When I apply for car insurance, I'm asked what sort of car I drive, if I have any convictions for accidents / speeding, where the car is parked at night etcetera. All valid questions, and no doubt there is some correlation between this data and actual insurance claims. But when I'm driving, I find that driver personality type is a much more likely indicator of safety on the road. I'd like to see some sort of psychometric testing used to assess insurance premiums.
Such testing is not perfect, I know, but a carefully crafted set of questions could shurely be used to determine whether a driver is likely to put their own needs before other motorists, or if they have mistaken beliefs about their own mortality, or those who overestimate their ability to steer clear of danger. And to weed out those who think it's ok to chat to friends / drink cola / change the cd while overtaking other traffic.
I've searched for similar ideas since I can't believe this is original, but to no avail!-- tpoo22, Nov 10 2003 I think this is a decent thought, but perhapse not the best idea ...
1.) The test would never catch "In 2 years you will break up with your spouse" which would make someone drive while under the influence of a bad attitude.
2.) I'd rather NOT tell my insurance company I attempt to cook while driving. I figure if they find out, they find out, but I'd prefer later than sooner.
3.) Premotes stereotism -- I have plenty of punk friends that don't really care for the law, and have fairly unsavory attitudes, but are GREAT drivers.-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 10 2003 [Letsplay] Cool. Do you have a cigarette-lighter based frying pan? How did I miss that halfbaked idea?-- Worldgineer, Nov 10 2003 Wouldn't catch my father, who is a leadfoot, but also one of the most quiet, serene types imaginable.
I suppose you think that changing my pants while driving was a bad idea, then...-- RayfordSteele, Nov 10 2003 I'm still working on prototypes ... but I haven't posted any of my "Road Chef" ideas-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 10 2003 [Letsbuildafort], punk disregard for the law is OK in my book, all I really care about is regard fellow motorists-- tpoo22, Nov 10 2003 [Rayfordteele], if you put on your driving pants...
Has you father had many accidents? Leadfootedness isn't always a bad thing-- tpoo22, Nov 10 2003 [tpoo22] But I could see how punk disreguard for the law could lead to higher insurance premiums - running from the law for instance, and having your car double as your home and things like that ...
[UnaBubba] actually, its about a 15 minute commute ... you just have to pre-heat the hotplate, and accessories first ...
[World] power inverter-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 10 2003 bacon...sizzle....yum - followed by a pastry?-- tpoo22, Nov 10 2003 In this case, a '99 Chevy Cavalier ... which I will admit aren't very good for trying the cooking thing ...-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 10 2003 Drivers with road rage are supposedly more prone to receive moving violations, hence are more likely to be charged higher insurance premiums.
Yes, it's too bad that road rage can't be measured directly. If it could be, then it would be a sound factor on which to base premiums.-- phundug, Nov 11 2003 [tpoo22 & Rayfordsteele] My father is also a serene leadfoot but as far as I know he's never actually crashed or anything. So maybe it would work...-- Mistress Bling, Nov 11 2003 ow...bad images of piping hot bacon grease on a bumby road-- HAK, Dec 24 2005 Who among hasn't tried frying eggs on the bitchumen?-- Honduras, Dec 24 2005 random, halfbakery