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Post by ironhold on Jun 14, 2013 14:28:44 GMT
Thing is, we're looking at the safety of their driving technique, not their fuel consumption.
And perhaps we could have a professional driving instructor review the videos?
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Post by the light works on Jun 14, 2013 14:51:35 GMT
OK - experiment idea. Experiment: how people drive under relaxed conditions vs. how they drive under tight timelines Control: volunteers are told to go from A to B, where a "party" is being held (IE one or more team members with cake and a karaoke machine). they may take as long as they want to. Variable: volunteers must re-run the same route. however, they are under a tight schedule; they *must* make it from A to B within a certain time period in order to be invited in. Camera crews will follow the people as they drive each way in order to determine the degree of risky vs. safe behavior they engage in while driving. It would be argued that this is much the same as Driving Angry. except that it would be measuring how well they blended in with the surrounding traffic, rather than how much fuel they used. |
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Post by silverdragon on Jun 24, 2013 9:09:43 GMT
Summer Driving....
Yesterday, at a set of very slow lights on red, just in front of me, we had top down convertible, "Tunes" playing....loudly....
Suddenly the tunes stop......
Everyone looks.... he turned the music off so he can answer the phone.....
When I say Everyone, I include the cop car to the right of me.....
I wonder if it was the siren or the lights that got his attention?....
(We have laws against hand-held phones...}
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Post by OziRiS on Jun 24, 2013 15:09:59 GMT
On the topics of driving, hand held cell phones, cops and the idiotic:
We're having some trouble here in Denmark at the moment. Cops around the country have figured out that they're apparantly free to do as they please when it comes to accusing people of talking on their phones while driving.
There have been several examples in Danish media over the past 6 months of officers having stopped motorists "on suspicion of having used a hand held device while driving". Even though some of these people have been more than both willing and able to prove that their phones haven't been used to make calls or text in the time frame that the officers have fined them for and even though the officers have no other "evidence" than what they believe to have witnessed, the courts still rule against the drivers and the Ministry of Justice have no intention of looking into the matter.
What the hell happened to the concept of the prosecuter carrying the burden of proof? What kind of society are we headed for when cops can accuse anyone out of nowhere and the courts can sentense people without any kind of real evidence?!
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Post by ironhold on Jun 24, 2013 16:00:45 GMT
Experiment -
Observation: Drivers heading out on vacation are often "worse" than drivers operating a normal commute.
Hypothesis: The reduction in driving skill, if it exists, is due to a mixture of distractions and excess weight on their vehicle, potentially leading to their being distracted and confused.
Control: Volunteers drive a standardized vehicle around a test course. The volunteers are by themselves, and the vehicle is hauling no cargo beyond basic roadside kit (like the spare tire and tire jack). Drivers are judged by a driving instructor who will monitor them via camera.
Variable #1: Volunteers drive the same standardized vehicle around the same standardized track, but speakers will be placed in the vehicle to simulate assorted distractions, like noisy passengers and loud music. Once more, their driving will be judged via camera by a driving instructor.
Variable #2: As above, but now with the addition of a trailer being towed behind the same vehicle.
Anticipated Results: For the myth to be "confirmed", then there needs to be a steady and consistent drop in scores - as assessed by the instructor - across the tests, with the control representing the highest score and the second variable experiment representing the lowest.
Potential follow-ups:
#1 - volunteers attempt the driving test on an actual city road. (helps to compensate for artificiality, but may up the risk factor significantly)
#2 - volunteers attempt the driving test using a variety of vehicles, such as a delivery van, a moving van, and an RV that the standard driver's license would permit them to drive but which they would normally not operate; the control would be taken in a standard passenger car for comparison. (helps to determine if size of vehicle and unfamiliarity are contributing factors as well, but may be prohibitively expensive)
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Post by silverdragon on Jun 25, 2013 8:46:09 GMT
In an accident(?) that happened many years back, where I stopped at a set of lights and the crazy (?) behind decided to carry on through, the police attended....
The police officer "interviewed" the other person, they accused me of driving like a fool, and that they had seen me on my phone anyway....
The officer was explaining this staring at my left ear....
It was the early days of "Bluetooth", but I had already got a hands-free kit with bluetooth headset.....
The copper asked just HOW they could see me using a phone, when my headset was in my left ear (Right hand drive) and there was no rear windows anyway (small Van)......
Of course, this almost went to court.... because of the accusations made by the twit....
Until the Judge asked a simple question... If I had been driving like a loon for the past 10 miles, just HOW did the person behind me actually manage to keep up?....
I had stopped for a set of red lights, yet the person behind was ignoring the lights and created an accident, The Judge said they would be found guilty of due care and attention, 100% damages, how many points can we put on their licence, I want them banned from the road for at least 12 months......
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Post by silverdragon on Jun 25, 2013 8:49:56 GMT
Side test, get a few people to pack the vehicle at home as if they were going on holiday/vacation....
Then weigh that vehicle with all the passengers inside.
Just how many vehicles are over-weight?....
Does any of those drivers know the recommended weight limit for that vehicle?....
Just what is the LEGAL weight limit anyway?...
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Post by the light works on Jul 1, 2013 14:23:52 GMT
and in my latest run, 5 miles at "people are actively drowning" pace, we had many people pull to the right as they were supposed to (good job, folks)a significant number of people stop in place (okay if you're not blocking the roadway) a noteworthy number of people pull to the left to pass people who were already pulling to the right - even on a double yellow. (bad, children) and one person pull into the center turn lane that I was using to get around those people who were stopping in place in the left (centre) lane and stop. (what, were you thinking?) (all victims survived without injury)
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 1, 2013 18:32:45 GMT
In Connecticut (and possibly other states), if you are pulled over for a driving infraction or involved in an accident, the cop can ask for you to hand over your cell phone so he can check the call & text logs to find out if you were using the phone at the time of the accident. Invasion of privacy?
Here's the problem with this: A lot of newer cars (and some older ones with aftermarket radios) have Bluetooth built into the radio. You could have been having a conversation using that feature, which is perfectly legal.
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Post by the light works on Jul 1, 2013 19:10:04 GMT
In Connecticut (and possibly other states), if you are pulled over for a driving infraction or involved in an accident, the cop can ask for you to hand over your cell phone so he can check the call & text logs to find out if you were using the phone at the time of the accident. Invasion of privacy? Here's the problem with this: A lot of newer cars (and some older ones with aftermarket radios) have Bluetooth built into the radio. You could have been having a conversation using that feature, which is perfectly legal. but not if your phone doesn't have bluetooth synced to the car... and here's MY problem - my wife bought be a bluetooth earpiece - it works great, except that unless I have it pressed against my ear with my hand, I cannot hear the other party, and they cannot hear me. kinda defeats the purpose, don't it? |
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 1, 2013 19:44:51 GMT
In Connecticut (and possibly other states), if you are pulled over for a driving infraction or involved in an accident, the cop can ask for you to hand over your cell phone so he can check the call & text logs to find out if you were using the phone at the time of the accident. Invasion of privacy? Here's the problem with this: A lot of newer cars (and some older ones with aftermarket radios) have Bluetooth built into the radio. You could have been having a conversation using that feature, which is perfectly legal. but not if your phone doesn't have bluetooth synced to the car... and here's MY problem - my wife bought be a bluetooth earpiece - it works great, except that unless I have it pressed against my ear with my hand, I cannot hear the other party, and they cannot hear me. kinda defeats the purpose, don't it? Not a very good earpiece you've got there. Which reminds me... In one of the cases we had, the driver had a Bluetooth headset hanging from his rearview mirror when he was pulled over. He could prove right then and there that it was connected to the phone and all he had to do was take it down, put it on, press a button, say the name of the person he wanted to call and then the phone dialed automatically. Why would he need to operate the phone with his hand? The officer couldn't answer that. Neither could the judge. Nor could any of them give a reasonable explanation as to why this man should pay a fine when the officer had written in his report that he'd pulled over a silver Peugeot 206, but the man didn't own a vehicle like that. He drove a dark blue VW Passat. Didn't matter. $1000. Pay up! |
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Post by The Urban Mythbuster on Jul 1, 2013 19:52:05 GMT
On the same ticket, a ticketing officer managed to incorrectly list my zip code and eye color (I have hazel, he wrote blue), which he could see by looking at my eyes or my license.
Amazing powers of observation they have at times...
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 1, 2013 20:04:13 GMT
Worst thing about it is that it quickly makes the entire police force look wildly incompetent when just a few of these stories surface...
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Post by the light works on Jul 1, 2013 20:04:45 GMT
but not if your phone doesn't have bluetooth synced to the car... and here's MY problem - my wife bought be a bluetooth earpiece - it works great, except that unless I have it pressed against my ear with my hand, I cannot hear the other party, and they cannot hear me. kinda defeats the purpose, don't it? Not a very good earpiece you've got there. Which reminds me... In one of the cases we had, the driver had a Bluetooth headset hanging from his rearview mirror when he was pulled over. He could prove right then and there that it was connected to the phone and all he had to do was take it down, put it on, press a button, say the name of the person he wanted to call and then the phone dialed automatically. Why would he need to operate the phone with his hand? The officer couldn't answer that. Neither could the judge. Nor could any of them give a reasonable explanation as to why this man should pay a fine when the officer had written in his report that he'd pulled over a silver Peugeot 206, but the man didn't own a vehicle like that. He drove a dark blue VW Passat. Didn't matter. $1000. Pay up! That said, it's more fuss and bother putting my earpiece on than it is grabbing my phone out of my pocket. - or was it an actual over-the-head type? |
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Post by OziRiS on Jul 1, 2013 20:08:25 GMT
Over-the-head type. And the guy told the reporter from the news that he was a traveling salesman so he was so used to using it that it took him less than 5 seconds to get it off the mirror and onto his head. His phone was in his pants pocket. If you've ever tried getting anything out of there while driving, you know it often takes more than 5 seconds, since you have to scootch your butt forward and stretch your leg in order to even get your fingers in there.
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Post by the light works on Jul 1, 2013 20:15:06 GMT
Over-the-head type. And the guy told the reporter from the news that he was a traveling salesman so he was so used to using it that it took him less than 5 seconds to get it off the mirror and onto his head. His phone was in his pants pocket. If you've ever tried getting anything out of there while driving, you know it often takes more than 5 seconds, since you have to scootch your butt forward and stretch your leg in order to even get your fingers in there. on the other side of the coin, I got tagged just after the law here was expanded to include business vehicles. I personally think diving for the shoulder when my phone rings is not an improvement - but it is what the laws says I must do when a critical call comes in. |
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