Saturday, May 24, 2008

Driven To Drink: Part 4 -- 1 In 6

I just read a report based on a study conducted by GMAC Insurance which found that 16.4% of, or about 33 million, drivers don't know the rules of the road.

That figure somehow sounds a bit generous to me. Based on what I see every day during my commute, I would have thought that it's one in six drivers who do know the rules of the road. Or maybe many of those 33 million flunkies live in my area. The Northeast scored pretty badly overall with the Midwest faring much better.

Or maybe even worse is the possibility that there are a lot of competent drivers on the road who know the rules, but don't care enough to bother. That jives pretty much with the general attitude of Screw you and get out of my way that a lot of drivers seem to have.

Take the GMAC Insurance National Driver Test. It's fun. At least, it was fun for me because I scored 100% (La-de-freakin'-da....right?). Yes, I'm gloating. It may be a conceit, but on the other hand it will not be me tailgating, failing to signal, keeping an unsafe distance, or turning into the wrong lane. I haven't had any points on my license for over eleven years and I (and my insurance premiums) like it that way.

So until the scores come up and the majority who passed the test actually drive like they did, buckle up and drive defensively. Drive a tank. But it had better be a hybrid tank with today's petrol prices or you'll only be driving to the poorhouse.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I like this.
I can NOT stand! bad drivers. I yell at them and I dont even drive.
Hmm wonder where I get that from?
heh heh.
Nice piece I like yo stuff.


SAM

Anonymous said...

Yup!

We noticed the lack of "rules of the road" knowledge on our last visit to the USA. Most of the incidents we saw could have been prevented by using one simple device:
THE TURN SIGNAL!
Perhaps everybody is so busy with their auto-navigation systems, satellite radio and seat-heaters that they´ve simply forgotten how to move a simple lever up and down!
And as you, SavageWit, can attest, no blinker in Europe simply means you ARE NOT going to be changing lanes because NOBODY is going to just let you in. Yes, it´s that crowded.

KaiserMichi