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Quote by Tom Vanderbilt

“Men may or may not be better drivers than women, but they seem to die more often trying to prove that they are.”

Quote by Tom Vanderbilt

Work

This book delves into the intricate details of traffic flow, urban planning, and the impact of transportation on modern society. It explores the historical development of traffic systems, the technological advancements that have shaped them, and the societal implications of efficient and inefficient transportation networks. more

Author

Tom Vanderbilt, born in 1968, is an accomplished journalist whose career spans a variety of fields, including culture, society, and technology. His work is known for its in-depth analysis and unique perspective, with his articles frequently appearing in prestigious publications such as The New Yorker and The New York Times. more

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“Many traffic signs have become like placebos, giving false comfort to the afflicted, or simple boilerplate to ward off lawsuits, the roadway version of the Kellogg’s Pop-Tarts box that says, “Warning: Pastry Filling May Be Hot When Heated.”

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“Whether advanced driver training helps drivers in the long term is one of those controversial and unresolved mysteries of the road, but my eye-opening experience at Bondurant raises the curious idea that we buy cars—for most people one of the most costly things they will ever own—with an underdeveloped sense of how to use them. This is true for many things, arguably, but not knowing what the F9 key does in Microsoft Word is less life-threatening than not knowing how to properly operate antilock brakes.”

“The relative ease of most driving lures us into thinking we can get away with doing other things. Indeed, those other things, like listening to the radio, can help when driving itself is threatening to cause fatigue. But we buy into the myth of multitasking with little actual knowledge of how much we can really add in or, as with the television news, how much we are missing. As the inner life of the driver begins to come into focus, it is becoming clear not only that distraction is the single biggest problem on the road but that we have little concept of just how distracted we are.”

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