Tesla rear-ends a stationary Fire Engine with its lights flashing at 65mph

[David C]

Maybe, but whenever I drive with cruise on a straight high way, I want to sleep. A lot of pro drivers work overtime prefer to drive manual transmission because that way there's no way they can fall asleep behind the wheel.

Everyone is different behind the wheel. In my case, I get easily distracted however I do not get sleepy even on 10h+ drives. I enjoy cruise control usage because it allows me to pay more attention to the road and to maintain a steady speed and it's also easier to tell if a car is closing in or keeping a similar speed in the distance, especially at night. I get most distracted from looking at things down the road than anything else, that's why not having to worry about maintenance speed allow me to dedicate more of my focus on what I should be looking at and what I shouldn't be staring at too long. I drive automatic and music is my way of staying alert, as singing along isn't gonna make you fall asleep or dizzy. However my coworker who drives the same car as I do needs to always have a coffee or soda can in his hand because he easily falls asleep on highway drive. Having something that can be a mess to drop in his hand is his way of reminding to stay alert and focus on the road. Driving manual on the highway isn't gonna save you from sleepy head, unless your clutch is slipping when going uphill.

Rich or poor, money doesn't mean you're good or bad behind the wheel. Still I agree that the bigger or more expensive car you have, the more you expose the "bad driver" side of your personality.

[Simon]

Regarding those 3 problems (which I agree with) TheAA (large UK-based vehicle breakdown and insurance company) commissioned a survey amongst drivers they insure and 70% considered themselves to be an above average driver and a whopping 0.8% regarded themselves as below par. 
Or as I read that: 99.2% see little to no reason to try and improve their driving skills.

http://www.theaa.ie/blog/70-of-drivers-rate-themselves-as-above-average/

This one made me laugh: 86.8% of 17-24 year old males rated themselves above average 
I wouldn't be surprised if Tesla's AutoPilot rated as being better than the average young male driver.

Hm, depends on what you consider driving skills. I'll admit that I'm not a stunt driver but i know my limits and the limits of my car, I'm quite happy to have a female friend in the front seat that alerts me to something I have missed, more so than friends that can't drive. I'm going to guess that in the UK people consider the measure of their skill to be inversely proportional to the distance in which they can affect an overtake and directly proportional to the speed at which they can do it.

[james_s]

I realize most people rate themselves better than average drivers but I've got data to prove that I am. More than 20 years of driving and I've never gotten a ticket, not even so much as a parking ticket. Never had an accident of any sort except for people rear-ending me while I've been stopped at a red light. I was pulled over by the police just once in my life because my license plate light was burned out. I don't personally know anyone else who can claim such a squeaky clean driving record. I'm well aware of the limitations of the machine and of myself and stay within those limits.

[Simon]

I realize most people rate themselves better than average drivers but I've got data to prove that I am. More than 20 years of driving and I've never gotten a ticket, not even so much as a parking ticket. Never had an accident of any sort except for people rear-ending me while I've been stopped at a red light. I was pulled over by the police just once in my life because my license plate light was burned out. I don't personally know anyone else who can claim such a squeaky clean driving record. I'm well aware of the limitations of the machine and of myself and stay within those limits.

Basically you are saying "I must be a good driver because I never got caught being a bad one".

I love speed cameras not only does it stop people speeding it stops them driving like assholes. As soon as the camera's are gone they go back to harassing people on the road.

[james_s]

Surely if I were a bad driver I'd have been caught by now? Or I'd have hit something? I mean I don't avoid the police, I don't own a radar detector, I don't drive differently when I think nobody is watching. You're welcome to ride with me if you want a demonstration. I watch where I'm going, I never play with my phone, eat, or do other non-driving things while I'm behind the wheel. I do all my own mechanical work so I have a solid understanding of how the car works, I have a good understanding of physics, I have excellent vision and good situational awareness. I obey the laws generally and am not aggressive. I am absolutely confident that I'm a better than average driver and would challenge anyone observing to point out a deficiency. Around here probably 70% of the population can't even drive a manual gearbox, something I consider a fairly basic measure of competency.

[Simon]

ok I'll believe you , it's really not worth coming over for a demo...

[james_s]

I probably just jinxed myself anyway. By now I'm overdue to do something horrendously stupid.

[Simon]

hahahaha

[Simon]

It's not just nasty aggressive drivers, there are plenty of people that just don't seem to have a clue what they are doing. I could not pull off a roundabout a few weeks ago because some stupid person had undertaken me to take the same exit, I had to go around again and then remembered why i always hog the curbside lane...... Luckily i was looking and i did not particularly want to end up in dispute about the rules of the road having been hit by someone that did not know them.

[IanMacdonald]

I would have to say that the dashcam is one of the best advances in road safety of recent years. The fact that the rager doesn't know who has one, is a good deterrent.

As for speed cams, not all speeding is dangerous but dangerous drivers almost always are speeding. Therefore they do help to clear the dangerous ones off the road.

[GreyWoolfe]

Surely if I were a bad driver I'd have been caught by now? Or I'd have hit something? I mean I don't avoid the police, I don't own a radar detector, I don't drive differently when I think nobody is watching. You're welcome to ride with me if you want a demonstration. I watch where I'm going, I never play with my phone, eat, or do other non-driving things while I'm behind the wheel. I do all my own mechanical work so I have a solid understanding of how the car works, I have a good understanding of physics, I have excellent vision and good situational awareness. I obey the laws generally and am not aggressive. I am absolutely confident that I'm a better than average driver and would challenge anyone observing to point out a deficiency. Around here probably 70% of the population can't even drive a manual gearbox, something I consider a fairly basic measure of competency.

I actually enjoy driving a manual gearbox.  I feel that I have more control and, besides, they are fun to drive.  Alas, neither current vehicle has one.

[james_s]

I see it every day, jackasses who are simply not paying attention at all, or driving aggressively and weaving through traffic on a busy highway, usually to end up stuck in traffic only one or two cars ahead of me later. Speeding (within reason) is not inherently a huge problem but driving too fast for conditions is, as soon as we get a dusting of snow around here there is no shortage of examples. An inch of snow and there are wrecks everywhere and dozens of cars in ditches, usually it's the 4WD SUVs that are the worst. People who have them seem to think that 4WD makes then invincible, I guess it doesn't occur to them that all cars have 4 wheel brakes. Even just rain, people will blast down the freeway at speeds appropriate for a dry sunny day, and follow ridiculously close.

[CatalinaWOW]

Don't know how it is in the rest of the world, but here in the US the "rules of the road" are highly variable.  Each of the 50 states has their own variant.  While any states drivers license gives the full right to drive in all of the other states.

The examples that follow will have to be translated for those who drive on the left side of the road, but I am sure the same principals apply worldwide.

Things like- When you are making a left turn into a multi-lane road with a center turning lane can you turn into the center lane and then merge into traffic as it clears?  When at a traffic light making a left turn, is it legal to enter the intersection, and then finish the turn during the yellow light as the traffic clears.  Is a right turn allowed at a traffic stop after completing a full stop and evaluating traffic.   On a multi-lane controlled access road, can someone temporarily using a higher speed lane impede traffic in that lane while passing a slow vehicle?   

These questions and many others have different answers in different jurisdictions, along with passionate supporters of each of the positions.  Problems arise from this, both for human drivers and any developmental autopilots.

[Simon]

I would have to say that the dashcam is one of the best advances in road safety of recent years. The fact that the rager doesn't know who has one, is a good deterrent.

As for speed cams, not all speeding is dangerous but dangerous drivers almost always are speeding. Therefore they do help to clear the dangerous ones off the road.

Yes and no, there are not enough of them yet and no driver has been made an example of yet using evidence from one. Someone attempted to road rage me. Decided to used a T junction to do a 180 and I had to slam my breaks on due to the unexpectedness of the maneuver so i hooted at him. He didn't like that but being the driver of this massive BMW 4x4 with wheels that probably come up to my waste he reversed again and chased me, overtaking me and stopping right in front of me. So I just sat there pointing at the camera, it took him a while to twig through his sexy tinted back windows, but when he finally realized that I was pointing at a camera and not giving him "the finger" (while his better half was probably trying to convince him not to "do it") He sped off once again breaking the limit and took an exit off the roundabout that took him far away.

Sadly the camera was a piece of crap and did not record the events or would have taken it to the police.

[Simon]

Don't know how it is in the rest of the world, but here in the US the "rules of the road" are highly variable.  Each of the 50 states has their own variant.  While any states drivers license gives the full right to drive in all of the other states.

The examples that follow will have to be translated for those who drive on the left side of the road, but I am sure the same principals apply worldwide.

Things like- When you are making a left turn into a multi-lane road with a center turning lane can you turn into the center lane and then merge into traffic as it clears?  When at a traffic light making a left turn, is it legal to enter the intersection, and then finish the turn during the yellow light as the traffic clears.  Is a right turn allowed at a traffic stop after completing a full stop and evaluating traffic.   On a multi-lane controlled access road, can someone temporarily using a higher speed lane impede traffic in that lane while passing a slow vehicle?   

These questions and many others have different answers in different jurisdictions, along with passionate supporters of each of the positions.  Problems arise from this, both for human drivers and any developmental autopilots.

steady on there, what is a multi lane road ? I see problems here when dual carriage ways merge with little warning, or you ext a roundabout with a dual carriageway exit that then quickly narrows to one in like 3 car lengths. A new one off what was once a single lane roundabout has just been put in a mile down the road. They took the one lane roundabout, made it slightly smaller to take their idea of 2 lanes and now instead of a small single lane roundabout with 3 exits it's a tiny roundabout with 3 exits one of which is flanked by a narrow bypass lane with the two merging into one lane after the aforementioned 3 car lengths after exiting the roundabout. I would defy an autopilot to negotiate this with ease. Here in the UK road builders seem to think they can squeeze more lanes into the same space to save the cost of land or rebuilding the junction as 30 years later it is no longer fit for purpose.

[james_s]

The old "Don't be a dick" rule can solve so many of the issues out there. That applies to a lot more than driving.

[CatalinaWOW]

Hey Simon, I know you guys have multi-laned roads.  I have seen the dashcam footage.  I am sure that you have far more narrow secondary routes than we do.  Except in unique areas like Boston and in mountainous areas.

[tggzzz]

Hey Simon, I know you guys have multi-laned roads.  I have seen the dashcam footage.  I am sure that you have far more narrow secondary routes than we do.  Except in unique areas like Boston and in mountainous areas.

I'd love to know how they cope with the currently fashionable "shared spaces" a.k.a. "reduced demarcation zones", where the distinction between the roadway and footway is deliberately minimised.

Ashford: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.1468147,0.8700198,3a,37.8y,110.49h,91.92t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sqZy91oBFr5EdueEpNeuFKQ!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
London: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.4965359,-0.1736953,3a,75y,347.28h,90t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sab_YuaaALzAgKHfCRNdYsg!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
Gloucester: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@51.8645614,-2.2469583,3a,36y,212.92h,89.51t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sOCffbeKTLD393-DCcyvBxw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

[Nusa]

Is a right turn allowed at a traffic stop after completing a full stop and evaluating traffic.

Actually, that rule has been the same in all 50 states since 1980 -- it's allowed unless there's a sign disallowing it. But it was a real gotcha when I was a young driver....my state and the states on either side had different rules.

Another one is "what do the curb colors mean?". California is a bit unique in that respect, with red, blue, green, white, and yellow all being used.

[sokoloff]

Is a right turn allowed at a traffic stop after completing a full stop and evaluating traffic.

Actually, that rule has been the same in all 50 states since 1980 -- it's allowed unless there's a sign disallowing it. But it was a real gotcha when I was a young driver....my state and the states on either side had different rules.

There are still variations. It's illegal in New York City. It's legal in some states against a right red arrow, but not in others. Most states allow left on red one-way to one-way. Some don't. Some states allow left on red two-way to one-way. Most don't.

[ez24]

Just on the news.  Tesla is now selling flame throwers (and a lot of them).

And of course California is trying to outlaw them.

[Nusa]

Just on the news.  Tesla is now selling flame throwers (and a lot of them).

And of course California is trying to outlaw them.

California outlawed actual flamethrowers years ago. Some politician is in a snit because the product, despite it's name, isn't a flamethrower in any legal or military sense (the CA law defines it as devices that throw flames more than 10 feet). It's a common propane blow torch dressed up to look like a gun. Lots of people use blow torches for legitimate tasks, so I suspect someone will get a clue after a while.

I have to hand it to Elon on this one. He's taken something that cost maybe $50 per to make in quantity and sold them for $500 each. That's a chunk of change!

I'd get the $30 Harbor Freight model if I wanted a blow torch: https://www.harborfreight.com/propane-torch-with-push-button-igniter-91037.html. It does everything Elon's does, except for looking like a gun.

[paulca]

I'll just leave this here:

[Simon]

Hey Simon, I know you guys have multi-laned roads.  I have seen the dashcam footage.  I am sure that you have far more narrow secondary routes than we do.  Except in unique areas like Boston and in mountainous areas.

Yes we do but by the sounds of your descriptions not on the scale we have, as I said in my response there is a cohabitation of single and dual carriageways where the merging of the two is hairdressing at best.

The problem in this country is that if you don't drive up someones arse someone else over/under takes you to fill the gap as though they will get there quicker so slowing down properly for junctions is a total waste of time.

[Simon]

I'll just leave this here:

your joking right?

Edit: A collegue assures me it's actually great.....

Near him is this one: https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.4248772,-0.7299517,230m/data=!3m1!1e3 It's a roundabout with a dual carriageway going through it........ thing is it used to be just exits off the dual carriageway. Couple of months ago someone got killed there..... Trying to turn right off the dual carriageway that has lights on it, it's bonkers.