Driving Test Failure and Discussion
I took my first driving test yesterday, and failed miserably by going through a stop sign. I was frightened to the point of shaking, and the sun was coming in just right to hit my left eye and blind me. It was a short stop sign too, and I blew right past it. Failed automatically. It didn't help that right after that I almost hit a jaywalking pedestrian.
So that wasn't very good.
However, it got me thinking about the role of government in transportation. In an ideal world, the government wouldn't be creating roads, but now that it has, does that mean it should regulate who uses them? What about toll roads? (I'm in favor). Railroad subsidies? Any discussion related to transportation would be welcome. I'm curious about the differing perspectives here, because I can see several different arguments that someone that enjoys Ayn Rand could argue.
So that wasn't very good.
However, it got me thinking about the role of government in transportation. In an ideal world, the government wouldn't be creating roads, but now that it has, does that mean it should regulate who uses them? What about toll roads? (I'm in favor). Railroad subsidies? Any discussion related to transportation would be welcome. I'm curious about the differing perspectives here, because I can see several different arguments that someone that enjoys Ayn Rand could argue.
Previous comments...
After you've passed your driver test, you'll live longer if you assume everyone else on the road is texting while drunk or stoned. Never go through a green light (for example) without making sure someone isn't running the red.
I made a prop out of three erasers from the black board and talked myself through it. Sure enough all those angles and line up and turn when you hit the other cars rear bumper line a suddenly made sense. On the next day I had the license exam. I parked my eraser and passed. I have never parallel parked since then in my entire life. In the Panama Canal Zone (Old name) we had a very tricky bridge on the north end to get across to the west side. 90 right a short distance 90 degrees left and then the reverse. I had a 2.5 ton truck with trailer. I figured out which wheel and unlike many who left rubber (The segments were steel curbed) went through perfectly. The reward was a three month sentence as drivers training instructor.
So to make it easy it's 360 degree control of a moving space plan everything in advance, be prepared for the unexpected. If the area looks prone to that slow down And when driving down a road drive at least three to five vehicles ahead. In Europe they do 10 to 20 on the autobahn. That means you are ready for what any of those five cars MIGHT do and that includes the side and behind you.
One bright day it will all come together.
Don't buy a red car
Don't by a plastic body roller skate.
and one you've heard I'm sure
Drive Defensively.
And on that bright day you will SMILE!
Now try that driving a 900 foot long freighter in a crowded water way! See...there's always something worse.
I think they should work out a way to price roads by supply and demand rather than a flat toll. So there would never be traffic jams due to volume.
They'll be putting assist into cars to prevent violating traffic laws and eventually the cars will be fully automated. That has its ups and downs but I think it's coming.
I also think the whole notion of people carrying thousands of pounds of metal around with them is a bad idea. We end up making big parking lots and large areas of grass to separate buildings from noisy highways. Then it becomes difficult to walk or bike anywhere. When we drive two miles to the store rather than walk it has health consequences from not exercising but also from the stress of life-and-death decisions without corresponding physical exertion, something I think we're not adapted for. The decreased density means it's more difficult to get to nearby neighbors. You're less likely to see them walking down the street.
On top of all this, moving all that metal takes a huge amount of energy. Energy runs the economy. Energy from burning fossil fuels threatens to incur huge costs on future generations in the form of global warming. We aren't even sure of the magnitude of the problem. It could be smaller than we think but it could be near catastrophic. We're taking a huge risk by not taking it more seriously, by not factoring in the costs we're pushing off on other people.
That being said, I use my car all the time since I bought it five years ago. It was going to a supplement for when the bike and bus are inconvenient. I still use bike and bus, but they're the exception. 85% of my local travel is now by car.
I remember feeling so awkward learning to drive 25 years ago. I think it's good you take it seriously and are nervous about making a deadly mistake. That's better than many drivers who seem oblivious to the perils.