I'm going to do my own study. I figure if Obama is giving out trillions of dollars, I might as well get a piece of that. My study is going to be titled, "Advancing Driver Training for the 21st Century: Best Practices in Driver Training and Their Applications in the United States of America".
Basically, the conclusion will be that driver training is woefully inadequate in this country, and we can learn from pilot training and driver training elsewhere.
I'm looking for volunteers. I will have a control group, BMW drivers, and old people.
@pauljones: I'll throw that in with my funding request. I mean, when you're already spending $13 trillion, what's another $60,000? I'm assuming you want an M3?
@pauljones: I'll join up too! I need an M5, though, cause I have 3 kids to tote, and one of them will be driving soon. He needs something safe to learn in!
It definitely helped me save a bunch of fuel when I go there for long work trips. U.K has to have the worst road sign system! The motorways are for the most part O.K but the city and local road signs are crap! If they exist at all! Add all this to the narrow congested roads and driving on the wrong side, I pretty much got a heart attack the first few times I went there. And brought a Tom Tom by the end of the third day.
You guys won't believe how many times I used to go around the round abouts looking for stuff.
@Formerlythegreatestdriver: The UK only has the worst road sign system if you don't know the names of every town and road within 30 miles, ignoring all cardinal direction. That's a pre-requisite to driving there.
American directions, because we're all retarded: Take I-70 West, get off at exit 271 (Overland Park). If you miss it, just take the next exit a couple miles down the road.
British directions, because we're all locals: Take the A2174 towards Bollockshire and then Wankton, then left on B108 at the Stuffit Inn pub towards Screwmicester, then right on the seventh unmarked lane and straight on 500 yards and left at the dungheap.
It makes sense. I'v noticed that when Sulu takes the time to actually plot a course to Talos IV, we get there a lot quicker than when he just goes whatever way he feels like.
So I went to Sturgeon Bay this past weekend.....Door County, the Hamptons of Wisconsin.
I borrowed a friends TomTom for the trip just because when I am on vacation I want to know where the places to eat, drink and be merry are.
I have to say I liked it. All the local bars and restaurants listed. It had enough features installed I never had a issue with trying to get anywhere.
Oh, it had a bunch of wrong roads, thought I was off-roading and driving into the actual Bay of Sturgeon Bay but common sense and a actual paper map also helped. That and asking locals where the best place to eat drink and be merry made it a great road trip.
Used alone, those things will get you in trouble, supplement it with a road map and talking to locals and it is very helpful.
And editors,post those pics I sent you of that pair of bad ass GM diesels. Those engines where freaking awesome.
I believe that pic above is the M5 that broke the coast-to-coast record in 2007. So I'll give those guys a pass on coolness, despite all the GPS (and some of those are PC-interface, telemetrics, etc)
Terrific. They're also 5,000 times more likely to drive onto railroad tracks, into a building, or off a cliff. But nothing restores your manhood more fully than never having to stop and ask for directions, and you can always tell your passenger that, yes, you do know exactly where you are and this was precisely what you were intending to do - as you call for the helivac from the sand bar in the middle of the river.
@Number_six: My GPS was worth every penny of the $299 I paid for it... Mostly due to Calgary. Seriously... didn't someone think before designing the roads in that damn town?
My TomTom is not a replacement for my atlas but when navigating large unfamiliar metropolitan areas it is of great assistance. I only use the thing for the last 3 miles of the 500 mile road trip and it is worth every penny I paid for it.
My ex always liked the old favourite, "So... where are you going?" "I have no idea, you're the one who's giving me directions." "Well you should have turned off this road a long time ago."
My Sprint phone does this same thing and it works well. But with the Pioneer Avic-D3 in my car it's just so much easier to use on trips. I tried using the phone a couple times and it's a pain to hold up while driving, even though it has voice command I still like seeing the map.
@aSoundofSleep loves his cute little Roy-Roy!: How is your Pioneer working? I want one for the Mustang, but read some reviews of the 1st gen Avic-D3 and they said there were some issues with the GPS (i.e. it got lost a lot).
There was supposed to be a second gen coming that would have better GPS software, but I haven't had time to go back and look.
It works fine. The only time I've ever had any problems with it is when newer roads are built and they aren't on the DVD (it's DVD based). You can update the DVDs but they are pricey ($250ish). I'm not sure what the new model of the Avic-D3 is called but it is a decent step up. Comes with bluetooth and iPod connectivity as opposed to me having to buy it seperately. Otherwise I love the thing. I want to get rid of the car it's in (03 Acura) and I would love to sell the system seperately if you were interested.
04/28/09
04/28/09
Basically, the conclusion will be that driver training is woefully inadequate in this country, and we can learn from pilot training and driver training elsewhere.
I'm looking for volunteers. I will have a control group, BMW drivers, and old people.
04/28/09
04/28/09
04/28/09
Gotta have a backseat to umm...confer with the Adriana Lima, whom you will be hiring as my co-driver.
04/28/09
04/28/09
You guys won't believe how many times I used to go around the round abouts looking for stuff.
04/28/09
American directions, because we're all retarded: Take I-70 West, get off at exit 271 (Overland Park). If you miss it, just take the next exit a couple miles down the road.
British directions, because we're all locals: Take the A2174 towards Bollockshire and then Wankton, then left on B108 at the Stuffit Inn pub towards Screwmicester, then right on the seventh unmarked lane and straight on 500 yards and left at the dungheap.
04/28/09
04/28/09
04/28/09
04/28/09
04/28/09
04/28/09
So I went to Sturgeon Bay this past weekend.....Door County, the Hamptons of Wisconsin.
I borrowed a friends TomTom for the trip just because when I am on vacation I want to know where the places to eat, drink and be merry are.
I have to say I liked it. All the local bars and restaurants listed. It had enough features installed I never had a issue with trying to get anywhere.
Oh, it had a bunch of wrong roads, thought I was off-roading and driving into the actual Bay of Sturgeon Bay but common sense and a actual paper map also helped. That and asking locals where the best place to eat drink and be merry made it a great road trip.
Used alone, those things will get you in trouble, supplement it with a road map and talking to locals and it is very helpful.
And editors,post those pics I sent you of that pair of bad ass GM diesels. Those engines where freaking awesome.
04/28/09
Did the cost study include wear and tear on the vehicle?
04/28/09
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04/28/09
Yeah. Satnav = 0 miles / 0 gallons = ∞ mpg?
It also happens to equal "stuck" and "internet stardom", y'know.
04/28/09
04/28/09
03/09/09
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03/09/09
"Oh yeah, you should have turned left back there."
"Turn right NOWNOWNOW!!!"
"Take your next left. [...] Oh, sorry, I meant right."
Add a more realistic spin to roadtrips for those unable to enlist the aid of bad navigator.
03/09/09
"Turn that way."
03/09/09
My TomTom is not a replacement for my atlas but when navigating large unfamiliar metropolitan areas it is of great assistance. I only use the thing for the last 3 miles of the 500 mile road trip and it is worth every penny I paid for it.
03/09/09
My ex always liked the old favourite, "So... where are you going?"
"I have no idea, you're the one who's giving me directions."
"Well you should have turned off this road a long time ago."
03/09/09
Her: (pointing right) "Turn Left!"
Me: "Which way?"
Her: "West"
Me: "Got it!"
She knows her compass directions, but don't ever ask her left from right. Unless you're looking for a laugh.
03/09/09
Take that iPhone users!
Storm Rulez; iPhone Droolz!
03/09/09
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03/09/09
There was supposed to be a second gen coming that would have better GPS software, but I haven't had time to go back and look.
03/09/09
It works fine. The only time I've ever had any problems with it is when newer roads are built and they aren't on the DVD (it's DVD based). You can update the DVDs but they are pricey ($250ish). I'm not sure what the new model of the Avic-D3 is called but it is a decent step up. Comes with bluetooth and iPod connectivity as opposed to me having to buy it seperately.
Otherwise I love the thing. I want to get rid of the car it's in (03 Acura) and I would love to sell the system seperately if you were interested.
03/09/09