Poll question: Do you think you are a better driver than the average person?

[Blue_Tires]

[Nikia]

1. No

That is one of my non talents. I am lucky that I finally passed my driver's test at age 23. I never have gotten a ticket. My only accidents were minor, causing only slight damage to my car and my mail box and garage door. I think that I have improved over the yeras. My husband still prefers to drive but he is no longer scared if I do.

[Oeditpus Rex]

2. Depends on what you mean by 'better'

I believe I'm more courteous than most drivers, and maybe more aware, and I know damned well I drive more safely than many with respect to speed, etc. And I never, ever, DWT — not even "hands-free." In fact, I'm aware and cautious of any attention diversions.

But I'm older than I once was and my vision isn't as good, nor my reaction time, so I do things to compensate. It probably all averages out.

[Rabrrrrrr]

3. I want to die peacefully, like my grandpa; not screaming in terror like his passengers.

:P

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Yes. I drive very defensively and courteously, and strive to be aware

of everything going on around me, where other cars are, and what's happening a good five or six cars ahead of me (in town) or a mile or so on the highway.

I'm also a very smooth and controlled driver - my lane changes are elegant and graceful (I think, anyway), I speed up and slow down at a non-shocking rate, take my turns smoothly, and so forth.

[MrCoffee]

5. Vertical pedal on the right, assbag!

It's a passing lane, not a "fast" lane, and even if it were, 2 mph over the limit ain't "fast", douchehammer.

[DS1]

6. I'm a fucking awesome driver

don't feel like typing out all the reasons why, and incidents I've avoided, but many of my friends will attest that I'm one of the best they've driven with.

[machI]

7. I am the best

Let me ask you officer, do you think it is easy controlling this car, at 110 MPH after drinking 12 beers?

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Yeah, control this bub.

[DainBramaged]

8. 32 years and counting without a accident or citation

I be fucking perfect.

[Midlodemocrat]

9. Truthfully, I am an outstanding driver. Series.

[Deep13]

10. No tickets since 1991.

The only accident I've had where I was at fault was in 1985 when the brakes failed in my car.

[AngryAmish]

11. I am not a good driver

It is incumbent on me to try to stay out of people's way.

Not being the best driver I use my signals religiously. If I don't know where I am going, I can tell you where I am going and give you a chance to get out of the way of my stupidity.

Folks, by definition, 50% of the drivers are worse than median. When surveys on driving ability are done most folks rate themselves as better than average. This cannot be (by definition).

(Our brains are funny things. One of the miracles of being a human being is that we have consciousness. We are aware of our surroundings but live within ourselves. So we perceive the world as though we are the center of the world (yet we are not). So we make a narrative of the world with ourselves at the center of that narrative. Thus WE are doing things the right way and everyone else is doing things wrong. It is a lot more complex than I lay out, but looking at things objectively is very, very hard because of our brains. People confuse correlation with causation all the time, because our brains can see correlation but we have to infer causation - a much higher level of thought that most humans cannot do).

Anyway, most people are not very good drivers. If you think you are you probably are not.

[Blue_Tires]

13. excellent points

which is why the vast majority of people asked will claim to be better drivers than normal...

[pitohui]

12. well i certainly have a much better driving record than average, knock on wood

i do not actually consider myself to be a good driver because i have slower than normal reaction time but i take the usual "little old lady" precautions of driving defensively, allowing others in a hurry to pass me (but please i wish you would pass on the left, that's what the passing lane is there for), not driving tired, never driving after having had more than one drink -- and that drink with my meal, and planning my route in advance to minimize dangerous intersections or driving headlong into the setting or rising sun

as a result (again knock on wood) i've never received a traffic ticket and i've not been in an at fault accident in almost 30 years

if you know your weaknesses and adjust for them, you can often drive safely even without race car driver's reaction times and knowledge, which is a good thing since most of america mostly isn't safe or practical for women who can't drive

[mwooldri]

14. In the UK we put red "L" plates on the vehicles to designate learner drivers.

Since there's no such designation over here, and since by my own admission I am not a good driver, my vehicle is equipped with "L" plates.

I've had one major accident (skidded on diesel spilled on road on a wet day after Thanksgiving, totaled car after pingponging off two guard rails and ended up in the path of a 18-wheeler), 2 deer hits (1 at 55mph, airbags deployed, other one was at 25mph - car OK but deer not), one run into a ditch and one backing into my mother-in-law's truck in the driveway. These are all the accidents that I've had of any actual note.

Yep, I need those L Plates to warn you guys to stay out of my way!

[leeroysphitz]

15. Yeah. I'm an excellent driver. n/t

[Awsi Dooger]

16. Absolutely; I drive defensively and at or below the speed limit

One of the under emphasized stories on this planet is how much trouble is caused by aggressive drivers. I saw another example last night, driving how from the hospital at 3 AM. A jerk in the lane to my left ran a red light, going through long after the yellow had given way to red. A car going parallel from left to right had to stop abruptly after already partially entering the intersection.

I wouldn't care if aggressive drivers were given a 10 year sentence for every offense.

[flvegan]

17. Yes. I know my car and my abilities very well.

Matter of fact, just about everybody else around here SUCKS compared to my mad driving skillz.

[Skittles]

18. well I know I am FASTER

:7

[pokerfan]

19. I'm not as aggressive as I used to be

I'm slowly learning to suffer fools. I suppose that comes with age. I still get frustrated with all the rude drivers out there but not enraged like I used to.

My biggest pet peeve (aside from left lane bandits) is the asshole who holds everyone up because he wants to turn left onto a busy two-way street instead of just turning right and proceeding to the next light. I wish our city would just put up median barriers so it's not even an option for these idiots. The frustrating thing is that they are wasting their own time along with everyone else's.

"Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?"

[MissMillie]

20. I'm a very excellent driver!

k-mart sucks!