How to catch a thief?

[jostenmeat]

Interesting, Nemo. Without googling, relying on suspect memory, I read such an article years ago. The US was something like 7.xx (and the units I cannot remember, something like 100,000 miles driven by X amount of persons). I remember Japan was very low, about 5 or less. Germany was very high, one of the only two in double digit range, a bit above ten.

However, Spain had something retarded, like 50+. It was attributed to the very poor quality of the vehicles they drive.

I've driven across the entire country of Germany before. In a $500 beater, a Volvo bought in Holland. Dude, that was freaky, those people drive insanely fast. Insane. Totally insane. I had to floor it just to pass a tractor trailer, hoping that I could do it before a wolfpack of BMWs, Porsches, Benz's wouldn't start high beaming me from nearly a mile away. I've had a couple of cars blow by so fast, they were utterly unrecognizable except for color.

 

[Nemo128]

I've driven across the entire country of Germany before. In a $500 beater, a Volvo bought in Holland. Dude, that was freaky, those people drive insanely fast. Insane. Totally insane.

It's true, but one thing you won't see much of is people getting into tailgating fender benders. Another thing, in Germany for example, they can pull you over at any speed. If you are driving faster than the tires on your car are rated for, you get a NASTY ticket. If all of your tires don't match, also a nasty ticket. Also, spot blood tests for drunk drivers are not negotiable. If you refuse, you are pinned down and the blood is taken. They don't risk the safety of the general public for anything. Pretty sure they still do that, that's how it was back in the late 90s.

Also, licenses are not granted more than once. If it's ever revoked due to points or accidents, you can never get it back. If you told people in the US that, less people would care about who cut them off or that kid in the bubbleback riceburner trying to race them. =)

Or of course, the famous brake-check at the sight of a trooper. Why do people do that? As a friend of dozens of NJ/NY/CT troopers, I can tell you that they catch you long before you see them. Hitting the brakes only makes them mad. They say it's the driver thinking they are stupid, and they want to "knock it out" even more. "Knock it out" is a NJ trooper term for loading you up with every ticket possible.

BUT, who buys more cars than anyone else? We do. And where can anyone get a license? Here. Coincidence?

 

[sploo]

For a sec I thought it said 72, but it is 82. They deserve it

Here in the UK, the motorway speed limit is also 70. But if you only did 82, you'd get swallowed by just about everything.

 

[jostenmeat]

It's true, but one thing you won't see much of is people getting into tailgating fender benders. Another thing, in Germany for example, they can pull you over at any speed. If you are driving faster than the tires on your car are rated for, you get a NASTY ticket. If all of your tires don't match, also a nasty ticket. Also, spot blood tests for drunk drivers are not negotiable. If you refuse, you are pinned down and the blood is taken. They don't risk the safety of the general public for anything. Pretty sure they still do that, that's how it was back in the late 90s.

I suppose my point was a counterpoint to your assertion that driving in the US was more dangerous to one's well being than it would be in a country where speeds are excessive. Now, I agree that they do their best in limiting deaths considering there is no speed limit, but, I'm sorry, 200 mph + accident = high chance of death.

You are right that it is a lot more difficult to get a license. There was a rash of violent attacks by citizens against the testers in France, in recent years. OTOH, they don't quite NEED to have cars like we do in the US, not quite to the same extent. Their higher impaction of persons, coupled with incomparable public transit systems make that the norm.

Or of course, the famous brake-check at the sight of a trooper. Why do people do that? As a friend of dozens of NJ/NY/CT troopers, I can tell you that they catch you long before you see them. Hitting the brakes only makes them mad. They say it's the driver thinking they are stupid, and they want to "knock it out" even more. "Knock it out" is a NJ trooper term for loading you up with every ticket possible.

I see the other side to this. I would think that many an officer might be displeased if one did not show a sign of respect by indeed slowing down. I think that one of the side benefits of having patrol cars drive around is that people do in fact tame their driving, for instance.

That same friend who was nailed by the stoplight camera was coming back from visiting his sister's place, a several hour drive. He noticed a cop suddenly behind him, and he didn't slow down. If he's caught, he's caught, he figured. The officer was rather annoyed, came up beside him at whatever speed it was, and started barking at him with the megaphone/bullhorn or whatever. "Can't you see Im here!? Slow down or I will pull you over!".

BUT, who buys more cars than anyone else? We do. And where can anyone get a license? Here. Coincidence?

See above. Not a coincidence. IMO. You want to see insane driving, please visit Naples and Kuala Lumpur. I think Naples and surrounding areas take the cake. The stoplights there are a total unnecessary waste, and might as well just save on electricity.

 

[Sheep]

Speaking of allocating cops on important jobs, I was tailed by an ambulance and then a cop all the way to my house before they decided I wasn't doing anything illegal.

It started when I left school, and passed an ambulance doing about 25mph (I was doing 30-35, This is the norm for the roads I was on). The ambulance then changed to my lane and followed me until I reached my neighborhood. I turned down one of the main drags leading into my 'hood and another different car was speeding up on my tail. First I thought it was going to pass me, but it just started tailgating. When I made another turn I saw that it was a cop car, and followed me to my street. I turned and he stopped in the middle of the intersection and stayed there until after I pulled into my driveway.

This was at 11:00pm at night, so the roads were not that busy (quite dead actually), but cops must have somthing better to do then to drive dangerously and then stop in an intersection all on a hunch (or in this case, absolutely nothing). Wouldn't waiting in a well known speeding area be a better use of their time? Someone almost lane changed into me on my way home before I passed the ambulance, but I'm sure no police followed him home.

SheepStar

 

[Adam]

I see the other side to this. I would think that many an officer might be displeased if one did not show a sign of respect by indeed slowing down.

I was thinking along those same lines. I also think that slowing down indicates that you're at least moderately aware of your surroundings. I figure that they have me by the time that I see them, but the fact that I notice a cop car without lights on in the dark far enough away that I slow down might make them think that I'm not just flying down the road like an idiot.

I can't say for sure, but I think that I've been spared a few times because I slowed down and showed respect to them. Once I didn't see a motorcycle cop on the side of the road until I was passing him (it was a new way to work, and he was in the shade of an overpass as I came around a corner right into the morning sun). I was following another car about 15-20 over the limit, and everyone else seemed to be going the limit. I looked over at him, he looked at me, and I knew that I was humped. So, I slowed down, pulled over out of the fast lane behind someone else, and just waited for the inevitable. The cop came up behind me, hovered long enough for my adrenal gland to empty, then flew past me to nail the car in front of me that either (a) was too unobservant to see him or (b) had decided to run.

 

[Adam]

Speaking of allocating cops on important jobs, I was tailed by an ambulance and then a cop all the way to my house before they decided I wasn't doing anything illegal.

They were just hoping for an autograph.

 

[CaliHwyPatrol]

Speaking of allocating cops on important jobs, I was tailed by an ambulance and then a cop all the way to my house before they decided I wasn't doing anything illegal.

It started when I left school, and passed an ambulance doing about 25mph (I was doing 30-35, This is the norm for the roads I was on). The ambulance then changed to my lane and followed me until I reached my neighborhood. I turned down one of the main drags leading into my 'hood and another different car was speeding up on my tail. First I thought it was going to pass me, but it just started tailgating. When I made another turn I saw that it was a cop car, and followed me to my street. I turned and he stopped in the middle of the intersection and stayed there until after I pulled into my driveway.

This was at 11:00pm at night, so the roads were not that busy (quite dead actually), but cops must have somthing better to do then to drive dangerously and then stop in an intersection all on a hunch (or in this case, absolutely nothing). Wouldn't waiting in a well known speeding area be a better use of their time? Someone almost lane changed into me on my way home before I passed the ambulance, but I'm sure no police followed him home.

SheepStar

Interestingly enough, 11:00pm is always at night.

 

[Nemo128]

I would think that many an officer might be displeased if one did not show a sign of respect by indeed slowing down.

Maybe it works differently where you are. Here, it's not a sign of respect. It's you saying "Ha, you can't catch me, I see you!" Fact is, there are plenty of ways to slow down without brake-checking. You can, for example, take your foot off the gas!!! Cars naturally slow down when they are not fed gas by the pedal. Also, manual drivers know to downshift and use the engine for braking force. It also doesn't risk the chance of drivers behind you needing to suddenly react to someone suddenly stomping the brake pedal.

I'm sorry, 200 mph + accident = high chance of death.

Low chance of that happening, there are very few cars that could easily reach 150MPH without serious road-holding compromises, forget 200MPH. I don't think it's a coincidence that there are fewer accidents on higher speed roads like Rt. 80 or the GSP in NJ than on Rt. 1 or 46, for example. Congestion + stupidity = accidents. Speed + stupidity = accidents.

I know here, troopers care more about quotas than "respect", and respect only makes a difference once they pull you over. Again, maybe it works differently where you are, but here, they always look for the bigger fish to fry.

Repeat, sorry for taking your thread in a whole other direction. =)