Traffic School - Waste of Time??

[84porsche]

I have had 2 tickets since I have had my license and both tickets I cleared with traffic school. The first I took online and the second I wasted 8 hours sitting in the court house learning rules etc with 100s of other people that really didn't want to be there anyway. Shouldn't the punishment fit the crime? I think the DMV in CA has made the driving test too easy and we are getting a lot of crappy drivers that are too stupid to realize that when they need to merge they should put the phone down for a minute or hang up. So why not when someone gets a ticket, send them to a driving school where they can learn how to drive, how to react when something happens and how to be a defensive/safer driver. The requirements for a license are too damn easy. Opinions.

[widebody911]

I agree - seems like any moron can drive (*looks in mirror*).

Traffic school is a waste of time, but I don't complain too much 'cause it's cheaper than the insurance uprating. Back in the day, if you were sentenced to traffic school, you didn't have to pay the fine; I guess it didn't take them long to see how much cash they were leaving on the table!

People think driving is simply knowing where the gas and brake pedals are, and how to steer, and I think that's the entire basis of the test now. Lip service is paid to situational awareness, but 99% of the drivers aren't looking past their hood.

With newer cars that isolate the driver more and more from the road, it seems like they're a passenger no matter where in the car they sit.

[Overpaid Slacker]

I think the "tuition" part of the school is far and away more important than the education element you're supposed to get out of it. You know if they get you you're going to have to pay somebody -- either the state or your ins. co. Guess who the state would prefer...

There's no pretense traffic school is going to help anybody anyway. Bring your iPod and a crossword puzzle.

JP

[Evans, Marv]

Been to traffic school twice over the years. Both times it was couched as a kind of stand-up comedian show. Total waste of time with nothing new to be learned. It's like everything else connected with government beaurocracy - no substance or benefit, except for the benefit to government of fleecing you out of your money.

[Z-man]

Well then, if you think traffic school is a waste of time, STOP SPEEDING! Or, continue speeding (or violating the traffic laws), pay your fines and pay the premiums your insurance company instills upon you for your 'speeding' right.

Seriously - people feel they have been inconvenienced when they choose to go to traffic school. Well, here's a scenario: what about that accident caused by a speeder that creates a backup and 100's of people are late for their appointments? Hmm - let's just say 100 people are 1 hour late to where they are supposed to be. That's 100 man hours, vs. 8 hours the speeder 'wastes' by going to traffic school. Yeah, that's fair.

Ok, I'll get off my soapbox now...
-Z.

[GettinHeadStuds]

I've gotta pass traffic school in the next couple of weeks... I'm gonna do it online... has anyone in CA had a decent experience with one of the many online traffic schools? which one was it?

[84porsche]

Z,

It's not just speeding tickets. I actually have 2 for speeding but I know I was guilty and I was I going 15-20 mph over the limit at the time which most of us do anyway. I chose traffic school as my choice instead of the points on my record but the point I was making is that traffic school should teach something valuable to improve driving and teach people how to maneuver their vehicles and avoid stupid accidents, traffic in general, road rage, high insurance premiums because an insurance company has to recoupe for all these fender benders. The list goes on and on, its all cause and effect. If people properly maintained their vehicles, I bet the accidents would decrease significantly or if people knew how to better control an automobile, accidents would go down. By the way, thanks for the soapbox opinion.

[84porsche]

Philip,

I will give the details of the online one I used when I get home tonight.

[GettinHeadStuds]

Cool, thanks Chris.

[Z-man]

Originally posted by 84porsche
Z,

It's not just speeding tickets. I actually have 2 for speeding but I know I was guilty and I was I going 15-20 mph over the limit at the time which most of us do anyway. I chose traffic school as my choice instead of the points on my record but the point I was making is that traffic school should teach something valuable to improve driving and teach people how to maneuver their vehicles and avoid stupid accidents, traffic in general, road rage, high insurance premiums because an insurance company has to recoupe for all these fender benders. The list goes on and on, its all cause and effect. If people properly maintained their vehicles, I bet the accidents would decrease significantly or if people knew how to better control an automobile, accidents would go down. By the way, thanks for the soapbox opinion.

Ok - sorry about the sermon...

I think what you propose makes sense, but the problem is most motor vehicle services feel that upgrading their systems to a more modern educational program would cost too much. That's too bad.

I say that traffice school should involve some sort of autocross type course - the top 10% of the class passes - the rest stay until they can successfully navigate the course under a given time! IF that were the case, I'd be looking for ways to get into traffice school!

-Z-man.

[911pcars]

Philip and 84Porsche,
My sister-in-law did the Blockbuster rent-a-traffic school-video program a few years ago. Not sure this is the current setup, but as she explains it; the video kit comes in a case with a built-in phone line modem. This allows them (whoever they are, but probably not the freshly scrubbed kid at the video store) to monitor your presence while you watch the video in the comfort of your house. At certain intervals, the mysterious proctor calls and asks questions like, "What was the color of the announcer's shirt?" or "What color was the passenger's tie in the car crash in the last scene?" and stuff like that. I think it's an 8 hours (yawn) course. However, it's in your house so creature comforts are a plus. I wonder how "Signal Red", the famous car crash aftermath lesson movie would look on a wide screen plasma screen and in hi-fi?

As enjoyable as that may seem, I don't think it compares to the sense of hopelessness one feels being stuck in one of those "All Laf Comedy Traffic Schools" for 8 hours. If you're extremely lucky, you might get a teacher who is a bonafide working comedian (meaning he gets intentional laughs for pay). Who knows? In his early days, Eddie Murphy might have sharpened his chops at All Laf.

Most likely, your leader for the day is a retired state civil engineer or bookish accountant launching into a new career as a "comedy instructor". I had the former in my last lawless episode a couple of years ago. Anyway, the class started at 8:30 am on a Saturday. After what seemed like several hours of reviewing the contents of the vehicle code handbook, I looked at my watch to see how many hours I had wasted of my life, it was 9:30 am. Swell. 7 more hours.

Here's an example of one of his many attempts at eliciting audience discussion. "Ok class, quick - how many cars are on the road at any given time in California?". I stared incredulously (mainly to myself) for a full 5 seconds. I'm thinking to myself that maybe an expert panel consisting of Lee Iacocca, Henry Ford Sr., the head of CalTrans and Dionne Warwick might have answered this question correctly. No one in class had any idea. I assumed that since no one asked nor did anyone as much as blink. We surrendered. He knew the number. Oh, really? It went like this most of the day, only broken up by the occasional 15 minute break for reality.

In their defense, these guys (I'm sure there are female counterparts too) have a good audience for their routine don't they? Hostile audience. 8 hours. Can't leave. Good OJT and apparently a good partnership for DMV and the Comedian's union.

In a way, it worked. I haven't exposed myself to being sent to traffic school since then. I even sent my facilitator a Christmas card to show how much I appreciated the certificate of completion at All Laf Comedy Traffic School (54 locations). BTW, I sped home after the class.

Guys, best wishes.
Sherwood

[hoff944]

Geez. 8 hours?!?!? I thought 4 hours was bad enough here in Nashville. I got a ticket in nearby LaVergne and traffic school was only 1 hour. I got busted for doing 55 in a 45. I could see the 55mph speed limit sign from where I was pulled over but the "Davidson County Home of the Grand Old Opry" sign was just before that 55mph sign leaving me with a ticket. So close yet so far. D'oh!

[84porsche]

http://www.hometrafficschool.com/index2.cfm - This was the traffic school I used but back in 1999 so it has been awhile. I don't know if the test is the same but it was quite easy back then.

[Mule]

When I was a kid with a big block Chevelle I ended up in traffic school once. Surprisingly about 5 of my street racing buddies were in the same class. Upon graduation we all did big smokey burnouts in the parking lot.