Carnage on America's Highways?

[Dauphin]

Originally posted by Arrian
I still think there are other factors beyond driving ability. More trouble with drunk drivers, as was mentioned earlier in the thread, could be a factor, for instance (if that's actually so).

A higher percentage of deaths via car accidents in the US involve alcohol. About 40% in the US. In the UK it's about 20%. In Australia it's about 30% (but the legal limit is lower)

[Provost Harrison]

Yeah, drink driving here has become a complete no no. I suppose the campaigns they have launched must have done well because it has become very much stigmatised. Although I have still seen a few people on the roads over the Christmas period who have been completely blasted.

[Dis]

Originally posted by Dauphin
The rise is in pedestrian fatalities. Therefore I submit that pedestrians should require a licence to be on the roads and pavements sidewalks.

In my city they blame the drivers for all the pedestrian fatalities when in reality nearly all the pedestrian deaths are caused by jaywalking and/or drunk tourists walking in the roads.

[Dis]

I don't know if other american cities and other cities around the world have this phenomenon. But I'll go into it.

The pedestrians here are poor. And many of them are bitter and jealous of car drivers. They will intentionally jaywalk and take their time crossing the road forcing drivers in autos to slow down. They know we can't do anything about this. Some of them seem to be begging for someone to run them down, but of course we can't. And if you honk your horn they will give you the finger. The problem is even worse with the homeless. When they are in the food line they will stand in the street. I have to make a right turn from the left lane because the right lane is all full of homeless people.

[Arrian]

Drunk Driving is a big no-no here too, but obviously we still have more of it. I don't think it's lack of effort on the part of gummint. Less bars within walking distance of people's homes, perhaps? General dip****tery? Who knows.

-Arrian

[Aeson]

So if you fall off your vehicle while ghost riding the whip... are you a pedestrian from that point on?

[Dis]

ahh yes, I forgot I was going to post a thread about ghost riding. Looks pretty cool. I want to try it.

[SlowwHand]

Mobius, it was all over you stopping to molest dead deer. Yet another earlier thread.

[axi]

I don't know if other american cities and other cities around the world have this phenomenon. But I'll go into it.

The pedestrians here are poor. And many of them are bitter and jealous of car drivers. They will intentionally jaywalk and take their time crossing the road forcing drivers in autos to slow down. They know we can't do anything about this. Some of them seem to be begging for someone to run them down, but of course we can't. And if you honk your horn they will give you the finger. The problem is even worse with the homeless. When they are in the food line they will stand in the street. I have to make a right turn from the left lane because the right lane is all full of homeless people.

Just look at what you wrote! If this is true for your city, then your first and foremost problem isn't road accidents, but widespread poverty and inequalities. And of course your primary causes of premature death will probably be malnutrition, alcoholism, drug abuse and crime.

Forget about road accidents and move away from that place before some of those people start burning cars instead of giving them the finger.

[Dis]

Originally posted by axi


Just look at what you wrote! If this is true for your city, then your first and foremost problem isn't road accidents, but widespread poverty and inequalities. And of course your primary causes of premature death will probably be malnutrition, alcoholism, drug abuse and crime.

Forget about road accidents and move away from that place before some of those people start burning cars instead of giving them the finger.

you are over dramatizing. Hell, I've even been known to do that as a pedestrian. . I jaywalked all the time. But usually I tried to get accross quickly to avoid making the cars slow down. Depended on the mood I was in.

Yes poverty is a problem in my city. But you can't expect everyone to be able to afford cars. We'd have too much traffic if everyone had a car.

[BlackCat]

43.000+ killed.

Last year we had 312 wich is the lwest in 60 years. Us pop is some 60 times higer so that would be something like 18.000. But of course we live a bit denser, some 1:208. The number has actually improved drastically the lst few years due to two things - introducing clips in license (3 and you're out for a period) and raising the speed limit on highways to 130 - both has heighned respect for speed limits.

Though, I understand why it still is high here - going home from christmas, an idiot signalled for a lane shift when I was passing him - if he had succeded he would have been 3-4 meters in front of me going some 10-20 km/h slower

[Whoha]

Re: Re: Carnage on America's Highways?

Originally posted by DanS
It is time to remove human beings from the equation and move quickly toward cars that drive themselves.

this will not be a survival trait for either pedestrians or passengers.

[:) Smiley]

Originally posted by Dis
ahh yes, I forgot I was going to post a thread about ghost riding. Looks pretty cool. I want to try it.

while you're at that, you can also try the other Bay Area traditions of hydraulics dancing, gas-brake-dipping. and spinning doughnuts.

the rap video that introduced it to the rest of the world:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=zkz-3uZ7aFI

one interview of a participant in ghostriding said, "I know it's dumb, but it's what we do."

[Dis]

though I wouldn't do that in the car I use for work. Now if I had a junker car, I'd try it at slow speeds. Certainly not going down a hill.

[Victor Galis]

Originally posted by rah


Probably higher than that.

I thought Americans were bad but a quick visit to Cairo demonstrated my error.

Cairo

Just got to cross one lane at a time, and hope you don't get run over while you wait for your next chance between lanes.