Last month the New York Times’ Kashmir Hill published a major story on how GM collects driver behavior data then sells access (through LexisNexis) to insurance companies, which will then jack…
Obligatory US, I think the better way of filtering bad drivers is more stringent and frequent testing through the DMV (or your state’s equivalent). Look at Germany, they don’t mess around when it comes to licensing. I’m mid 30s, and haven’t had to retest or do any form of continuing driver’s education or retesting since I was 16.
It’s a little trickier here in the US due to our cities being built for cars, and being without one can be a huge detriment, especially with most public transit being a shitshow. But I agree, we definitely need some mechanisms to weed out bad drivers.
They were never really punished for this and I think this was a lesson learned by all that corps could do what they want without fear of repercussions.
Either way, the bottom line is that it’s pretty difficult to go without a car in the US outside select major cities. Still, per the original comment I responded to, something needs to give in regards to the excess amount of bad drivers on the roads here.
I agree, but you’re talking about completely reengineering/rebuilding cities. Doable in the long run, but clamping down on negligent and distracted drivers in the name of public safety can be done in a much quicker manner.
I think we could find viable ways to engineer something workable without completely tearing everything down, we just have to work smarter. And get rich people to pay taxes.
How do you propose policing all the drivers without license and insurance? We are already way overpoliced, with horrific results. How would you propose bad drivers get to work and do necessary living activities? I think we need to look for inclusive, compassionate solutions, rather than more punitive, exclusionary solutions.
While licensing is definitely harder in Germany you also do not have to retest or do anything else to keep your license. It’s actually a problem that it’s pretty hard to take away the license from old unfit people (and the German government actually blocked EU legislation improving that).
Obligatory US, I think the better way of filtering bad drivers is more stringent and frequent testing through the DMV (or your state’s equivalent). Look at Germany, they don’t mess around when it comes to licensing. I’m mid 30s, and haven’t had to retest or do any form of continuing driver’s education or retesting since I was 16.
It’s a little trickier here in the US due to our cities being built for cars, and being without one can be a huge detriment, especially with most public transit being a shitshow. But I agree, we definitely need some mechanisms to weed out bad drivers.
Well GM and Goodyear lobbied against public transit when they wanted everyone to buy a car, and probably still do , is why public transit is so awful.
That, plus GM literally bought up streetcar companies and shut them down or converted them to running buses.
Yes. The Great American Streetcar Scandal.
They were never really punished for this and I think this was a lesson learned by all that corps could do what they want without fear of repercussions.
That’s right.
Either way, the bottom line is that it’s pretty difficult to go without a car in the US outside select major cities. Still, per the original comment I responded to, something needs to give in regards to the excess amount of bad drivers on the roads here.
That seems like a bandaid for a tourniquet problem. We need to address causes, otherwise unlicensed, uninsured drivers will increase.
I agree, but you’re talking about completely reengineering/rebuilding cities. Doable in the long run, but clamping down on negligent and distracted drivers in the name of public safety can be done in a much quicker manner.
I think we could find viable ways to engineer something workable without completely tearing everything down, we just have to work smarter. And get rich people to pay taxes.
How do you propose policing all the drivers without license and insurance? We are already way overpoliced, with horrific results. How would you propose bad drivers get to work and do necessary living activities? I think we need to look for inclusive, compassionate solutions, rather than more punitive, exclusionary solutions.
While licensing is definitely harder in Germany you also do not have to retest or do anything else to keep your license. It’s actually a problem that it’s pretty hard to take away the license from old unfit people (and the German government actually blocked EU legislation improving that).