are due to speeding.

are you sure? could you give me some data on that?

[Goingonit]

Driving also looks less dangerous because it doesn't get in the news much. As opposed to, say, terrorism, which hardly anybody dies from but gets in the news a whole lot.

[Bereta_Eder]

http://themes.eea.eu.int/Sectors_and_activities/transport/indicators/consequences/accidents/TERM_2002_09_EU_Transport_accident_fatalities_final_draft_August_2002.pdf

check this for anyone interested.

[Bereta_Eder]

click on transport accident fatalities.