EV accidents

[RivRyan]

Only a poor craftsman blames the tools. It isn't EVs that are the problem, it's all the people who drive terribly.

The people are the same. If EVs have more accidents, the problem is the system. ICE cars had many more, far worse accidents 40 years ago. The difference is definitely NOT that today's drivers are better!

I don't think it's EVs, though. I think it's tech-laden cars with poor (or immature) design. Turning on defrost or adjusting seat heat in our VW is an awkward, multi-step process requiring focus away from the windshield. The companies will get this right, but in the meantime, their cars are filled with inviting hazards.

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[Donald Stanfield]

The people are the same. If EVs have more accidents, the problem is the system. ICE cars had many more, far worse accidents 40 years ago. The difference is definitely NOT that today's drivers are better!

I don't think it's EVs, though. I think it's tech-laden cars with poor (or immature) design. Turning on defrost or adjusting seat heat in our VW is an awkward, multi-step process requiring focus away from the windshield. The companies will get this right, but in the meantime, their cars are filled with inviting hazards.

I have to disagree. It's not the tech it's the performance. Most people are barely passable drivers with turtle slow ICE cars, give them something with instant torque and they are going to crash it. Just think about how quick the Rivian is, unless you've driven a super car before getting one you didn't have anything approaching that level of acceleration. That's why so many people are doing Alan Rucks into a pizza place, they are shit drivers that cannot handle the power.

Either people will get used to it or the government will mandate slower ones which will suck.

 

[s4wrxttcs]

I think there is a lot of things at play.

• Mileage - I imagine quite a few EV's are driven more then there ice counterpart due to lower cost per mile. The more miles the more likely an accident.
• A large majority of EV's are Tesla's, and Tesla owners are known to really abuse their driver assistance packages.
• Bad UX design on quite a few EV's where they don't have easy to use switches for things like wiper control. Heck Tesla didn't even have proper blindspot monitoring till very recently.
• Inconsistent behavior - For example only in the most recent update did Rivian add blended braking to make braking more consistent regardless of battery state of charge and battery temp.
• Lack of audible feedback since there is no engine noise.
• Quickness that can get people into trouble.
• EV's convey a sense that they've tricked physics, but physics can't be tricked when it comes to losing grip. So I imagine some of the accidents are due to people thinking their vehicle could handle a situation when it really couldn't.

 

[NY_Rob]

The people are the same...

But are they?
Tailgating is and epidemic nowadays and at 80MPH+ speeds where you have no margin of safety. People also drive much faster now than back in the day because the brakes can actually stop the vehicle in a straight vs. the old drum brakes where you never knew which end of the vehicle would be facing forward after a panic stop.
I also see people stop literally in the middle of our street when they realize they're lost vs. pulling off to the side of the street where it's safe.
I see people towing single axle boat trailers and other very heavy trailer loads at 75+MPH which is super risky.

 

[Fmc]

Overall people are bad drivers. Stoplights have become a mere suggestion.

 

[s4wrxttcs]

But are they?
Tailgating is and epidemic nowadays and at 80MPH+ speeds where you have no margin of safety. People also drive much faster now than back in the day because the brakes can actually stop the vehicle in a straight vs. the old drum brakes where you never knew which end of the vehicle would be facing forward after a panic stop.
I also see people stop literally in the middle of our street when they realize they're lost vs. pulling off to the side of the street where it's safe.
I see people towing single axle boat trailers and other very heavy trailer loads at 75+MPH which is super risky.

They're not

Traffic law Enforcement isn't the same as it used to be. This has brought out the worst in people, and you see it on the roads.

The zombie apocalypse is very much under way where people have less brains than they used to. Some claim its covid related, but I think it started well before covid.

We're losing the war against our screens. So many people are so addicted that they can't keep their eyes on the road.

This isn't everywhere - A few weeks ago I was pulled over for doing 10 over in a small town in rural America. It was kinda surreal since I had spent the last 3 hours being passed by people doing well over 15 over. I purposely pick this route as the speed limits are lower so I can enjoy the scenery and serenity of the drive. It's just in this small pocket before and after the Yellow Deli (coming soon) that you have to slow down to exactly the speed limit until you reach the other side of town. I simply made a mistake of being a bit premature on my exit speed. When Bubba was giving me a ticket I was thinking about what a waste of time and resources this was given the reality of our roads, but at the same time there was a feeling of 1990's normalcy of it.

It also acted like an ego check and its rare that adults really have that these days. I don't count significant other "yes, dear. you're right" as an ego check. I spent more time then I care to admit analyzing the drive cam footage and making a comparison video to get speed out of it. Only to realize that Bubba in fact rightfully pulled me over. He didn't do anything that haunted my brain. The things my ego claimed he must have done to nab me for 10 over in an area and situation I know absolutely to do no more than 5 over.

 

[s4wrxttcs]

Overall people are bad drivers. Stoplights have become a mere suggestion.

Around here stop lights are in color, but people have very greyscale action towards them.

 

[RivRyan]

Overall people are bad drivers. Stoplights have become a mere suggestion.

The melodrama here is amazing.

 

[RivRyan]

This isn't everywhere - A few weeks ago I was pulled over for doing 10 over in a small town in rural America. It was kinda surreal since I had spent the last 3 hours being passed by people doing well over 15 over. I purposely pick this route as the speed limits are lower so I can enjoy the scenery and serenity of the drive. It's just in this small pocket before and after the Yellow Deli (coming soon) that you have to slow down to exactly the speed limit until you reach the other side of town. I simply made a mistake of being a bit premature on my exit speed. When Bubba was giving me a ticket I was thinking about what a waste of time and resources this was given the reality of our roads, but at the same time there was a feeling of 1990's normalcy of it.

70 mph - 5 over the limit -- remains the norm on north-south interstates in Illinois. East-west is much faster, for whatever reason. It doesn't seem to be enforcement-related. Maybe it's just less long-distance traffic and the locals aren't in a hurry.

 

[Fmc]

The melodrama here is amazing.

Speed limits are also a suggestion. I-10 between La and Houston, I am consistently passed even when doing 10-15 mph over the speed limit.

 

[Fmc]

70 mph - 5 over the limit -- remains the norm on north-south interstates in Illinois. East-west is much faster, for whatever reason. It doesn't seem to be enforcement-related. Maybe it's just less long-distance traffic and the locals aren't in a hurry.

It’s good civic duty to responsibly speed. With 10% sales tax in La, I would be hard pressed to buy anything for 3k in Fenton, La but I can afford a good ticket every few years.

https://www.propublica.org/article/fenton-louisiana-brought-in-1-million-through-mayors-court

 

[Glembi2]

My view: Everyone, at any time, can be a crappy driver. You choose what you want to be.

This used to be a topic of conversation with my old mailmen - did they give some drivers a wider berth because of the car they were driving? The answers were always “yes”. Most were wary of Prius drivers, others were wary of smaller cheaper cars, none ever mentioned EVs.

What surprises me is how people prioritize what they are doing in addition to driving. Some prioritize talking to others in the car, others prioritize talking on the phone, etc. I try to prioritize driving but am just as likely to get dinged by backseat drivers for changing lanes to get around slow drivers.

 

[UnsungZero_OldTimeAdMan]

Only a poor craftsman blames the tools. It isn't EVs that are the problem, it's all the people who drive terribly.

Remember the days when the Prius took all the blame/hate? How things have changed in just 10 yrs.

I still hate them. ?

 

[iansriv]

Speed limits are also a suggestion. I-10 between La and Houston, I am consistently passed even when doing 10-15 mph over the speed limit.

That is just rude! I was minding my own business, doing 155, and got flashed then passed by a Porsche.

 

[Joefly78]

I have to disagree. It's not the tech it's the performance. Most people are barely passable drivers with turtle slow ICE cars, give them something with instant torque and they are going to crash it. Just think about how quick the Rivian is, unless you've driven a super car before getting one you didn't have anything approaching that level of acceleration. That's why so many people are doing Alan Rucks into a pizza place, they are shit drivers that cannot handle the power.

Either people will get used to it or the government will mandate slower ones which will suck.

This is exactly right. Where I live, Tesla Model 3's have become very common cars for aging Boomers. And for good reason; low maintenance, cheap, comfortable enough, and no trips to terrifying midtown gas stations.

However, it's very easy for an aging brain to confuse a brake and gas pedal. In a regular ICE car, especially the freeway sofas typically purchased by older people, no big deal if you do this. You realize your mistake before you've gone 3 feet, the engine revving noise alone probably sufficient feedback. But, if you accidentally firewall a Model 3, you've very quickly got a 60mph problem to solve. Our brains just don't react that fast, especially as we age.

It's like, from an acceleration perspective, all of the sudden everyone is driving Bugatti's.

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