RE: Speeding is good? No I don't agree... [What is a good driver?] <long>

["Fry, Larry" <LEF@chem-tronics.com>]

Wow.  Very eloquently put, my friend.  and I couldn't agree more.

Larry sandiego16V

-----Original Message-----
From: 16V Jason [mailto:jason@scirocco.org]
Sent: Thursday, November 01, 2001 7:54 AM
To: Patrick Bureau; Scirocco List
Subject: Re: Speeding is good? No I don't agree... [What is a good
driver?] <long>


Patrick et al,
         This is not a flame war, it's a discussion.  We all have different 
opinions about many things, and if we didn't, we would have nothing to talk 
about.  I like discussions, and the more heated the better, so here goes. :)

         First of all, you have my sincerest sympathy for losing so many of 
your friends -- and your brother -- in car accidents.  However, with that 
said, I'm somewhat curious from your assertion that 3 of them were all 
professional race drivers.  While I do think that professionally trained 
race car drivers are likely better able to control their cars at (and 
above) the limit, I disagree completely that their training and experience 
is a predictor of safe driving on the street.

         A safe driver in my book is one that knows the limits at all 
times.  By that, I mean the limits of his* car, the limits of his 
abilities, and the limits of all of the people surrounding him.  He is 
someone who can drive his car at extraordinarily high speeds under the 
right conditions, but someone who has no problem driving slower than 
everyone when he feels the conditions aren't right.

         He has a good understanding of physics so that he can predict how 
his car will react even when dealing with multiple variables (speed, road 
surface, etc).  He pays keen attention to his car's condition and keeps 
note of the condition of tires, brakes, etc.   He pays astute attention to 
his car's feedback:  any unusual noise or feeling is immediately treated as 
a potential threat.

         He is religiously observant of other drivers; watching those both 
in front and behind them, and not only anticipating what adverse moves they 
could make, but how to avoid incident if they do make a mistake.  He is 
constantly planning an escape route.  He risks losing control of his car 
only when there is sufficient room to correct without hitting anything.  He 
takes risks only where the potential for injury and damage is small.

         He does not show off to friends.  He does not act out in anger at 
other drivers.  He does not talk on his cell phone while driving.  The 
loudness of his music is indirectly proportional to his perceived danger 
level.  And he fully understands the repercussions of an accident.

         He is the guy that's usually travelling above the median speed in 
good conditions, and usually below the median speed in bad.  Analyzing risk 
as he goes, he's able to find the happy medium on the speed versus safety 
continuum -- the point at which he can travel as efficiently as possible.

         I take driving very, very seriously.  It's an art that very few 
people master, and I'd like to think I'm on my way.  Driving is an 
evolutionary thing, you learn more and more as you drive; mastering it is 
not a final goal -- it's a way to get to that goal.  Mastering driving 
means always being open to learning new things and adjusting what you 
previously thought was "right".

         So with all due respect, if you're ever in a car with me -- 
whether doing 30mph or 150mph -- you will be absolutely certain that the 
conditions are right, or I wouldn't be risking my own life doing 
it.  Speeding is a bullshit, brainwashing term.  If the government told you 
to drink some Special Kool-Aid, would you?  I certainly wouldn't.  I also 
don't let the government tell me what speed is safe to operate my 
vehicle.  I calculate that speed on my own... the risk I take is that of a 
ticket.  If I'm not in a rush, then I cap my speed and reduce the risk of a 
ticket; but it's doubtful it is reducing the risk of an accident.  At the 
same time that I despise the artificially low speed limits on most American 
highways, I'll be the first one driving at speeds far below them in bad 
conditions.  It's the stupid people -- the "sheep" -- who drive at the 
speed limit all the time because they naively think it's the "safe" thing 
to do.  So, "speeding", in its common usage, is not a term I use.  Speeding 
is when you are going too fast for conditions, not when you are 5mph above 
some government mandate.  Speeding, in that sense, is dangerous.  Driving 
over the posted speed limit is irrelevant as far as safety is concerned.

My $1.25
Jason
*Not intended to be sexist; I'm too lazy to type his/her all the time.







At 10:07 PM 10/31/2001, Patrick Bureau wrote:
>Dear Adam I do have to reply and do try to understand thatthis commentary
is
>a conversation and not a bashing of any sorts.
>if you should feel I am doing a personal attack, I would like you to tell
me
>and I will make proper apologies.
>
>1) The "doing about 65mph in a 55 zone and this little old granny pulled
her
>land yacht right out in front of me.." if you where doing 55 in a 55 zone..
>you would have plenty of time to slow down and WOULD of seen her ahead of
>time.
>
>2) "I drive at high speeds all the time and I have NEVER crashed a vehicle
>or caused an accident of any kind." personally I had a good long time
friend
>of mine like you, who used to drive professional racing stock cars, and
>drove his car on the road in teh same way , "I am a professional driver,
get
>out of my way attitute" he died after slamming his car into a truck that
>decided he had the right of way with his 18 ton truck... the engine on his
>Maverick 74 backed up into the car 3 and 1/2 feet into the cockpit, he was
>crushed by the steering wheel into his seat and died on impact at the young
>age of 22.
>
>Sorry, and Cannot say that I respect speed limit all the time, in town I do
>stick to speed limits, and on the highway on a clear day I do run 80-90MPH
>on some short "empty" 3 lane highways just for kicks. if we did not enjoy
>"speed" we would all be driving Fort T model 1's.
>
>Though I agree there should be new laws agaisnt young driver (under the age
>of 21) to be allowed to drive over certain areas (like in france for
>example, a new driver has a 90KMPH MAX speed, and is not allowed on
>Highways, nor after dark on roads, and their permit only carries a 3 point
>demerit (normally 17 on a fully licensed driver) for 90 months, these
>drivers are visibly identified on their cars with a big rough black and
>white sticker marked 90. it is not a perfect system (knowing full well from
>personal experience with driving in france many times over) but I am sorry
I
>cannot warrant SPEEDING in "in-town streets" and "being a professional" you
>would understand this even more, and you would keep your "speeding" on the
>track and not on the road.
>
>I am not bashing your opinion nor the way you drive, but there are a many
>"young drivers" online that think redlining a 16v 2300 pds vehicule at
every
>gear in streets make them invincible, I have seen (lost 4 friends now to
>speeding in cars and motorcycles, 3 were professional race drives, one was
>my brother (at the age of 25, on his birthday, doing 80MPH in a 45MPH zone
>passing in a curve, going uphill, his car plowed into a "caterpillar" ,
they
>found his body in the back seat on the car...he was passing a group of
>people on bicycles...)
>
>I will state that though any speed above stated speed limit is technically
>considered speeding, 5MPH above speed limit is not mechanically speaking
>speeding, 10MPH over speed limit is. any mechanic can explain and prove
that
>the tachometers in any car is as accurate as the specs of the cars and tire
>manufacturer designed the car with, change the wheels and you change this..
>why most cops do not give out ticket for only 5MPH over limit permissible.
>
>Sincerly hoping this willnot start a "flame war" as it is NOT intended as
>so.
>
>Patrick


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