Are YOU Pistonheads' Best Driver?

[LotusOmega375D]

I don't care if you can lap Silverstone quicker than Lewis Hamilton, or how many Advanced Motorist courses you have been on, or even if you're the Chauffeur to the Queen. What I'm interested in is your real experience and record as a driver on the road.

Very few of us think we're rubbish drivers, but let's take a look at the facts. We all originally learned to drive to enable us to get safely and legally from A to B, without getting involved in any accidents, or into any trouble with the Law. However, no-one is perfect and we have all made mistakes in the past, so the important point is that we learn from them and improve our driving skills as the years go by.

Consequently Stephen Hawkin and I (well, just me actually) have developed a truly brilliant mathematical formula to calculate who is currently PistonHeads' best driver. This combines your years of motoring experience together with your record for safe, observant and legal driving.

1) How many years have you held a full driving licence?
2) How many years ago did you last cause an accident?
3) How many years ago did you last receive any penalty points on your licence (and/or fine) for a motoring offence?
4) How many years ago were you last involved in an accident which was not considered your fault.

Now add all these four numbers together to calulcate your score.

In the event of a draw, the tie-break question will be:

5) How many years since you last received a Parking Ticket?

I know some people will claim to drive more miles per year than others and hence be at greater risk of accidents etc, but it would be impossible for everyone to work out the above scores based on mileage, so let's just stick to years and lump everyone in the same boat for the purposes of this truly prestigious award.

You have until midnight on Sunday 30th September 2012 to get your scores in. Honest scores only please. Don't forget that we need the total of points 1) - 4). Please state point 5) as a separate number in case of a tie. Highest score wins.

The lucky winner will win the right to pompously declare themselves to be "Pistonheads' Best Driver" and enjoy that superior smug feeling inside that such an honour will undoubtedly bring.

So get your thinking caps on and your pocket calculators out and post up your scores. Here's a hypothetical example of someone who has been driving for 10 years, caused their last accident 8 years ago, picked up some penalty points 3 years ago and has not yet been involved in a blame-free accident or ever got a parking ticket. Please post them up like this:

1) 10
2) 8
3) 3
4) 10

Total Score: 31

5) Tie-break score: 10

I'll post up my scores later on.

[Lord Pikey]

a) 13
b) 13 (never)
c) 13 (never)
d) 13 (never)

= 52

e) 0 (last month)

Edited by Lord on Thursday 20th September 10:27

Edited by Lord on Thursday 20th September 10:29

[y2blade]

Yes.

[onesickpuppy]

Yes. /thread.

[Matt UK]

Not sure the scoring system works - is the idea to have the highest or lowest score?

[otolith]

No points available for driving in a hat?

[furtive]

1) 23
2) Infinity (I never have)
3) 7
4) Infinity (I never have)

5) Infinity (I never have)

So, 23+∞+7+∞+∞ = ∞

Do I win?

[Captain Muppet]

1) 24
2) 24
3) 2
4) 17

Total 67

5) Not sure, at least 10.

And I'm definitely not the best driver of the PHers I've met.

ETA - Forgot about the accident where the on-coming driver on the wrong side of the road and broke my spine and crippled my hand, and I've also lost 7 points, which seems a bit harsh.

Edited by Captain Muppet on Thursday 20th September 10:35

[Hoofy]

1) How many years have you held a full driving licence?
21

2) How many years ago did you last cause an accident?
21 (not to say there's a wake of devastation behind me every time I hit the road)

3) How many years ago did you last receive any penalty points on your licence (and/or fine) for a motoring offence?
21 (never but now I'm tempting fate?)

4) How many years ago were you last involved in an accident which was not considered your fault.
5 (how is this used to prove you're a safe driver? someone just pulls out? Suddenly, you're becoming very "insurance company")

Now add all these four numbers together to calulcate your score.
68

5) How many years since you last received a Parking Ticket?
21

[10 Pence Short]

I know you've considered it, but without incorporating mileage, it's a pointless exercise.

[Captain Muppet]

Matt UK said:

Not sure the scoring system works - is the idea to have the highest or lowest score?

Do your scores. Then do them again pretending you caused a crash yesterday.

If you still can't work out which is the best score post both.

[Papa Hotel]

I'm also on infinity.

I don't think this is very well conceived.

[Pork]

By your measures, my 94 year old granddad is the best driver ever.

[GAjon]

But someone who's been driving 4 years and no incidents scores the same as someone who has been driving one year that has been involved in one fault accident, one non fault accident and has points???

[LotusOmega375D]

furtive said:

1) 23
2) Infinity (I never have)
3) 7
4) Infinity (I never have)

5) Infinity (I never have)

So, 23+∞+7+∞+∞ = ∞

Do I win?

No infinities please. Look at the example I provided. So in your case:

1) 23
2) 23
3) 7
4) 23

Total: 76

5) 23

[Japveesix]

LotusOmega375D said:

1) How many years have you held a full driving licence?
2) How many years ago did you last cause an accident?
3) How many years ago did you last receive any penalty points on your licence (and/or fine) for a motoring offence?
4) How many years ago were you last involved in an accident which was not considered your fault.

Now add all these four numbers together to calulcate your score.

In the event of a draw, the tie-break question will be:

5) How many years since you last received a Parking Ticket?

Hmm not convinced this really works but anyway?:
1)12
2)6
3)12
4)12

5)5

So 42. Bonza.

[The Black Flash]

20
20 (never)
20 (never)
20 (1 in my first year)

= 80.

First and only ticket - 1 year ago (machine was broken, but ticketed me anyway, bds).

[LeighW]

22
22
14
4

Total 62

Tiebreak 22

[LotusOmega375D]

Pork said:

By your measures, my 94 year old granddad is the best driver ever.

Is he on PH though?

[Papa Hotel]

14
14
14
14

Total 56

Tiebreak 6.

It seems a bit unfair that with my clean record I'm being penalised for only having held my license for 14 years, I'd be trumped my my grandfather on that alone despite his shocking recent record.