What are your unpopular opinions? (Vol. 2)

What are your unpopular opinions? (Vol. 2)

Author
Discussion

Lost ranger

312 posts

65 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
quotequote all
On the road, a bad driver can always go faster than a good one.

A very good good driver can probably go faster than a basically competent good driver, but neither can keep up with someone who deliberately takes risks or just doesn't recognise danger.

Bill

52,779 posts

255 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
quotequote all
Lost ranger said:
On the road, a bad driver can always go faster than a good one.

A very good good driver can probably go faster than a basically competent good driver, but neither can keep up with someone who deliberately takes risks or just doesn't recognise danger.
Did you mean to post this in the common sense thread? wink

TwigtheWonderkid

43,386 posts

150 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
quotequote all
Being a good driver or a bad driver has nothing to do with being a safe driver. Being a safe driver is all about your own perception of your abilities, compared to your actual abilities.

If drivers are rated 1-10 in ability level, and 8 who thinks they're a 9 will not be as safe as a 3 who knows they're a 3, or thinks they're a 2.

I've known two dreadful drivers who knew they were dreadful, and they both drove for decades without having an accident.

It's the same with swimming. People teach their kids to swim because they think it'll save their lives. But it's more likely to cost them their lives. I'm an excellent swimmer, but I nearly drowned when I was 27, because I overestimated my abilities and went swimming when locals warned me against it. My wife, who can swim but is not a great swimmer, listened to them and stayed on the beach.

Loads of good swimmers drown swimming at sea. People who can't swim just paddle on the shoreline.

Punctilio

827 posts

23 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
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I always scoffed that the cliched "pro" getaway driver could outrun pro cop driver[s] in films but if you watch real life cop chases, they regularly do because they fearlessly barrel through red lights at 120mph, drive on the opposite carraigeway, barge aside and crash into other road users,etc. Cops sensibly abandon the chase.

They are not better technical drivers, they just take phenomenal risks.


Niponeoff

2,096 posts

27 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
quotequote all
Punctilio said:
I always scoffed that the cliched "pro" getaway driver could outrun pro cop driver[s] in films but if you watch real life cop chases, they regularly do because they fearlessly barrel through red lights at 120mph, drive on the opposite carraigeway, barge aside and crash into other road users,etc. Cops sensibly abandon the chase.

They are not better technical drivers, they just take phenomenal risks.

And not without crashing spectacularly.

Lost ranger

312 posts

65 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
quotequote all
TwigtheWonderkid said:
Being a good driver or a bad driver has nothing to do with being a safe driver. Being a safe driver is all about your own perception of your abilities, compared to your actual abilities.

If drivers are rated 1-10 in ability level, and 8 who thinks they're a 9 will not be as safe as a 3 who knows they're a 3, or thinks they're a 2.

I've known two dreadful drivers who knew they were dreadful, and they both drove for decades without having an accident.

It's the same with swimming. People teach their kids to swim because they think it'll save their lives. But it's more likely to cost them their lives. I'm an excellent swimmer, but I nearly drowned when I was 27, because I overestimated my abilities and went swimming when locals warned me against it. My wife, who can swim but is not a great swimmer, listened to them and stayed on the beach.

Loads of good swimmers drown swimming at sea. People who can't swim just paddle on the shoreline.
In what way were they dreadful? Unless they were constantly baulking other road users then to drive for decades without accident means they must have had the basics right. The object of (road) driving is to reach your destination without endangering anyone or inconveniencing them unnecessarily. Judgement is part of driving, it's more comparable to sailing or flying than swimming.

Countdown

39,906 posts

196 months

Sunday 12th February 2023
quotequote all
Lost ranger said:
On the road, a bad driver can always go faster than a good one.

A very good good driver can probably go faster than a basically competent good driver, but neither can keep up with someone who deliberately takes risks or just doesn't recognise danger.
In a similar vein a lot of atrocious drivers think they're good because they "make progress" and "overtake multiple cars safely", not realising that quite often the reaction of other drivers compensates for their stupidity and lack of awareness.

Countdown

39,906 posts

196 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
"Match of the Day" would be so much better if they included WSL games as well.

deadtom

2,557 posts

165 months

Monday 13th February 2023
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Niponeoff said:
I used i watch football and enjoyed it, until they all started getting down on one knee. Now I can't stomach it.
Outrageous is what it is. I've heard that the players won't stand for it.

paulguitar

23,443 posts

113 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
deadtom said:
Niponeoff said:
I used i watch football and enjoyed it, until they all started getting down on one knee. Now I can't stomach it.
Outrageous is what it is. I've heard that the players won't stand for it.

Regbuser

3,502 posts

35 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Countdown said:
"Match of the Day" would be so much better if they included WSL games as well.
The wife agrees; it'll give her summat to watch while doing the washing up.

Cold

15,247 posts

90 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Countdown said:
"Match of the Day" would be so much better if they showed motorsport instead of football.
FTFY

I think we can all agree with this.

deckster

9,630 posts

255 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Cold said:
Countdown said:
"Match of the Day" would be so much better if they showed motorsport instead of football.
FTFY

I think we can all agree with this.
Match of the Day would be much better if they showed actual matches. Like, Swan Vestas one day, Bryant and May Extra Long the next. That's the kind of quality TV I could get behind.

Strangely Brown

10,070 posts

231 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Cold said:
Countdown said:
"Match of the Day" would be so much better if they showed motorsport instead of football.
FTFY

I think we can all agree with this.
And on that note...

F1 is crap. It stopped being watchable when they started dicking with the rule to increase the TV spectacle.
These days historics (think Goodwood Revival) racing is infinitely more interesting and enjoyable to watch.

Punctilio

827 posts

23 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
It's no secret that everything in the last few centuries has been,
created, discovered, invented, funded and developed by white Europeans
and North Americans.

Do we get any thanks ?

deckster

9,630 posts

255 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Punctilio said:
It's no secret that everything in the last few centuries has been,
created, discovered, invented, funded and developed by white Europeans
and North Americans.

Do we get any thanks ?
I know you're nothing but a massive troll - but even then, I'd suggest that being wealthy, healthy, and free beyond the wildest dreams of most of the rest of the world is pretty good payback.

Niponeoff

2,096 posts

27 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Went so some people insist on saying "good morning" with the expectation of a response.

TwigtheWonderkid

43,386 posts

150 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
Punctilio said:
It's no secret that everything in the last few centuries has been,
created, discovered, invented, funded and developed by white Europeans
and North Americans.

Do we get any thanks ?
Ever wondered why? Are white Europeans cleverer than tribesmen from Papua New Guinea? Read Guns, Germs & Steel by Jared Diamond. It's quite an eye opener.

Lost ranger

312 posts

65 months

Monday 13th February 2023
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We should use nautical miles on land. Different sorts of miles just invites confusion, nautical miles are convenient for navigation while statute miles are arbitrary so just use nautical. It would also constitute a 15% increase in speed limits.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

261 months

Monday 13th February 2023
quotequote all
I actually quite like Bristol 411s and 603s.