Carnage on America's Highways?

[MikeH]

Originally posted by Dauphin

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/pdf/dft_transstats_pdf_026290.pdf

Says 679 billion passenger kilometres by car in 2004.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/downloadable/dft_transstats_611960.pdf

Says 500 billion vehicle kilometres (312 billion vehicle miles) in 2005.

So my 320 billion vehicle miles estimate (using 2005 stats that I found) was almost spot on. I rule.

[MOBIUS]

Me too, because you had to use my 10,000 miles figure to reach that estimate!

[MOBIUS]

Pileup on interstate involves 50 vehicles

ERIE, Pennsylvania (AP) -- About 50 vehicles -- including an ambulance carrying patients -- piled up in a chain-reaction crash on a snowy interstate Thursday, killing one person, officials said.

A 10-mile stretch of Interstate 90 near Lake Erie was closed for hours in both directions after the early-afternoon accident. Several people were slightly injured, authorities said.

Among the vehicles involved were several tractor-trailers and tank trucks. (Watch aftermath of crash in heavy snow Video)

Authorities were not releasing information on the death. It was unclear whether anyone in the ambulance was injured.

Erie was expected to get up to 6 inches of snow by Thursday night. (Watch where heaviest snow is headed Video)

50 Vehicles!!?

Further proof that American drivers are indeed crap drivers!

[Dis]

no, it proves we have heavy traffic congestion and bad weather.

[Solly]

I thought it was meant to be only Britain that couldn't handle any sort of adverse weather conditions..

..or so the BBC would have you believe.

[Arrian]

Lake effect snow + heavy traffic on a major interstate can = big crash. Duh.

-Arrian

[MOBIUS]

Yeah, stupid people who can't drive in adverse weather conditions = Duh!

Don't blame the weather, blame the morons behind the wheel who can't control their vehicles...

[DinoDoc]

You people are effing stupid. At least make him put some effort into his trolls so they aren't so obvious before you feed him so much.

[MOBIUS]

No effort was required at any stage. We have conclusively proved that statistically American Drivers are about twice as bad (stupid? ) as British ones.

Hence my initial premise that Americans are crap drivers is essentially true.

Oh, and it also means that this isn't a troll despite Dinodick's feeble protestations...

[Arrian]

DD - I'm aware he's trolling, and I respond deliberately. I'm THAT BORED.

Moby - Statistically proven Without controlling for weather and other variables, maybe. Transfer the same weather to Britain and you'd see the same sorts of problems.

-Arrian

[DinoDoc]

Originally posted by Arrian
DD - I'm aware he's trolling, and I respond deliberately. I'm THAT BORED.

I feel so sorry for you.

[Aeson]

This thread is interesting in a way. Start up a conversation about which US state has the worst drivers, and you'll get a large share of the population responding that their own has the worst drivers, and the claim will often be made almost pridefully. Perhaps because it's considered a badge of honor to drive with all the worst and still be alive. (The whole "well, I have it tougher" line of thought.)

But make it into a national question, and you get the opposite response.

[Kontiki]

Originally posted by Dauphin

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/pdf/dft_transstats_pdf_026290.pdf

Says 679 billion passenger kilometres by car in 2004.

http://www.dft.gov.uk/stellent/groups/dft_transstats/documents/downloadable/dft_transstats_611960.pdf

Says 500 billion vehicle kilometres (312 billion vehicle miles) in 2005.

Why was there such a massive dropoff in just one year?

[Arrian]

Originally posted by DinoDoc
I feel so sorry for you.

Don't. I'm getting paid pretty well. It's just that my mind isn't really here at work lately. My wife and I are gearing up to sell our house & get a new place, and that's got me preoccupied. I'm in a bit of a lull workload-wise anyway, so it's ok.

-Arrian

[Arrian]

Originally posted by Aeson
This thread is interesting in a way. Start up a conversation about which US state has the worst drivers, and you'll get a large share of the population responding that their own has the worst drivers, and the claim will often be made almost pridefully. Perhaps because it's considered a badge of honor to drive with all the worst and still be alive. (The whole "well, I have it tougher" line of thought.)

But make it into a national question, and you get the opposite response.

I wouldn't claim that CT has the worst drivers... no, that honor goes elsewhere. I'd claim there are lots of crappy drivers here, 'cause I see them every day. But compared to the South in wintery conditions? No way.

CT's probably not the best, but I'll defend our honor if it's claimed we're the worst. No way we're worse than Mass!

-Arrian