Which Driver Is More Dangerous?

[rjo3491]

It's unfair to choose between young and old but you have no problem pointing the finger at women drivers? :spank:

It's a simple poll - young or old - vote for one or don't

I have twice been pushed out of lanes on the freeway by middle aged men on cell phones - I will not speculate as to what they were discussing. The women noted on the other post may very well have been talking business - just as deadly as yelling at kids!

 

[Bikebiz]

It's a cliche to say that P-platers here are worse drivers than any other group but I must say, of the last say 20 'incidents' of either a crash or an act of stupidity I've encountered, 19 have been showing P-plates.

Of course there is going to be generalising when it comes to trends, so you can't argue that's it's stereotyping a group. We all know there are good drivers and bad in all age and gender categories, but to deny there is a trend for younger drivers to make uninformed or reckless decisions is just being naive imo. They are yet to be exposed to consequence, and like most things you learn more effectively when you experience it.

And if you really wanted to argue the gender thing, then there is plenty of research to show that males have a higher propensity for risk taking than females (couldn't be bothered sourcing that!).

 

[OZXJR]

Damn them young un's !

Close to my place is a retirement village and a high school that I have to ride past everyday.

Guess which one is the most dangerous !

 

[BH322893]

It's unfair to choose between young and old but you have no problem pointing the finger at women drivers? :spank:

It's a simple poll - young or old - vote for one or don't

I have no problem pointing the finger at the women I personally see driving poorly. :BLAA:

Worst Drivers, Men or Women - MSN Money

I think these facts may be bias however, I've had experience with being pulled over as a passenger to a female driver where she was given a verbal warning for something that myself would had surely gotten a ticket for. The law enforcement seems to bend the rules of the road for a cute young face around here. I tried to flirt once with a cop but those tasers really hurt :Flash:

 

[AngelFZ]

Any distacted driver is dangerous.

Teenagers do lack experience and their frame of mind is even more dangerous (they are invincible and capable of anything).
Elderly drivers are more predictable and in many cases they drive slowers but eitherway they can get you in trouble. Last year, my friend felt down (while taking a 90 degree turn) as she avoided an elderly driver that left her without room and never seemed to notice there was a motorcycle in front of her.

 

[OZXJR]

Its totally unfair to ask old or young, there are extremely bad groups in both.
Here we have strict rules about learning to drive meaning that those under 25 are generally far more aware of the actual rules of the road, particularly school zones, crossings, and the use of mobile phones (not allowed!).
There are the more dangerous young drivers in suped up cars that drive like hoons, and they often lack the skills to deal with the dangerous situations they create.They are the same people who no matter what age will always speed and be idiots, but they havent got the experience to know when they'll get caught or when its too dangerous.
This being said there are plenty of very serious speeding offences and accidents by everyone else too.
There are also the older drivers who should no longer have a license but due to being slow and cautious are luckily less dangerous because everyone else can generally drive to avoid them.

The most dangerous drivers however are the definately the middle group, they are ALWAYS on phones, they are the parents not watching the road but yelling at kids or just driving in automatic mode.
Woman generally make up a large part of this group visually on the road, they drive the kids to school in 4wd's, then they double park, or speed in school zones, they don't use blinkers, they are on the phone, they don't follow the most basic rules of the road. Once their kids are dropped off they are just idiots because they are rushing home for their first martini or daytime tv.
This middle group also includes that certain 'group' of people with no road awareness that often drive taxi's and have literally no driving skills whatsoever. They are the ones who will drive and put you in their blind spot then try and merge, or pull out without a blinker or move across three lanes of traffic. Honestly its definately something genetic that makes them such bad drivers.
This entire middle aged group are also the people who unlike the old and the young aren't aware of the more recent road rules, and realistically don't care they think they own the roads because they are middle aged, and have driven for ages, they consider young people a threat, and generally drive worse than the youngsters do at the slightest sign of them. Should see the reaction from most idiots at the first sign of an L plate, they literally put everyone at risk with their reactions. They do however have experience so they are generally the best group at reacting properly to a dangerous situation (even when they create it) its just that often they are totally unaware thats a problem.

Also worth noting that I'm in a city and I know in rural areas there are far bigger problems with young people.

I guess in the end the most dangerous driver is the one who has the least skills, least experience, least awareness, least focus and is irresponsible. Each age group has them, its just a deadly mix when a single person fits all these issues.

Normally the dangerous young people are just the kids of the terrible older drivers, who REALLY stand out because they don't even have the experience their parents do to make up for a total lack of skill.

Bloody hell Kris ! Do you ever post a YES or NO answer .............sheesh !

 

[VEGASRIDER]

Maybe I should have just clairified as a beginning driver; let's say under 25 or a driver ending his or her time of 75 or higher?

But it seems to be clear that the older driver tends to be more cautious and predictable and the younger generations might be more aggressive & careless.

But cautious & predictable for the elders, remember that I posted in another thread that there was an 82 year old driver driving down the wrong way in a HOV Lane of a freeway? You can't predict that! But again there have been many drivers who were not old who have done the samething. Probably drunk or sleepy though or a woman driver.......................:Flip:just kidding.

 

[cap'n]

Either way, you identified the 2 groups of drivers I avoid like the plague. I cannot choose between them. If I see cottonball white hair, I hang back or pass quickly when it's safe. If I see a sideways baseball cap, or a driver's seat leaned all the way back to the back of the car, or any other clues that the driver is probably younger than 25, ditto. And ANYONE on the phone too. Sometimes I do that "hang up the phone please" hand motion with the "hand" phone next to my helmet.

 

[Ryan T]

Well, any way you look at it, they are both dangerous in their own right when they are unattentive when driving. It really doesn't matter the age or sex, it's all about drivers multi-tasking while driving and thinking that it's ok.

All my co-workers constantly tell me about getting stuff done while driving to and from work. The first time I got in the car with a friend of mine he started talking on his phone not 5 minutes into the drive. I told him that he should do that either before or after he starts driving. He doesn't do it while I'm with him not but I know he does it when I'm not with him. He's a motorcycle rider too and I tell him that he of all people should know better.

It's never going to change.

 

[edski]

The cell phone text messaging person with less than 100% of their attention on the road. Of any age.

As many have said, the elderly are [usually] more predictable, in that they will be quite a bit more cautious, except in spectacular lapses of reason, like driving the wrong way in HOV, etc..
Greatest danger with the elderly is that they will not be able to actually see you (that small blur moving quickly up the roadway).

Teenagers are blessed with the feeling of "invincibility" (american spelling for 'nothing can happen to me') to go along with their risk-taking and lack of experience. Without thinking, they will pull out in front of you, cut you off, turn left in front of you, etc. Text messaging just adds another distraction.

Most dangerous encounters are best handled by riding "invisible", as in: I imagine the other drivers on the road CAN NOT see me, and ride accordingly.
Sometimes I find it helps to take it one step further and assume those car/truck drivers are actually attempting to hit you - and then position myself as to foil their efforts.

Sounds weird, but this mental strategy has kept me alive in over 30 years of bike riding.

 

[cap'n]

Sounds weird, but this mental strategy has kept me alive in over 30 years of bike riding.

I do the same. 3 years of boston traffic and so far so good (knocks on wood).

 

[Motogiro]

I voted for the texting driver. I'm sure a lot of people get away with it for a minute but.....

The most dangerous driver I have to be aware of is ME! I have to take the brunt of all responsibility because I should be at my best in all situations of riding. I can't say that an elderly person or young person are more dangerous when I don't agree to the great responsibility of awareness I should have myself.

I'm the guy I worry about the most.
Be the best rider/driver you can be by taking this responsibility!

Kenny,
It was great to see you again last night. See you and Aussiejules tonight! Haha!:rockon:

 

[codeblue]

Both are a menace to the streets but the elderly is a little more predictable and such can be avoided if you're keeping your eyes open for any possible dangerous situations. Teens on the other hand still lack the skills and common sense involved in driving. Put at least two teens in a car and your asking for trouble, not to metion other distractions such as the radio blasting away, the cellphones always ringing, the hot girl or cute guy in the other car, etc.... very dangerous. And of course someone already metioned it, teens are very daring which makes them unpredictable on the road. Elderly typically drives very slow and cautious and you can usually spot them in a good distance. But in general, cellphones is the worst and best thing ever invented and we can live with or without it in our lives.

Ares

 

[deeptekkie]

While I may not be saying what you want me to say, (I'm sorry if that's the case), I personally have just seen FAR TOO MANY people texting causing so very many near-misses! (They weren't all young either!)

 

[ShadowChillaGin]

I'm 25 and I will have to say the younger crowd. Mostly because like everyone says, they are the inexperienced, all knowing, invincible ones. So they think...I'm not gonna say I have been a saint in my driving adventures because that is far from the truth! Lets just say I didn't drive for 5 years....I can admit, I was not very responsible. I have now had my liscence back for just over a year and can honestly admit I am a VERY different driver now. I DO pay attention to other drivers, I am aware of other things around.
But, I still have to vote for the younger crowd.

younger crowd for sure!

 

[VEGASRIDER]

You know what, after reading everyone's response, I would have no problem ridiing shotgun with any of you. I would trust your ability to drive, sound like we a bunch of level headed drivers.

 

[Killen]

The younger ones scare me more between the two, but here in Atlanta we have the 30-50 crowds in high powered heavy-but-fast luxury cars barrelling to their lunch meeting/client's place/tee time at 90 mph and you're just an obstacle to whip around.

 

[jerdman89]

I voted old drivers but It's kind of personal with me I have been almost run over by too many old people and have seen old people that can barley move get into a car and drive. It may be that I just think like a young person because I am one but I have only ever been scared of a young driver once and that's when I was riding with my cousin while she was texting and driving and I took her phone.

 

[BH322893]

Close calls as minivan plows into Billerica child-care center - Lowell Sun Online

Woman drives car into Malden bakery outlet - Local News Updates - MetroDesk - The Boston Globe

WHDH-TV - Car crashes into building in Weymouth

proof that age doesn't always matter, also it's not very safe for me to ride around Mass right now.

 

[Goop]

I'd like to consider yet a third category. Soccer mom operating a large SUV, on cell phone, dealing with kids in the back seat. A poor attempt at multitasking.