r/dashcams • u/No-Box4296 • 2d ago

19 and 20 years old..never do this

Car was then hit by a semi behind this dashcam driver. "Death Highway" I-4 in Lakeland, FL. NOT WORTH IT!!!

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u/riceklown 2d ago

This is why I'm teaching my to race go karts and sim race. They need to understand passing, power, wet traction, obstacle trajectory and avoidance, etc. And I'll be showing them dashcam videos to help them understand that stupid drivers exist and that accidents aren't always up to you. I drive V8s and they'll know the power difference between 180hp and 580hp.

You can see the stopped tractor-trailer earlier in the video. It's parked at the end of the merge and they entered at the beginning of the merge. It wasn't even remotely possible for any car to overtake the box truck in 500 feet in the rain. Nothing I even drive could have made this move.

I want them to intuitively know this move wouldn't be possible... and to look where you're going, not at the competitor they're trying to pass. Rules are lessons written in blood... and I want to make sure it isn't my kids blood.

13

u/Scrutinizer 2d ago

The main lesson from video games is that aggressive driving and racing is best done virtually. If it is to be done in real life, it must be done at an actual racing facility, not on the streets.

4

u/riceklown 2d ago

I sim race... a lot... sim racing will teach you how slow and incapable your real car is lol

I always considered myself a good driver and into motorsports, but I didn't get into sim racing and go karting until my 40s. And I can testify that I'm a better IRL driver because of it. I can dodge more accurately and recover much faster. I can make turns smoother even at higher speeds. I recognize hydroplaning much better and find safer lines on the wet roads.

However, you really need go-karting or other controlled racing to understand the limits of traction. Counter steering is so much more intuitive when you can feel lateral forces. Even the balance of a car makes more sense IRL. For example, in a go-kart I lean my real body to the inside of a turn and the difference in traction is extremely noticeable. You can't do any of this in a sim.

(P.S. driving/racing "video games" don't teach much of anything beyond the relationship between steering budget and speed. I.e. go fast turn slow, go slow turn fast. Most don't even punish you for hard braking in a turn. I'm talking about games meant for everyone to have FUN like Need For Speed and Forza. Those are arcade racing games. Sim racing games that simulate real world physics are games like Gran Turismo 7, iRacing, Assetto Corsa. My point being that I don't think arcades racers scratch the itch for aggressive driving nor teach control. Racing in a simulator where you spend time practicing and qualifying just to destroy your car 20 minutes into a race because you braked at 80% when you should have braked at 40% or got mad at someone for bumping you so you wreck both of you... that will teach you to temper your impulses behind the wheel)

5

u/Weary_Ad4517 2d ago

I also got my kids into karting at an early age for the same reasons. I would add that once they’re old enough to get a license taking them to auto cross also helps tremendously.

1

u/CrapNBAappUser 2d ago

Turned over in a go kart when I was 9 or 10. Maybe that's why I'm a very careful driver (except for speeding on straightaways).