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tuna
Jul 17, 2003

While traveling to work I witnessed a Fire truck with lights and sirens on held up by an extremely old woman in some small car, driving about 10mph in the far left lane. It took her about 20 seconds to change out of that lane so the firetruck could pass her.

While traveling home from work I witnessed a police car with lights and sirens on held up by a car, again in the far left lane going about 5mph this time. The cop car was bumper to bumper with them for about 10 seconds before they shone their alley light directly into the car and still had sirens on full blast. About 20 seconds later the car had rolled its way into an intersection, and the cop was shouting through his PA system "MOVE OUT THE WAY. MOVE OVER TO THE RIGHT", so the driver complied, and took a left turn through the intersection with (fortunately stopped) oncoming traffic to allow the cop to carry on to his destination.

Amazing. I really need a Go Pro.

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Das Volk
Nov 19, 2002

by Cyrano4747

KozmoNaut posted:

It was for crossing a double line during overtaking and doing 120kph on a 80kph road, not at the same time, though.

$900 ticket and I had to retake both the theory test and the practical test, another $700 or so.

Yeah, I'm one of the people you share a road with (I don't speed anymore, obviously).

To be fair, you live in one of those Soviet We-hate-cars-istan type places. Another reason to :bahgawd: about the metric system: speeding sounds more egregious in kommiemeters per hour.

Previa_fun
Nov 10, 2004

nsaP posted:

Last summer was real tempting when people started driving with their windows down. I'd be out riding and see the typical 'distracted driver' ahead and eventually end up next to them at a light, only to see their face full of phone. I really wanted to just grab it and chuck it off the road, then take off. I actually considered grabbing it and tossing it in their passenger seat. In reality I just mime talking on a phone and swerve around my lane and hope that it gets thru, provided they've looked away from the phone.

Technology is advancing much faster than the legislation (who's surprised there?) too. Apparently people think driving while wearing Google Glass is acceptable :downs:

Opensourcepirate
Aug 1, 2004

Except Wednesdays


Thankfully there weren't any emergency vehicles involved, but I saw one hell of a spaced out driver back when I was in college.

The picture above is from Amherst MA. I was about halfway back on a bus turning left from Triangle St onto East Pleasant St. - changing from South-East to North travel direction. You'll notice that that's a rather sharp turn with the stop line on E Pleasant set a ways back. It's back there because cars actually need to stop about there for buses to be able to make that turn.

Now I've seen people stop past that line a lot - buses always pull forward as much as they can then stop, and usually people get the hint pretty quickly. This incident was amazing purely for how long it took for the driver to move. There was a middle aged blond woman driving a nicer SUV, BMW maybe, with a 5ish year old child in the back seat. She might have been pretty but she had sunglasses on large enough to obscure most of her upper face. She was stopped pretty far forward of the line, somewhere on the crosswalk.

The bus driver pulls forward and really tries to make the turn, but it's just not happening. So he stops with the side of the bus probably 3 feet in front of the SUV, slides his window open, and starts waving at the woman. Almost instantly, the car behind the SUV starts backing up. It wasn't particularly close to begin with, but it clearly wants to make some room for this lady so she doesn't feel cramped. I'm sure that no one expects that this will be a 'thing' at this point, but the woman just keeps facing forward - no idea where she's actually looking. The bus driver starts yelling towards the SUV - not angry yelling - just trying to get her attention. He also pulls forward carefully with his head out the window until the bus really can't move anymore without hitting her. At this point the woman hasn't moved her head or body at all, but more of the cars around her start moving. The driver of the car next to her rolls his window down and starts yelling in her direction. The child in the back seat seems to notice the commotion all around and seems to be trying to get his mother(?)'s attention. Eventually I think someone started to get out of their car when she finally realized that people in all directions were yelling at her, and after looking around confused for another 20 or 30 seconds she put the car in the reverse and everyone got to move.

Opensourcepirate fucked around with this message at 08:37 on Jan 14, 2014

8ender
Sep 24, 2003

clown is watching you sleep

nsaP posted:

Last summer was real tempting when people started driving with their windows down. I'd be out riding and see the typical 'distracted driver' ahead and eventually end up next to them at a light, only to see their face full of phone. I really wanted to just grab it and chuck it off the road, then take off. I actually considered grabbing it and tossing it in their passenger seat. In reality I just mime talking on a phone and swerve around my lane and hope that it gets thru, provided they've looked away from the phone.

Many years ago I was waiting to cross at an intersection as a pedestrian. Walk sign lights up, I start to walk, and suddenly a car makes a right in front of me. The car was close enough to hitting me that I felt a whoosh of air as it passed what seemed like inches in front of me.

I instinctually threw my hands up as it went in front of me and, in some sort of magical karmic event, the lit cigarette in my hand flew through the open window of the car and onto the driver. I watched in awe as the car continued down the street for about 50 metres before slamming on the brakes and swerving around.

Snowdens Secret
Dec 29, 2008
Someone got you a obnoxiously racist av.

Previa_fun posted:

Technology is advancing much faster than the legislation (who's surprised there?) too.

Texting while driving is illegal pretty much everywhere and that's not really doing squat. Holding a cell phone to your head is illegal here and I see cops doing it all the time.

Hell, almost all the behavior described in this thread is illegal.

Kidney Stone
Dec 28, 2008

The worst pain ever!

KozmoNaut posted:

It was for crossing a double line during overtaking and doing 120kph on a 80kph road, not at the same time, though.

$900 ticket and I had to retake both the theory test and the practical test, another $700 or so.

Yeah, I'm one of the people you share a road with (I don't speed anymore, obviously).

:bravo:

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

Snowdens Secret posted:

Texting while driving is illegal pretty much everywhere and that's not really doing squat. Holding a cell phone to your head is illegal here and I see cops doing it all the time.

Hell, almost all the behavior described in this thread is illegal.

In NJ at least, its legal for the cops to do it. There's some bullshit reasoning about the cops having advanced driving training.

Deedle
Oct 17, 2011
before you ask, yes I did inform the DMV of my condition and medication, and I passed the medical and psychological evaluation when I got my license. I've passed them every time I have gone to renew my license.

dissss posted:

I can't see any scenario where it'd be desirable to have the front lights on but not the tails lit up a it seems like it would have been trivial to just implement it that way.

Are people really concerned about wearing out tail lamp bulbs or something?

This is from 2 or 3 pages back, but DRLs do have a place and use. It makes the car easier to see when it's coming towards you, while at the same time not obscuring the brakelights by having the tail lights be on all the time. And I suppose the indicators, if you have a daft US made car that doesn't come with proper indicators on the back.

Then again with compulsory third brake lights and normal indicators on a car, there really shouldn't be a reason why DRLs are needed over low-beams. Like I can see the logic behind the things, I just don't see how this logic applies to reality when you factor everything in.

Never mind that most cars these days come with LED tail lights, which shouldn't burn out to begin with.

SFH1989
Apr 23, 2007

It was raining while driving to work today and surprisingly most people had their lights on. One of the few that did not was a cop.


FogHelmut posted:

In NJ at least, its legal for the cops to do it. There's some bullshit reasoning about the cops having advanced driving training.

In CT emergency responders, tow truck drivers, cab and limo drivers are exempt. My guess is that the ban covers radios so the exemption allows them to use them. If your job requires you to use the phone while driving is it so hard to get an earpiece?

The Midniter
Jul 9, 2001

In NC texting while driving is illegal, but it is legal to do so if you are stopped at a red light (HELLO grey area!). I definitely take advantage of this but if I'm texting at a red light, I do it with my hands on my phone resting on top of my steering wheel so my field of vision includes the stop light. Unfortunately no one else in the entire state does this, which leads to lights turning green while the car in front of you sits motionless while staring down at their phone waiting for the dick pics to go through.

Disgruntled Bovine
Jul 5, 2010

I don't understand the need to text while driving. Not even the tiniest bit. If you need to talk to someone while driving just call them, even driving with a phone up to your ear is significantly safer than trying to LOOK at your phone while driving.

Personally I have my phone in a mount on my dash, and if someone calls me the speakerphone is good enough. Maybe my phone's cancellation is just better than most, but I never have any complaints about feedback even though speakerphone goes through the car speakers.

That said, I may be somewhat biased, I send maybe 3-4 text messages at week at most.

FogHelmut
Dec 18, 2003

Somehow the law requiring a hands-free device to be used for phone calls while driving has been interpreted as "hold the phone 4 inches in front of your face on speaker." There is an incredible amount of retarded people.

Uthor
Jul 9, 2006

Gummy Bear Heaven ... It's where I go when the world is too mean.

Disgruntled Bovine posted:

Personally I have my phone in a mount on my dash, and if someone calls me the speakerphone is good enough. Maybe my phone's cancellation is just better than most, but I never have any complaints about feedback even though speakerphone goes through the car speakers.

I have a cheapo mount on the windshield. It rattles too much and people can hear that through the microphone. I hardly ever use it and rarely get calls, so it's kinda moot. Should try a dash mount, but I like having it up higher so I'm not looking down the few times I use GPS.

I really need to figure out why my Bluetooth doesn't work. Who would have thought sticking a factory head unit into a car it wasn't designed for would be so much work?!

redgubbinz
May 1, 2007

I don't have a smartphone and somehow I haven't fallen into a well or been branded with a scarlet letter due to being out of contact for an hour or so. I honestly don't get how the compulsion is strong enough to risk wrecking your car/self.

OBAMNA PHONE
Aug 7, 2002
There's an army of fuckretard here in seattle who have to have their goddamned iphone headphones on while driving. it's illegal for a reason, shiiiiiitheads!

Geoj
May 28, 2008

BITTER POOR PERSON

FogHelmut posted:

In NJ at least, its legal for the cops to do it. There's some bullshit reasoning about the cops having advanced driving training.

I know a lot of states with no texting and driving laws have a law enforcement exemption on the grounds that they might need to use their MDTs while driving, and they use the law as a loophole to get away with texting on their personal phones.

nsaP
May 4, 2004

alright?

BraveUlysses posted:

There's an army of fuckretard here in seattle who have to have their goddamned iphone headphones on while driving. it's illegal for a reason, shiiiiiitheads!

That's silly. I ride with headphones in every time I go out and I assure you I can hear more than a someone with the heater going and their stereo blasting. Headphones aren't some kind of magic sound blockers. Even more so for those junk headphones that come with apple products.

rscott
Dec 10, 2009
Riding and driving are two totally different things, why would you compare them at all?

nsaP
May 4, 2004

alright?
I compared them because I think they're equivalent in this sense. Why is driving with headphones more dangerous?

xzzy
Mar 5, 2009

nsaP posted:

I compared them because I think they're equivalent in this sense. Why is driving with headphones more dangerous?

Because in addition to pumping loud noises into your ear, they limit the environmental noise that can reach your eardrum.

slurry_curry
Nov 26, 2003
<3mini-moni+animu^_^

nsaP posted:

I compared them because I think they're equivalent in this sense. Why is driving with headphones more dangerous?

Well either way, both are illegal. If you can not see the issue with people wearing headphones while driving/riding(which are going to cut down on what outside noise you can hear no matter what), I don't know what to tell you.

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

xzzy posted:

Because in addition to pumping loud noises into your ear, they limit the environmental noise that can reach your eardrum.

So luxobarges with good soundproofing are more dangerous than economy cars? I'm just trying to follow the logic here.

How does turning up the radio play into this? Or driving around in a lower gear than necessary thereby causing additional engine noise? Windows up or down? Fan on low vs high?

SFH1989
Apr 23, 2007

FogHelmut posted:

Somehow the law requiring a hands-free device to be used for phone calls while driving has been interpreted as "hold the phone 4 inches in front of your face on speaker." There is an incredible amount of retarded people.

I once overheard a girl bitching about how she got a ticket for doing this. She just could not understand why it wasn't viewed any differently than holding a phone up to your ear.

xzzy
Mar 5, 2009

Motronic posted:

So luxobarges with good soundproofing are more dangerous than economy cars? I'm just trying to follow the logic here.

Probably, but there's no regulations against it so it's game on.

Motronic posted:

How does turning up the radio play into this? Or driving around in a lower gear than necessary thereby causing additional engine noise? Windows up or down? Fan on low vs high?

You can in fact be ticketed for playing the radio too loud in some areas. It's mostly aimed at people with ridiculous stereos but some lawmaker at some point did in fact decide there was a point where it's "too loud."

The rest of your questions are pointlessly pedantic.

Macichne Leainig
Jul 26, 2012

by VG
Going to the DMV today since I turned 21. Took the highway. Lady in a blue Corolla trucking down a water-covered highway at 85 mph, or 10 over the speed limit. :stonk:

slurry_curry
Nov 26, 2003
<3mini-moni+animu^_^

Motronic posted:

So luxobarges with good soundproofing are more dangerous than economy cars? I'm just trying to follow the logic here.

How does turning up the radio play into this? Or driving around in a lower gear than necessary thereby causing additional engine noise? Windows up or down? Fan on low vs high?

Its not strictly just the noise of the music in headphones, but the fact that it blocks out noise that is not just the music. If you don't believe me, go sit in your car and crank the radio up and see what external noise you can still here. Then put some headphones on and match the loudness of the music before and see how much external noise you can hear. It might not seem like it, but it really makes a huge difference.

rscott
Dec 10, 2009
I don't know exactly what causes it but wearing headphones fucks with my spatial sense far more than what the music should.

MrOnBicycle
Jan 18, 2008
Wait wat?
Yeah, the difference is pretty huge. Especially with those in ear headphone plugs. If you also add the fact that many have their music turned up way too loud when using headphones, it gets even worse.

Motronic
Nov 6, 2009

Negromancer posted:

Its not strictly just the noise of the music in headphones, but the fact that it blocks out noise that is not just the music. If you don't believe me, go sit in your car and crank the radio up and see what external noise you can still here. Then put some headphones on and match the loudness of the music before and see how much external noise you can hear. It might not seem like it, but it really makes a huge difference.

I have and, unless it's my noise isolation headphones, it's not significantly different. Especially with cheap rear end ear buds and unless you're absolutely cranking them.

I don't make a practice of doing this, as I have no need to. But I still don't see the big deal that certain AI posters make it out to be (not discussing the legal aspects here). In the grand scheme of things it's incredibly minor compared to plenty of even more common and hazardous driving distractions.

nsaP
May 4, 2004

alright?

Negromancer posted:

Well either way, both are illegal. If you can not see the issue with people wearing headphones while driving/riding(which are going to cut down on what outside noise you can hear no matter what), I don't know what to tell you.

It's not illegal where I live.

Again, headphones don't block all noise, I can still hear the road just fine. Better than in a newer car with the blower running, and the stereo on, in fact.

slurry_curry
Nov 26, 2003
<3mini-moni+animu^_^

^^^ I will say I have less of a problem with motorcycles doing this than people in cars. I never said they block all noise, but they do cut it down. Read the other posts and you may understand my point.

Motronic posted:

I have and, unless it's my noise isolation headphones, it's not significantly different. Especially with cheap rear end ear buds and unless you're absolutely cranking them.

I don't make a practice of doing this, as I have no need to. But I still don't see the big deal that certain AI posters make it out to be (not discussing the legal aspects here). In the grand scheme of things it's incredibly minor compared to plenty of even more common and hazardous driving distractions.

True, and it might just be me/my headphones but the one time I tried driving with headphones in it was terrifying and I could not do it.

rscott
Dec 10, 2009
Yeah I've accidentally left them in and on while getting out of the gym and just that unconscious sense of where other objects are around you was not there.

OBAMNA PHONE
Aug 7, 2002

nsaP posted:

It's not illegal where I live.

Again, headphones don't block all noise, I can still hear the road just fine. Better than in a newer car with the blower running, and the stereo on, in fact.

Motorcycle riders have already taken their lives into their own hands so go do what you like.

My original post about this subject wasn't directed at motorcycle riders, just loving idiots in their cars.

Galler
Jan 28, 2008


If I'm going to be on my motorcycle for more than like 15 minutes I'll put in ear plugs (and really should for every ride) since I like my hearing in its current functional state. The earplugs mostly just block out the wind noise and actually make it easier to hear everything else. Also, like BraveUlysses mentioned, I'm probably going to get killed anyway so I might as well die comfortable*.

When I'm driving though I can barely tolerate a hat the covers my ears let alone headphones or ear buds. Just feels weird and isolating.


e: *I'm strongly considering LS swapping a miata or something when I can afford it to get as close as possible to a motorcycle but with like a 90% reduction in death likelihood.

Galler fucked around with this message at 22:00 on Jan 14, 2014

Ringo Star Get
Sep 18, 2006

JUST FUCKING TAKE OFF ALREADY, SHIT

I know this from the last page and all, but did anything come of this? The guy is either unconscious or severely injured and doesn't move a muscle but has about half dozen cops dogpiling on him to beat him up.

opengl
Sep 16, 2010

Galler posted:

If I'm going to be on my motorcycle for more than like 15 minutes I'll put in ear plugs (and really should for every ride) since I like my hearing in its current functional state. The earplugs mostly just block out the wind noise and actually make it easier to hear everything else. Also, like BraveUlysses mentioned, I'm probably going to get killed anyway so I might as well die comfortable*.

When I'm driving though I can barely tolerate a hat the covers my ears let alone headphones or ear buds. Just feels weird and isolating.


e: *I'm strongly considering LS swapping a miata or something when I can afford it to get as close as possible to a motorcycle but with like a 90% reduction in death likelihood.

Yep I always wear plugs when riding. I didn't for the first few years and hosed my hearing pretty badly. All it does it block the wind noise, you can still very much hear what is going on around you. Its like driving with the windows up vs down in a car.

Of course there's no music blasting through the plugs though.

Terrible Robot
Jul 2, 2010

FRIED CHICKEN
Slippery Tilde

Ringo Star Get posted:

I know this from the last page and all, but did anything come of this? The guy is either unconscious or severely injured and doesn't move a muscle but has about half dozen cops dogpiling on him to beat him up.

A week of paid leave and commendations all around, probably.

Fake edit: actually bothered to look it up, 5 of them were fired.

Terrible Robot fucked around with this message at 22:22 on Jan 14, 2014

Mercury Ballistic
Nov 14, 2005

not gun related
Texting while driving first offense:
Interlock that requires phone to be powered off for car to start.

Second offence:

Removal of both thumbs.


I guess I can dream. Pull over if you have to talk.

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nsaP
May 4, 2004

alright?

opengl128 posted:

Yep I always wear plugs when riding. I didn't for the first few years and hosed my hearing pretty badly. All it does it block the wind noise, you can still very much hear what is going on around you. Its like driving with the windows up vs down in a car.

Of course there's no music blasting through the plugs though.

I'll tell ya, it's like driving with the stereo on versus off in a car.

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