FknAmerican's First Rant

[FkNAmerican]

So I just read about "mynameis's" near fatal crash in Auckland due to some numb nuts running a red light and was recounting a couple of near misses I had in one single day (one from "dumb bitch on a cell phone" and the second from "dumb gangsta wannabe too thug to check his mirrors or signal before changing lanes) and it got me thinking it was time for a good old fashioned American style rant:

What the FUCK is up with drivers these days?!?! Seems to me that back in the day people actually knew what a turn signal was, how to use thier mirrors, where thier break peddle was located, and how long it took to stop from various speeds before impacting the object in front of them. Seems to me that back in the day people acually went for a drive, to DRIVE, instead of talking on their cell phones, texting, reading books and doing their makeup while driving. Has driving actually become a distraction to people instead of an actual act taking constant awareness, a moderate attention span, and focus?? Is driving really THAT boring?? Maybe Im completely out of touch with the rest of the world but I actually still go driving for FUN. I enjoy the act of driving itself and derive pleasure from the concentration and skill it takes to actually DRIVE WELL. To me, driving is a very cathartic experience. When I go driving, and especially when Im on my motorcycle, the rest of the world fades away and all my attention is focused on doing the job at hand. Often when I get off my motorcycle after a few hours I just feel better. There is something intrinsically rewarding about the simple act of driving well, even if only for a few hours. I get a simple sense of accomplishment and satisfaction after a weekend drive carving some corners.......not to mention the joy experienced while doing it!!

So why the hell is it that so many other people seem to be the polar opposite of me??!! Why do so many people drive as if its the last thing on earth they would like to be doing?!?! People brush their teeth, people change thier clothes, people read the newspaper, people talk on the cell phone, people constantly change the radio station or their I-pod playlists, people eat breakfast/lunch/dinner, people have sex......all while doing something that most rational people regard as requiring a significant percentage of the human attention span to do well.

Why the hell is that?? Have people really become that stupid and careless? Maybe they just feel invincible with all their airbags, roll cages, and seat belts......

Traffic fines, increased police presense, awareness campaigns on television, etc all seem to have done jack shit to decrease the number of brain dead people on public roads. So I say that every single person physically capable of doing so should be required to take the MSF course and get a motorcycle license and all drivers should be encouraged to ride a motorcycle as part of being a responsible motorist. Why you ask?

Because my driving, along with everyone I know who has taken the MSF course and got their motorcycle endorsement, has improved significantly ever since I started riding a motorcycle. I drive slower, pay closer attention to traffic and other drivers, look more closely (and look twice) at intersections, give proper spacing, look farther ahead, check my mirrors more often, etc.

So there is a VERY simple way to decrease traffic deaths and increase driver skill: Put more people on motorcycles!!!! It should be a freakin law or something.

Failing that.....Im thinking the death sentence should be more loosely interpreted ;)

[chris]

old fashioned American style rant:
3/10. Started promisingly but then tailed off.

[Griff]

Lost attention after 1st paragraph, sorry...

NZ needs to ban Automatics. Go back to manual cars, give them something related with driving to do with their hands

[MSTRS]

Go on. Admit it. You are in NZ, not the States, aren't you?
We just need to work on your terminology, to avoid confusion....we RIDE motorcycles, we advise turns with CONFIRMINATORS.
No, don't thank me - it's all part of the KB service

[Deviant Esq]

Same thing as we think in NZ - it should be compulsory to start out your driving career on a scooter or small motorcycle. Maybe have to do it for a year every ten years too... so they're forced to know what it's like to be on one.

[yod]

it should be compulsory to start out your driving career on a scooter or small motorcycle.

the smaller and the more mosquito-like it sounds, the better... :laugh:

[Chisanga]

we advise turns with CONFIRMINATORS.


Funny guy - bling awarded :)

[Ocean1]

3/10. Started promisingly but then tailed off.

Yup, required elements all there but a bit short on artistic licence.


Lost attention after 1st paragraph, sorry...

Think he mentioned he'd noticed the average attention span deficit around here somewhere there in the middle bit.

[Bnonn]

I can find nothing to fault in the OP.

[Griff]

Think he mentioned he'd noticed the average attention span deficit around here somewhere there in the middle bit.

Middle Bit? Was there a middle bit?

[Griff]

Maybe Im completely out of touch with the rest of the world but I actually still go driving for FUN. I enjoy the act of driving itself and derive pleasure from the concentration and skill it takes to actually DRIVE WELL. To me, driving is a very cathartic experience. When I go driving, and especially when Im on my motorcycle, the rest of the world fades away ....

Now read that last bit again....


When I go driving, and especially when Im on my motorcycle, the rest of the world fades away ....

I thought that the general idea was to maintain a heightened sense of awareness of the world around you, not inside your head...

Anyway I would have thought that coming from the states, you were used to "Friendly Fire"

[Ocean1]

Middle Bit? Was there a middle bit?

There's always a middle bit, you can recognise it by the simple expediency of eliminating the first bit and the last bit. Unless you're on the phone and fail to notice it....

[bart]

Nice rant.
Problem is, cars are too easy to drive these days. On a boring road, I'm almost asleep after about an hour. Bring back the old bone rattling shittas that take a bit of skill and a lot of concentration to drive.

[bell]

Why the hell is that?? Have people really become that stupid and careless? Maybe they just feel invincible with all their airbags, roll cages, and seat belts.....

Perhaps we've always had the careless and stupid amongst us, and we've just made it too easy to (a) obtain licences, and (b) not have to demonstrate that we are worthy (or competent or have changed our behaviours sufficiently) of getting their licence back after losing it.

If there was minimal or nil cost to the driver/road user, then it would be great to see some advanced driver training offered by the roading authorities/government.

If there was also minimal/nil cost involved then it can't possibly hurt to be reassessed for your car/truck/bike/? licence every 5 or so years. If you drive well, you'll have nothing to be concerned about. If you are a shite driver then you'll be found out by the comprehensive testing regime (...that will be in place when these new requirements are brought in).

After your "reassessment" if you are found to have demonstrated a need to be given further training, this will be organised for you - and be compulsory.

Thoughts? Opinions?

[onearmedbandit]

Lost attention after 1st paragraph, sorry...

NZ needs to ban Automatics. Go back to manual cars, give them something related with driving to do with their hands

And you think that will answer the problem? Automatics are in use the world throughout, more so than manuals.

[Ocean1]

Perhaps we've always had the careless and stupid amongst us, and we've just made it too easy to (a) obtain licences, and (b) not have to demonstrate that we are worthy (or competent or have changed our behaviours sufficiently) of getting their licence back after losing it.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Personally I don't care if careless and stupid drivers/riders are rehabilitated or not, as long as they're off the road I'll be happy. I could support a policy whereby the loss of a licence meant having to undergo advanced training before reinstatement, as long as the cost was coverec by the pary concerned. I'd be a tough bastard too, people tend not to change their day to day behaviour without a bit of pain...

[pritch]

Perhaps we've always had the careless and stupid amongst us, and we've just made it too easy to (a) obtain licences, and (b) not have to demonstrate that we are worthy (or competent or have changed our behaviours sufficiently) of getting their licence back after losing it.

Thoughts? Opinions?

Nobody I know in the motor trade would disagree with any of that. Even a retired Senior Chief Traffic Officer friend would agree with it - now. Although he wouldn't while he was in the job, and while Police did the licence tests.

The only little ray of sunshine I see is that the idea of a kilowat rule such as in use somewhere in Australia has now been floated. I can see that mums might not find this convenient. The little darlings might have to attend a driving school instead of picking up their parents bad habits. Bugger!

A system that roughly parallels the motorcycle licencing system sounds good to me. Nobody under the age of 25 allowed to drive a "performance" car. Brilliant! (It is known that the brain isn't fully developed until 25, some conceal it very well even after that).

I must be getting old but all that sounds great to me.:dodge:

[bell]

The only little ray of sunshine I see is that the idea of a kilowat rule such as in use somewhere in Australia has now been floated. I can see that mums might not find this convenient. The little darlings might have to attend a driving school instead of picking up their parents bad habits. Bugger!

A system that roughly parallels the motorcycle licencing system sounds good to me. Nobody under the age of 25 allowed to drive a "performance" car. Brilliant! (It is known that the brain isn't fully developed until 25, some conceal it very well even after that).

Yeah, I'm unsure how well that engine size/kilowatt stuff has worked in Australia. I think it's a very sound idea though. From memory when I got my Queensland "P" plate (Provisional licence) for the car it was for a 3 year period and in that time you could only accumulate 4 demerit points. My memory sucks somedays but IIRC you'd be looking at 3 points for a 21-30 k's over the limit ticket. Get that ticket on a public-holiday-long-weekend or during school holidays and the $ value of the fine and the demerit points is doubled! Start walking sonny....

Re driving lessons: a friend from the Netherlands has told me how expensive it is to get your licence over there. It is several thousand Euros all up by the time you've had the compulsory number of lessons. Then you sit the test.

I guess it could work if it was mandatory to have x number of lessons with an approved driving instructor.

[BarryG]

Man, you are lucky you don't live in South Florida! You'd really have something to rant about then.

I'm not sure I've been anywhere in the world lately where the standards of driving could be called even marginally competent - Portugal, NZ, US east and west coasts - the best I can remember was Germany, but that was many years ago.

I suspect that someone who has ridden or rides a motorbike will always be a better driver than someone who hasn't - training for survival always sinks in deeper and lasts longer.

Cheers
Barry

[James Deuce]

We don't "drive" motorcycles in NZ, we ride them.

[Grahameeboy]

I don't like driving an automatic, however, to twist things around a bit, I think that they should help you concentrate on the road more (around town) as you don't have to think about gears.

With big engines an automatic is probably better as the transmission gives you the right gear and kick down, to overtake, has got to be better.

I mean, once you are cruising doesn't matter whether you are in an automatic or manual.....and how many accidents happen on the open road so gears / automatic, doesn't matter.

I am not convinced that riding a scooter or motorbike necessarily makes you a better car driver........well not a scooter anyway.....it is about attitude..if you are an arsehole you will be an arsehole regardless.

We need to stop having a go at car drivers and blaming them for our existence or otherwise..........I find that I encounter have just as many non-alert drivers driving my large people carrier as I do riding my bike and there are also a few bikers who fall into the 'category'.....on the bridge last night the biker in front of me just changed lanes in front of me without indicating and then of course there are the 'bike racers' on KBer rides.

Easy to blame others but we hold our own existence in our own hands.

[Grahameeboy]

We don't "drive" motorcycles in NZ, we ride them.


Morning Jim Sir............"going for a ride in the car"......I am confused now.

[Grahameeboy]

.....now you got me thinking..."can I have a lift in your car"...........no there is not enough room!!

[terbang]

I'm not sure I've been anywhere in the world lately where the standards of driving could be called even marginally competent - Portugal, NZ, US east and west coasts - the best I can remember was Germany, but that was many years ago.


Its still good in Germany, all part of the way they (germans) do things. Ironicly enough the German Motorway system (Autobahn) has a lot of areas with no speed limit. Now that can be fun and fine for those with the right frame of mind but very lethal for a dick head to be loosed onto.

[FkNAmerican]

Griff, by "the rest of the world fades away" I meant everything else in the world fades away other then what Im taking in as a driver......thought that bit was obvious!!! Let me clarify: When Im on the motorcycle, every other worry in my life, be it school ,work, relationships, etc.....it all goes out the window and is replaced by the act of driving well and all the things that go along with that!

[kiwifruit]

motorists should have to ride a bike before they are allowed to apply for a car licence imho

basic bike handling course, on the dirt
basic bike handling course, on the road
1 year on a bike with less than 30hp
1 year on a bike with more than 30hp
then
basic car control, on the (wet) grass
basic car control, on the seal

etc etc

or ban all motor vehicles (best)

[bell]

Let me clarify: When Im on the motorcycle, every other worry in my life, be it school ,work, relationships, etc.....it all goes out the window and is replaced by the act of driving well and all the things that go along with that!


Eh?! Your bike has windows!?

Sorry...just had to. I'll go back to lurking now.