Path: utzoo!utgpu!watmath!mks!mike From: mike@mks.UUCP (Mike Brookbank) Newsgroups: ont.general Subject: Re: Highway Driving Rules Keywords: traffic, flow, rhythm Message-ID: <938@mks.UUCP> Date: 15 May 89 18:47:54 GMT References: <8904061731.AA21685@ellesmere.csri.toronto.edu> <3098@looking.UUCP> <794@mks.UUCP> <797@mks.UUCP> <2009@egvideo.UUCP> <485@becker.UUCP> Reply-To: mike@mks.UUCP (Mike Brookbank) Distribution: ont Organization: Mortice Kern Systems, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada Lines: 42 In article <485@becker.UUCP> eric@becker.UUCP (Eric Siegerman) writes: > >But why do North American drivers differ in this from Europeans? >I assume we're no less intelligent, so we must just be less >skillful ... I think the skill factor and social driving conditions play a major part in European driving largely due to the conditions of the road and the physical geography of the country. In North America, for the most part, the roads are flat, have low gradiant factors, are wide and have a very good visibility rate. (Especially here in Southern Ontario!). In Italy, the mountain roads are very narrow, have a very sharp turning radius an very poor visibilty. The city or town streets were built with horse travel in mind and only VERY recently (past fifty years) have they tried, unsuccessfully to modify the roads try and accomodate automobile traffic. This means that the average Italian driver MUST pay attention to the road and his fellow drivers because if he doesn't he is likely to drive over a cliff and plunge two thousand meters. So my point is that its not so much driver vs. driver as driver vs. geographical limitations and because these limitations are not forgiving the average Italian driver is far more skilled than the average North American driver. I think this point can be extended to regions within North America as well. I have found that northern drivers (ie people who deal with the snow, freezing rain, etc) are on average better drivers than southern drivers. I have also found that mountain drivers are better than non-mountain drivers. What I think would go a long way in solving the problem of driving skills is a compulsory advanced driving course offered maybe five years after you have obtained your licence. This course would teach you controlled skidding, precision handling, how to effectively use your gears for stopping, etc... Maybe we could even get the insurance companies to back this program by offering lowered rates. Think the'll go for it? Naaaah! -- Mike Brookbank Phone: (519)884-2251 Mortice Kern Systems Inc. UUCP: uunet!watmath!mks!mike 35 King St. North BIX: join mks Waterloo, Ontario N2J 2W9 CompuServe: 73260,1043