Distracted Driving.

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MonacoMike said:
I have read that civil engineers believe that if traffic did what it was supposed to on multi lane roads efficiency would be amazing to the point many areas that need additional lanes would no longer need them...

MM
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That's one of the arguments for self driving cars. Theoretically, intervals could be shortened safely and computers would go by the rules. That is supposed to increase flow. But then there is the matter of the "blue screen of death."
I remember sitting on the tarmac in Milwaukee for a short ride to GRR in a neat little French jet flown by a budget airline. The pilots were trying to get Windows to reboot. After 15 minutes they sorted it out and we were off. Best ride ever and only 17 minutes (nice tail wind, fast airplane) to cross Lake Michigan and get into the pattern for Grand Rapids. When the engineers get it right, great results. Other times not so much. Remember "control, alt, delete"?
 
copb8tx said:
In Texas there our thousands of signs posted on the major highways stating 'Left Lane for Passing Only'. People are VERY aware of the law but simply just don't care. Until it is enforced like speeding it will continue to be ignored.

Welcome to America.
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In CA we have "Slow traffic keep right" signs everywhere. Same deal. Many people figure as long as they are going the speed limit, they are within the law, so screw everyone else. Never mind that traffic is zipping by them on the right at 10-20 MPH faster. Their argument is always, well those guys shouldn't be speeding.

I always want to introduce them to a little concept called reality. If everyone on the road went exactly the speed limit, No one could change lanes or really get where they are going. They'd just be a bunch of robots going nowhere....hey wait a minute....
 
sbw1 said:
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That's one of the arguments for self driving cars. Theoretically, intervals could be shortened safely and computers would go by the rules. That is supposed to increase flow. But then there is the matter of the "blue screen of death."
I remember sitting on the tarmac in Milwaukee for a short ride to GRR in a neat little French jet flown by a budget airline. The pilots were trying to get Windows to reboot. After 15 minutes they sorted it out and we were off. Best ride ever and only 17 minutes (nice tail wind, fast airplane) to cross Lake Michigan and get into the pattern for Grand Rapids. When the engineers get it right, great results. Other times not so much. Remember "control, alt, delete"?
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And do not forget the preprogrammed death scenarios I previously posted about.

MM
 
bobeast said:
In CA we have "Slow traffic keep right" signs everywhere. Same deal. Many people figure as long as they are going the speed limit, they are within the law, so screw everyone else. Never mind that traffic is zipping by them on the right at 10-20 MPH faster. Their argument is always, well those guys shouldn't be speeding.

I always want to introduce them to a little concept called reality. If everyone on the road went exactly the speed limit, No one could change lanes or really get where they are going. They'd just be a bunch of robots going nowhere....hey wait a minute....
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Where we live a major road that was stoplight city was converted to limited access with exit ramps. The city made the speed limit 50 mph, the road feels very safe for 100+, the cops are clocking all the time, no one is comfortable speeding, but, even little old ladies feel safe at the speed limit.

The result is traffic all runs the exact same speed, it is impossible to change lanes, if you are left, you may have to force someone to let you over to exit.

You are right on what happens when everyone runs the same speed.

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
I have read that civil engineers believe that if traffic did what it was supposed to on multi lane roads efficiency would be amazing to the point many areas that need additional lanes would no longer need them...MM
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Just like it is proven that reducing a two lane road to one lane ex. during construction that you go to the end of lane and zipper.... rather than trying to merge a 1/2 mile before the end of lane... article from DOT says back up traffic is reduced by 40%. This has been well known for years....so what is the problem?...

https://www.dot.state.mn.us/zippermerge/
 
Blueone said:
Just like it is proven that reducing a two lane road to one lane ex. during construction that you go to the end of lane and zipper.... rather than trying to merge a 1/2 mile before the end of lane... article from DOT says back up traffic is reduced by 40%. This has been well known for years....so what is the problem?...

https://www.dot.state.mn.us/zippermerge/
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The problem is society at large has not been taught critical thinking skills, which will be our undoing. The results of the study are not intuitive, appear greedy and aggressive. When a car goes by the line they are all thinking ill of the driver because the driver is not following their kindergarten level approach to the problem.

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
It is really just a symptom of a bigger issue, we have reached a point where the average person is selfish and it is all about them. In the past only a few were that selfish and society could absorb it so it was not really an issue to society at large. Not so much today...

MM
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And that's exact what I had in mind with my "Welcome to America" comment.
 
MonacoMike said:
So how do we fix it?

MM
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I truly think it isn't possible in this country anymore. Our collective mindset is going the wrong way to be able to adjust the behavior. We have such a sense of entitlement and self-importance that anyone else's needs aren't relevant. Only law enforcement would bring attention to it and law enforcement couldn't care less.

BTW, and this won't be popular, as a motorcyclist, if I had to chose, I'd rather be riding near someone with a .1 BAC than someone texting. At least the drinker will be trying to pay some attention.
 
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copb8tx said:
I truly think it isn't possible in this country anymore. Our collective mindset is going to wrong way to be able to adjust the behavior. We have such a sense of entitlement and self-importance that anyone else's needs aren't relevant. Only law enforcement would bring attention to it and law enforcement couldn't care less.

BTW, and this won't be popular, as a motorcyclist, if I had to chose, I'd rather be riding near someone with a .1 BAC than someone texting. At least the drinker will be trying to pay some attention.
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It did not get this way in a day and will not be changed in a day. Likely will never change, rather technology will change and render it obsolete. I rarely hear complaints about those who let their horse $hit in the middle of town and not clean it up...

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
I rarely hear complaints about those who let their horse $hit in the middle of town and not clean it up...

MM
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:)
with their mode of transportation: horse and buggy.

Fry feels that the horses the Amish use to pull their buggies present multiple issues for those in the community who wish to live manure-free.
Indiana: On the petition page, Fry lists the following objections to the manure left by Amish horses:
  • Horse manure is a road hazard for motorcyclists.
  • It gets all over our vehicles, which ends up in our garage.
  • Unsanitary – Tourists and the community bring it in on their shoes and into restaurants, shops, homes, ect., which can cause sickness.
  • When it rains, it goes into our storm drains which eventually leads to local lakes.
  • We all share the roads, why should we as motorists have to drive thru it?
  • It makes our towns/county look dirty. First impressions are everything!
  • Hitching racks, which are cleaned up by the business owners or street department, would save ample amounts of money.
 
Blueone said:
:)
with their mode of transportation: horse and buggy.

Fry feels that the horses the Amish use to pull their buggies present multiple issues for those in the community who wish to live manure-free.
Indiana: On the petition page, Fry lists the following objections to the manure left by Amish horses:
  • Horse manure is a road hazard for motorcyclists.
  • It gets all over our vehicles, which ends up in our garage.
  • Unsanitary – Tourists and the community bring it in on their shoes and into restaurants, shops, homes, ect., which can cause sickness.
  • When it rains, it goes into our storm drains which eventually leads to local lakes.
  • We all share the roads, why should we as motorists have to drive thru it?
  • It makes our towns/county look dirty. First impressions are everything!
  • Hitching racks, which are cleaned up by the business owners or street department, would save ample amounts of money.
Click to expand...

Hence the "rarely" since I don't live in Amish land. LOL

MM
 
MonacoMike said:
It is really just a symptom of a bigger issue, we have reached a point where the average person is selfish and it is all about them. In the past only a few were that selfish and society could absorb it so it was not really an issue to society at large. Not so much today...

MM
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How about the amount of A-holes driving with their brights on?? When I began driving many years ago, it was rare to see someone driving with them on coming at you & if you flashed them they would shut them off. Now, its gotta be about 20% of the drivers on the road doing it & they leave them on no matter how many times they get flashed. At least when they are behind me, I just put my bed lights on. They are LED and extremely bright & irritating, even 100 feet behind me. Most times when I turn them on, the offender shuts their brights almost immediately. :cool:
 
To your point, I just opened up FB & this was the first post in my feed, LOL
 

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Youse guys what drives in da city must be different from the polite and law abiding drivers out here.

I'd bet I don't see 1 in 50 cars with their brights on but probably 1 in 5 use their blinkers. But it's still about 40% or more that still do their texting while they're driving. Can't fix all the stupid, I guess.
 
Gofirstclass said:
Youse guys what drives in da city must be different from the polite and law abiding drivers out here.

I'd bet I don't see 1 in 50 cars with their brights on but probably 1 in 5 use their blinkers. But it's still about 40% or more that still do their texting while they're driving. Can't fix all the stupid, I guess.
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Turn signals do not work in Indiana except in retirement areas, there they are just never turned off.

MM
 
Having been to Germany many times, I am amazed at the differences in both how the drivers differ from here and what I have been told the training program is.
The police aggressively patrol the left lane traffic and you WILL get pulled over if you simply remain in the left lane. My German friends ONLY will be in the left lane to pass and upon moving to the right, if traffic is lighter, will move all the way back to the right lane.
Additionally, they have perfected speed cameras that take the drivers picture so speeding in non Autobahn situations is minimal and controlled.
Also distracted driving is a MAJOR issue and will get you pulled over also.
 
Steve S said:
Having been to Germany many times, I am amazed at the differences in both how the drivers differ from here and what I have been told the training program is.
The police aggressively patrol the left lane traffic and you WILL get pulled over if you simply remain in the left lane. My German friends ONLY will be in the left lane to pass and upon moving to the right, if traffic is lighter, will move all the way back to the right lane.
Additionally, they have perfected speed cameras that take the drivers picture so speeding in non Autobahn situations is minimal and controlled.
Also distracted driving is a MAJOR issue and will get you pulled over also.
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I can attest to the effectiveness of these German cameras. :(

Driving in Europe is a pure delight. You can really see the effectiveness of lane discipline and how it allows traffic to flow freely. It also minimizes the risk of idiots doing dangerous and stupid things to try and get around left lane traffic putting everyone around them at risk. It's so obvious I just don't know why the law enforcement and driver training community over here don't see it.

Now Italy, that's another story. They do practice lane discipline but that's about it. What a free for all. :eek: And if you ride a motorcycle there you can do anything except speeding in small towns without getting ticketed.
 
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This is very unscientific, but I have noticed that when I use my turn signal on the freeway, others tend to do the same. When I don't, it seems others do not. When I blink at a semi that it is safe for the driver to merge his rig in front of me, I almost always get a turn signal as he pulls over and maybe a light blink too. Courtesy seems to be contagious.
 
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