Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/22 for details.
Options
Comments
ABC 20/20 had a segment Friday night with numerous clips from Russian drivers showing accidents, er reckless driving and crashes, happening right in front of them and sometimes getting them into the crash. The gist of the segment was that numerous Russian drivers use cams in their cars to record the evidence for their case in court IF they are involved in a crash through no fault of their own.
I now know why rear cameras and blind spot systems are becoming common.
Regarding headlights and phone yappers, come to Seattle.
Of course the decision to pull a driver is a judgement call. I was talking about the judgement call of whether an action is actually against the law.
If a driver makes a stupid lane change, it's a judgement call as to whether it's unsafe (and then another judgement call whether to pull them over).
If a driver is in the left lane, it's a judgement call as to whether he/she is in the act of passing, or just LLCing (and another to pull them over).
If a driver is going 75 mph and the SL is 70, of course it's still a judgement call whether the officer makes a stop, but there's no question they were breaking the law.
Even if the previous two maneuvers do more to compromise safety on the road, the officer has to be very detailed in trying to prove it before a judge, if the driver fights it. With the speeder, the officer has it much easier.
Nothing too bad on the road this afternoon otherwise, other than a Previa going 2mph in a parking lot, "driver" acting like they were from another planet.
How about we put safety features to a vote, and the yes voters pay for it, and the no voters get to send the bill to the yes voters. Then we will see if the proponents of back-up cameras and the like will put their money where their mouth is.
I won't disagree with the sentiments either you expressed, though.
Going to be fun in a few decades - a lot more seniors, and the scaredy cats will probably have outlawed manuals and motorcycles by then.
Maybe too much money wasted on driver's tests - written and road. Just have people wanting a license send in a form stating they know all traffic laws and know how to drive a vehicle. They would have to stipulate under penalty of perjury they are telling the truth. Some States already allow first time voter registration this way rather than appearing at a government office with proof of citizenship.
A lot more risk in allowing a bad driver than voting in an election where the choices are pre-determined and the same factions win no matter who is put in office. It's not non-citizen voters who make some candidates fail.
But bitter sore loser political babble aside, there needs to be more emphasis on skill, not less. Our bizarre system has created enough devolution as it is.
I thought you were joking and being sarcastic :surprise: I'm afraid you might have been serious.
That post read like the description for how no documentation home/mortgage loans was going to work. Just state your income, fill out the application, sign that it's all true, and here's $500,000 to buy a home even though you really only make $25K/ year, but heck, you put $100K/yr. on the dotted line, so that governs.
We all know how well that worked and turned out. :sick:
We all know how well that worked and turned out."...
Indeed it works well and is a time tested tool !! The powers that be used it (debt) to winnow down the number of independent farmers population, ( 10's of millions) to the less than 751k, that farm today.
.002 %?
The good news might be a LAWSUIT as only less than 25% are female and less than 1% are black. :P
Also saw a zillion phone yappers today, no enforcement for that one, of course.
And most inconsiderate was the light timing - caught every red light on the way home. Sometimes traffic was backing up for 3+ blocks due to bad light timing. The overpaid underworked high tenure low accountability public sector wants us to use less fuel - think how much less energy would be used if they'd get their acts together and actually manage this infrastructure.
http://thechive.com/2013/03/20/a-police-officer-has-a-power-trip-behind-the-whee- l-video/
Note that he wasn't fired or ticketed.
I wonder why the cop resigned for that, as it usually wouldn't warrant a slap on the wrist (hell, in my area, would probably get 6 months of paid leave and a promotion upon return, as he heads for early retirement with a gigantic unearned pension). Must be something else under the surface.
More encouragement for dashcam use.
Good info from the link:
"The SC police who responded to the crash found that the NC Sheriff was at fault. The NC Sheriff was also only going 50 MPH in an area that has a posted limit of 60..."
Waiting for the "he was driving below the speed limit... so he was driving perfectly fine" crowd to chime in.
:P
That post read like the description for how no documentation home/mortgage loans was going to work. Just state your income, fill out the application, sign that it's all true, and here's $500,000 to buy a home even though you really only make $25K/ year, but heck, you put $100K/yr. on the dotted line, so that governs.
Just joking. Meant to show how ridiculous is our government at times. You brought up the excellent point about the mortgages. Our government, going back many years, had intimidated banks to make bad loans. We have heard politicians make proposals to give driver's licenses to illegal aliens. So, making a sarcastic comment about mailing in a form to get your driver's license is really not that far fetched. Which would then load up our roads with a lot of unqualified and then "inconsiderate" drivers.
Today I'm left lane @ SL +3, nobody behind me. Right laner changes lanes right in front of me & proceeds @ SL -10. Yikes.
While perhaps that statement is true, I'd be careful shifting blame from the banks to the government. The government has had a hell of a time "intimidating the banks" to make good loans for Harp, Harp 2.0, and Harp 3.0, showing that the government is really almost powerless to get the banks to do anything.
The banks made bad loans on purpose willfully, gleefully, and happily because they were in it for the short term bonuses and profits.
Sorry I took your no-test proposal as serious - with some of the stuff out there, it could be! My state has privatized motorcycle testing now, and I think is doing so for car testing, too. I know the moto people will be old school and not let people breeze by, but in my area, I worry about bribes and idiots getting people licenses.
Saw a dbag in a white Yukon today going slow in the left lane of a 4 lane arterial, gets passed on the right, speeds up while being passed, other car gets around him, then he pulls up beside it and starts making menacing "bring it on" gestures to the other car. What is it with the truck and SUV vehicle classes that bring out the roid rage? It's long past time for mandated license endorsements for those things. Seeing a 4'9" woman in a Suburban run a red light brought that home even more.
A corrupt assemblyman in CA is trying to get a bill called AB666 (the number is appropriate) passed in the CA legislature. Put a stop to this now, take action before CA sinks into the ocean (which would be a good thing should a bill like this pass).
This law is yet another attempt at making it even EASIER for cops and the government to steal your money via fines with red light cameras by removing things like the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and Due Process from you and your fellow Americans.
Saw a CX-7 run a light this morning - to be fair, at that hour, the lights shouldn't be activated anyway. Maybe all intersections should be uncontrolled, with people being held responsible for both taking and observing right of way. Put in some roundabouts, make the civil engineers and "traffic engineers" actually work, and maybe things could move. It would also probably scare many timid souls off the road, which isn't bad.
It's too bad, in one sense, that winter is over. Folks were just starting to figure out how to drive in the snow. Now they'll have to wait & learn all over again next season.
Growing up over there, I remember my mother would run chains on her car constantly, my dad never bothered.
5 am this morning in Chicago, a Mercedes suv with 3 guys and a woman in it pulls up to a parked Escalade, and someone in Mercedes fires through windows of Escalade hitting and severely injuring a passenger. Escalade driver starts a 3 mile chase of the Mercedes, crashes into it, and it then Mercedes hits a minivan in an intersection. The 3 guys and a woman in the Mercedes get out of it and run away.
Are you feeling okay today xrunner? That post was not well-written (in contrast to your other posts). Hoping all's well....
Bicyclists can travel through a roundabout either as a vehicle (within the roundabout) or as a pedestrian (walking their bicycle). Some multi-lane roundabouts utilize an adjacent one-way trail where bicyclists approach the roundabout on-street, merge with the side trail via a ramp, travel around the roundabout on the trail, and then re-merge with the street via another ramp. This option presents some challenges with motor vehicles yielding at crossing points (similar to pedestrian issues described above). Notably, the reduced speeds of motor vehicles within the roundabout more closely match a bicyclist’s typical speed range (approximately 10 - 20 mph).
Emergency vehicles cannot speed through a roundabout like they can a signal light; they need to slow down and pass through the circle like regular traffic. Additionally, traffic signals offer the option for signal preemption to provide the green light to emergency vehicles; roundabouts require travelers to yield to emergency vehicles.
Illumination costs may be greater for a roundabout than a standard intersection as more lighting is typically required. More lighting may also be a concern of adjacent property owners, especially near residential areas
As with any new roadway configuration, highway maintenance staff will need to learn new snowplowing techniques
The construction of a roundabout to replace an existing traditional signalized intersection may result in the loss of some on-street parking if allowed near the former intersection.
Right-of-Way Requirements
The construction of a roundabout typically requires more right-of-way than a traditional intersection controlled by traffic signals or stops signs, which may increase the cost of a roundabout installation if right-of-way must be purchased.
Roundabouts may work in Europe where the cars and streets are much smaller, but over here it is not uncommon to see a 45’ motor coach pulling a toad, or a ¾ Ton pickup hauling a 5th wheel, or a tandem axle trailer with boat.
Roundabouts are not recommended, but wider intersections are because they are safer and handle the traffic with more efficiency.
Pedestrians = crosswalks. Enforce the laws, no problem. Same for cyclists.
Tractor trailers can handle them - visit Whatcom County, with several roundabouts on a main shipping route headed in and out of Canada.
Snow plowing is a pretty weak argument against, you have to admit. Does Clark County even own a snowplow?
Anything to get away from 4-way stops or negligently maintained fuel wasting traffic signals is needed, and now.
My first experience was with a "5 way" one in Cornwall NY. Driving through was easy and I remember walking there the next day heading for a creek. I think it's been there decades (I first saw it in '82 or so).
A busier one, like this one in Carson City NV (where the NY'ers moved), was confusing to the denizens at first but they got used to it fast. It's set up nicely for pedestrians and we biked through it a few times without issues.
The 41/28 roundabout in Marquette MI avoids the issue simply by offering a nice pathway system.
Truck aprons on the inner circle handle the semi question and snow can be handled with good design.
The visually impaired argument is getting subsumed by the quiet car problem as more electric and hybrid vehicles arrive.
For older neighborhoods with ROW issues, I still think the easiest way to calm traffic is just to remove all signage.
I was getting on I-64 in downtown Louisville this morning, and typical of a Saturday morning, traffic was light. The ramp is almost straight, and although it starts off solidly uphill, it has a longish (1/4 mile?) flat, straight stretch before the merge point, because they extended the Jersey barrier to prevent banzai crossovers to hit the left exit to I-65.
I entered this ramp behind a current-generation Honda Odyssey. She was slow on the uphill section, and when the road flattened out, she got to maybe 40 mph. I moved over in the lane just enough to get a glimpse of how soon we would have to merge, and that must have offended her because even though there were no brake lights, I quickly found myself closer to her bumper than I wanted, now at 35 mph. Which she held until the dashed lines at the end of the ramp. I darted around her and she looked over at me like I had 3 heads. Yes, I just had to give a proper salute to her driving ability.
Another interesting one yesterday on the ramp from northbound 71 to the Watterson. The ramp has 2 lanes, but the right lane becomes exit-only almost immediately. Another lane is added on the left with traffic from southbound 71. We were behind an older Sentra that was doing about 55 mph. At the point where the left lane comes in, the Sentra driver put on their left turn signal and slowed, looking for a gap. As soon as a gap opened, they moved over to the left lane, where they proceeded(?) to continue holding up traffic.
Well, got to be careful about generalizing about minivan drivers. Still remember when wife and I took an Ody on a test drive, her driving, on some rural twisties in our area that she knows well. She scared the heck out of the sales guy sitting in the back center seat.
It's not about "calming" traffic, it's about maintaining efficient traffic flow. Where I used to live, there was a disastrous 4 way stop on a major arterial that linked a community college and a commercial area. In peak hours, traffic would back up for 6-8 blocks or more. Then a roundabout was installed. Traffic almost never backed up more than a couple cars. The timid avoided it completely, the rest of us carefully enjoyed it.
I still don't get the roundabout hate, even when arguments against are copied from mysterious sources. They work in areas where driving is superior in every way (but cost) compared to here. Roundabouts aren't for everywhere, but in places with enough space to contain them, they make sense.
It's distracted CUV drivers who have replaced the slow minivan drivers - nowadays, minivans often move along just fine.
I lived near a stop sign for a while. A roundabout would have easily fit this particular area and been most welcome, but even switching to yield signs would have lessened the noise level a lot (if it's not squealing brakes, it's some yahoo gunning it from the stop).
For inconsiderates, today was out in the old car, got behind a dawdler in a later model Camry. I didn't mind it when in motion, but we got to some lights, and it took eons for the dope to get moving. So I pass on the left, and guess what, he speeds up. Soon we are both going 10-15 over, but he didn't have the guts to push it through a just-changing yellow light, and I did - so I got ahead. Passive aggressive idiot.
And for andres, got behind an A3 that made a late lane change, no signal til he started moving over, then hit the gas and a plume of black smoke puffs out. Not a diesel, and not the first smoky late model Audi I have seen lately.
Maybe he removed the Catalytic converter, as it is very restrictive on the A3's. Unfortunately, thanks to CA, not one single after-market high-flow CAT is "CA approved." Sure, there are some that will easily pass the sniff tests, but since it isn't stamped with those magical two words, a smog station will fail it.
I will admit, Mercedes drivers seem to be OK in southern CA. Granted, they aren't as common as Toyota or Honda or even BMW down here, but I can't recall a single instance of being impeded in the left lane by a Mercedes.
I have to say, I find it particularly extra offensive when I'm on a curvy twisty back road behind a BMW driven like it's a Prius.
Well, #1 would be Insurance companies and their paid ilk like the IIHS.
#2 would be government/politicians paid by #1.
After all how can you implement red light cameras if you don't install red lights and have roundabouts instead?
I'd like to point out that the IIHS study on red light cameras was deeply flawed. First of all, they deliberately excluded intersections where it was known that accident rates had gone up the highest since red-light cameras were added.
Secondly, they generally took data from different cities without regard to which and what intersections had cameras (unless it had a much higher accident rate post cameras), and they didn't know how many cameras were in place.
Thirdly, they took accident data from decades old years for "pre-camera" accident rates and fatalities and injuries, and took current modern "post camera" data. Never mind that vehicles have become much safer over the years and accidents have gone down in general. Also, they took advantage of locations where new freeways had since been built in that decade, which would lessen the traffic going through major arterials where intersections used in the data were being compiled.
Fourth, they made lame pathetic excuses for increases in rear-end accidents, such as they don't believe the accidents were the fault of the cameras. Although I understand the argument that following too closely, and not paying attention results in not being able to stop in time behind someone slamming their brakes for a yellow light, they fail to realize the cause of someone slamming their brakes!
Lastly, the IIHS fails to give me a good reason why intersections that don't have cameras would fail to have an equal amount of drivers that follow too closely and don't pay enough attention.
Shows that money can manipulate data.