h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I cummute to work every morning and home every evening along a single carriageway country road, where the national spped limit applies. We travel on average at between 40 -55 mph, which is far faster than ifwe had taken the main road running parallel where average journey times from the same start and finish points is 15 minutes slower. We are happy to trundle along in our procession knowing we will get to work in 20 minutes unless a crash happens. But occasionally you get little boy racer, obviously not a regular at that time in the morning, tries to overtake the queue. This queue is about 10 miles long mind. Now who do you think causes most of the crashes along this strech of raod in the mornings and causes the occasional delays.

Yes you've guessed it, impatient drivers taking risks on blind corners or brows of hills etc. Yeah you guessed the impatient ones.

Where as I'll agree that impatient drivers are the ones who end up involved in accidents, why do they get impatient?

I don't for one second agree with the way that boy racers, and having been one I know what of I speak, over take on blind corners. I don't agree with the way people break the speed limit. There are way too many bad drivers on the road as it is.

But in this scenario, the guy wasn't sticking to going a steady 10 or so miles below the speed limit, he was sticking at his speed, regardless of the speed limit. I'm pretty sure that even if he had been passing a school at hometime he still would have been doing 40mph.

Yeah Pastey I know, just getting my peeve out of the way having been stuck behind just such a crash on Friday on the way to work, the 3rd in 5 weeks.

There are just way too many stupid drivers on the roads. I sometimes think that a driving licence should only be valid for a period of around five years. Then everyone should have to take their test again.

The following is a discussion Joanna & I have had via e-mail:

> > > > Tractors & other slow-moving vehicles - good or bad for
> > > > other road users?
> > > bad, when you're desparately trying to catch the last train from the middle of nowhere so's you can get home that night so's you can get to Church the next day.... happily it didn't get in front of us, but it could have all ended in rather worried tears...
> > I think that tractors are good for road users - there
> > should be a lot more of them on the roads, especially in
> > busy cities like Leeds.
> > On the Isle of Wight, where-ever you go, chances are you're
> > going to be stuck behind a tractor doing 25-30mph. And
> > there'll be a queue, and you won't be able to overtake. The
> > mainlanders for some reason get really frustrated about
> > this, but us Islanders are used to it. It's part of
> > everyday life, and it means that you don't rush anywhere,
> > but if you are in a hurry, you just leave earlier.
> > If you are used to being stuck behind tractors, then you
> > don't get frustrated by them, and you stay calmer. Over 60%
> > of Islanders don't travel on mainland roads because the
> > drivers are too impatient. They don't slow down to let
> > people cross the road unless they are at a zebra crossing
> > (if you are lucky) and they like honking horns, getting
> > angry, because they are impatient and used to rushing.
> > If you've spent your whole life stuck behind a tractor,
> > then you don't feel the need to rush. You stay calm,
> > relaxed, unhurried, and you are a better driver,
> > friendlier, and more helpful. Sarah finds driving on the
> > mainland impossible as she grew up in an atmosphere of
> > considerate drivers - and she is not the only one to have
> > said that mainlanders don't care for other road users.
> > I think big cities, especially Leeds, need to slow down,
> > leave earlier - and get used to being stuck behind
> > tractors. The whole "in a hurry" philosophy is just wrong.
>
> The in a hurry philosophy exists and putting tractors in a city like Leeds, although it shouldn't would probably create a violent response.

But only at first until they got used to it.
If they get violent, then it shows that they are unsuitable
to be driving if something as minor as a tractor angers
them. Their licences should be revoked.

> The trouble is as well as affecting cars you'd affect buses and taxis as
> well; mainlanders are brought up to travel with all convenient speed - its a
> part of the way we are as much as being relaxed is a part of who you are.
> Mainlanders are frustrated behind tractors and islanders are frustrated in
> the busier, harsher mainland conditions- rightly or wrongly it cuts both
> ways.

But the mainland has more traffic accidents and road rage
hurts & kills. The mainland way is more painful for
everyone.

As for buses & taxis - they shouldn't be over-affected if
you have bus lanes that only buses & taxis are allowed to
use. There are (very) few in Southampton, and they work
well. Besides, the Island bus service isn't affected - and
trains aren't affected at all.

> Mainlanders want to travel fast - the way they are. But putting things like
> tractors in a big city would negatively affect public transport, which
> mainlanders need to use to preserve the world. Ideally then no one apart
> from people who are paid to would have to drive, and they could be employed
> on a basis of having good driving skills and a calm temperament.

But with tractors on the road, fewer people would bother
taking their own cars, and if there are small local train
stations nearby, trains would be more popular, as would
buses.

> I don't and won't live in the countryside precisely because I do not want to
> spend time driving behind a tractor.. and whats it doing driving long
> distances anyway?

How do you think food leaves farms? By magic?
But what's wrong with spending time behind a tractor - it's
much more fun than having to spend all your time
accelerating in a city where you don't know what lane
you're supposed to be in and there are several cars behind
you honking and not giving you time to think.
Being behind a tractor is relaxing. It calms you down.
Motorways never can.

> > > > > The in a hurry philosophy exists and putting tractors in a city like
> > > Leeds,
> > > > > although it shouldn't would probably create a violent response.
> > > >
> > > > But only at first until they got used to it.
> > > > If they get violent, then it shows that they are unsuitable
> > > > to be driving if something as minor as a tractor angers
> > > > them. Their licences should be revoked.
> > > >
> > > > > The trouble is as well as affecting cars you'd affect buses and
> taxis as
> > > > > well; mainlanders are brought up to travel with all convenient
> speed -
> > > its a
> > > > > part of the way we are as much as being relaxed is a part of who you
> > > are.
> > > > > Mainlanders are frustrated behind tractors and islanders are
> frustrated
> > > in
> > > > > the busier, harsher mainland conditions- rightly or wrongly it cuts
> both
> > > > > ways.
> > > >
> > > > But the mainland has more traffic accidents and road rage
> > > > hurts & kills. The mainland way is more painful for
> > > > everyone.
> > > >
> > > > As for buses & taxis - they shouldn't be over-affected if
> > > > you have bus lanes that only buses & taxis are allowed to
> > > > use. There are (very) few in Southampton, and they work
> > > > well. Besides, the Island bus service isn't affected - and
> > > > trains aren't affected at all.
> > > >
> > > > > Mainlanders want to travel fast - the way they are. But putting
> things
> > > like
> > > > > tractors in a big city would negatively affect public transport,
> which
> > > > > mainlanders need to use to preserve the world. Ideally then no one
> apart
> > > > > from people who are paid to would have to drive, and they could be
> > > employed
> > > > > on a basis of having good driving skills and a calm temperament.
> > > >
> > > > But with tractors on the road, fewer people would bother
> > > > taking their own cars, and if there are small local train
> > > > stations nearby, trains would be more popular, as would
> > > > buses.
> > > >
> > > > > I don't and won't live in the countryside precisely because I do not
> > > want to
> > > > > spend time driving behind a tractor.. and whats it doing driving
> long
> > > > > distances anyway?
> > > >
> > > > How do you think food leaves farms? By magic?
> > > Not by tractor - they have most no storage space!
> > Ah, but they almost always have trailors, carrying all
> > sorts of things from bundles to manure etc... You can never
> > tell.
> Not the ones I have experience with... you can tell I don't do this often,
> can't you?
> >
> > > > But what's wrong with spending time behind a tractor - it's
> > > > much more fun than having to spend all your time
> > > > accelerating in a city where you don't know what lane
> > > > you're supposed to be in and there are several cars behind
> > > > you honking and not giving you time to think.
> > > > Being behind a tractor is relaxing. It calms you down.
> > > > Motorways never can.
> > > No its not, you're in their pollution wake too... Thing is, to a
> mainlander
> > > it doesn't calm you down, it makes you more aggravated, so that in the
> event
> > > that the tractor and you part company sadly they are more likely to go
> to
> > > fast to compensate.
> > But that's because you haven't had the experience - after
> > having the experience, you'd start to calm down. And in a
> > long line of 50 plus cars held up by the tractor, you can't
> > go fast to compensate as you still are stuck.
> >
> > The mainland way of driving is deadly. It kills far more
> > than the island way. That cannot be good.
> > People who are unable to stay calm shouldn't be able to be
> > allowed to drive, as they are the ones who cause accidents
> > and kill people. Speed kills, not taking your time.
> >
> > And buses aren't affected by tractor-traffic as buses stop
> > every few minutes at each stop, and so are slower than
> > tractors in any case.
> >
> > There are far too many cars on the roads, and soon
> > something will have to be done to decide who should not be
> > able to drive - and the best way is to get rid of those
> > whose driving is a menace to other road users and
> > pedestrians, and they are the people who get frustrated and
> > aggravated, and speed up for no reason.
> > Those who are intelligent enough to realise that it is
> > better to leave early and give yourself plenty of time to
> > go to work etc. so you don't have to rush and cause
> > accidents & get frustrated should be allowed to drive.
>
>
> They should: Make car free zones to a radius of 3 miles out around a city
> centre. & implement park and ride schemes, and encourage projects like the
> underground in London, the metrolink in Manchester, the super tram in
> Sheffield to extend out further from the citys to try to eliminate people
> wanting to drive anyway. They should re-nationalise the buses and the
> trains, and concentrate on making them run to timetable - I'm happy to have
> to spend 4 hours going from Glasgow to Manchester - although track
> improvements could quicken the time - if it does take four hours, and the
> train doesn't wind up leaving 1 hour 12 minutes late. The west coast
> mainline is slower than the east coast- I'm happy to spend more time on the
> train, if its not going to be cancelled or whatever.
> The same with buses - they travel slowly (not terribly slowly though, in the
> countryside bus stops are very far apart, although they don't take the
> quickest route from A to B) - but people would be more inclined to use them
> rather than cars if they also ran to timetable strictly. Thats why they
> should be nationalised- so that they're accountable if they don't run on
> time.
> Doctors should still be allowed cars, no family should be allowed more than
> one car unless there are serious mitigating circumstances. Licenced taxi
> firms should exist for where its necessary - ie. so disabled ppl can travel,
> say, and so that people who need to get somewhere quickly - like hospital
> when its not quite an emergency can. Its actually cheaper to take the taxi
> everywhere than it is to go by car... Also, if for example you have a lot of
> luggage, its not just hard to get it on the bus, its also not nice for all
> the other passengers having no space for their smaller stuff in the luggage
> rack.
There is absolutely nothing there that I disagree with, and
many things that I strongly agree with.
The main thing is cars travel too fast where there are
cars. Cars try and boast about being able to go faster than
any others, boasting about top speeds and acceleration.
Against them, environmentally friendly cars like electric
powered cars do not have a chance. No-one will buy electric
powered cars until they are forced to drive slower. That's
why the Sinclair C5 failed. It was practical, safe,
environmentally friendly, but slow. No-one wanted it in the
cities as people want to be able to travel fast.
We've had technology to make practical electric cars for
years - look at milkfloats. But until traffic is slowed
down, no-one will want to invest in them.

Note to self go back and read BB's post.

BTW Pastey the NI driving licence is valid for only 10 years.

I grew up in rural Wiltshire -- a sort of land-locked Isle of Wight. I learned to drive behind tractors. However, I would like to state here that Leeds does not, NOT, need more tractors. And the Antmobile agrees.

Leeds does need bigger parking spaces to accommodate Antmobiles.

A fixed term driving licence is still a good idea in my opinion.

In theory it would also mean that the cost of driving test should go down, seeing as there are more of them. Fuzzy logic I know, but it /should/.

As for tractors, isn't there an unwritten rule somewhere that states that they must pull over once the queue reaches 3 miles?

Yes, they do pull over every now and then, but that doesn't affect the speed of the traffic on the Island as hardly anyone drives over 40mph anyway. No real need to - why hurry? Chances are there's only going to be another tractor a few minutes further along the road.

In experience, slower drivers are happier drivers - they are more considerate to both pedestrians and cyclists, and we have a lot fewer road accidents.

A large proportion of accidents are caused by young (under 20) male drivers, often under the influence of alcohol. That is why their insurance rates are the highest of any other group. You can bet that the impatient, impetuous drivers that cause the accidents that DD was talking about would be in this group. Where I live (Ontario, Canada) they recognised this and changed the rules for obtaining a driver's licences. It is now a two stage process after the initial written test (it used to be a one stage process). To quote the government web page:

In the first stage, Level One, you'll learn and practice driving under conditions that reduce your risk of collisions. When you have more experience, you'll be able to take a road test to enter the second stage, Level Two, where there will be fewer restrictions. After a year in Level Two, you can take another road test to qualify for a full driver's licence.

The restrictions in level 1 are:
1) be accompanied by a fully licensed driver, who has at least four years' driving experience, and a blood alcohol content of less than .05 per cent, in case he/she needs to take over the wheel;
2) maintain a zero blood alcohol content while driving;
3) refrain from driving between midnight and 5:00 a.m.;
4) ensure each person in the vehicle has a working seat belt;
5) refrain from driving on Ontario's major highways.

Level Two lasts at least 12 months. At this level, you have more privileges because of your driving experience. You may drive at anytime of day or night, without an accompanying driver, on any Ontario road. However, you are still required to:

1) maintain a zero blood alcohol content while driving;
2) ensure each person in the vehicle has a working seat belt.

Once you have completed level 2, you can take another road test and get a full licence.

If any of the conditions are broken, the licence is suspended for 30 days.

Sounds a good idea - although if you work nights the not allowed to drive after 12 is a little rough... Apart from that, I can't think of any reason why it can't be universal. How popular was the idea when it was introduced? Were there protests for/against it? Are there any campaigns against it now?

No, there were no protests against it. There was plenty of warning that it was coming and it was seen as a good idea by pretty well everyone, although grudgingly by those first affected. Some of the time periods between the stages can be shortened if you complete a driver education course. I'll have to see if I can find any statistics about its effectiveness.

I just searched and found a site that talks about graduated licensing in the US:
http://www.drivehomesafe.com/

They had a link to some statistics:
http://www.ncpa.org/pd/regulat/pd012299f.html

And there is a good article here:

http://www.medill.northwestern.edu/journalism/magazine/raisingteens/feats/drive.html

Thanks GL.