If you let your kid live with you until he’s 40, he’ll probably have a hard time making it on his own. Maybe the same sort of thing is playing out on the road. Cars have never been easier to drive yet it seems people are having a hard time driving them.
Competently, that is.
Here’s a sample to make the point:
The driver – if you want to call him that – could not keep his late-model car in its travel lane. He repeatedly swung wide – off onto the shoulder – and then over-corrected across the double yellow. Is it that difficult to center a modern vehicle in between the lanes? Fifty years ago, when the typical car – especially the typical American car – had overboosted power steering and a primitive, literally truck-like suspension system (solid axle, leaf springs) and not-especially-grippy tires – it did take more skill to keep the thing in its travel lane, especially if you were moving fast. Today, people who drive slow – in cars such as the one in this video, that have precise steering, grippy tires and much more competent suspensions (along with lots of “assistance” systems) have great difficult keeping their cars within the travel lane.
My hypothesis is that there’s a relationship – and inverse one – between the increased capabilities of cars and the decreasing abilities of drivers. Basically, it is centered on this premise: Expect less of drivers and you will get worse drivers. There is also something more. It is the implicit assumption of incompetence that attends the proliferation of “assistance” systems. The word speaks for itself. A driver who needs “assistance” is by definition someone who is not fully capable. This begs a question almost no one seems to ask, which is whether it’s a desirable thing to have lots of drivers who need “assistance” behind the wheel of potentially very dangerous things? Lawn darts – if you remember them – got taken off the market because kids would sometimes throw these heavy, metal tipped things up into the air as hard as they could. Then they would come down. Sometimes, someone might be standing where they came down.
No one – back then – thought to fit the lawn darts with “technology” that would prevent them from impaling someone when they descended back to earth.
On the other hand, rather than take the lawn darts away from everyone, maybe the right approach would have been to train the kids in their safe and responsible use. Kids can be trained to safely and responsibly handle far more potentially dangerous things, such as firearms. They used to be – and on account of that, what is styled “gun crime” was exceedingly rare. It is now more common because lots of kids are not trained to be safe and responsible around guns but have access to guns because their parents are irresponsible. Or just not there.
It is much the same with respect to cars and driving. Expectations are low and the result is low (as in low-performance). Yet it is considered almost cruel – even sinful – to expect people who operate potentially dangerous machinery to be competent to operate the machinery. It’s too difficult! Too challenging! This is not stated openly, of course – but is it not implicit in the proliferation of all this “assistance” technology? Rather than expect more from drivers, more is expected of cars. Most new cars have steering correction (Lane Keep Assist, to keep the car fromt wandering out of its travel lane) and automatic braking (to address the problem of drivers who forget to brake, or don’t notice the impending necessity because they are too engrossed in texting someone) and Park Assist (because this most basic competence is no longer required as a condition of acquiring a license to drive) and Back-Up Assist (because so many people are backing over and into things) and so on.
The result? Drivers who need even more “assistance.”
This creates an even worse danger, too. A bad driver in the ’70s was somewhat kept in check by the low capabilities of his car. It didn’t feel safe at high speed, specially in the curves. So he moderated his speed. It is common today for people to drive much faster than they are safely capable of driving – because the car gives them the false confidence to do that.
Drivers in the pre-ABS era driver knew that if they followed the car ahead of him too closely and that car suddenly braked, their own car would not be able to stop. If they slammed on the brakes, the wheels would lock up and their car would go into a skid. So they were more careful about following too closely. Cars were once just more difficult to drive – especially trucks, which often had manual transmissions and always handled terribly. People learned to drive – competently – because they had to.
They no longer have to – and you can see the results for yourself, every time you go for a drive.
. . .
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Speaking of lawn games…
I lament the demise of horseshoes which is truly a “man’s” game
I also lament the present-day popularity of “cornhole” which is just so gay
I realize that “cornhole” is much “safer” than horseshoes or lawn darts
I’m ready for the brickbats
You forgot axe throwing, anarchyst. The sexiest of all hurling games.
Naw, rock chickin’, at 1,100 feet per second or 3,600 fps, is by far the sexiest throwing game…
Don’t bring a knife to a gun fight….
YMMV….
Okay, I have to ask SW…what the heck is rock chickin’? I tried looking it up and found pics of people throwing fake chickens. I am assuming this is not what you meant.
I don’t understand why writers put links to videos that require a sign in. I know there are ways to get around it but I’m a believer in open internet. This sign in crap is just that…… crap. At 78 I have had enough of this Lee Greenwood freedom crap.
I am sure we have all seen how people steer shopping carts in the middle of the grocery store. My personal favs are those that leave it in the middle of the aisle with no way to get around the offending cart or the idiot cart pusher. It should be no surprise that people can’t manage a 4000 lb. vehicle. Both cases call for defense driving from those who are attune to their surroundings.
My fav is when they part it against one side of the aisle, then stand right next to it, looking at what’s on the other side of the aisle.
I don’t know when or how Americans became so rude, but I’m starting to think about designing a shopping cart-mounted flame thrower.
Road rage with the shopping carts. Bwa ha ha, I have been there. It goes through my mind that this is the same shopper that lugs in the left lane not passing anyone, driving slow, with a mile of cars behind them. The lack of situational awareness truly knows no limits.
Agree on crappy drivers, but in this case, the only really objectionable part was drifting off onto the shoulder. I would not do that, especially in the rain, because those are notorious for having oily spots. But crossing the double line when you have clear line of sight? Why not? I do, but at a speed that you wouldn’t be able to keep up to video it in that behemoth.
I won’t cut him any slack for being a slowpoke, though. Pull over, f-ing roadhog!
I disagree with the idea that better cars leads to more dangerous driving. Improved cornering, braking and steering in cars that began in the late 1970s with downsized fullsized cars from the big 3 manufacturers led to further reductions in the casualty and accident rates as time went on. The adoption of Front wheel drive improved vehicles response for the vast majority of drivers. Improved suspensions in all vehicles led to more predictable responses to driver input and again lower accident rates. As cars improved with increased horsepower, the ability to accelerate out of dangerous situations was also enhanced. Highway death rates plummeted to an all time low in 2011 or so. That was before the additon of what I term “safety cars” entered the mix. “Safety cars” are characterized by huge A, B, C and D pillars which restrict all visibility. Along with “measures” to enhance “pedestrian safety.” Pedestrian “safety” is characterized by hoods with blunt dropoffs instead of gently sloping hoods what allow you to see the object directly in front of the car. In 2009, the pedestrian fatal rate hit a low of less than 4000 deaths per year. With all of the advanced technology and crash proteciton on vehicles, we are killing almost 9000 people on foot a year. Reduced visibility of modern vehicle is thought to have increased accidents in other categories as well.
This doesn’t include the nannying, cloying monitoring and safety systems in modern automobiles since around 2017 or so.
The nationwide fatality rate has never reached the low it did in 2011.
If we are ever to reduce the wanton slaughter on US surface streets and freeways, we must get rid of the menace of US Federal Motor Vehicle Safety standards that were implemented following the 2007 model year.
Getting rid of drivers like the one shown on the video is another step.
Hi Swamp,
Another reason for the increase in pedestrian fatalities is the fact that the idiots will step out into traffic without looking up from their sail fawns. I get that I have to stop if someone is in the crosswalk but if my car is approaching and they just step out without making sure they’re visible it’s going to be a close call. Didn’t their parents teach them to look both ways before crossing? Mine sure did; Darwin Awards for them.
For some, it could be the mentality that “the pedestrian has the right of way”, and therefore, they do not need to watch where they are going. Everyone must watch for them! Except if they are walking across an intersection against a red light and get smacked. And even if said pedestrian had the “right of way”, an MVC vs. Pedestrian will not turn out well for the pedestrian now matter how right he or she may claim. But yeah, when I sit and watch people, they are either walking while yakking on their phones, or driving with the damned thing in their hands, or looking down at their laps and weaving. Good grief. As Foghorn Leghorn exclaimed (when he was trying to teach the Chickenhawk how to hunt, and it wasn’t going well), “some days it doesn’t pay to get out of bed.
I live near a sizable college where there’s a few dedicated cross walks along a couple of busy streets. They push the button and keep walking without missing a step, often never looking up.
First, the entitled feeling of these coddled mush brains irks me but more is the arrogant assumption that physics will always work in their favor. It’s like they have no self preservation. You’d think it would be instinctive to look to make sure traffic *actually* stops before stepping into it.
All that lane keep assistance won’t work at speeds below 40 or so. Probably why he/she couldn’t keep it in the lane.
I couldn’t get over all the braking. What ever happened to downshifting? Just drop it down to 2nd (or 3rd or 4th or 6th…) and let the engine do the work of holding your speed. One less thing to think about.
What drive me nuts about these drivers is that they’re deathly afraid of lateral G forces. Like they’ve got a steaming hot cup of coffee in their crotch and it doesn’t have a lid. Or they’ll get dizzy and throw up if their inner ear registers even the slightest change off vertical gravity. These same people will pay good money to Disney to ride roller coasters and log flume rides, but they won’t dare get a little thrill out of their daily commute.
Pathetic.
I once followed a clover for nearly 20 miles on a winding mountain road to a ski resort and started counting the number of times his/her brake lights lit up vs the number of times I hit my own brakes. The final count was something like 280 to 6. That was nearly 25 years ago, and things have not improved. Competent drivers are a dying breed.
Braking for no apparent reason, the two footers
Have 265000 km on my f-150 and the rear pads are from the factory. It is possible.
My youngest son asked me if it was hard to get a drivers license… take a look around was my response.
I am almost transfixed when I see good driving, it is so rare. Never less accidents or insurance claims with all the modern “wonders” of today’s cars.
Hi Nova,
Here’s a true story that may lift your mood. It did mine! A few years ago, I was headed down the mountain in my old truck. I rolled up behind a Maserati. The guy was moving at a respectable pace. I followed. We both took the curves going down Bent Mountain with gusto and I could tell he was surprised I was keeping up. Eventually, this road widens to two lanes as you get close to downtown. He pulled up beside me at a light and complimented me. We both smiled and thumbs upp’d!
America is not dead.
If a guy in a Maserati couldn’t with ease, nonchalance and minimal effort absolutely blow you and your old pickup truck off the road, I’d have to say that’s proof America is in fact dead. Even if he was a good sport about it.
I can just see it a few years down the road: TPTB will “do a study”-taxpayer paid, of course-to figure out exactly what you are saying, Eric. Only in this case, they will “decide” that it is not “safe” for anyone to drive even with assistance (like we are five year olds), and therefore, 15-minute, walk-wherever-you-need-to-go cities are a must (for your saaafety, of course). Of course no one but the “competent” (gag) government and its Politburo officials will be allowed the luxury of driving their own vehicles, and without nannies.
When the Humvee was being developed the military specified that it had to have an automatic transmission. When asked why the military said it was that recruits did not know how to use manual transmissions and so many were being damaged that it was cost prohibitive. Sad. 🙁
All this nanny tech is going in for a similar reason. It’s time to bring back the Model T; there’s a car that will teach you how to drive or you won’t even get it out of your driveway.
Well now, to be fair this isn’t new. They were remanufacturing the M35s and variants when I was in (87-91) to replace the sticks with automatics. Honestly using automatics like this kind of makes sense. Same with civilian cop and fire vehicles. Bus drivers when I was kid had to know how to work a manual. Even the best of us will miss a shift or stall occasionally.
Factor in that even being an expert road car stick shifters doesn’t always make you an expert at double clutching or floating an unsynchronized truck transmission. For a long time the limitation was building either syncromeshing or automatic shifting strong enough. It’s easier to make an automatic in this case and medium duty trucks have been using them long enough that it’s not a reliability problem.
I can drive a big truck stick but not well personally since it’s not in my daily job tasks. Doesn’t bother me to let the transmission do the work.
As usual, you are correct, Sir.
The psychology applies to everything in life because everyone, to some degree, will allow others to perform tasks so we don’t have to. The scale ranges from “Hands On” to “Lamprey” levels.
Anecdotally, when our kids were in junior high school GovCo wanted to implement School Based Health Clinics because some parents weren’t providing “adequate care” (as GovCo bureaucrats saw it) for their kids. I tried to point out that by providing a clinic a certain number of parents who had been providing for their kids would gladly let GovCo take over the job. It encourages sloth and irresponsibility. The more GovCo provides the more people will take that bait. GovCo thrives on this model. More “services” to more people for more time. It’s nothing more than a GovCo full-employment program. Same with the “drug war” and everything else GovCo does.
Why?
Because they’re self-serving parasites.