# Men are all excellent drivers. **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 14, 2003, 12:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965 "2003-02-14T00:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Robb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/a183cd/32.png) [@Robb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robb)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/21 "2003-02-14T17:07:14Z")
> [@](#): > > Well, flying is a lot easier than driving. I’ve heard that the real trick is landing. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/22 "2003-02-14T19:40:34Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheNerd \* > \*\*_The Princess Bride_ > > I’ve seen enough bad drivers of both sexes to know that it doesn’t matter which has the slight advantage. Good drivers are overwhelmingly outnumbered by bad. \*\* So which group (good or bad) do you fit into? And which gender? ---
**Author:** ![merge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9f8e36/32.png) [@merge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/merge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/23 "2003-02-14T19:45:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by TheNerd \* > _ **The Princess Bride** _ You nerd… Yeah… that’s it… great movie btw… ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/24 "2003-02-14T19:47:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Ferrous \* > \*\*A great quote, that I can’t recall where I heard (probably here at the SDMB): > > “Practically everybody thinks that they are an above average driver.” \*\* I think this comes from a poll. What I read is that over 90% of those responding claim that they are better than the average driver. Probably an urban legend, but not quite of legend status. Hell, maybe I heard it on Oprah. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![godzillatemple](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/49beb7/32.png) [@godzillatemple](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/godzillatemple)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/25 "2003-02-14T19:49:01Z")
I am a Boston driver and therefore, by defintion, a “bad driver.” What most people don’t realize, however is that “bad” in this context does not refer to incompetence. It refers to being evil… 😉 Barry ---
**Author:** ![NE\_Texan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/e99b99/32.png) [@NE\_Texan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NE_Texan)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/26 "2003-02-14T19:56:36Z")
My problem is with night driving. My night vision has trouble making out - lane markings; street signs; and unlit side streets. I never thought this was a problem when I lived in Houston. I’ve moved to New England, though, and the days are shorter, and there are NO frigging street lights! (Well, that’s an exaggeration, but there seem to be far fewer per mile of road than I’m used to, by easily a factor of ten.) Of course, other than _that_, my driving is perfect in all respects. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Lorenzo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/4da419/32.png) [@Lorenzo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lorenzo)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/27 "2003-02-14T20:29:27Z")
I am a highly skilled driver, but my judgement is pretty bad sometimes. American cars and trucks, except for some of the subcompacts, perhaps, are tanks, which I think goes a long way to explaining why some drivers of either gender will take outrageous risks or drive with their head up their butts. Yes, certainly 40,000 people a year are killed in auto accidents in the US but almost half are attributed to drunk driving, not poor sober driving. And who thinks it will happen to him? And how many are NOT killed although in an accident. And how many accidents are narrowly avoided when one of the combatants “blinks” or comes out of his “coma” just in time. People feel safe in their cars and behave accordingly. I believe the US government has given up on meaningful driver education and relies on the automakers to make safe cars instead. If people were better drivers, cars could be lighter, use fewer natural resources, burn less gas, create less pollution and cost less. Never going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/28 "2003-02-14T21:28:22Z")
Before my sleep apnea was diagnosed & treated, I used to fall asleep at red lights… That said, I believe myself to be a pretty decent driver, although I can think of two times where I inexplicably made a _left_ turn at a red light, without even thinking. Startled my passengers. Oh, and last week I drove through a stop sign in our neighborhood accidentally. Hmmm. Maybe I’m not that good. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 11:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/29 "2003-02-14T23:56:48Z")
**Dread Pirate Jimbo** and I have discussed this at length, and we have come to the conclusion that 50% of all drivers are below average, and your average driver is no great shakes to start with. I would estimate that the percentage of people on the road that are actually _good_ drivers is about 30%. For the record, I’m female and I consider myself a good driver, my criteria being that I don’t drive too fast or too slow, I don’t drive aggressively or hesitantly, I don’t make other drivers slam on the brakes for me, I don’t get in the way of other drivers, I don’t hold up the flow of traffic, I don’t hit other people, and I quite often predict a dangerous situation and react to it before it becomes an accident. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/30 "2003-02-14T23:59:37Z")
Oh yeah, I forgot that I don’t break any laws while driving (except the speed limit, because I keep up with the flow of traffic) either. And I do all the small details of driving, like signalling in parking lots, always shoulder-checking, looking both ways before starting at a green light, etc. ---
**Author:** ![TheNerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@TheNerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheNerd)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/31 "2003-02-15T00:08:30Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by mangeorge \* > \*\*So which group (good or bad) do you fit into? And which gender? \*\* Alone, good. With someone else in the car demanding my attention, I might miss some details. Last I checked, I was a guy. ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 4:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/32 "2003-02-15T04:34:01Z")
The bit that caught my attention was: > [@](#): > > _Originally posted by **zigaretten** _: > \*\*…Whenever I get on a freeway I immediately start to pass out or fall asleep, it’s hard to describe… > > Off the freeway I’m fine…\*\* I agree, **elfkin477** , with the where you were headed, mainly that sleep apnea results in general tiredness, and, as **Skammer** mentioned, falling asleep at red lights. However, this doesn’t go away when you drive off the freeway. Some form of narcolepsy _could_ result in this kind of thing, or so I gather. On t’other hand, IAN(even close to being)AD, so it’d take someone more knowledgeable than I to positively confirm or deny this. ---
**Author:** ![zigaretten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/91b2a8/32.png) [@zigaretten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zigaretten)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/33 "2003-02-15T04:52:32Z")
For the record… **I don’t drive on freeways anymore.** Just so we’re clear. Actually, that’s not 100% true. About every six months or so I try to get on a freeway when it’s pretty much empty just to see if the problem has gone away. The problem isn’t actually one of falling asleep, it’s more along the lines of getting light-headed and sometimes a little disoriented, which feels a lot like when one is extremely tired. But when I pull over to the side of the road or get onto a side road the feeling goes away within seconds. But it returns if I then get back on the freeway. The only thing I’ve ever been able to figure out is that maybe it’s related to the speed or the acceleration. Trouble is, it doesn’t affect me as a passenger. Who knows? My understanding is that with narcolepsy I would be tired all the time. But this only affects me when driving on freeways. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/34 "2003-02-15T05:23:21Z")
It’s because you’re scared, **zigaretten**. Nuttin’ to be embarassed about. One of the astronauts used to fall asleeo on the launch pad. I forget which one, though. There’s even a special name for it. Talk to a doc, if you can. ---
**Author:** ![zigaretten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/91b2a8/32.png) [@zigaretten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zigaretten)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/35 "2003-02-15T05:48:41Z")
Well…Gordon Copper fell asleep on the launchpad and Wally Schirra fell asleep on the way to the launchpad. But I’ve never seen this attributed to anything other than the strange hours and heavy workload prior to launch. If you can think of the “special name” I’d appreciate it. I don’t think my doctor knows it. (But there are a lot of things I suspect my doctor doesn’t know.) ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/36 "2003-02-15T06:00:22Z")
Two things: From my limited understanding of the phenomenon, narcolepsy generally _doesn’t_ make you sleepy all the time, the way a bout of insomnia or sleep apnea does. You just get real tired, real fast, at unpredictable moments. It’s an on and off thing, not a constant state of lethargy. The additional information, specifically getting light-headed and disoriented, and that only when you’re behind the wheel, makes it sound a whole lot more like a psychological issue. Highway Anxiety, or somesuch. I agree, seek some help. And more importantly, if your doc isn’t helping, track down a new one. Second opinions, and all like that. Good luck, in any case. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2003, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/37 "2003-02-15T20:44:23Z")
I just can’t remember what it’s called, **zigaretten** , but it’s a psychological avoidance mechanism. I read about the astronaut (I think it was Cooper) a long time ago, but I don’t want to get stuck on that. Often when a hero is being discussed things get off into GD territory. Anyway, what happens is that when facing a situation which can’t be avoided or changed, the mind tries to go to sleep until it goes away. Usually, if you _have_ to, you come out of it. You see it a lot on airplanes and in surgery areas of hospitals, etc. I’d be surprised if a doctor didn’t know what I’m talking about. There was a thread on this very topic quite a long time ago. Perhaps your SDMB search skills are superior to mine. ---
**Author:** ![ant22783](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@ant22783](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ant22783)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/38 "2003-02-16T04:53:05Z")
elfkin… was that christopher walken drivin woody to the train station? ---
**Author:** ![ant22783](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a87d85/32.png) [@ant22783](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ant22783)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/39 "2003-02-16T04:54:56Z")
the only time my wife drives 55 is in the garage. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [February 16, 2003, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965/40 "2003-02-16T05:09:28Z")
I don’t drive, because I know how crap I’d be at it. I don’t pay attention to signs, traffic, crosslights. I crash into poles and trees. This is all while walking! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/men-are-all-excellent-drivers/154965.md?page=1)