What did you learn in traffic school lately?

Beanzy

Beanzy

Wind free
Things I learned in taking classroom attitudinal and online traffic school courses recently:

  • As a driver & rider, I'm into fun and power, which really mean I can be a jerk behind the wheel. So I need to dial my attitude way back. Like no more road raging.
  • If I want to die in a crash, the best time to choose is 8 p.m. on a Saturday night. Because according to 2015 statistics, that's when Americans (and lots of Californians) tend to die in vehicular collisions.
  • I really hate studying. Am down to 7.5 hours to finish this online class. And I'm on my first extension (not sure if I can ask for a second one).
 
Butch

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Back in the day, we had high school classes called “State Requirements” and another one that was driver training. I learned alot and most stuck. Things change, but not so much.

I have done traffic school at least ten times. I’m pretty good at it.
So no, I don’t learn anything other than how ignorant other folks are.

One time, there was a guy there for a carpool lane violation. I told him... dude, it is not a moving violation, it is not a point on your record. Being here only disqualifies you if you need to use the option again within the next 18 months.

He did not understand and stuck it out. That was some comedy traffic school. Drivers today are a comedy.

Only, it is not funny.

Edit: I think we, as motorcyclists, have an appreciation of paying attention and anticipating shit. For us, not doing so could have a death penalty. The important stuff in traffic skool we already know.

I think traffic school is a good thing for the masses because I think most drivers need some schooling. They play with stupidphones while driving for goodness sake!
 
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OldMadBrit

OldMadBrit

Well-known member
My biggest lesson from a live class was that we share the road with some utterly clueless clowns. That got me to slow down and pay attention to what's going on around me.
 
Bay Arean

Bay Arean

Well-known member
That people who merge on to the freeway and various ramps are actually supposed to be up to speed. That's its actually wrong to cut in front of people at an obviously slower speed. That is flouted as much as speed limits.
 
Lorry

Lorry

Well-known member
Doing online school, it advised me that you should avoid operating your vehicle in reverse if at all possible. Furthermore, you should try to locate parking spaces that you can drive forward into, then continue forwards to drive out. Personally, I felt that, if reversing a car is that difficult, you should probably turn in your car keys.
 
Lorry

Lorry

Well-known member
Caddywumpus said:
Online traffic school takes under 30 minutes
Click to expand...

Depends on the school. SCC school has a timer system so you can't skip along. It takes pretty much 8 hours. The good thing is that you don't have to complete it in one sitting.
 
Butch

Butch

poseur
Staff member
Lorry said:
Doing online school, it advised me that you should avoid operating your vehicle in reverse if at all possible. Furthermore, you should try to locate parking spaces that you can drive forward into, then continue forwards to drive out. Personally, I felt that, if reversing a car is that difficult, you should probably turn in your car keys.
Click to expand...

Yup.
I met a guy on a “back in for safety” campaign. Ex cop, seen some bad and avoidable shit. They should teach that in trafik skool.
 
Bay Arean

Bay Arean

Well-known member
I did it online through that one that donates money for stray dogs. Puppy Online Traffic or something. It wasn't bad at all.
 
Beanzy

Beanzy

Wind free
I signed up with the cheapest class that's forcing me to memorize data. At $19.99, idrivesafely.com is chockful of emergency situations and how to recover from them. It also promotes that the 8 and 4 position on the steering wheel is the optimal and safest position, as when the steering wheel safety bag deploys, one's hands and face tend not to be injured.

I've tried 8 and 4 but lately I like midnight. Don't ask me why.

Edit:

One more thing: "Skids are usually caused by driver error."

How? Heavy foot on the brake.

It's true with cars and motorcycles.
 
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wannabe

wannabe

"Insignificant Other"
The last time I had traffic school, it was taught by an off-duty CHP officer. The only thing I remember him teaching us is that if you hit a dog with a collar, you are required to leave a note because dogs are considered property in California. But, if you hit a cat with a collar, you do not legally have to leave a note because cats are not considered property in California.

After teaching us that, he told us that if you ever hit a dog, make sure to say, “Dude! Did you see the size of that cat?!!”

True story.
 
berth

berth

Well-known member
Best thing I was taught in a traffic school (it's been quite some years now) was a simple heuristic.

If you're gripping the wheel/bars too tight, you're driving too fast.

You're uncomfortable, so slow down to a more comfortable speed.

Works in fog, or fast sweepers.
 
dravnx

dravnx

Well-known member
Caddywumpus said:
Online traffic school takes under 30 minutes
Click to expand...

Yep
I talked to the guy that invented online traffic schools. He's a client and we had this discussion just the other day. I told him how I can take the course in 20-30 min's and he told me that he used to have timers built into the software that prevented this but the state didn't care so he took them out.
 
S

Sharxfan

Well-known member
I took traffic school the other year for a ticket I got in Hollister. Took me all of 30 minutes.

The one thing I learned is that it is a big moneymaker and no one cares if you learn anything or not as long as your money is green or whatever color the electronic bits that transfer money around these days are.
 
Godsdarling

Godsdarling

Smile & Wave for me!
Beanzy said:
Things I learned in taking classroom attitudinal and online traffic school courses recently:

  • As a driver & rider, I'm into fun and power, which really mean I can be a jerk behind the wheel. So I need to dial my attitude way back. Like no more road raging.
  • If I want to die in a crash, the best time to choose is 8 p.m. on a Saturday night. Because according to 2015 statistics, that's when Americans (and lots of Californians) tend to die in vehicular collisions.
  • I really hate studying. Am down to 7.5 hours to finish this online class. And I'm on my first extension (not sure if I can ask for a second one).
Click to expand...

Dude, pay a teen to take it for you! Last time I had to take a class was 8 years ago, paid my teenager 25 bucks to take it for me :laughing
 
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