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How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

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Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#201

Post by devnullbrain »

philjohn wrote: post #48

Our driving test standards are also high, having spoken with US colleagues, much higher than state-side (although I imagine that varies from state to state). The theory test you must pass before taking your practical also now includes a hazard perception test - you are shown multiple videos and must click when you first perceive a hazard - the earlier you click after the hazard presents the higher your score - but if…

I haven't driven in other countries but from my experience I'm not sure this is translating to good driving on the road.

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#202

Post by 4ndrewl »

everfrustrated wrote: post #195
4ndrewl wrote: post #99

Earlier quoted context omitted.

aka "it's a speed limit, not a target"

Begs the question why the symbol for a limit is in the (literal) shape of a target.

Circular signs with a red outline are prohibition signs (ie you _must_ not do this).

Triangular signs with a red outline are warning signs.

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#203

Post by devnullbrain »

sas224dbm wrote: post #97
berryg wrote: post #82

Driving in the UK can be quite a shock when you're used to the roads in the Netherlands. The speed at which people navigate roundabouts can feel terrifying, and the maximum speed in the countryside is something else. Going *60 mph* on narrow roads with limited visibility is just crazy. The locals just speed by. I guess it's just what you're used to.

A favorite past-time back in the day was driving at night from pub to pub along the 'back roads' (B-roads specifically in the UK) as fast as 'possible'. There were typically no street lights, however lights from other vehicles showed up alerting you to any possible danger. It was fun at the time, but i wouldn't do it now .. lol ..

>lights from other vehicles showed up alerting you to any possible danger.

When I started driving I preferred the dark for these roads because the lights let you 'see' hazard around a corner.

Headlights were worse then - and I hadn't seen a crash into a deer.

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#204

Post by jajko »

devnullbrain wrote: post #201
philjohn wrote: post #48

Our driving test standards are also high, having spoken with US colleagues, much higher than state-side (although I imagine that varies from state to state). The theory test you must pass before taking your practical also now includes a hazard perception test - you are shown multiple videos and must click when you first perceive a hazard - the earlier you click after the hazard presents the higher your score - but if…

I haven't driven in other countries but from my experience I'm not sure this is translating to good driving on the road.

It covers some, lets say non-beginner situations that are pretty real and can make a difference between OK situation and multiple fatalities crash. A junior driver can still kill people as easily as anybody else, standards should be high.

And you should certainly drive in other countries, namely much worse and much better than yours (presumably US), they are both out there.

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#205

Post by Vinnl »

cjensen wrote: post #83

The article says "safest roads," but the statistic used to demonstrate that is deaths per 100K people rather than deaths per kilometer driven. Seems to me the latter would be a much better metric for the safety of the physical roads.

Possibly even per trip? I'm confident my bicycle trips to the supermarket in the Netherlands is safer than a trip to Walmart in the US by car, but I spend way fewer kilometres doing the same job. That only makes it even safer, but I think is discounted in per-KM statistics?

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#207

Post by devnullbrain »

throwaway290 wrote: post #21
marliechiller wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

why are you stepping on them?

because sometimes you unplug it and leave it around. unless you live like a king sometimes there is 2 sockets and you have 5 devices to plug at different times. european and other ones will be on the side so stepping on it is no problem but uk ones will be the pointy end up

You're leaving lengths of strong flexible wire lying around places where you walk and are worried you might get hurt? Uh, yeah!

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#208

Post by devnullbrain »

jajko wrote: post #204
devnullbrain wrote: post #201

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I haven't driven in other countries but from my experience I'm not sure this is translating to good driving on the road.

It covers some, lets say non-beginner situations that are pretty real and can make a difference between OK situation and multiple fatalities crash. A junior driver can still kill people as easily as anybody else, standards should be high. And you should certainly drive in other countries, namely much worse and much better than yours (presumably US), they are both out there.

UK, FYI

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#209

Post by physicsguy »

philjohn wrote: post #48

Our driving test standards are also high, having spoken with US colleagues, much higher than state-side (although I imagine that varies from state to state). The theory test you must pass before taking your practical also now includes a hazard perception test - you are shown multiple videos and must click when you first perceive a hazard - the earlier you click after the hazard presents the higher your score - but if…

“now includes”

It has done for nearly 25 years at this point ;)

Re: How Britain built some of the world’s safest roads

#210

Post by physicsguy »

sas224dbm wrote: post #97
berryg wrote: post #82

Driving in the UK can be quite a shock when you're used to the roads in the Netherlands. The speed at which people navigate roundabouts can feel terrifying, and the maximum speed in the countryside is something else. Going *60 mph* on narrow roads with limited visibility is just crazy. The locals just speed by. I guess it's just what you're used to.

A favorite past-time back in the day was driving at night from pub to pub along the 'back roads' (B-roads specifically in the UK) as fast as 'possible'. There were typically no street lights, however lights from other vehicles showed up alerting you to any possible danger. It was fun at the time, but i wouldn't do it now .. lol ..

I went to a wedding in Devon recently, friend of my wife’s whose family are all farmers and her brother was joking that it’d be fine to drive back drunk because the car would just bounce off the hedgerows…
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