Driving rants

[CoastRange57]

Funny thing is, the uptick in death exactly co-incides with the increased speed statewide. What was 55-60 mph and generally survivable, is now 65-75 mph and generally not. LOL. Basic physics - no mystery.

The increase in population has a lot to do with it too. More people, means more wrecks. Cars are a lot more safer than when I was a firefighter / paramedic 30 years ago. Even with increased speeds, air bags, better vehicle construction all help decrease deaths.

I was looking a some number on the NTSB website the other day and the real metric is passenger deaths per million miles driven. Steady declines in the last 20 years. Even with the increased speed limits, most drivers are doing 15 to 20 mph faster than the limit anyway. Enforcement is practically non existent any more and limited to the worst cases the police can come across.

OSP has the worst crashes sometimes since those are all usually on higher speed state highways. Lane departure crashes, distracted driving, and as you pointed out the laws of physics prevail every time. People will take extreme chances to get in front of somebody they perceive is slowing them down. To the extent that they will put themselves and others at risk. Those same passenger deaths per million miles say a lot of them will get away with it.

The ones that don't are usually then involved in catastrophic collisions that can have multiple fatalities. Do a few body removals from those wrecks and you will have a real good understanding of how bad they can be.

 

[cigars]

you pass me because I am doing the speed limit and then park your butt on my front bumper with no increase of speed on your part.

Ugh. Those are the worst.

 

[L84Cabo]

If I'm in the left lane going over the speed limit some in moderate to heavy traffic, and passing cars, I won't hit the brakes to pull over into slower traffic so someone can get by. They need to wait until I get to an opening in the lane to the right.

This is fine. Actively passing is the point of the lane. Once you clear the slower vehicles and it's clear, move right and let the people who want to pass you do so. You have my permission to keep driving on my highways.

 

[CountryGent]

Being raised in Reno, only a few minutes from the Californian border, I learned to drive with Californians.

Ugh. I sojourned down there as a young man due to a work assignment. The morons on the road in this state are certainly legion, but driving in Cali-forn-I-A is a totally different experience. And not in a good way.

 

[Mikej]

This is fine. Actively passing is the point of the lane. Once you clear the slower vehicles and it's clear, move right and let the people who want to pass you do so. You have my permission to keep driving on my highways.

 

[WillNotComply]

I have a question. Eugene (ugh) area for a year now. Not being from around these parts I wonder about local driving habits. Here's the scene: 3 lane highway. There has been an "incident". Cars are pulled tight to the barrier in the left lane. "Incident Response Vehicle" behind them with flashing lights. The remaining TWO lanes are free and clear. BUT, everyone has to come to a virtual stop to gawk at the disabled cars. WTF! The 3 lanes are empty ahead but this behavior has created a mile long backup - just to gawk. The road is empty ahead as after everyone has had a good look, they take off like a bat out of hell. Please explain. My language that day melted some of the trim on my dash

 

[CamoDeafie]

I have a question. Eugene (ugh) area for a year now. Not being from around these parts I wonder about local driving habits. Here's the scene: 3 lane highway. There has been an "incident". Cars are pulled tight to the barrier in the left lane. "Incident Response Vehicle" behind them with flashing lights. The remaining TWO lanes are free and clear. BUT, everyone has to come to a virtual stop to gawk at the disabled cars. WTF! The 3 lanes are empty ahead but this behavior has created a mile long backup - just to gawk. The road is empty ahead as after everyone has had a good look, they take off like a bat out of hell. Please explain. My language that day melted some of the trim on my dash

Cant explain WHY but that is indeed a thing here. Every so often, maybe twice a month or thrice,,, if I decide I want to get to Salem in the afternoon on a Friday, this happens. A few miles long back up of cars and trucks going 10-25 mph because of an accident up the road, often right between the Ankeny Hill and N. Jefferson exits... times like these, I wish the I-5 section would be 6 lanes total between Albany and Salem... and more often the accident is because some idiot was speeding and weaving, or on a phone, or tried to merge at too fast a speed.

 

[jbett98]

You don't even need a wreck to slow up traffic, just someone in the emergency lane broke down with their flashers on.
Within minutes the opposite lanes will have a wreck as they do a looky lou and will rear end the vehicle in front of them that slowed down to gawk.

 

[BWH]

My main pet peeve with anybody on the road (drivers or motorcyclists) is following too closely. Combined with not paying attention this accounts for most accidents. I have been hit from behind 10 times, and almost hit many more times, and no it wasn't because I purposely slammed on my brakes - it was because they were not paying attention - and one of them drove off (I did get their license # and reported them to the WSP, who treated it like it was an annoyance to them to have to take the report, and who wound up doing nothing because they were from BC).

I try to always allow for a safe distance in front of me.

This safe distance you referenced above is YOUR safe stopping distance. YOURS. we were taught this in drivers training, defensive driving and tested on it several times in our lives as drivers. ALL OF US.
It seems nowadays, no one gives a rat turd about it and take it when they want it. Look at I5 for instance.
If you stay back 15 feet from the car in front of you, some idjit will wedge its car (most times subaru or prius)( mass transit was invented for sheeple) into that space, effectively stealing your safe stopping space. Thats theft. and then a lot of times they wave at you from their mirror. WTF.
what part of safe stopping distance did you not get while testing at dmv? maybe we need mandated retesting every 2 or 4 years.
I know this statement just chapped the butts of many of you here, but it makes sense for the masses. Those of us who know this stuff have no worries other than an inconvenience of time.

Here is another thing the state could do... have everybody read the MOTOR VEHICLE CODE book. lots of good stuff in there that lots of folks dont know but is their responsibility to know. It on the state web site.
One section even states the law/code pertaining to bicycles....did you know that when a bike uses a roadway designed for and used by powered motor vehicles, the (they) bike operator assumes adhering to the same rules, obligations and laws as a motor vehicles. this includes stopping, signaling, ect. the code book evens makes a statement regarding single file bikes, not side by side.

All this aside, I did a previous post regarding speed in idaho and utah, at 80 and 85 mph thru SLC, people there give you space and you will see 200-300 ft between vehicles at that speed while fly thru downtown slc on a 6 lane freeway. Spooky for us but it works well.
Here in oregon we have wrecks and cars get a little bent and a few medical issues, our death rate is lower, SLC at 80, cars are totaled and death is eminent. reason you see skid marks 10 feet up walls and such.

thanks for your time.

 

[Mikej]

One section even states the law/code pertaining to bicycles....did you know that when a bike uses a roadway designed for and used by powered motor vehicles, the (they) bike operator assumes adhering to the same rules, obligations and laws as a motor vehicles. this includes stopping, signaling, ect. the code book evens makes a statement regarding single file bikes, not side by side.

This is pretty funny. ALL over Portland are special little green sections painted with special paint, (at a pretty high cost I'm guessing), that mean bicyclists, in fact, DO NOT have to adhere to motor vehicle rules of the road! The yellow/orange signs with the bike/pedestrian image?

Just once I'd like to see a bike putz hit a small rock while he's peddling down the road WITHOUT his hands on the handle bars. And remove a bunch of skin from his face! Scares the stink out of me every time I have to pass one of those idiots!

 

[2ndtimer]

1980s diesel Rabbit, either the truck or the car, and other diesel subcompacts were doing 45-50 mpg on diesel back then
Someome was able to set up a 2wd 80s CUCV K5 Blazer with the 6.2L turbodiesel to do 25mpg highway, double what the gas versions were doing

Current diesel cars are also just about the same, with improved emissions and stuff

While the diesels may approach the hybrids in gas mileage, I am confident my wife's Prius is spewing far fewer particulates into the air we try to breathe. But, hey I have been taking a hard look at the new Ram 1500 with the Ecodiesel six. A four wheel drive pickup that can tow a trailer and still get over 20 mpg. (Over 27 without towing!) . I wonder if the wife's Prius can beat it from 0 to 60?

 

[RicInOR]

While the diesels may approach the hybrids in gas mileage, I am confident my wife's Prius is spewing far fewer particulates into the air we try to breathe

USA does not have Grade A diesel. In Europe, they have it and several small cars get close to 100mpg using it.
PEUGEOT 208 1.6L BlueHDi Active 75 S&S 94 mpg
FORD Fiesta 1.5 TDCi Style 85PS 91mpg
RENAULT Clio 1.5 dCi Play 90 ECO 91mpg
Best diesel cars to buy - Compare diesel cars UK 2018


We seem like the cheap bunker fuel.

And what is with the all the black smoke on demand.

 

[RicInOR]

I have ranted about this before and had a case over the weekend.

If you are pulling upto a light, pull up, don't try to "roll thru" it or hyper-mile it by approaching at ridiculously slow speeds.. Those behind you may need to get into the turn pocket.

 

[weimar_police]

I have lived in many states, driven in many more as well as overseas. I always hear 'Houston - Seattle - LA - Philly and on and on' drivers are the worse in the nation!

Where ever I have lived, folks complain and I think its just the people all over. Of course, I also hear 'it was SO much better 20 yrs ago!" And I have heard THAT, the last 40 yrs

 

[teflon6string]

Texting? Playing games? Phoning? Watching videos? Playing with iTunes and Pandora? Absorbed in GPS and Google Maps? Tweeting? Selfies? Internet? Taking video and photos? Etc? Etc?

Hell, even the stereo in my 2015 requires that I push 3 different icons just to turn the damn screen off! But unlike most of a generation that has never lived without constant electronic distractions 24/7, I only attend to mine when it's safe to do so.

Another sad thing about playing with car toys on the road is that too many people never really learned how to drive safely in the first place and are just plain clueless behind the wheel with or without them.