Edmunds Members - Cars and Conversations (Archived)

[Deleted User]

driver100 said:

What would the Suburu do differently?

Hey Driver. The Subaru would do two things different from Toyota in that situation.

First, the Subaru will recognize the driver is in control due to application of the brake and not take over. It’s more passive. It’ll alarm, and if the driver doesn’t brake, then take over. If the driver applies the brakes, then it releases control.

Second, the Subaru will use up more space between the cars to smooth out the braking.

I haven’t had an emergency braking situation in the Tesla yet, but it’s warned me of objects in front without taking over like the Toyota did.

Similarly, the Toyota’s lane departure system was also aggressive and a bit annoying compared to the Subaru and Tesla.

driver100

dino001 said:

driver100 said:

One other things, I see way more police cars at home and my guess is fines are much larger. Very few uninsured drivers back home. In Florida the posted speed on I-75 is 75mph....I would say the average car is going between 82 and 86, and I rarely see anyone being stopped for speeding.

Used to be 70 mph maximum statewide on interstate, they just raised the upper limit, but I have not seen 75 mph anywhere around Tampa yet.

My mistake...yes speed limit on I-75 is 70, but absolutely no one drives 70, I should have said the lowest speed people go is 75....but average is closer to 85.

They have talked about raising it to 75, but there is resistance because then people will drive 90.

driver100

tyguy said:

driver100 said:

What would the Suburu do differently?

Hey Driver. The Subaru would do two things different from Toyota in that situation.

First, the Subaru will recognize the driver is in control due to application of the brake and not take over. It’s more passive. It’ll alarm, and if the driver doesn’t brake, then take over. If the driver applies the brakes, then it releases control.

Second, the Subaru will use up more space between the cars to smooth out the braking.

I haven’t had an emergency braking situation in the Tesla yet, but it’s warned me of objects in front without taking over like the Toyota did.

Similarly, the Toyota’s lane departure system was also aggressive and a bit annoying compared to the Subaru and Tesla.

That explains it really well Ty....and I would agree the Subaru system seems to be better as it seems far less aggressive - sounds like it works as a back up rather than as a poacher taking over (as we say in pickleball and tennis).

driver100

Mr_Shiftright said:

I think driving training is demonstrably better in Germany than in the U.S., and this accounts for their (apparently) better driving skills. They don't even eat or drink in their cars as a rule.

I can always tell a good driver in the USA, because they are so conspicuous. You notice things like good lane discipline, anticipating traffic moves in advance, good signaling, decisive patterns of acceleration and braking, good trailing distances, infrequent brake lights----I notice those things in other cars.

I googled getting a drivers license in Germany, it can take years, much harder tests, and costs about $2000. People take pride in how they drive and they won't put up with sloppiness, like not signalling, yakking on cell phones, eating a Big Mac and french fries and a Super Size Coke while driving.

I notice how people drive too and it is pretty scary in Florida. I don't get speeding up to a red light at full speed then jamming on the brakes. I don't get driving at full speed up to a Stop sign on a side street and ASSUMING you won't have to stop for a car on the main through street. And, one that really bothers me lately, I am on the main street going the speed limit and the guy coming out of a lot or from a side street keeps his car rolling to save time and he is going to time it so he can get in right behind me when I pass him, or stomp it and make it across the highway. I can't tell if he knows I am coming or if he is going to try to go in front of me.....am I supposed to assume he knows what he is doing and he will time it so he can keep rolling just behind me.

To me his rolling is as bad as the guy who signals a lane change without looking to see if there is a car in the lane he wants to transfer into. Say he is in the lane to the right of me and just ahead....suddenly he puts on his left signal. He should make sure he can get into the left lane before he even puts on his signal. I shouldn't have to worry about him or try to figure out what his intentions are....cut in front of me or wait until I pass. The only good thing is he actually used his signal. If he decided too late to get into the correct lane he should go through the intersection and fix it up later....I shouldn't have to slow down and make allowances because of his stupidity.

oldfarmer50

Almost got run over by a Tesla S at the market. The parking lot road in front of the store has crosswalks and stop signs and everything but whistles telling people to slow down but this guy decided to blaze right through at about double the standard 10-15mph parking lot speed.

The thing was, the car was so quiet that I didn’t hear him coming. I think I muttered something to myself about entitled rich guys but I may have just been jealous of him having a nice car.

fintail

The brake lights thing is real. I can always tell a timid pensive inept local driver by their dopey braking habits - random taps when they become distracted, braking for gentle curves on highways, braking when someone changes lanes 500 yards ahead, etc. I remember when I was a little kid, my dad would point out the "bad" drivers as the ones who were always braking.

Mr_Shiftright said:

I can always tell a good driver in the USA, because they are so conspicuous. You notice things like good lane discipline, anticipating traffic moves in advance, good signaling, decisive patterns of acceleration and braking, good trailing distances, infrequent brake lights----I notice those things in other cars.

fintail

You mean the car at home in the garage, right?

I see plenty of idiocy from those cars and others in the same price range around here, it gives a lot of proof that many cases of wealth aren't from someone being accountable and careful.

oldfarmer50 said:

Almost got run over by a Tesla S at the market. The parking lot road in front of the store has crosswalks and stop signs and everything but whistles telling people to slow down but this guy decided to blaze right through at about double the standard 10-15mph parking lot speed.

The thing was, the car was so quiet that I didn’t hear him coming. I think I muttered something to myself about entitled rich guys but I may have just been jealous of him having a nice car.

fintail

There's an option on cars now, dealer installed I think, where the CHMSL will flash a few times upon brake application, to get other drivers out of their phone/food haze, maybe. It seems especially popular among slow paranoid CRAV4 drivers.

Mr_Shiftright said:

Some years ago, a braking system was presented whereby the tail lights would show amber when the driver lifted off the gas for a certain number of seconds---it signal that he was coasting or downshifting.

oldfarmer50

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I think driving training is demonstrably better in Germany than in the U.S., and this accounts for their (apparently) better driving skills. They don't even eat or drink in their cars as a rule.

I can always tell a good driver in the USA, because they are so conspicuous. You notice things like good lane discipline, anticipating traffic moves in advance, good signaling, decisive patterns of acceleration and braking, good trailing distances, infrequent brake lights----I notice those things in other cars.

I googled getting a drivers license in Germany, it can take years, much harder tests, and costs about $2000. People take pride in how they drive and they won't put up with sloppiness, like not signalling, yakking on cell phones, eating a Big Mac and french fries and a Super Size Coke while driving.

I notice how people drive too and it is pretty scary in Florida. I don't get speeding up to a red light at full speed then jamming on the brakes. I don't get driving at full speed up to a Stop sign on a side street and ASSUMING you won't have to stop for a car on the main through street. And, one that really bothers me lately, I am on the main street going the speed limit and the guy coming out of a lot or from a side street keeps his car rolling to save time and he is going to time it so he can get in right behind me when I pass him, or stomp it and make it across the highway. I can't tell if he knows I am coming or if he is going to try to go in front of me.....am I supposed to assume he knows what he is doing and he will time it so he can keep rolling just behind me.

To me his rolling is as bad as the guy who signals a lane change without looking to see if there is a car in the lane he wants to transfer into. Say he is in the lane to the right of me and just ahead....suddenly he puts on his left signal. He should make sure he can get into the left lane before he even puts on his signal. I shouldn't have to worry about him or try to figure out what his intentions are....cut in front of me or wait until I pass. The only good thing is he actually used his signal. If he decided too late to get into the correct lane he should go through the intersection and fix it up later....I shouldn't have to slow down and make allowances because of his stupidity.

Boy are you grumpy today. You sound just like an American. Maybe you should get back home away from the bad influences before you start slinging lead.

https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/florida-s-road-rage-epidemic-19385

dino001

driver100 said:

I notice how people drive too and it is pretty scary in Florida. I don't get speeding up to a red light at full speed then jamming on the brakes. I don't get driving at full speed up to a Stop sign on a side street and ASSUMING you won't have to stop for a car on the main through street. And, one that really bothers me lately, I am on the main street going the speed limit and the guy coming out of a lot or from a side street keeps his car rolling to save time and he is going to time it so he can get in right behind me when I pass him, or stomp it and make it across the highway. I can't tell if he knows I am coming or if he is going to try to go in front of me.....am I supposed to assume he knows what he is doing and he will time it so he can keep rolling just behind me.

My biggest peeve is driving with no lights in the dark or during rain. The probability seems inversely proportional to the color brightness of the car. The car without light is always black, or very dark grey. Another thing some people may have daytime running lights on (automatic), but are completely oblivious to the fact that their rear is dark. I guess their dash is lit (most new cars have luminescent gauges), so they think they have lights on. Who'd bother checking an actual switch in that case.

cdnpinhead

andres3 said:

Germans don't have special DNA (sorry to the Germans here).

No, but they (we) have that thing called discipline (eg lane discipline) which is totally lacking in the U.S. and possibly in Canada as well.

driver100

oldfarmer50 said:

driver100 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

I think driving training is demonstrably better in Germany than in the U.S., and this accounts for their (apparently) better driving skills. They don't even eat or drink in their cars as a rule.

I can always tell a good driver in the USA, because they are so conspicuous. You notice things like good lane discipline, anticipating traffic moves in advance, good signaling, decisive patterns of acceleration and braking, good trailing distances, infrequent brake lights----I notice those things in other cars.

I googled getting a drivers license in Germany, it can take years, much harder tests, and costs about $2000. People take pride in how they drive and they won't put up with sloppiness, like not signalling, yakking on cell phones, eating a Big Mac and french fries and a Super Size Coke while driving.

I notice how people drive too and it is pretty scary in Florida. I don't get speeding up to a red light at full speed then jamming on the brakes. I don't get driving at full speed up to a Stop sign on a side street and ASSUMING you won't have to stop for a car on the main through street. And, one that really bothers me lately, I am on the main street going the speed limit and the guy coming out of a lot or from a side street keeps his car rolling to save time and he is going to time it so he can get in right behind me when I pass him, or stomp it and make it across the highway. I can't tell if he knows I am coming or if he is going to try to go in front of me.....am I supposed to assume he knows what he is doing and he will time it so he can keep rolling just behind me.

To me his rolling is as bad as the guy who signals a lane change without looking to see if there is a car in the lane he wants to transfer into. Say he is in the lane to the right of me and just ahead....suddenly he puts on his left signal. He should make sure he can get into the left lane before he even puts on his signal. I shouldn't have to worry about him or try to figure out what his intentions are....cut in front of me or wait until I pass. The only good thing is he actually used his signal. If he decided too late to get into the correct lane he should go through the intersection and fix it up later....I shouldn't have to slow down and make allowances because of his stupidity.

Boy are you grumpy today. You sound just like an American. Maybe you should get back home away from the bad influences before you start slinging lead.

https://www.hg.org/legal-articles/florida-s-road-rage-epidemic-19385

There was an article in todays newspaper...guy got charged for murdering the guy behind him in a road rage incident. Witnesses testified he got out and shot him through the drivers side window when his car tapped the one in front.

I am feeling grumpy today, and I drove about 20 miles without any incidents today, which is very unusual. The only thing was minor, if the guy in front had signaled his right turn I could have begun slowing down much earlier.......hard to read their minds.

isellhondas

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

90 mph swerves are fun, too.

Who said anything about swerving? If you identify a hazard 750' away you'll have plenty of time to maneuver over one lane slowly; even at 90 MPH (which is rounding up).

Ever try going the speed limit and not having to worry about all of this silly stuff?

isellhondas

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

90 mph swerves are fun, too.

Who said anything about swerving? If you identify a hazard 750' away you'll have plenty of time to maneuver over one lane slowly; even at 90 MPH (which is rounding up).

The death rate on Canadian roadways is less than half that of the United States — 5.2 per 100,000 residents versus 11.6 here — and even accounting for the fewer miles driven by the average Canadian compared to an American, Canada has 43 percent fewer traffic fatalities per billion kilometers traveled.

And, I doubt it is because we drive faster....if anything, I would say we drive slower and law enforcement is stronger.

How do you explain Germany having about the same rate as Canada then? They definitely drive faster than us.
60% of the Autobahn remains limitless even today. Another 7% or so is at 130 KPH which is faster than 99% of US Freeway speed limits. That's 2/3's of high-speed Autobahn. I'd agree they have enforcement that cares little about speed, and much about safety. The opposite of US law enforcement.

How do I explain it?
To get a license in Germany, you are required to take tons of driving lessons, including several where you're taken on the actual Autobahn and put into real, high-speed traffic. Drivers must receive basic first-aid training, and on top of that, you still have an incredibly difficult multiple choice exam and the road test.

All of this can take up to six months to finish up, if it's all done successfully, and it could cost over $2000.

If you want to drive in Germany you need to be dedicated, which makes for better drivers. And better drivers means fewer accidents, fewer accidents means fewer deaths: Germany has far fewer motor vehicle-related fatalities (about 4.8 per 100,000 people compared to 11) than the US.

I wonder how Germany deals with clueless tourists driving the autobahn for the first time?

fintail

Germans are good at evasive maneuvers, and they have no problem in the world with laying on the horn for extended periods when someone bumbles in front of them. In a society where people aren't armed like warlords, there's a lot less risk.

I hit the Autobahn within a couple hours of driving in Germany for the first time. No issues, but my driving mindset fits in there. The car was a MB E200 CDi, a low output diesel variant not sold in NA. It had no problem cruising at 100mph+, but pulling into traffic could require planning. As it also does in the fintail, I had no issues.

isellhondas said:

I wonder how Germany deals with clueless tourists driving the autobahn for the first time?

ab348

I encountered a real winner yesterday. I was merging onto a 3-lane expressway where the merge lane remains and makes it 4 lanes in that direction. I was behind a Tahoe. The Tahoe enters the expressway and is ahead of a Grand Cherokee in what had been the right lane but which now was the 2nd from the right. I stay in the rightmost lane while the Tahoe signals and moves left in front of the Cherokee. I am moving slightly faster than the Tahoe so we are now side by side. Out of my peripheral vision I see something on the left and it is the Cherokee over in the 3rd lane passing the Tahoe who competes the pass and then dives across my bow to take the exit ramp that is rapidly approaching. If I hadn't slowed she would either have hit me or missed the exit entirely. Don't know what she was thinking.

berri

Sure you weren't in Florida

jmonroe1

ab348 said:

I encountered a real winner yesterday. I was merging onto a 3-lane expressway where the merge lane remains and makes it 4 lanes in that direction. I was behind a Tahoe. The Tahoe enters the expressway and is ahead of a Grand Cherokee in what had been the right lane but which now was the 2nd from the right. I stay in the rightmost lane while the Tahoe signals and moves left in front of the Cherokee. I am moving slightly faster than the Tahoe so we are now side by side. Out of my peripheral vision I see something on the left and it is the Cherokee over in the 3rd lane passing the Tahoe who competes the pass and then dives across my bow to take the exit ramp that is rapidly approaching. If I hadn't slowed she would either have hit me or missed the exit entirely. Don't know what she was thinking.

I would say she wasn't thinking!!

jmonroe

dino001

jmonroe1 said:

ab348 said:

I encountered a real winner yesterday. I was merging onto a 3-lane expressway where the merge lane remains and makes it 4 lanes in that direction. I was behind a Tahoe. The Tahoe enters the expressway and is ahead of a Grand Cherokee in what had been the right lane but which now was the 2nd from the right. I stay in the rightmost lane while the Tahoe signals and moves left in front of the Cherokee. I am moving slightly faster than the Tahoe so we are now side by side. Out of my peripheral vision I see something on the left and it is the Cherokee over in the 3rd lane passing the Tahoe who competes the pass and then dives across my bow to take the exit ramp that is rapidly approaching. If I hadn't slowed she would either have hit me or missed the exit entirely. Don't know what she was thinking.

I would say she wasn't thinking!!

jmonroe

1. Lalalalalalalalalalalalala
2. Lalalalalalalalalalalala
3. Lalalalalalallalalallalala
4. I need to exit.
5. Lalalalalalalala
6. Lalalalallalalala

explorerx4

That whole pass you, cut right and dive off to the exit seems to be a thing now.

[Deleted User]

Interesting discussion on German drivers and coincidental to a discussion I had with a German colleague in Belgium this week. Driving in Belgium felt a lot like the US in regards to drivers, and I noted to my German colleague (and friend) that I find German drivers to be much more disciplined. He appreciated the comment, but surprised me when he said he believes German drivers are slowly losing their edge and becoming more typical of other countries. That’s unfornate. I’d rather see the rest of us rise to German driving standards than see them lower to ours.

[Deleted User]

oldfarmer50 said:

Almost got run over by a Tesla S at the market. The parking lot road in front of the store has crosswalks and stop signs and everything but whistles telling people to slow down but this guy decided to blaze right through at about double the standard 10-15mph parking lot speed.

The thing was, the car was so quiet that I didn’t hear him coming. I think I muttered something to myself about entitled rich guys but I may have just been jealous of him having a nice car.

Glad you weren’t hit, OF. Yeah, they’re definitely quiet. Usually just a little tire noise. Starting soon all the new EVs will have noise generators to help with this scenario.

[Deleted User]

suydam said:

I’m still trying to decide whether an all EV vehicle is right for me. Since I live in a condo I can’t install a fast charger, so the extra range might not work out for me. The Volt is a good combination. And it’s a great car to drive.

The Volt really is a great car. If you do go all EV you’d need to look at the charging network around you, Tesla and other, and determine if you’re okay waiting at those stations every once in a while. If I couldn’t charge at home or work, then given my typical driving I’d need to plug in about once a week for 30ish minutes at a Supercharger. Some would consider that a pain while others would be fine with it.

imidazol97

The supercharger station I see here is next to a Meijer store (a clean version of Walmart with food offerings like Kroger and other sundries like a Target), a Chipotle, and several other restaurants. And an ATT store I believe.

imidazol97

Some states are hoping to raise gas prices while folks are paying less for gasoline. I believe Ohio is hoping to run this through quickly before people examine the issue for fairness between heavy trucks and road damage versus cars.

I hear a mention of the EV's in a news article but I can't tell if they're saying EV's need to pay their share of road use taxes since they don't buy gasoline or that EV's should be exempt.

Shouldn't EV's have to pay a fee for the use of the roads, bridges, etc., since they don't pay for _any_ gasoline road use tax?

What about vehicles there get very high gas mileage such as a Volt or other EV's with an internal combustion engine?

driver100

berri said:

Sure you weren't in Florida

That was my thought....I see that every time I am on I-75. I have seen them skip across 3 lanes of busy traffic to catch an exit they should have known was coming up.

driver100

dino001 said:

jmonroe1 said:

ab348 said:

I encountered a real winner yesterday. I was merging onto a 3-lane expressway where the merge lane remains and makes it 4 lanes in that direction. I was behind a Tahoe. The Tahoe enters the expressway and is ahead of a Grand Cherokee in what had been the right lane but which now was the 2nd from the right. I stay in the rightmost lane while the Tahoe signals and moves left in front of the Cherokee. I am moving slightly faster than the Tahoe so we are now side by side. Out of my peripheral vision I see something on the left and it is the Cherokee over in the 3rd lane passing the Tahoe who competes the pass and then dives across my bow to take the exit ramp that is rapidly approaching. If I hadn't slowed she would either have hit me or missed the exit entirely. Don't know what she was thinking.

I would say she wasn't thinking!!

jmonroe

1. Lalalalalalalalalalalalala
2. Lalalalalalalalalalalala
3. Lalalalalalallalalallalala
4. I need to exit.
5. Lalalalalalalala
6. Lalalalallalalala

lol...but that is about what the thought process is like. I don't even think they realize what could happen...it's like, that's my exit, I got to get over there immediately.

oldfarmer50

imidazol97 said:

Some states are hoping to raise gas prices while folks are paying less for gasoline. I believe Ohio is hoping to run this through quickly before people examine the issue for fairness between heavy trucks and road damage versus cars.

I hear a mention of the EV's in a news article but I can't tell if they're saying EV's need to pay their share of road use taxes since they don't buy gasoline or that EV's should be exempt.

Shouldn't EV's have to pay a fee for the use of the roads, bridges, etc., since they don't pay for _any_ gasoline road use tax?

What about vehicles there get very high gas mileage such as a Volt or other EV's with an internal combustion engine?

I paid $2.18 for RUG this week, diesel is about $3.29. It would seem trucks are already paying a bigger share. I can remember when diesel was cheaper than the lowest grade of gas.

As to EVs paying a share for road use I give you the free ride being given to bicycle riders who have bike paths and special lanes paid for by highway funds which come from all us evil fossil fuel users. Fairness went out the window to special interest groups a long time ago.

suydam

California charges a yearly surcharge to EV owners to help pay for road maintenance. So do several other states.
I’m all for bicycles if they get more cars off the road. I’m too old to be riding one next to moving traffic (as opposed to a peaceful bike trail) but yay tomthise that do. Just come to a full stop at intersections like you’re supposed to.

venture

oldfarmer50 said:

imidazol97 said:

Some states are hoping to raise gas prices while folks are paying less for gasoline. I believe Ohio is hoping to run this through quickly before people examine the issue for fairness between heavy trucks and road damage versus cars.

I hear a mention of the EV's in a news article but I can't tell if they're saying EV's need to pay their share of road use taxes since they don't buy gasoline or that EV's should be exempt.

Shouldn't EV's have to pay a fee for the use of the roads, bridges, etc., since they don't pay for _any_ gasoline road use tax?

What about vehicles there get very high gas mileage such as a Volt or other EV's with an internal combustion engine?

I paid $2.18 for RUG this week, diesel is about $3.29. It would seem trucks are already paying a bigger share. I can remember when diesel was cheaper than the lowest grade of gas.

As to EVs paying a share for road use I give you the free ride being given to bicycle riders who have bike paths and special lanes paid for by highway funds which come from all us evil fossil fuel users. Fairness went out the window to special interest groups a long time ago.

Trucks should pay more, and they do of course. Not only in fuel costs but also registration fees, etc.

When pavement design is done for a highway, cars are not even considered. Truck axle loads are what determines the design.

There's a story of a truck found to be so overloaded that it was figured he destroyed every mile of pavement he drove over before getting caught. Regardless, that's why they have weigh stations.

houdini2

tyguy said:

suydam said:

I’m still trying to decide whether an all EV vehicle is right for me. Since I live in a condo I can’t install a fast charger, so the extra range might not work out for me. The Volt is a good combination. And it’s a great car to drive.

The Volt really is a great car. If you do go all EV you’d need to look at the charging network around you, Tesla and other, and determine if you’re okay waiting at those stations every once in a while. If I couldn’t charge at home or work, then given my typical driving I’d need to plug in about once a week for 30ish minutes at a Supercharger. Some would consider that a pain while others would be fine with it.

Seems there would be little incentive for you to go all electric. Right now you are spending very little on gasoline and avoiding the worry about running out of power.

explorerx4

Had some visitors in the back yard yesterday.

ab348

suydam said:

I’m all for bicycles if they get more cars off the road. I’m too old to be riding one next to moving traffic (as opposed to a peaceful bike trail) but yay tomthise that do. Just come to a full stop at intersections like you’re supposed to.

That is a cure that is worse than the disease. Where I live the cyclists are about the most entitled, whiny bunch you can find in the press.

stickguy

my neighborhood is infested with those darned Canadian geese. whatever sidewalk/road/driveway/yard they decide to congregate on just gets carpet bombed with poop. Disgusting, and makes it really hard to walk the dog! Though that looks like might be wild turkeys in your yard?

driver100

We always get blamed........................they actually do look like wild turkeys though (but don't they travel in pairs?).

explorerx4

Yes, they are turkeys. They usually are at least half a dozen or so. That was as big a group as I have seen.
You can't see them all in the picture. Over to the right, there were more.

houdini2

explorerx4 said:

Had some visitors in the back yard yesterday.

Those wild turkeys almost disappeared at one time. It is great to see them making a full recovery. Just something about them that has always fascinated me. Very nice private back yard, by the way.

bwia

How Much Gas Tax Adds to Cost of Filling Up

(USA Today) - Not including the cost of crude oil, taxes are the single largest factor in determining how much Americans pay at the pump. Here is an excerpt.

Not including the cost of crude oil, taxes are the single largest factor in determining how much Americans pay at the pump. Combined, federal and state taxes add more to the price of a gallon of gas than refining costs, retail markup and transportation expenses.

The federal government and state governments use gasoline taxes to fund road construction and repair. Gasoline taxes also help preserve road conditions by making driving, which wears down on roadways, more expensive.
The federal government levies an 18.4 cent tax on every gallon of gasoline sold in the United States. On top of that, each state imposes its own tax – and in almost every case, the state tax is higher than the federal tax. A handful of states charge more than double the national tax level.

How much a state chooses to tax a gallon of gas does indeed appear to affect residents’ driving habits. Nationwide, the typical motorist drives 14,318 miles a year. In seven of the 10 states with the lowest gas taxes, people tend to drive more. Meanwhile, people on average drive less in the eight of the 10 states with the highest gas taxes.

30. Massachusetts
• State gas tax: 26.5 cents per gallon.
• Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gallon. (14th highest)
• State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.7 percent (14th lowest)
• Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,265 (8th lowest)

29. Ohio
• State gas tax: 28.0 cents per gallon.
• Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.06 per gallon. (16th lowest)
• State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.6 percent (23rd highest)
• Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,873 (21st highest)
Read more at https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/05/gas-tax-state-what-costs-fill-up-your-car-across-country/38908491/

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

I like the concept of auto-braking and would probably prefer it...but, I don't think it has been perfected yet.

Forget auto-braking, I like the concept of proper following distance and concentrating on driving. Served me well in 40+ years of driving.

snakeweasel

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

90 mph swerves are fun, too.

Who said anything about swerving? If you identify a hazard 750' away you'll have plenty of time to maneuver over one lane slowly; even at 90 MPH (which is rounding up).

The death rate on Canadian roadways is less than half that of the United States — 5.2 per 100,000 residents versus 11.6 here — and even accounting for the fewer miles driven by the average Canadian compared to an American, Canada has 43 percent fewer traffic fatalities per billion kilometers traveled.

And, I doubt it is because we drive faster....if anything, I would say we drive slower and law enforcement is stronger.

I have to say that on our trip to Toronto last summer that traffic moved slower in Canada than in the U.S. Not only were the speed limits lower but traffic stayed closer to the speed limit in Canada then in the U.S. Even on the expressways in Toronto they drove a bit slower than they do in most U.S. cities.

You were in heavily populated areas where traffic moves slow a lot of the time. But, generally speaking, we have got bad drivers, but, not as wild as I see in Florida. Also roads are designed better, here you have fast moving traffic and people are cutting across or in front of you. A native Floridian explained it to me that first they build the new houses, then they try to figure out how to make the roads handle it....in most places it is the other way around.

One other things, I see way more police cars at home and my guess is fines are much larger. Very few uninsured drivers back home. In Florida the posted speed on I-75 is 75mph....I would say the average car is going between 82 and 86, and I rarely see anyone being stopped for speeding.

I was in heavily populated areas but most of my driving was in off peak times. Most of my time on the expressways of Toronto traffic was moving smoothly. Also if you go by milew driven most of the driving was going to and from those populated areas. The 402 was wide open for us and the vast majority of drivers were within 5 mph or so of the posted speed limit. But man that road was straight.

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

90 mph swerves are fun, too.

Who said anything about swerving? If you identify a hazard 750' away you'll have plenty of time to maneuver over one lane slowly; even at 90 MPH (which is rounding up).

The death rate on Canadian roadways is less than half that of the United States — 5.2 per 100,000 residents versus 11.6 here — and even accounting for the fewer miles driven by the average Canadian compared to an American, Canada has 43 percent fewer traffic fatalities per billion kilometers traveled.

And, I doubt it is because we drive faster....if anything, I would say we drive slower and law enforcement is stronger.

I have to say that on our trip to Toronto last summer that traffic moved slower in Canada than in the U.S. Not only were the speed limits lower but traffic stayed closer to the speed limit in Canada then in the U.S. Even on the expressways in Toronto they drove a bit slower than they do in most U.S. cities.

As compared to free-flowing low-traffic periods I"m guessing? Hard to drive slower than gridlock in say, Los Angeles, for example.

Yes as compared to free flowing low traffic periods as well as along rural highways.

suydam

Free flowing low traffic in Los Angeles! What a concept that would be!

snakeweasel

andres3 said:

driver100 said:

snakeweasel said:

driver100 said:

andres3 said:

Mr_Shiftright said:

90 mph swerves are fun, too.

Who said anything about swerving? If you identify a hazard 750' away you'll have plenty of time to maneuver over one lane slowly; even at 90 MPH (which is rounding up).

The death rate on Canadian roadways is less than half that of the United States — 5.2 per 100,000 residents versus 11.6 here — and even accounting for the fewer miles driven by the average Canadian compared to an American, Canada has 43 percent fewer traffic fatalities per billion kilometers traveled.

And, I doubt it is because we drive faster....if anything, I would say we drive slower and law enforcement is stronger.

I have to say that on our trip to Toronto last summer that traffic moved slower in Canada than in the U.S. Not only were the speed limits lower but traffic stayed closer to the speed limit in Canada then in the U.S. Even on the expressways in Toronto they drove a bit slower than they do in most U.S. cities.

You were in heavily populated areas where traffic moves slow a lot of the time. But, generally speaking, we have got bad drivers, but, not as wild as I see in Florida. Also roads are designed better, here you have fast moving traffic and people are cutting across or in front of you. A native Floridian explained it to me that first they build the new houses, then they try to figure out how to make the roads handle it....in most places it is the other way around.

One other things, I see way more police cars at home and my guess is fines are much larger. Very few uninsured drivers back home. In Florida the posted speed on I-75 is 75mph....I would say the average car is going between 82 and 86, and I rarely see anyone being stopped for speeding.

Speaking of rare stops for speeding, how often have you seen someone pulled over for left lane camping & impeding?

And @snakeweasel please don't rehash your "you don't know what they were pulled over for" argument. If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it's a duck! Pretty much everyone here has been pulled over for speeding before, so we all know exactly what it looks like.

Well if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck the question is what type of duck is it?

Now I have been either a driver or a passenger in cars that have been pulled over for a variety of reasons. Including but not limited to speeding, improper lane usage, failure to use signals, failure to yield, failure to stop for both stop signs and lights, expired tags, burnedout headlights and taillights, broken down along the side of the road with a cop stopping to help and one time a cop just wondering why we were stopped in the middle of nowhere next to a cemetery at night. Guess what? They all looked the same. So there is no way you can tell why someone is stopped unless you saw them being stopped and sometimes not even then.

oldfarmer50

I think I’m getting a dash cam.

https://youtu.be/clEmktrjmeU

ab348

bwia said:

How Much Gas Tax Adds to Cost of Filling Up

30. Massachusetts
• State gas tax: 26.5 cents per gallon.
• Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gallon. (14th highest)
• State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.7 percent (14th lowest)
• Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,265 (8th lowest)

29. Ohio
• State gas tax: 28.0 cents per gallon.
• Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.06 per gallon. (16th lowest)
• State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.6 percent (23rd highest)
• Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,873 (21st highest)
Read more at https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/05/gas-tax-state-what-costs-fill-up-your-car-across-country/38908491/

Well, let me tell you about where I live.

Here we have a 10 cent federal excise tax and a 15.5 cent provincial fuel tax. To that is added a 15% retail sales tax, which is calculated after those taxes are included in the price, so it is a tax on a tax.

Oh wait, that is all per liter!

Multiply everything by 3.78 (L/US gallon) and you can approximate the amount per US gallon.

Today here, RUG is $1.00 per liter. If you roll back the various taxes in that calculation, the actual no-tax cost of gas here right now is about 61 cents per liter or $2.32/US gallon. But add in the tax and it is $3.78 per US gallon, with taxes representing about $1.46 of that amount per gallon.

Welcome to Kanada.

oldfarmer50

explorerx4 said:

Had some visitors in the back yard yesterday.

Turkeys are really neat birds. They look like dinosaurs.

I suspect they also keep the Canada Geese away. I’ve got a large flock and never see any geese even though they are common up and down my road.

stickguy

Russia seems like such a fun place!

jmonroe1

venture said:

oldfarmer50 said:

imidazol97 said:

Some states are hoping to raise gas prices while folks are paying less for gasoline. I believe Ohio is hoping to run this through quickly before people examine the issue for fairness between heavy trucks and road damage versus cars.

I hear a mention of the EV's in a news article but I can't tell if they're saying EV's need to pay their share of road use taxes since they don't buy gasoline or that EV's should be exempt.

Shouldn't EV's have to pay a fee for the use of the roads, bridges, etc., since they don't pay for _any_ gasoline road use tax?

What about vehicles there get very high gas mileage such as a Volt or other EV's with an internal combustion engine?

I paid $2.18 for RUG this week, diesel is about $3.29. It would seem trucks are already paying a bigger share. I can remember when diesel was cheaper than the lowest grade of gas.

As to EVs paying a share for road use I give you the free ride being given to bicycle riders who have bike paths and special lanes paid for by highway funds which come from all us evil fossil fuel users. Fairness went out the window to special interest groups a long time ago.

Trucks should pay more, and they do of course. Not only in fuel costs but also registration fees, etc.

When pavement design is done for a highway, cars are not even considered. Truck axle loads are what determines the design.

There's a story of a truck found to be so overloaded that it was figured he destroyed every mile of pavement he drove over before getting caught. Regardless, that's why they have weigh stations.

I can't remember the last time I saw a weigh station that was open. More proof that our gas tax doesn't work for car owners. I wonder if the trucking lobby has anything to do with that.

jmonroe

snakeweasel

tyguy said:

oldfarmer50 said:

Almost got run over by a Tesla S at the market. The parking lot road in front of the store has crosswalks and stop signs and everything but whistles telling people to slow down but this guy decided to blaze right through at about double the standard 10-15mph parking lot speed.

The thing was, the car was so quiet that I didn’t hear him coming. I think I muttered something to myself about entitled rich guys but I may have just been jealous of him having a nice car.

Glad you weren’t hit, OF. Yeah, they’re definitely quiet. Usually just a little tire noise. Starting soon all the new EVs will have noise generators to help with this scenario.

Listen closely to a new gas powered car driving down the road, cars today are so quiet that all you hear are the tires on the pavement. It's only when they get older or poorly maintained that you will start to hear engine noises.

jmonroe1

ab348 said:

bwia said:

How Much Gas Tax Adds to Cost of Filling Up

30. Massachusetts
• State gas tax: 26.5 cents per gallon.
• Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.49 per gallon. (14th highest)
• State taxes as pct. of gas price: 10.7 percent (14th lowest)
• Annual miles traveled per driver: 12,265 (8th lowest)

29. Ohio
• State gas tax: 28.0 cents per gallon.
• Gas price as of mid-Jan. 2019: $2.06 per gallon. (16th lowest)
• State taxes as pct. of gas price: 13.6 percent (23rd highest)
• Annual miles traveled per driver: 14,873 (21st highest)
Read more at https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/02/05/gas-tax-state-what-costs-fill-up-your-car-across-country/38908491/

Well, let me tell you about where I live.

Here we have a 10 cent federal excise tax and a 15.5 cent provincial fuel tax. To that is added a 15% retail sales tax, which is calculated after those taxes are included in the price, so it is a tax on a tax.

Oh wait, that is all per liter!

Multiply everything by 3.78 (L/US gallon) and you can approximate the amount per US gallon.

Today here, RUG is $1.00 per liter. If you roll back the various taxes in that calculation, the actual no-tax cost of gas here right now is about 61 cents per liter or $2.32/US gallon. But add in the tax and it is $3.78 per US gallon, with taxes representing about $1.46 of that amount per gallon.

Welcome to Kanada.

WOW, and here in PA I thought we were being screwed.

I don't think anyone would blame you guys for changing the name of your country to Screwya or Taxada.

jmonroe