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View Poll Results: Does having a safe car give you the itch to go faster?
Yes, I am confident about the active/passive safety systems in my car! 79 24.92%
No, irrespective of which car I own; I observe safe and sane driving. 238 75.08%
Voters: 317. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 24th October 2019, 14:46   #16
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Safer car does not make me go fast. I keep within reasonable speed limits and do not overtake dangerously.



However, opposite is true I will go slower than what is comfortably possible safely if I am in a car with less safety features. I know that margin of safety is thinner and need to keep that much more distance and speed control to survive
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Old 24th October 2019, 14:56   #17
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

There is a lot of research done into this, automative and other industries. And they all come to the same conclusion.

Providing safer environments (in this case a car) people behaviour will change. So they might drive a bit faster, a little bit closer, etc. etc.

In most cases it is entirely subconscious, but it is very real and it can (and has been) measured/observed.

So do not think it does not apply to you, because you are a conscious and safe driver. The level of safety, but also the level of comfort, does affect the way you drive it, to some extend.

With the introduction of ABS, many car insurers saw the number of rear end crashes increase. Initially the thinking was that as the guy behind you with no ABS simply could not stop as quickly. Which was true, to an extend

But some further research also showed that those drivers with ABS tended to drive closer to the car in front of them, then cars without ABS.

Different example, different industry; the introduction of safety hats in the building, contractor, off shore industry did lead to less head injuries. But initially the number of incidents went up! People felt better protected and behaved accordingly, started taking bigger risk, pay less attention etc.

So it is all about unconscious behaviour and we are all prone to it. Make no mistake.

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Old 24th October 2019, 15:13   #18
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jeroen View Post
In most cases it is entirely subconscious, but it is very real and it can (and has been) measured/observed.
Jeroen
Yes, people automatically think that they are in a much safer environment and take risks.
One example that I can think of is when the state transport buses were upgraded from old buses to the new Tata marcopolo low floor ones. The change was seen instantly. Many buses were cruising easily above 50-60Kmph. Passengers inside the buses could sense the harsh braking. With power steering, many of these buses are cornering at much higher speeds in the city now.
Generally I've observed that well maintained vehicles are driven carefully as the driver may be conscious of the repair costs and the fit/finish of the vehicle after the repair work.
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Old 24th October 2019, 15:16   #19
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

I agree with some of the other members - It's the unsafe car that makes me go slower.

E.g. I remember driving an Omni on a state highway and I never dared to cross even 60 kmph on a 80 speed limit road, whereas I would have confidently done higher speeds in similar road / traffic conditions.
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Old 24th October 2019, 15:19   #20
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Well, if I’m going fast, I’d enjoy the drive better and feel safe in a safer better handling car, than in a rolling and pitching bad handler with bad braking.

So, may be as fast as the road/conditions allow? Since here machine isn’t the limitation.

Last edited by dhanushs : 24th October 2019 at 15:21.
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Old 24th October 2019, 15:22   #21
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Irrespective of the fancy features and safety aspects my car has, "the road is full of idiots" as a famous advertisement says.

So I believe in safe driving
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Old 24th October 2019, 15:36   #22
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

I voted for yes because :

1) The modern vehicles with all the refinement levels masks the speed very well, 70 in my previous Maruti 800 feels very fast compared to 100 in my Freestyle

2) I feel safe and confident with the safety features in the vehicle and completely understand the limitations of the car I drive

Note - I never overspeed above the speed limit for that particular road
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Old 24th October 2019, 15:46   #23
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

I treat tire performance, steering feedback, braking power and feedback as key active safety features. These are the attributes that give me the confidence to drive faster and not ABS or Airbags. I prefer to push the car within its limits without engaging any of the safety systems such as ABS, ESP etc.

In our Vento, I usually maintain 110- 130 kmph depending on existing conditions with no set limit but according to the scenario ahead.
On the other hand, our Grand i10 gives no confidence at high speeds and I end up maintaining below 90 kmph thanks to that vague steering.


It really depends on how you define safety features. For me it's the engineering that's gone behind to make the car
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Old 24th October 2019, 16:02   #24
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Having a safer car never urges me to drive faster or in a rash manner. I always stick to my self imposed speed limits. Maybe on an open expressway I might drive faster by 10 kmph or so but not more than that.

I must confess the feeling of safety you perceive in bigger cars especially the Germans is quite assuring. The only difference is that you need to be careful not to exceed the speed limits. In my B1 segment cars, 100 kmph is easily felt as I do not need a glance at the speedometer to check speed. In the C2 segment Germans I drove, I constantly needed to keep the speed within the limits as higher speeds are not easily felt.
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Old 24th October 2019, 16:50   #25
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

The term for this phenomenon is risk compensation - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Risk_compensation
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Old 24th October 2019, 17:28   #26
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

If that safe car can isolate me from wayward jaywalkers/random cyclist who can turn at his/her whim, taxis & autos stopping and turning whenever they feel like and tractor trolleys coming at me from wrong side on fast lane, then hell yeah, I would feel safe and drive a bit faster.
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Old 24th October 2019, 17:42   #27
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

I would have to say No - I drive safe irrespective of the car.

In fact for me, the itch depends on how suitable the car is for the terrain & conditions under which I am driving.

Drive to Mahabaleshwar - I would be a lot more 'faster' driving the Tiguan there than the more powerful and arguably equally safe 3 series - reason being the Tiguan's ability to better soak up bumps & go through water logged areas.
Similarly, in the city - I'd be a lot more 'faster' driving the smaller S-Cross 1.6 compared to the safer Tiguan, or BMW or any other car. Just because the compact dimensions make it that much easier to maneuver in traffic.

Note: it does help that all the cars at home have some basic safety though, and of course essentials like the tyres and mechanical condition are always in top shape. If that weren't the case, my answer may have been a little different.

Last edited by lamborghini : 24th October 2019 at 17:43.
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Old 24th October 2019, 17:48   #28
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Does not matter. There are way too many abnormal drivers out their—to quickly induce an accident. So slow and easy is the key. No matter how empty. 60 is fast for me, and 80 is fastest. Even living in the 64++ sectors of GGN where roads are w i d e, I let sense prevail. In fact there is more idiotic behaviour on wide empty roads vs. crowded.
Too many morons out there. Too many.
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Old 24th October 2019, 19:09   #29
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

Good visibility, good tyres, less body roll, and good brakes are the factors on which i generally depend on if choosing to increase speed.

Also, do i need to use the bathroom? Am i feeling sleepy? I always make it a point to drive a little faster when sleepy as that keeps me alert.

A little but points to remember when you're feeling sleepy at the wheel are:
1) stop the car at a safe place and take a nap. While driving between states, many toll booths have enough area and are safe.
2) open the windows as higher carbon dioxide levels will make you feel more drowsy.
3) talk or sing even to yourself. I cannot suggest phoning a friend or family member as that is against the law but in some cases, it may actually save you from falling asleep at the wheel.
4) carry a can of Redbull and sip it slowly. If you need more than 2 Redbulls over the span of 2 - 4 hours of driving, then stop wherever you are and take a nap.
5) last but not least, plan a long trip better. Or call a cab if that's a viable option.
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Old 24th October 2019, 19:26   #30
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Re: Does having a safer car give you the itch to drive faster?

I wouldn't call it an "itch" but rather the confidence to go faster. As per me, driving fast (not rash or insanely fast) is a function of a driver's skill plus confidence. Confidence is a function of multiple factors like visibility, familiarity with the route, road condition, and the car. My speed when I drive my own car, whose limits I know very well, is different from when I drive another car. Now, my definition of a 'safer' car is not just the one with airbags, abs, and other safety features/tools but also one that offers good steering feedback, compliant ride, and most importantly, a consistent and reliable stopping power.

To sum it up - yes, I do drive a 'safer' car faster than I would if I don't consider the car I am driving, safe enough.
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