Drivers’ attitudes relevant to crash stats
I travel from Pleasant Point to Timaru several times each week, and return. I drive at or just below the open road speed limit. On every occasion, almost without exception, vehicles approaching from the rear overtake. Invariably, at the intersection of SH8 and SH1 in Washdyke I find the overtakers stopped at the traffic lights. In general, the overtaking manoeuvre presents no hazard, but is it necessary? The rationale for such overtaking is unclear.
I can now predict with some certainty whether cars approaching from behind will move to overtake. Although some of the vehicles are what I categorise as sporty or aggressive types, the drivers are not boy racers, but perfectly ordinary people.
Since there is no obvious advantage in overtaking vehicles travelling at or near the open road speed limit, one can only conclude that for the overtakers the manoeuvre is part of a game that feeds a competitive tendency.
I have noted the same phenomenon at the passing lanes on State Highway 1, the rush to overtake.
Mid-morning on Saturday March repeat a number of half-truths and misconceptions in his otherwise well-written article ‘‘US has abandoned world order role’’ (March 23). I do not necessarily disagree with his premise, stated in the column’s title. But consider some of his points:
‘‘The US is experiencing unprecedented attacks from its own president on the country’s media, courts and lawenforcement institutions.’’ Mr Trump certainly does not sit quietly when he is criticised — we all know that. But does defending himself constitute an ‘‘attack’’ on these institutions? Hardly. The press is very healthy and continues to publish in myriad outlets all sorts of views and is in no way shackled or intimidated.
The courts continue their essential work as part of the 17 I had barely left Pleasant Point when three cars overtook me in quick succession.
One settled immediately in front of my car, whilst the others disappeared into the distance.
I quite understand that if one is driving a shiny new, late-model car it would be infra dig to be seen to be trailing a 20-year-old Toyota!
There has recently been much discussion on the cause, or causes, of vehicular crashes. balanced system of government the US enjoys. And lawenforcement continues its work — note that there are three investigations into supposed Russian election influence: in the Senate, in the House, and by Mr Mueller, the special prosecutor. Mr Trump just doesn’t care to sit by quietly while he is assassinated daily in the public media — can you blame him?
‘‘[The US] has threatened to leave the North American Free Trade Agreement and the Iran nuclear deal.’’ Any deal may be reassessed, and sometimes parties do abandon deals. Both of these agreements are under active negotiation; Mr Trump is not simply abandoning them. And yes, as US President, he wants the best deal for the US — just as any country bargains for its own best
There is no question that the two-lane highways are no longer suitable for the mix of traffic presently using them, but I believe that the skills, attitude and the element of gamesmanship on the part of drivers are germane to the issue.
To paraphrase the NRA; cars, roads and intersections do not kill people, people kill people. Pleasant Point interests.
‘‘[The US] has unilaterally introduced steel and aluminum tariffs.’’ Tariffs are always introduced unilaterally, by one country to protect its industry. There are serious questions being asked about how China competes in the world, including around intellectual property. Tariffs may or may not be the best tool, but if the US uses them, it is in response to actions China and others have already taken — therefore they are not the opening salvo in a new ‘‘trade war.’’
Until Mr Haass and others get over their unreasoning horror of Mr Trump and start looking at things realistically, I’m afraid we’ll never really start to solve the world’s problems. John Shoaf Timaru