City Drivers - at night

[3930dave]

A few more small subdivisions are getting built in fields around here. I commented on an issue at work, and it seems other people have noticed too.....

I suspect some big-city-only drivers are conditioned to usually driving at night under street-lights. During the morning drive here, I've come across a few new cars, city dealer stickers, driving too slowly through mild curves on wide, good-condition, paved rural roads. (Early enough it's still dark, zero bad weather/road conditions, and nothing but empty fields).

When I mentioned it a work, somebody chuckled about independent courier drivers almost freaking out about being up from the city when it's dark out......

People at any age can have lousy night-vision, but the longer I live I have become more thoughtful about the patterns that people (and myself ) fall into......

Rgds, D.

 

[Oaktree]

I suspect some big-city-only drivers are conditioned to usually driving at night under street-lights. During the morning drive here, I've come across a few new cars, city dealer stickers, driving too slowly through mild curves on wide, good-condition, paved rural roads. (Early enough it's still dark, zero bad weather/road conditions, and nothing but empty fields).

Not just at night. I suspect it has more to do with being uncomfortable with somewhat narrow, winding roads with little or no shoulder.
An old friend who's lived in the city for many years was up here a few years ago, and complained about all the locals passing him on one particular stretch of road. Same stretch I often grumble about getting behind pokey drivers on...:laughing:

 

[MoKelly]

Around here there are many places where the 2 lane is narrow, no shoulders and hilly enough that you can’t see oncoming traffic. The speed limit is 55MPH.

It can be unnerving to go 55+ toward the crest of the hill knowing if another driver is coming at you and not paying attention (fooling around on a phone) it would be not so good.

As a result, I give folks the benefit of the doubt and don’t complain if they are cautious - especially if they are not used to this kind of situation.

MoKelly

 

[RalphVa]

Our preacher in Singapore came over here for a year or two sabatical. Two things impressed him. One was how dark it was at night. The other was having a bath tub.

Ralph

 

[ultrarunner]

Yep... I drive the speed limit and always passed on country roads...

My guess is locals in a hurry.

At my brother's a few weeks back a new expensive subdivision where homes start at 1.5m was built.

He heard sirens and went to investigate.

Brand new Lexus SUV on its side taking out 80' of brothers new deer fence.

Driver said road to narrow and right wheel went off pavement into culvert... she jerked wheel to left and rolled car... single vehicle event in clear dry weather.

She said road is unsafe because of culverts.

Road is old county road and subdivision farm land annexed by city.

 

[3930dave]

All what you're used too..... very true.

Some people get used to bouncing off curbs, back into their lane, in the city..... and they don't ever realize what they are relying on. Standard basic driver training used to cover what to do (or, more importantly what NOT to do....) if you drop a wheel off the edge of the road...... If it's always somebody/something else's fault, then that driver will never improve..... having lots of money tends to compound that attitude, IMO.

Some people are the opposite, and drive way too fast, for both the road and current conditions. Good road and traffic conditions, I won't do more much more than about 10% over the limit..... govt here gets too much of my money already.....

I've driven very narrow goat paths in rural Canada, I don't question anybody taking those slowly at all.

Perhaps my night vision is better than average..... having learned to drive with old sealed beams back when, I never found country roads at night to be that difficult. Again.... what you are used too......

In contrast, modern light-vehicle headlights are world's ahead in output compared to old 70s headlamps (beam pattern accuracy is debatable, but that's another topic), so modern vehicles have that advantage today.

Digital dashes can create collateral issues, esp. wth DRLs like are mandated here...... seen plenty of people driving late-model vehicles with no rear lighting in very dim/dark conditions. Was in a Ford dealership and heard a customer loudly but politely complaining about his Edge....... turns out the ambient light sensor failed, and the dash-screen then defaulted to maximum brightness, not adjustable. Guy said he just about ended up backing into a ditch, trying to pull a U turn at night on a cottage road, while blinded by the dash....... definitely not an old school Saab design......

Situational Awareness..... always matters on the road. Drunk drivers, medical events, loose items falling out of a truck.... are often the top of the list..... thread title is down at a subtler level...... turns out some people are scared/intimidated by the dark !

Agreed, patience is useful.

Rgds, D.

 

[ultrarunner]

Learned to drive on a Model A with 32 cp headlights and the reflectors were in need of re-silvering so the lights are more so others can see you opposed to you seeing out ahead... the small dash light was just enough for the panel. The lights did brighten up a bit at highway speed from the extra generator electricity.

I was mentioning this to one of my friends and he said you kids don't have a clue???

He learned to drive on a Model T with old oil and acetylene lamps... kind of a yellowish glow with really no view of the road and having to keep the wicks trimmed for oil... he really hated to drive on a no moon night.

I was driving a late model Land Rover and the visibility provided from the headlights was astonishing...

One thing drivers in the olden days didn't have to account for is someone with high beams on your tail... I'm always flipping the rearview mirror at night.

 

[Dftodd]

Not just at night. I suspect it has more to do with being uncomfortable with somewhat narrow, winding roads with little or no shoulder.
An old friend who's lived in the city for many years was up here a few years ago, and complained about all the locals passing him on one particular stretch of road. Same stretch I often grumble about getting behind pokey drivers on...:laughing:

Thats pretty typical on the main route my wife and I take to and from work. Typical winding rural road.

Locals usually average about 65 down that route. Slow down to 50 for a couple of the turns, 55 for the rest.

Someone driving it the first time it's an average of 40 to 45.

Worse at night and they meet a car. They have to slow down to 25mph everytime they have headlights approaching.

What really chaps my fanny though. These idiots will almost stop on turns, but when they hit a large straight away where they can be passed, they will speed up to not let you get by. Then back to being the idiot almost stopping on the corners

 

[kenmbz]

I grew up city and rural Mountain. We are back to rural now and can always tell the tourists.
They hit the brakes when a car comes from the other direction-they get scared it seems.
At night they put on the brights, even on the long straightaways. Don;t think I've used my brights around here ever
They usually don;t speed around here, mostly ride the brakes with all the turns.

Makes driving much less fun having to hot the brakes all the time when I'm only trying to do the speed limit.
Some doing 30 in a 45 and hitting the brakes for each turn and oncoming car.

Have a lot of people who just stop to gawk at the cows or a deer, thinking the road is a fine place to park for a view.

When I drive in the city, switch to slow and defensive, can see the country folk freaking out when taxis cut them off to pick up a fare.

So both Rural and City drivers are funny when out of their comfort zone.

 

[ultrarunner]

Dont forget less margin when the deer jumps out in front or farmer Browns cows got out...

Last year vandals cut pasture fences and about 30 cows were wandering the county road at night... neighbors rallied to round them up...

Some in the subdivision complained of the hazard saying cows really shouldn't be here... didn't hear much blame assigned to the fence cutters.

My brother sent me a picture and said how do you like the herd... he had all of them on his property for a few hours because he was fenced and near the road making it convenient for temporary placement...