"Fifth of young men race on roads"

Seasoft

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2011/1010/breaking35.html

Or in other words, 80% of young men do not race on the roads!

I wonder how "Racing on a road" is defined in the study? Can anyone enlighten me?

challengemaster

Yeah, first thing I thought was

Alright, so 4/5 lads are sensible. Good to know the RSA isn't looking at this in another sexist, ageist manner like they usually do :rolleyes:

staker

Insurance companies must be rubbing their hands in glee at this one.

FFS you'd swear the only ones using the road were young boy racers.

corktina

hmmm... i never raced on the road as a young man but I did drive faster than the speed limit for sheer joie de vive and still do occasionally...am i in the 4/5ths or 1/5th?. I dont think a study like that is useful at all is it?

Anan1

I would have thought that the main point here was the medical one, ie the development of the pre-frontal cortex. There is mounting evidence that this part of the brain, which deals with risk assessment, doesn't develop in men until the mid to late twenties. If this proves true then how do we, as a society, want to deal with it? FWIW, I was in the 20%.:)

EPM

corktina wrote: »

hmmm... i never raced on the road as a young man but I did drive faster than the speed limit for sheer joie de vive and still do occasionally...am i in the 4/5ths or 1/5th?. I dont think a study like that is useful at all is it?

Nope, and it also cuts out a sizable portion of people who 1) Own a car less than 4 years old and 2) bother getting their NCT done in the first place:)

Atomic Pineapple

EPM wrote: »

Nope, and it also cuts out a sizable portion of people who 1) Own a car less than 4 years old and 2) bother getting their NCT done in the first place:)

And doesn't take account that some of those questioned may have been telling lies.

Seasoft

Quote from the newspaper: "He also maintained there was “pretty convincing evidence” that the pre-frontal cortex is still in development by the age of 25. It is the part of the brain that is involved in executive decision making."

Right so, seems we should raise the age of adulthood (for men) to 25!!!

• men not to vote until 25
• age of consent for men - 25
• age at which taxed - day of birth

Surely more than a 5th get involved in the odd traffic light grand prix in their youth.

L-M

I came off a roundabout onto a two lane road yesterday, passed out an 10 5 series, and next thing he shot up my hole. He proceeded to stay about a foot away from my bumper and when I pulled in from that lane he overtook me and proceeded to tailgate the next person who was in his way in an attempt to "show me".

Tosser.

challengemaster

Anan1 wrote: »

I would have thought that the main point here was the medical one, ie the development of the pre-frontal cortex. There is mounting evidence that this part of the brain, which deals with risk assessment, doesn't develop in men until the mid to late twenties. If this proves true then how do we, as a society, want to deal with it? FWIW, I was in the 20%.:)

If we deal with in the fair equal way we deal with the fact that women have worse spacial awareness - ie. nothing would happen.

I assume due to the EU ruling, as male/female premiums being different is sexist, it'd be illegal for them to alter premiums based on something like that anyway. But when has something being illegal ever stopped anyone in Ireland

subway

survey does not compute

21 per cent of male drivers under the age of 25 have raced on public roads

After the age of 25 that drops to just 10.2 per cent.

if you raced before you were 25, you would still have raced when you are older than 25.
i.e. the percentage of people who have raced on a road can only ever go up. (unless mortality is quite high in that age group )
or is it just the current yoof? in five years time when they are all over 25 it will be interesting to see if the stat goes up or down. ie, 10% of people under 25 have raced, but shockingly 25% of people over the age of 25 have now raced on the road.

or, less rhetorically, what is the real question that was asked here...

Anan1

subway wrote: »

survey does not compute



if you raced before you were 25, you would still have raced when you are older than 25.
i.e. the percentage of people who have raced on a road can only ever go up. (unless mortality is quite high in that age group )
or is it just the current yoof? in five years time when they are all over 25 it will be interesting to see if the stat goes up or down. ie, 10% of people under 25 have raced, but shockingly 25% of people over the age of 25 have now raced on the road.

or, less rhetorically, what is the real question that was asked here...

Remember that the under-25 group only stretches from 17-25, whereas the older group goes all the way from 25-70+. This on its own would skew the figures. There's also the fact (as someone else mentioned) that some under-25s will have lied. I read a report somewhere else suggesting that young male drivers tend to see driving style as an expression of who they are - this will encourage fibbing too.

Big Nasty

Limerick man wrote: »

I came off a roundabout onto a two lane road yesterday, passed out an 10 5 series, and next thing he shot up my hole. He proceeded to stay about a foot away from my bumper and when I pulled in from that lane he overtook me and proceeded to tailgate the next person who was in his way in an attempt to "show me".

Tosser.

Yeah - typical BMW driver!

challengemaster

Anan1 wrote: »

Remember that the under-25 group only stretches from 17-25, whereas the older group goes all the way from 25-70+. This on its own would skew the figures. There's also the fact (as someone else mentioned) that some under-25s will have lied. I read a report somewhere else suggesting that young male drivers tend to see driving style as an expression of who they are - this will encourage fibbing too.

Not sure on that one, if that's true then there's a lot of lads out there who are trying very hard to make sure you know they're a knobjockey :pac:

Anan1

challengemaster wrote: »

Not sure on that one, if that's true then there's a lot of lads out there who are trying very hard to make sure you know they're a knobjockey :pac:

They don't see it like that. Remember, their brains haven't fully developed yet.;)

Midnight_EG

I wonder does this account for all the 'luxury' cars that get up my back bumper then give me a glaring look when they pass me after I get back into the driving lane...or is it just us 'boy racers' :rolleyes:

It's only when you're in a modified car, sticking to the limit, do you realise how many people actually speed excessively

Anan1

Midnight_EG wrote: »

I wonder does this account for all the 'luxury' cars that get up my back bumper then give me a glaring look when they pass me after I get back into the driving lane...or is it just us 'boy racers' :rolleyes:

It's only when you're in a modified car, sticking to the limit, do you realise how many people actually speed excessively

Racing is different from speeding!

subway

Anan1 wrote: »

Remember that the under-25 group only stretches from 17-25, whereas the older group goes all the way from 25-70+. This on its own would skew the figures. There's also the fact (as someone else mentioned) that some under-25s will have lied. I read a report somewhere else suggesting that young male drivers tend to see driving style as an expression of who they are - this will encourage fibbing too.

what i mean is, what happens if someone is 25 today and 26 tomorrow.
will there "racing" past be erased? otherwise the statistic will be 25%+ of people have raced (at some point in their life) sooner or later

Midnight_EG

Anan1 wrote: »

Racing is different from speeding!

Sorry, I worded it a bit wrong in my first paragraph...it's those people that get up your bumper because I'm in a modified car...then give the smug glare at you as if to say I was 'smoked' :P

subway

Midnight_EG wrote: »

I wonder does this account for all the 'luxury' cars that get up my back bumper then give me a glaring look when they pass me after I get back into the driving lane...or is it just us 'boy racers' :rolleyes:

It's only when you're in a modified car, sticking to the limit, do you realise how many people actually speed excessively

i guess its what you consider it yourself, since its a survey that asked people have they ever raced on the roads. when im doing 300kmh on the autobahn i dont consider myself racing anyone. when i'm stuck behing someone doing 90 in the overtaking lane i dont see myself racing him.
however, when a young lad sees me, he might try to keep up / undertake / overtake depending on traffic and therefore consider us to be racing.

also, its only racing if you are winning :P when you are losing you make excuses such as "they are driving too dangerously" or "i was doing the limit" ;)

Anan1

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Sorry, I worded it a bit wrong in my first paragraph...it's those people that get up your bumper because I'm in a modified car...then give the smug glare at you as if to say I was 'smoked' :P

People will often get up your bumper if you're overtaking at the speed limit on a motorway, regardess of what you're driving.:)

Midnight_EG

subway wrote: »

i guess its what you consider it yourself, since its a survey that asked people have they ever raced on the roads. when im doing 300kmh on the autobahn i dont consider myself racing anyone. when i'm stuck behing someone doing 90 in the overtaking lane i dont see myself racing him.
however, when a young lad sees me, he might try to keep up / undertake / overtake depending on traffic and therefore consider us to be racing.

also, its only racing if you are winning :P when you are losing you make excuses such as "they are driving too dangerously" or "i was doing the limit" ;)

I consider it racing if I've to drop a cog and we're both clearly going for it with a bit of spirit :pac:

Although, I never fail to give fair dues if it's a genuinely quick car!

Anan1 wrote: »

People will often get up your bumper if you're overtaking at the speed limit on a motorway, regardess of what you're driving.:)

Ah you can always tell

Anan1

Midnight_EG wrote: »

Ah you can always tell

In fairness, i'll always be patient with slow overtakers if I feel that they're doing their best.;)

Absurdum

I'd like to know what exactly their definition of "racing" is.

partyatmygaff

What i'd imagine happened...

A clandestine survey question asking "Do you ever go over the speed limit on public roads?" which was then translated by the RSA as "Do you ever take part in street races on public roads?". It's part of their ongoing idiotic "All young male drivers are dangerous" campaign.

V Eight

Anan1 wrote: »

Racing is different from speeding!

Racing Snails or Tortoises is different from speeding.....

Absurdum

I'm racist on the road too!!!! *shakes fist*

Anan1

Absurdum wrote: »

I'd like to know what exactly their definition of "racing" is.

Racing has to involve more than one car.:)

challengemaster

Anan1 wrote: »

Racing has to involve more than one car.:)

Time attack? Involves more than one car but doesn't have to.

Hill climb?

etc etc

Anan1

challengemaster wrote: »

Time attack? Involves more than one car but doesn't have to.

Hill climb?

etc etc

Racing always involves more than one car, even if that car is completing the same course at a different time.:)

dillo2k10

I think thats way overestimated. I dont know a single person under 25 who raced on the street. I know a few over 25 though/.

ShadowHearth

heard that one on redFM at work. i loled...

we will get at the stage where male will have to snip theyr gentleman sausage to get a driving license...

challengemaster

ShadowHearth wrote: »

gentleman sausage

LOL

For Forks Sake

Authors of this nonsense are on The Last Word now: http://tunein.com/tuner/?StationId=15099&

challengemaster

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Authors of this nonsense are on The Last Word now: http://tunein.com/tuner/?StationId=15099&

tuned in on time just to hear "uh uh uh, duh duh...duh....eh...um.. young eh...drivers...um"

:pac:

Anan1

For Forks Sake wrote: »

Authors of this nonsense are on The Last Word now: http://tunein.com/tuner/?StationId=15099&

These guys are backing up their arguments with hard evidence. If you want to disprove them then you'll have to do the same.

DublinRescuer

So why is insurance still so high for us lol

kona

Anybody wanna race, sure if were being loaded for it we may aswell use it :pac: . Gay Byrne is some spanner.

Atomic Pineapple

Yeh, seemed like guys who have their heads screwed on and their recommendations were pretty much bang on. They commented on education as being the way forward and dismissed penalty's as the way to tackle the problem.

Anan1

DublinRescuer wrote: »

So why is insurance still so high for us lol

Because you are statistically proven to be a higher risk, apparently on account of your brains having not yet fully developed.:D

For Forks Sake

draffodx wrote: »

Yeh, seemed like guys who have their heads screwed on and their recommendations were pretty much bang on. They commented on education as being the way forward and dismissed penalty's as the way to tackle the problem.

they also didn't have a clue what sort of activity was currently being undertaken in schools

Atomic Pineapple

For Forks Sake wrote: »

they also didn't have a clue what sort of activity was currently being undertaken in schools

They didn't?

challengemaster

Anan1 wrote: »

Because you are statistically proven to be a higher risk, apparently on account of your brains having not yet fully developed.:D

I've yet to see any solid undeniable proof of this, but i've seen proof of the opposite from RSA stats, that the 24-35 age group was a higher risk.

DublinRescuer

Anan1 wrote: »

Because you are statistically proven to be a higher risk, apparently on account of your brains having not yet fully developed.:D

My brain is allot more developed than some other lads.. its fairly unfair i should be considered a high risk because of a few assholes

Atomic Pineapple

challengemaster wrote: »

I've yet to see any solid undeniable proof of this, but i've seen proof of the opposite from RSA stats, that the 24-35 age group was a higher risk.

No way, I'm telling ya as soon as I turned 25 it was like a light bulb switched on in my mind.

Drummerboy08

Having read through this thread my first thought is "Jesus Christ, not again!"

I just can't wait to turn 25 so I qualify for my pipe, slippers and a Rover.

pburns

Yet another example of the RSA stirring hysteria to justify their existence...

stealthyspeeder

what constitutes a "race"?

Going out with friends and arranging to race your car on national roads between two points?

Doing a 0-60 drag race off the lights on 2 lane 100kmph carriageway?

Going faster off the lights to get ahead of a stranger at a junction?

seeing a stranger driving fast and trying to overtake them for no reason other than to be faster?

I would regularly get ahead of people at lights, in the past have done 0-60 comparisons with mates and accidently got involved in keeping pace with/"racing" random cars on the motorway to take the boredom out of the drive. To be honest I have fond memories of those times, and dont consider them particularly dangerous if you dont get carried away. I find that definition of racing very different from meeting someone to rag it between two points (something I have never done), far more likely for competitive hormones to kick in and rules and more importantly safety of yourself and others to be ignored.

Voodoomelon

I dunno, none of my mates when in late teens/early twenties did any kind of street racing. Absolutely none, suppose it depends on the kind of people you hung around with.

Damokc

I think this study is a bit like the ones where they ask teenage boys have they had sex yet. Instead of being honest and saying no,most will say they've had sex loads man!!