SUV T-bones Prius

To date myself, I got a license (in California) at age 14 1/2. Almost immediately the minimum was raised to 16, but my license was "grandfathered"(!).

I think that exposure to traffic should be progressive:
1. pedestrian (following rules for pedestrians).
2. bicycle (following traffic rules, at least after off-street (but not sidewalk) training).
3. motorbike or scooter, with license.
4. off-street automobile (parking, manuevering).
5. automobile on local.
6. automobile in progressively heavier traffic.

Interleaved with the above: "School Safety Patrol" (I had some on a four lane main road in Honolulu and then on side streets in Washington state). (patrolling student pedestrians, but in Honolulu actually stopping traffic using STOP signs on long poles (as directed by a police officer). (I know, mustn't expose the dears to the fumes and level of responsibility.) In later experience the student safety patrols appeared to have a better record than adult crossing guards. Driver's education at the bike riding and beginning motor vehicle ages.

You will note that risk to oneself would tend to go down with time, while risk to others would increase, but hopefully with an appreciation for the risks to and limitations of the less heavily armored.

(Traffic Engineer)

 

True, the SUV driver in this accident was young & inexperienced, but how many times had she been a passenger in a car that sped up to get through the yellow light? Parents need to be aware that their children are learning to drive every time they get into a car, not just when they are behind the wheel.

I live across the street from a high school with a huge (probably 200 cars) parking lot for students in spite of the fact that almost everyone attending the school can ride a school bus. The bus, however, is just not "cool". Fortunately there is no access to the parking lots from my street & my neighborhood has no outlet except onto that access road, so my problems with traffic are minimal - but believe me I stay off the road around the time that school is starting or letting out. :behindsofa:

(I've seen one Prius in that student lot along with MANY SUV-type vehicles.)

 

Thank you all who posted back in 2008. I was the teen the driver. Figured id set the record straight. Just like most of you - I was automatically put at fault and looked as the issue, then charged with attempted man slaughter. Luckily multiple witnesses came forward revealing the Prius actually ran the red not me. Police timed the lights and confirmed. She had minimal insurance and I got fucked!. Still have a internal injuries, but the fj saved my life.

 

I feel similarly. It's not that I can't handle driving an SUV. After all, as a commercial truck driver, if I can handle a commercial truck, why not an SUV?

But there are two things that come to mind. Why do governments allow people to drive SUVs, or even cars in general, with such little training? Even a sedan is a massive amount of deadly metal flying along at high speeds possing a serious danger to those in front of it. An SUV is even worse. I don't know what the solution is, but I've known way too many people creamed by SUVs and other vehicles, but mainly SUVs. Vehicle ownership is so great yet so terrible at the same time. We might as well as start handing out hand guns, extremely toxic chemicals, explosives and pilot licenses like candy.

The other thing that comes to mind, is how do people find joy in driving SUVs? It must be simply the looks or the amount of stuff they can fit into them. When I want to drive for fun, get me a sedan or hatchback, preferrably something small and cute. I'll drive a bigger vehicle for practicality or for a job, but small cars usually handle in a way that makes me smile without the need to drive around like a maniac. I think it's the closer proximity to the ground, mainly, but a manual transmission also helps.

Sadly, my next vehicle will probably be a used Chevy Bolt. I don't like their height, as they're 6 inches taller than my Avalon. I sure do miss my 1985 VW Golf and my 1993 Mazda 323, both with manual transmissions.

 

Many governments don't just hand out drivers licenses, and getting one is an time consuming and expensive process. These countries also have great public transit. They also often have walkable cities.

 

Which countries? In Europe?

I'm only familiar with the USA, namely in Colorado, and also in Mexico. In Colorado it's time consuming because you have to get an appointment and we've had some real license nazis in charge too that make it difficult just because. It looks like driver's ed is becoming more of a thing. But once you got your license, driver's ed or not, you don't have to go through any more training here. It feels like they're handed out like candy to an extent. The people I've known who've gotten licenses in Mexico have done so just slipping a few bills under the table. One lady is legally blind and got her license in Mexico.

By comparison, as a commercial truck driver the company I worked for made us go through winter and mountain driving testing once a year. I've known a few pilots and know they have to log in so many hours and manuevers and such to keep their license going.

 

Yeah, Europe. The the US just hands them out in comparison.
Years ago, it was around $2000 to get a license in Germany. In the UK, getting on the road training is almost a must in order to past the test.

 

Let’s be realistic…Prius handles better than a RAV sure…but certainly not a Cayenne. It’s not about handling. Smaller cars are naturally at a disadvantage in a collision. My solution is having a good life insurance so if I die in an accident, my family get rich.

 

Sometimes I question whether owning and driving personal vehicles is worth the costs.

• Bigger is better for people inside the vehicle.
• But bigger will increase the odds of killing people outside of said vehicle (either pedestrians, cyclists or passengers of other vehicles).
• So would everyone buying Suburbans decrease deaths overall or would everyone buying Corollas decrease deaths overall?
• On that same line of thought, would encouraging my family to walk and bike whenever possible be considered incompetence since technically our chances of dying from a car accident would increase even more than driving around in a small car?
• If the point above isn't incompetence, then why would driving a smaller vehicle be considered so?
• Or is the only competent thing to do is to buy as big of vehicle possible for transporting oneself and one's family? I do have a class B license with a passenger endorsement so a full sized bus is an option for me.