German Town Scraps Road Signs to Increase Safety

[dcb]

well, you are entitled to your opinion, but eco drivers are generally perceived as safer drivers, WIN! I'm not the first person to have the idea to teach it it looks like.

Should eco-driving be part of driver’s education? Fuelishness! Fuel Economy Blog

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by euromodder

Applying most of the hypermiling driving techniques promoted here during a Belgian driving test would have one result : FAIL !

Originally Posted by dcb

well, you are entitled to your opinion, but eco drivers are generally perceived as safer drivers, WIN!

I guess it depends on which techniques you use (and how you use them).
Engine braking - OK.
Engine off coasting - not OK.
Being aware and anticipating situations - OK.
Hyperinflating tires - not OK.
Driving at or below the speed limit - OK.
Coasting in neutral - not OK.
etc.

Many of the "not OK's" are not illegal (for example coasting in neutral in Poland), but are not seen by the general, non-hypermiling public as safe. And would not score you points during a driving exam!!

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by dcb

well, you are entitled to your opinion, but eco drivers are generally perceived as safer drivers, WIN!

These two things should be seen separately.

If I look around on this list, look at the cars, look at their mileage, there are rather few people whom I'd consider novice drivers.

I see hypermiling as an advanced driving technique - not as the way new drivers should be taught to drive from day 1, simply because they lack the skill and experience to do so.
Rookie drivers are far too busy taking in the many signs, the many other road users, all the while controlling their own vehicle, to bother them with yet another rather involving task.

[Piwoslaw]

Originally Posted by euromodder

These two things should be seen separately.

If I look around on this list, look at the cars, look at their mileage, there are rather few people whom I'd consider novice drivers.

I see hypermiling as an advanced driving technique - not as the way new drivers should be taught to drive from day 1, simply because they lack the skill and experience to do so.
Rookie drivers are far too busy taking in the many signs, the many other road users, all the while controlling their own vehicle, to bother them with yet another rather involving task.

Then maybe people should take two driving classes: the first would be the standard school to get them driving and they would get a license for 5 years. After that time they would attend an advanced driving course (including ecodriving, handling in extreme situations and more safety precautions). The course would be mandatory in order to have your license renewed after the first 5 years.

[shockware]

Isn't road signs suppose to increase safety? There have been plenty of times that I would have been in an accident if it weren't for the road signs that guided me.

[Clev]

Originally Posted by Piwoslaw

Then maybe people should take two driving classes: the first would be the standard school to get them driving and they would get a license for 5 years. After that time they would attend an advanced driving course (including ecodriving, handling in extreme situations and more safety precautions). The course would be mandatory in order to have your license renewed after the first 5 years.

Maybe they should make a year of bicycle riding and a year of motorcycle riding mandatory as well. Maybe then people would stop treating cyclists like sh*t.

[dcb]

Probably the number one thing is paying tons of attention and not being in a rush. Teach people that as a value as a driving culture and you save millions of lives and trillions of gallons (SWAG).

[gone-ot]

...tongue-in-cheek statement: Drivers Licenses should be "graduated" sorta like this:

1) STRIAGHT roads only.
2) RIGHT-HAND turn roads
3) LEFT-HAND turn roads
4) INCLINED roads
5) DECLINED (pun intended) roads
6) "S"-TURN roads
7) CLOVER-LEAF on-ramps
8) FREEWAYS (>45 mph) roads
9) BUMPER-TO-BUMPER traffic (manditory in California)
10) BUMPER-TO-BUMPER traffic in HOT weather (manditory in Sunbelt States)
11) INCLEMENT weather (sand)
12) INCLEMENT weather (snow)
13) INCLEMENT weather (rain)
14) INCLEMENT weather (wind)
15) DRIVING without TRAINING wheels
16) PUT THE CELL PHONE DOWN before you drive
17) APPLYING THE BRAKES, part I (normal conditions)
18) APPLYING THE BRAKES, part II (abnormal conditions)
19) APPLYING THE BRAKES, part III (panic situations)
20) RELEASING PARKING BRAKE before driving

...etc.

[shockware]

Originally Posted by dcb

Probably the number one thing is paying tons of attention and not being in a rush. Teach people that as a value as a driving culture and you save millions of lives and trillions of gallons (SWAG).

Sooner or later we'll all be in a situation where we are in a hurry, that is pretty much inevitable. And what about in an emergency situation? What if you're driving in unfamiliar location? We also need to take those in consideration.

[Piwoslaw]

I just read that the huge intersection being built close to me (10km towards city center) is supposed to be a turbo roundabout! Today they opened the third, outer lane, but I haven't been thereabouts for at least 3-4 weeks. Next time I'm there I'll keep my eyes peeled and see if it really is a turbo, and if so how drivers accept it. From what I've read in a few months there will be traffic lights installed, so I wonder if they will help/hurt the flow. Also, I'm curious if it will be assymetrical, since there will be an overpass for traffic going straight in one direction.