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3.69 AVERAGE
3.69 AVERAGE
This is a pretty fun book, especially if you've ever asked yourself "why are people such incredible jerks whilst driving?" The author looks at it the question of behaviour in traffic from a number of different perspectives: moral, anthropological, neurological, evolutionary-biological, etc. Ultimately, while it is entertaining and contains a few surprises, I'm not sure it couldn't have been a smaller book. My recommendation: get it in softcover and pick and choose the chapters you want to read after the first two, which are necessary for the rest of the book. Besides that, each of the chapters stands on its own so this makes a good "I need break from my current book" book.
Drive at lower speeds, but not below the median.
Before crossing a street on foot, don't make eye contact with drivers.
Don't waste time looking for an ideal parking spot.
Late merging makes the best use of both lanes.
The most dangerous driving times are Saturday and Sunday, midnight to 3 a.m. and on weekdays during the a.m. and (especially) p.m. rush hours.
Most dangerous day to drive: the Fourth of July.
For the love of all that is holy, don't use a cell phone in the car.
While driving, always keep in mind the fact that you are engaged in a dangerous activity.
Before crossing a street on foot, don't make eye contact with drivers.
Don't waste time looking for an ideal parking spot.
Late merging makes the best use of both lanes.
The most dangerous driving times are Saturday and Sunday, midnight to 3 a.m. and on weekdays during the a.m. and (especially) p.m. rush hours.
Most dangerous day to drive: the Fourth of July.
For the love of all that is holy, don't use a cell phone in the car.
While driving, always keep in mind the fact that you are engaged in a dangerous activity.
challenging
informative
slow-paced
No one will ever convince me to be a late merger, but I learned a lot from this trip into traffic.
hopeful
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Interesting topic that we don't really think in depth about. A lot is going on that we don't realize and traffic is a lot more complex and interconnected than we realize. We are also not as good a drivers as we think and a lot of the attempts to make us safer might not be doing that. Technology advancements are distracting us. Fewer signs might be better for safety. Wildest idea that I had never thought of before was wearing a helmet while in a car.
This book was endlessly fascinating, and really meticulously researched (almost 100 pages of notes). I hope everyone who has read this book walks away with a more realistic view of whether or not they are good drivers. In surveys, a majority feel they are better than average, which starting several years ago I realized I was not a good driver, merely one who has avoided crashes and tickets. The book also delved into really fascinating phenomena, such as why it always feels like the other lane is going faster in traffic, and how sometimes a lack of signs and bike lanes can make roads safer. The reason for this is since there is more uncertainty, people are more focused and ready to respond to the unexpected. The book also discusses the problems of communication and anonymity in cars, and the problems that causes such as misunderstood honking and hand signals, and how eye contact between drivers can seem uncomfortable while outside of a car it seems normal.
This book is really worth the read.
This book is really worth the read.
Reading this on paper in bed before sleep was weird - I kept having driving dreams. Weird, anxiety-producing, almost-crashing driving dreams!! So I gave it up and found the audio instead - listening in the morning while walking the dogs. So much psychology about the how and why we are such bad drivers - and how much LUCK in involved in traveling unscathed. Gets a little repetitive toward the end, but highly entertaining and insightful.
I read about half of it. The premise sounds good, but it gets a little repetitive feeling. After all, it is about driving. Also, the author's tone is a bit patronizing.
Very interesting premise, but didn't hold my interest long enough to read an entire book. I mostly skimmed to get the main points.
I started this and was really into it but the interest has not stayed. It’s hard to read heavy informative books like this when I am not interested
Interesting information but didn't make a particularly compelling argument for anything. Too many unnecessary references.