I posted this in the experienced bikers section but it's probably better off posted here.
The worst drivers in my opinion are the very elderly with very slow reaction times and woolly brains who only take their cars out on a Sunday (then they can't seem to remember where they wanted to go). An old girl stopped in the middle of the road in front of me the other weekend - seems like she needed a chat to her passenger - probably couldn't cope with driving and talking at the same time. Some of these old folks really are a menace and I think they should be required to take a driving test every month or two after the age of 70...or banned from driving completely.
From what I've read recently (can't recall my sources), but there's heavy legislative talk of imposing more strict renewing of licensing to elders. Each state has the right to set standards, but behind the wheel testing is the main focus at all age levels.
Where I live in northern Minnesota, there are lots of elders and more are on the way with the baby boomers retiring - the talk is getting louder.
When talking about capability, I agree with you that elders in their 70s have the most trouble. There's lots of cellphone talkers out there too, but if you're talking capability to drive safe, I think the 70s+ crowd has the least capability to drive safely.
2003 VN1500P Kawasaki Mean Streak
2009 Yamaha Nytro FX
I agree about the elderly but there those that can still handle their vehicles. In my opinion though the awards of poor drivers go to 18-25 like the ones in those tuned hondas or the young girls driving their SUVs.
What strikes me is that in Europe and soon the U.S. will make getting a motorcycle license harder instead of making better drivers regardless of what vehicle.
One thing you can count on: You push a man too far, and sooner or later he'll start pushing back.
The fogies aren't too bad... yeah, they've got problems, but they aren't actively trying to be bad... age has made them a bit inept is all.
The absolute worst drivers are females ages 18-35 and the testosterone-fogged pickup/SUV drivers. Younger fems are the most aggressive drivers around... always going "whathafu" fast... and as they get older apparently their necks stiffen up 'cause I've had more 30ish fems merge into my lane without ever even turning their heads (and this is while I was driving a white BMW car...not unobtrusive) to see if the lane was clear. Around my house a few years ago fem in that age bracket did the ultimate version of that, she stopped and turned onto a 55MPH highway without ever looking to see if there was traffic... turns out there was an 18 wheeler about 100 feet up the road doing 55... truck driver locked his brakes but couldn't keep from killing her and the three children she was babysitting when she pulled in front of him. The large pickup and SUV drivers with testosterone issues are bad in the same way as the young fems...way too aggressive. e.g. one time I was driving along in the rain, doing 70MPH on the interstate, and a dip in an F250 blew past doing maybe 90 and weaving through traffic. Sure enough, 2 miles up the road that same truck was on its side (and facing the wrong direction) on one shoulder, front fender mashed, another car sitting the other shoulder with its rear end accordioned in. That's not unusual.
After that are the privately operated commercial trucks...the ones that don't have a 'how am I driving' sticker... they'll go 30MPH on a 55MPH highway and never use the turn-outs or let anyone pass... then the testosterone-heads (mentioned above) get pissed off, try to pass, and head-on innocent drivers.
But the thing is...a lot of these reckless drivers will turn a new leaf when testing. Their state of mind changes in order to successfully pass these formal demonstrations. The ineptitude of elders are harder to overlook; therefore, easier to determine while testing.
And the 18-35 fem deal has some truth to it from what I've observed. The typical car? Neons, Cavaliers, Sunfires, and Grand Ams. Have you noticed how beat up those cars are? I don't mean lack of maintenance, but physical damage done to their cars.
And as far as souped up Hondas, yeah...a lot of those "pee" me off too. Least they're fast and I just get out of the way so I don't have to deal with em, but the geezers...they just kinda float around...slowly...in front of you. And you just don't know if it's safe to pass...that's harder for me to take.
2003 VN1500P Kawasaki Mean Streak
2009 Yamaha Nytro FX
It's hard to pin it down to any one demographic. The bad drivers I see are predominantly in three categories :
1. People talking on the phone.
2. Very young drivers.
3. Very old drivers.
Items 2 & 3 are in no particular order. There seem to be equal amounts in both categories. The phone drivers are worse than all of them.
The old ones have slower reaction times and possibly vision problems. The younger ones just lack experience and tend to drive beyond their true skill level. But at least those two groups are usually paying attention to what they're doing. The phone drivers are totally oblivious to what is going on around them.
On Monday I was riding to work, when the driver in the next lane came over to take 1/2 of my lane. I wasn't that surprised when I saw that he was jabbering on the phone, but I couldn't believe that he had his laptop in the passenger seat and was attempting to type on that too (at 45 mph in heavy traffic on a busy street).
Bachstrad37 wrote:From what I've read recently (can't recall my sources), but there's heavy legislative talk of imposing more strict renewing of licensing to elders.........
This'll never happen!!! Unfortunately the AARP has too much money and too many members lobbying to keep their right to sit behind a wheel...or should I say peer over the top of a wheel.
Since I'm a South Florida boy and we have most of the old people (everyone can thank me later for getting them out of your hair) my list would start off with the old and oblivious, next the young and dumb (stereo blasting out of all the rolled down windows) and after that its pretty much a toss up of what time of day and what part of the county you're in....
dieziege wrote:The large pickup and SUV drivers with testosterone issues are bad in the same way as the young fems...way too aggressive.
Have to agree with you here. My friend had her car rear-ended at a light by one of those lifted off roader trucks, another friend had the front of his car literally run over in a parking lot. Tread marks on the hood. Probably not everyone with this kind of truck is a moron... but around here at least it's the girls and the souped-up civics who are the safer drivers.
