Monday, November 16, 2009

Knucklehead driving

In my role as a frequent utiliser of transport infrastructure, I've just completed a detailed study of knucklehead driving on Australia's roads.  I have identified important independent risk factors for knucklehead driving.  Knucklehead driving includes behaviours such as:
  • tailgating,
  • passing on the left in a turning lane at an intersection,
  • changing lanes without signalling,
  • weaving through traffic,
  • egregious acceleration,
  • gratuitous overtaking so as to never be behind another vehicle no matter how fast it is travelling,
  • speeding, especially in built-up areas.
Knucklehead driving is distinct from hat-driving.  Hat-driving includes behaviours such as:
  • struggling to park on a busy street,
  • going slowly in the passing lane,
  • not realizing the traffic lights have changed,
  • dithering when turning into traffic or merging.

To assess a driver's risk of displaying knucklehead behaviors, carefully examine the vehicle in question and use this score chart:

Spoiler?  +1
Very large spoiler? +2
Very small penis? +3
Ute +1 (excludes utes actually carrying goods or equipment, including all tray-tops)
Ute with dog in back? +1 more
Station wagon? -4
"Sports" station wagon? +2 instead
Motor scooter? -10
Bullbar? +1
Bullbar on car in metropolitan area? +1 more
Bright yellow? +2
Bright green? +2
Bright purple? +1
Bright red? +1
Chameleon paint? +3
Bumper stickers with anti-immigration sentiments? +2
Bumper stickers with Southern Cross? +1
Bumper sticker with "Magic Happens"? +1
Shiny wheels? +1
Low profile tyres? +1
Lowered suspension? +2
Multiple exhausts? +1 per pipe after the first
Holden? +2
HSV Holden? +2 more
Ford Falcon? +1
Subaru WRX? +2
Subaru Liberty, Forrester or Outback? -5
Driver male? +2
Driver on P-plates? +2
Driver wearing singlet? +1
Driver shirtless? +3
Driver's seat reclined at greater than 60 degrees? +1
Driver barely able to see above steering wheel despite being of apparently normal stature? +2
Driver has only one hand on the wheel? +1
Tinted windows? +1
Windows down? +1
Driver has arm out window? +1
Driver has head out window? +2
Passenger has feet on dash? +1
Driver has feet on dash? +5
Custom plates? +2
Custom plates that match the colour of the vehicle? +2 more
Custom plates with clumsily executed sexual innuendo that it takes more than 10 seconds to decipher? +3 more

Add up all the scores then look up the total in the chart below to find the risk of knuckleheaded driving and your appropriate response.
  • Less than 3: Sensible driver, though may be at increased risk of hat-driving.  No follow-up necessary.
  • 4-8: Isolated infuriating incidents may occur.  Some tut-tutting and/or head-shaking may be required.
  • 9-12: Infuriating incidents likely.  Swearing will relieve tension.
  • 13-16: Enraging incidents commonplace.  Consider either pre-emptive hat-driving or retaliatory knucklehead driving.
  • 17 or greater: Knucklehead.  Nothing you do will help.  Next time catch the bus.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

PTR,

A "magic happens" sticker is +1? Only if the score is for hat-driving.

When have you ever seen a "magic happens" person drive fast? They're too busy singing along to their Enya soundtrack!

PTR said...

Admittedly, most "Magic Happens" stickers occur on cars with a total score of only 2 or 3, so you're right.

But occasionally I see some tailgating, lane weaving and non-use of indicators from a young woman with P-plates (+2) wearing a singlet top (+1) with the windows wound down (+1) and her arm out (+1) steering with one hand on the wheel (+1) while her friend sits there with her feet on the dash (+1) in a bright purple (+1) Holden (+2) Barina with purple vanity plates (+4), mag wheels (+1) and a Southern Cross bumper sticker (+1). Which makes 16, so I have to count "Magic Happens" as another +1 to make Knucklehead status.

PTR said...

and by the way, my score is either 4 or 6, depending on whether you blame me for the premium plates that the car came with when I bought it. 6 is probably a fair rating for me though.

Anonymous said...

I'm a 7.

Tch tch tch for me.

Is Bo Derek still a 10?

PTR said...

Bo Derek? Wasn't she one of the pin-up girls in World War II? How are you???

Anonymous said...

Hey PTR,

My bumper sticker says ""I DON'T KNOW THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DIRECT AND INDIRECT INGUINAL HERNIAS AND I'M PROUD".

Will this affect my knucklehead driving score, or is it just me showing off with an obscure inside joke for my smarmy-pants med-school mates?

PTR said...

Sounds to me like you're a knucklehead, bumper sticker or not.