I just finished reading "Traffic, why we drive the way we do" by Tom Vanderbilt in which he attempts to explain why people do things like running red lights and other driving mistakes/habits. He gave many explanations from an inflated sense of safety to literally zoning out while driving. However, there was one thing I think he missed: Sometimes people are just assholes!

Wow, check out that fire!

Running red lights is such a common problem, I am suprised more people are'nt hurt than those that already are, Even police don't take it seriously. I've been sitting at a red light with a police car at the intersection, someone runs the light, and the cop doesn't go after them,( many times). Does anyone else feel this way?

The vehicle fire was surprising. I always laugh at Hollywood movies where a vehicle just flat-out explodes when it crashes. Seeing that fire was a real jolt.

I really just find that it is far too easy to get a driver's license nowadays. When I started hearing about black boxes in cars, my first thought was that they want to hold people up to the standards of a plane pilot, but they don't want to train and test people to that same level. Why not yearly driving exams? If we are really serious about it, why don't we treat the root cause of most driving problems, which is usually poor training and lack of experience.

A lot of cars can really spray some gas with the right engine damage. Some older cars have over 100 psi fuel injection manifolds. Fire is a real possibility in these situations. Unbolt the kids and get the F#%@ out !!!

Roundabouts are safer. But I love how wikipedia lists "elderly drivers may become confused" as one of the disadvantages of roundabouts as compared to intersections.

>> ^CrushBug:
Why not yearly driving exams? If we are really serious about it, why don't we treat the root cause of most driving problems, which is usually poor training and lack of experience.


Because some people exam well and others choke. Because yearly exams would cripple the DMV and law enforcement. Because tons of people would drive less and production would inherently go down. Because you don't treat lack of experience by limiting experience. Just a whole host of issues.

You can't compare it with flying really, for every plane flying right now there's probably a hundred thousand cars or more (need numbers guy help here). I say make better cars.

I'm a male and therefore have the gene which compels me to upvote anything where something heavy hits something else heavy.

I submit that clearly the Grand Theft Auto video game series saves lives. The driver with the flaming car wouldn't have known to run quickly away otherwise.

Ban trucks.

>>Truck runs red light, guess what comes next.

Prison?

>> ^gwiz665:
Ban trucks.

Trucks are the lifeblood of the construction industry which is the life blood of brick and mortar capitalism.

Ban humans from the roads! They should be reserved for ducklings and hedgehogs.

The real, practical solution is to just make cars out of pillows.

The only real solution is something that American drivers would never allow otherwise it would have been done.

>> ^Payback:
The only real solution is something that American drivers would never allow otherwise it would have been done.


Or maybe, just maybe, there isn't a sensible solution and this is just one of those areas of life that suck sometimes and we simply have to deal with it. Removal of all injury and crime from human existence seems like a good idea right up to the moment you start to consider what that would require.

Worst road-head ever.

>> ^ponceleon:
I'm a male and therefore have the gene which compels me to upvote anything where something heavy hits something else heavy.


TRUCK SMASH!

>> ^rottenseed:
>> ^gwiz665:
Ban trucks.

Trucks are the lifeblood of the construction industry which is the life blood of brick and mortar capitalism.


Let them burn.. down to de grouwwnd.

Nasty T-bone. Well if there were any passengers in that SUV that got hit they're probably dead. And there's about a 60% chance that the driver is in pretty piss poor shape too.

I like the guy in the black car who, at the very end, is like...well, I guess I will just go around this horrific accident and continue on my way.

>> ^carrot:
I like the guy in the black car who, at the very end, is like...well, I guess I will just go around this horrific accident and continue on my way.


That car got smacked pretty hard too, so I don't think they were trying to be on their way. Probably just a moment of pure shock and the 'flight' instinct kicked in.

This kind of shit never happens in nerf world.

The fire was surprising, and I was impressed by the tire getting ejected as the 4-Runner spun - that thing went flying.

I nearly peed my pants laughing at this comment. I keep re-reading it, and it makes me bust up every time.

>> ^andybesy:
Roundabouts are safer. But I love how wikipedia lists "elderly drivers may become confused" as one of the disadvantages of roundabouts as compared to intersections.

a good trick is to look before you drive, even when you have a green light.

Here's a great solution. Make getting a license EXPENSIVE and have police enforce laws in a strict manner. Sure it'll cost everyone a shitload of money, but at least they'll be scared to drive like an idiot.

Is that a tire flying off the silver station wagon?

>> ^T-man:
Is that a tire flying off the silver station wagon?


Looks like the tire came off the left rear rim of the silver SUV. Crazy!!

>> ^Tymbrwulf:
Here's a great solution. Make getting a license EXPENSIVE and have police enforce laws in a strict manner. Sure it'll cost everyone a shitload of money, but at least they'll be scared to drive like an idiot.


In Finland the rates for tickets issued for traffic offences are based on your income. The largest fine ever issued in Finland for a speeding infraction was 170,000 euros (about $240,000 US) for going 40km over the speed limit. Now, there's a country that takes traffic laws seriously!

Source:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/3477285.stm

There is definitely a person flying out of the bed of the truck.

It's harder to tell, but I think there is someone either coming out of the suv that the tire flew off of, or the black minivan. That might be some shrapnel though.

Also a good reason not to be at the VERY FRONT spot at the lights - leaving a car length (or more) in front of you keeps cars from behind you ramming at full speed (you can edge up or even escape sideways if you have an empty lane)... and here's a new reason: a car flipping over from the intersection might land in front of you instead of on top of you...

This would never happen if we had flying cars.

I once ran a red light because i zoned out. I'm still thanking my lucky stars that nothing like this happened.

>> ^dracoirs:
There is definitely a person flying out of the bed of the truck.

While it's possible that's a person in a white shirt and dark blue jeans, I'm not entirely convinced.

Can anyone identify the icons in the lower right? After a little searching, I was able to find them on a few similar videos (traffic accidents mostly), but I haven't been able to figure out the source.

Edit: A post on Break indicates that this is 7th and Northern in Phoenix, AZ. Google Street View confirms this. That might facilitate a search for news on this accident.

Apparently, this is not the only time someone has "sailed through the red light" and crashed at this intersection.

Ah, finally. Here's a story on this particular accident. "Two sent to the hospital," at the time of reporting.

I thought it might be a person, but seeing as it came out of the bed of the truck it seems unlikely that a person would be taking a nap back there.