What is it with all the distracted driver lately.

[sunandsand]

Saw a wonderful pictorial guide to Florida Interstates.

I-4 - drivers are dead zombies
I-75 - movie preview for Road Warrior (the original)
I-10 - stoned teenager with a mullet
I-95 - race start at NASCAR 500


I used to say I prefer flying because all the idiots are down on the ground. Unfortunately, I have to amend that to MOST of the idiots are down on the ground.

Two licensed pilots in a 172 at an unimproved airstrip in an un-named state (not Florida for a change). The strip is 3,000 feet long but rather than taxi back to take the whole thing, they decide to start their takeoff about mid-field.

As they are proceeding, they are having an argument about whether they should be doing a short field takeoff or a soft field takeoff and squabbling about flap settings.

Despite them, the airplane somehow gets off the ground anyway but at the end of the airstrip there is a railroad track.

They hit a TRAIN!!!!

They knew the takeoff was going to be sketchy but they couldn't wait three whole minutes for the train to pass.

"Pilot" #1 got out with cuts and bruises, "pilot" #2 spent a few days in the hospital. Airplane utterly and completely demolished, some minor scratches on the side of a boxcar. Engineer didn't even know the train had been hit.

These guys are going to spend the rest of their lives talking to the FAA, the NTSB, the FRRC, every other alphabet agency on the planet, insurance companies - and explaining it to their wives, who will NEVER fly with them.

If I hadn't read the FAA accident report from the link in General Aviation News, I would not have believed it.

On the bright side, no cell phones were harmed . . .

Best Regards,
Mike/Florida

 

[KennyG]

Really surprising how many people can't drive a stick!

Not too surprising since you have to have access to one to learn how to drive. My guess is that a majority of people have never been in a vehicle with a stick shift.

 

[Oaktree]

Not too surprising since you have to have access to one to learn how to drive. My guess is that a majority of people have never been in a vehicle with a stick shift.

Automatics have been the "standard" transmission in most vehicles for what, 50+ years now? Even back then it seemed about half and half of people I knew that could drive stick.

Seems to me to be a plus for self driving cars.

At least that's the rationale they're using to cram that technology down our throats whether we want it or not.

So if I'm riding in the passenger seat I shouldn't be able to make calls?

Would the world end if you couldn't? Before cellphones became ubiquitous we seemed to get along just fine not being able to do so.

 

[NUTTERDW]

Well for starters, how about the fact that every new vehicle has a giant touch screen television built into the dash now. But they tell you don't drive distracted.
Me personally, I'm less distracted holding my phone to my ear than I am trying to navigate the hundred buttons on my steering wheel and all all the digital crap on the dash.

I agree! Another issue is that every car or truck I get into has the controls in different locations. I have a Ford pickup and a Lincoln town car and the cruse controls are completely differentnt. Add in the touch screen and it is hard to keep my eyes on the road. Even something simple like turning my seat heaters on or off I have to take my eyes off the road and touch the screen.. Then the spot to touch is so small and I hit a bump in the road and who knows what is going to happen.

 

[sandman2234]

The stories I could tell you guys! (almost 4.5 million commercial driving miles)
Mike, it isn't just Florida!
It isn't just phones!
The attitude "it's all about me" and to heck with the rest of you is alarming!
I am almost ready to retire! (but that isn't going to fix the problem)
David from jax

 

[D&D]

Hauling my horse trailer at 45 mph in a 45 zone on a regular two-lane road without safe passing areas, suddenly there's someone passing me through an S curve where you cannot even see oncoming traffic. No bad results, fortunately.

Been there too, people are in such a hurry to go nowhere and seemingly 0 regard for what might happen. Part of this probably traces back to kids growing up without parents/supervision. Now, they are on their own, raising their families and teaching this to their kids

 

[GWagon]

This just happened in my area on Wednesday and left the interstate closed in one direction for over 24 hours

MSN

And that same day I had to dodge 3 drivers that about hit me head on because they were on the wrong side of the road. And I wan't even 10 miles from home at that point. And another 10 miles down the road had a car pass me and 2 other vehicles in a no passing zone.

Stand on the side of the road and shake your fist at careless or speeding drivers. If you don't do something no one else will.

 

[BleedingOrange]

I thing it should be mandated world wide that every new vehicle should have a front facing recording camera built in as part of the rear view mirror, and there should be a hands free way to transmit live video when it is decided that someone ahead of you is driving dangerously as it is happening to the closest police force. It should show plate number and GPS co-ordinates. The camera should have the capacity to store a weeks worth of driving, incase the police need to see and get a copy of the recording to charge the dangerous drivers.

 

[Eagle1]

I thing it should be mandated world wide that every new vehicle should have a front facing recording camera built in as part of the rear view mirror, and there should be a hands free way to transmit live video when it is decided that someone ahead of you is driving dangerously as it is happening to the closest police force. It should show plate number and GPS co-ordinates. The camera should have the capacity to store a weeks worth of driving, incase the police need to see and get a copy of the recording to charge the dangerous drivers.

Of course you are sure that the owner was driving, right? Not the friend of his past out 16 year old offspring in back seat.
I guess it could the ex that still has your registration pending divorce, or they sketchy dude that bought it.
Maybe it was car jacked or stolen....

Then since you took the recording you may have to testify in court to help secure a conviction, it is your civic duty, right?

You are going to need a lot a cops to chase this around., I expect everyone would record a dozen or more violations every day.

BTW I'm not a fan of big brother...

 

[Eagle1]

I'll leave this here. Who is at fault if this goes to the authorities as an uploaded incident and who was driving?

https://twitter.com/x/status/1949506767748026583