So, exactly how many?

[churchmouse]

The only thing I have not seen here that you would constantly see at night on the DC Beltway, is porn playing on the DVD player. I'm like others here, I don t get the scooters out much anymore.

Running behind an SUV rolling on 28" rims and it had 2 drop down monitors playing Porn. You could see it plan as day.

 

[indyjohn]

You gotta be on your game 100% when you are on the road now days. Continually scanning for threats and ALWAYS knowing where you gonna put your vehicle safely to avoid them is the rule.

Yes. This. And the reason I drive a personnel carrier with a cow catcher.

IndyGunworks: I hope you are right.

 

[Shadow]

Ok I agree with all here --- but what wasn't mentioned and has been seen --- What about the police officer running down the road , punching info into a computer next to him , running plates or something , I have seen them on their cell phones too and they have been in accidents also , just not reported as much . I am not bashing them - I believe it should go back to the way it was years ago , 2 officers to a car , the rider calls in the numbers - well he could be the one on the computer running the info . I know it would cost the tax payer more - but im one of those tax payers that wouldn't care - I think these poor officers have to put up with way to much trying to do it all alone .

 

[Leo]

This is the reason we are seeing the level of stupidity on the road. Cars are to freaking easy to drive. They near drive themselves anymore allowing the Darwin candidate behind the wheels to apply make up, watch DVD's, run a laptop while talking on the cell, and on and on and on.

My Grandfather said the roads were dangerous because of the Hudson Car company. They made power steering easily available so that the weak could be driving on the roads. When Automatic transmissions were common, the stupid could be on the road too. He never commented on electric starter motors, I think he liked them.

 

[Leo]

And that got me to wondering – just how many traffic fatalities are occurring that we never hear about.

There are lots of things we don't hear about. I used to shoot pistols with officers from the 2nd precinct in CHicago. It was common knowledge that they picked up around 20 bodies on weekends that were not reported by the news, no one claimed as missing and were seldom identified. Some with bullet holes or knife wounds, some with skulls bashed in, some full of drugs. That is just the way it is where life is cheap.

 

[churchmouse]

My Grandfather said the roads were dangerous because of the Hudson Car company. They made power steering easily available so that the weak could be driving on the roads. When Automatic transmissions were common, the stupid could be on the road too. He never commented on electric starter motors, I think he liked them.

Yeah, it is a never ending cycle.
My 1st car was a 1950 Ford business coupe. Wish I still had that car. Near impossible to drive in tight places (I was 12) and it required total attention.
1st car with power anything was a 1962 Belair. Auto/steering. Wish that one was in the stable to. I near always had sticks. They were faster. Taught me to stay on top of my driving.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

Ok I agree with all here --- but what wasn't mentioned and has been seen --- What about the police officer running down the road , punching info into a computer next to him , running plates or something , I have seen them on their cell phones too and they have been in accidents also , just not reported as much . I am not bashing them - I believe it should go back to the way it was years ago , 2 officers to a car , the rider calls in the numbers - well he could be the one on the computer running the info . I know it would cost the tax payer more - but im one of those tax payers that wouldn't care - I think these poor officers have to put up with way to much trying to do it all alone .

They get way more training on the various ways to drive a vehicle than most of us will ever get .

 

[jkaetz]

My LEO neighbor says it’s all but impossible to prove. I think it should carry the same punishment as DUI, that sure would cure the masses of the habit. It’s crazy, the same LEO neighbor says 30% of ALL drivers are looking at something other than the road in front of them.

Since punishment for DUI doesn't stop DUI from happening I doubt that's the answer. I'm afraid the only real solution to the problem is to not allow people to drive.

I was listening to a fascinating interview on Fresh Air tonight with a tech reporter talking about the technology in cars right now that help prevent them from crashing into each other. Cars with rush hour cruise that follows the car in front of you.

He said the biggest challenge of fully self driving cars is actually keeping the occupants awake and alert enough to take control of the wheel if the car determines a driver does need to take over.

He said all of the crashes you heard about recently with Google's self driving cars have actually been caused by human error.

He predicts self driving cars aren't the end goal, but that ultimately automakers will focus on creating cars that are really hard to crash into each other.

Your friend is right and wrong. The only way to keep crashes from happening is to turn the ENTIRE function of driving over to the computers and not allow human intervention. His own words said that all the crashes were due to human error so it seems the only solution is to remove the human part. There's no way a human can be ignoring the road while the computer drives and suddenly take over for the computer and react faster than the computer if something unexpected happens. We are approaching the level where computers can analyse and act on all the variables of driving better than we can. Add some learning algorithms to the computers and they'll be able to act on past experiences just as well as we can.

 

[embmtxatl]

I have seen 2 bikers text while riding on I465. They had to be going 70 at the time. Shocked me. I would never have dreamed anyone would do that on a motorcycle.

There was just a guy die a few weeks ago on I-65 because he as texting and riding on his motorcycle. It is bad enough doing it in a car but on a bike Is crazy!

 

[dsol]

This is one of the reasons we sold our Harley's. Way to many idiots that have no clue what id beyond the hood. Zero situational awareness. See it every time we leave the house. Right hand full of phone and eyes are not on the road.

Unplug, drive your rig.

I had a bike back in the 90's before every flippin idiot was checking facebook on their cell every minute while driving. It was dangerous enough back then and had a close call or two. Sold it when my daughter was born. Said it was because we had four vehicles, three of which would only carry two people (bike, Triumph sports car, and a mini pickup). But the real reason was that little girl... I wanted to make sure I would be around to hold her, teach her to ride a bicycle, intimidate boyfriends, walk her down the aisle and hold a grand baby some day. There are so many idiots now on the road, my son does not want a bike like I did when I started driving. He wants metal around him...