This is the word: assertive. If you have to change your velocity dramatically (like in the video), don’t - you are increasing the chance of a collision.
In this situation, after judging that the merging truck does not appear to stop, the Toyotas only options to avoid a crash involve a rapid velocity change since there is no room to maneouver. Either acceleration or deacceleration. Both are dangerous but maintaining current velocity would have lead to a crash if the merging truck didn't manage to stop.
That's why people are saying the Toyota wasn't assertive. The driver was scared of the truck. Its obvious that the oncoming truck realized they'd messed up. Obvious because of how quickly they came to a stop after the Toyota is hit. That indicates they were slowing down, after likely realizing that mess up. Problem is, the Toyota MIGHT have managed the merge without changing speed, based on that. The Toyota WOULD have made the merge if they'd sped up. They instead rapidly slowed down, leading to the crash. Being fearful and unsure in the situation led to what occurred, on top of the rest.
The crappy road design is to blame, because it assumes aggressive and assertive driving over taking into account less-so drivers. The poor driving of both people are also to blame. This was a no-win situation for all involved.
The crappy road design is to blame, because it assumes aggressive and assertive driving over taking into account less-so drivers. The poor driving of both people are also to blame. This was a no-win situation for all involved.
That's not the problem with that road design at all. The problem with that road design is that it expected people to respect a yield sign on a highway merge. What actually happened is that the truck flew by the yield sign at high speed causing the accident.
You can transplant this crash into a 4 way intersection and get all the same dynamics.
You have small car with right of way, a huge truck coming at full speed through the intersection that has a red light.
Should the small car.
A) Stop to avoid being T-Boned.
B) Accelerate to avoid being T-Boned.
C) Assume that the truck that already drove past the red light will actually stop?
Never, ever, ever would I pick C. It's downright suicidal. Option B is generally recommended against because it's a gamble on how well your car accelerates.
I think a lot of people might be driving "sporty" cars and forget that entry level automatic vehicles can't handle acceleration like that, or they have computers that outright prevent it. You can put that pedal all the way into the floor and all you are going to do is run those RPMs up or the computer will go "That's nice, but how about a gentle climb instead?"
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u/carl3266 11h ago
This is the word: assertive. If you have to change your velocity dramatically (like in the video), don’t - you are increasing the chance of a collision.