We made the trip, again, today and I drove, never hit the brakes and got almost 20 mpg in 211 miles. So driving habits have a lot to do with mileage. His Envoy has just under 40k miles and he has had the brakes done twice and has been told that he's got less than 20 percent left on the current set. Oh, and something else, I put some air in the tires before the trip, set them at 36psi. They were all below 30 and one was 22. He's not too involved in what's going on with his driving or his maintenance and he's paying the price. This is his second set of tires and he did not know that tires have air pressure and did not know that you have them rotated every now and then. I don't think you'll find him lurking arount bitog any time, soon. At least he has learned a couple of things, including the fact that the engine has six cylinders and a hood release.
Just learned something
- Thread starter LarryL
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Hood release? What ever you do, do not offer to do a sludge change on that car.
This thread confirms my contention that too many, if not all states, have become too lax in their driver's licensing laws! By that I mean that the testing is too simple, and the road test all too easy so that just about anyone can get a license. I think the tipping point came when most states did away with demonstrating competence in parralel parking! If a driver has little or no spacial awareness of "where" his/her vehicles is in relationship to other cars by being able to park the d**n thing, how can we assume that he/she can otherwise "drive?" Once upon a time, people were tested throughly about the rules of the road, safe vehicle operation, courtesy, and especially tecnical competence in handleing their vehicle. Any failures use to result in denial of a license until competence was demonstrated in retests. Somewhere about 20 some odd years ago, driving went from a conceptual privilege to a "right" and standards were lowered to accommodate that "right" to such a point that we see these compentcy issues more and more today. For those who were licensed 30 or more years ago, you know what I mean about the rigors of written and road testing. For those licensed 20 years ago or less, you will have little or no clue of what I am getting at.
In some parts of Europe, and Asia, licensing a driver can cost thousands of dollars and testing is unbeliveably diffcult, unlike here.
In some parts of Europe, and Asia, licensing a driver can cost thousands of dollars and testing is unbeliveably diffcult, unlike here.
Some people really amaze me.
My '97 Impreza has > 151K miles and still has all original brakes.
If you have to use your brakes, it's poor planning on your part!
Dave
My '97 Impreza has > 151K miles and still has all original brakes.
If you have to use your brakes, it's poor planning on your part!
Dave
Of course I bet he "knows" that he has to drive an SUV, but couldn't really tell you a good reason why.
SaturnIonVue, I agree. People don't even know basic traffic laws, besides the maintenance and car care stuff. I'd be willing to bet most people who have a license couldn't even pass the rediculously simple written or behind the wheel tests they had to take at 16.
IMO, there should be a manditory written test EVERY year, tougher then our current one. And a behind the wheel test every 5 years. I'd be willing to bet that doing this would decrease traffic deaths and accidents more then all other safetly laws combined as well as cutting down on road rage, gas usage, and car repair.
SaturnIonVue, I agree. People don't even know basic traffic laws, besides the maintenance and car care stuff. I'd be willing to bet most people who have a license couldn't even pass the rediculously simple written or behind the wheel tests they had to take at 16.
IMO, there should be a manditory written test EVERY year, tougher then our current one. And a behind the wheel test every 5 years. I'd be willing to bet that doing this would decrease traffic deaths and accidents more then all other safetly laws combined as well as cutting down on road rage, gas usage, and car repair.
$2K here in Japan for a native. Testing wasn't that hard, but the pass rate is about 20%.
Road test? What road test? I've never taken one, apart from my driver's education classes in high school. That's part of the problem.
My driving test - we couldn't find any cars to parallel park but the instructor was intending on doing one... She said something about a highway but then said to turn around and go back - I passed.
I've driven almost 6 years now (over 100,000 miles) and never gotten into an accident. But I can see how someone who doesn't know how to drive would passt the above test. It was way to easy and focuses too much on "moving your head back and forth" and not on how to drive the vehicle right.
I've driven almost 6 years now (over 100,000 miles) and never gotten into an accident. But I can see how someone who doesn't know how to drive would passt the above test. It was way to easy and focuses too much on "moving your head back and forth" and not on how to drive the vehicle right.
this is the same thing with my uncle. he went out and bought a brand new beautifull toyota prius. he drives it like a stolen car and then bitches that hes only getting 35mpg. well what do he expect when he squeel the tyres taking off from every stop and stopping very quickly instead of letting the regenerative brakes slow him down. also doing 80-90 on the interstate doesnt help the fuel economy. he should be getting 50-60mpg if he drove the prius how it was meant to be driven. but he does NOT use the prius how it was meant to be used, so he only gets about 35mpg, and bitches about it.
i drive a 96 dodge stratus with a v6 and autostick trans. i am getting around 35mpg because i drive very carefully. not slow mind you, just carefully. this car is suppose to get 22 combined mpg. i get 35 out of it.
it annoys me that my uncle has the prius and i do not. i should be in a hybrid because i enjoy maximising my mpg. i would drive a prius like it was meant to be driven. "very carefully"
i drive a 96 dodge stratus with a v6 and autostick trans. i am getting around 35mpg because i drive very carefully. not slow mind you, just carefully. this car is suppose to get 22 combined mpg. i get 35 out of it.
it annoys me that my uncle has the prius and i do not. i should be in a hybrid because i enjoy maximising my mpg. i would drive a prius like it was meant to be driven. "very carefully"
When I received my license in Athens, Greece all I had to do was pay a small amount at each step in the process, including my EY80 places for the car, and that included the guy that put the plates on the car. The UK was a lot tougher. One actually had to know something and demonstrate driving skills. In the US, it's pretty much a rubber stamp. It has been said that one in four drivers is a complete idiot. So, if you see three normal driver....you're it.
SaturnIonVue wrote:
>>Somewhere about 20 some odd years ago, driving went from a conceptual privilege to a "right" and standards were lowered to accommodate that "right" to such a point that we see these compentcy issues more and more today. For those who were licensed 30 or more years ago, you know what I mean about the rigors of written and road testing.
Indeed I do. As of last month I've been a licensed driver for 30 years, and for 8 of those I was a pro -- courier delivery in New Orleans. The rules of the road are honored in the breach, not the observance. Since the cops have other concerns since Hurricane Katrina, the drivers continually get away with stuff that makes my jaw drop.
Of course, 30 years ago, Louisiana's road test consisted of driving around a quiet subdivision, stop at a stop sign, right turn, left turn, and "You passed." I used to say my cat could pass the test if his paws could reach the pedals. How could it get any more lax?
But it apparently has.
-- Paul W.
>>Somewhere about 20 some odd years ago, driving went from a conceptual privilege to a "right" and standards were lowered to accommodate that "right" to such a point that we see these compentcy issues more and more today. For those who were licensed 30 or more years ago, you know what I mean about the rigors of written and road testing.
Indeed I do. As of last month I've been a licensed driver for 30 years, and for 8 of those I was a pro -- courier delivery in New Orleans. The rules of the road are honored in the breach, not the observance. Since the cops have other concerns since Hurricane Katrina, the drivers continually get away with stuff that makes my jaw drop.
Of course, 30 years ago, Louisiana's road test consisted of driving around a quiet subdivision, stop at a stop sign, right turn, left turn, and "You passed." I used to say my cat could pass the test if his paws could reach the pedals. How could it get any more lax?
But it apparently has.
-- Paul W.
I was thinking that there ought to be a cellular phone detector in cars..when it detects a cell phone in use, it:
1)Automatically pulls over and applies the brakes
2)Turns on the hazard lights
3)Shuts the engine off
4)Won't allow the car to be restarted until the cell phone conversation is over.
Tosh, the government (at least the one I work for) does care. Ask the people who regularly use the terms "spirited", "agressive","wide open throttle daily","drive it like I stole it","driven hard" to name a few that post here.Therein lies your answer, not asking the government.
That would be nice for people who hold their cell phone to their ear. I think it helps if people use ear pieces - wireless or what not.
I still agree though - the more involved you get in a conversation the less aware you are of what is going on around you = dangerous on the freeway.
I drive 220 miles to and from work and I can't tell you how many times I've had cell phone drivers plow into my lane without looking. Actually had a guy do that this morning... I just took a quick turn into the lane next to me. The guy didn't have a clue I was in the lane he just turne into.
What (WTFruit) happened to looking before you turn?!
I still agree though - the more involved you get in a conversation the less aware you are of what is going on around you = dangerous on the freeway.
I drive 220 miles to and from work and I can't tell you how many times I've had cell phone drivers plow into my lane without looking. Actually had a guy do that this morning... I just took a quick turn into the lane next to me. The guy didn't have a clue I was in the lane he just turne into.
What (WTFruit) happened to looking before you turn?!
IMHO, the real problem is the fact that the most widely accepted form of ID in the US is a driver's license. The day a license is used solely for the purpose of operating a vehicle and not to be able to cash checks at Quick Loan establishments, is the day the US can start catching up with the rest of the industrialized world keeping bad drivers of our roads.
I am all for the Federal system giving States their autonomy, but this is one issue I wish there was a uniform, stringent system for issuing general IDs and drivers licenses, each serving their specific purpose. The same can be said for vehicle safety/emmissions checks, every state does it differently.
Try:
1) Disable brakes and airbag.
2) Implement wide open throttle for 20 seconds.
3) Turn on the hazard lights.
4) Turn steering wheel to right until it hits the stop.
5) Lock steering wheel.
Seriously, I heard on NPR that drivers have the same performance on the cell phone as drunk.
Thus, I no longer use the cell phone while moving.
If it rings, great. The caller Id or your message will tell me how to return your call. From the parking lot of the McDonald's at the bottom of the highway off-ramp.
This is pretty academic, but I think it's more of a capability that can be trained to. I flew for eight years in the Marines and we quite routinely had to talk to three different people/agencies on the radios, while flying, navigating, and preparing to do the mission (often involving delivering very dangerous objects in very precise locations). It certainly can be done, as my simple survival proves. Of course, whether the typical boob behind the wheel of a car in the 'States can hack it safely is another matter. We just don't try hard enough or demand enough from people.
ekpolk - exactly. My dad is a pilot (civilian) and we often times take his plane to work (both work for the USACE). Flying requires tramendous amounts of multitasking.
I wonder if someday they will have to make getting a drivers license like getting an airplane license... If pilots can look at 20+ guages, maintain correct fuel/air mixture, talk on the radio, while keeping the airplane on track....
Why can't someone drive and talk on a cell phone?!
I wonder if someday they will have to make getting a drivers license like getting an airplane license... If pilots can look at 20+ guages, maintain correct fuel/air mixture, talk on the radio, while keeping the airplane on track....
Why can't someone drive and talk on a cell phone?!
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