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Ken... Living in Los Angeles, with our "freeways-from-hell," I DO know what a crummy driving environment can be like... We share similar driving situations, plus in L.A. we have drive-by shootings, and police chases by the dozens lately to add to the natual hazards of the road. And God-forbid it should ever RAIN in L.A., 'cause our drivers here absolutely cannot handle wet streets! That brings out the worst in 'em... Pretty scary, huh? Barb Mallut [log in to unmask] ---------- From: Parkinson's Information Exchange on behalf of KEn Becker Sent: Sunday, June 21, 1998 7:16 AM To: Multiple recipients of list PARKINSN Subject: NON-PD! Re:male drivers, 95% serious 5% "humor?" Well, Barb, I hate to agree with you, but with few exceptions I don't know too many women who use a vehicle to prove their "manliness"! We have some of the worst drivers south of New York City, in South Florida. We have road rage, we have good driving weather so much of the time, that the traffic is always a problem. We have people commuting from the newly built areas of Broward County to the more areas of Miami-Dade County, by the time they drive the 30 to 50 milles of congested I-95, or I 595, or both, they are ready for a rubber room, THEN they have to find a parking space! This applies to both sexes, or course. The auto inspection in Florida varies, we only have emissions testing, so if your vehicle has no brakes or lights, but does not pollute, it will pass. Even this testing is done only in certain cities. We have vehicles that are held together by rope, duct tape, and the film usually used to wrap leftover food. The only mandatory insurance we have is PIP, which covers the occupants+driver of the car for medical expenses. We have an extraordinary number of older folks, who drive an extraordinary number of older cars. I am sure that there are other places in the world with similar problems, but they often add up to tradgedy, wherever they occur. I have major problem with car manufacturers who consider safety and crashworthiness of a vehicle as less than top priority. If you can afford the most expensive models, you get the maximum safety features, such as side airbags, or antilock brakes. Also the small cars are scary when hit by a larger car or truck, there is no defense, you can get crushed like a cockroach by a size 15 workshoe. Bottom line? If I had a choice I would not drive at all! I would travel in a military tank driven by a professional race driver, but I can't afford that right now, so when you see a flame red Dodge minivan in your rear view mirror.....better get out of the way...it's KEN! (I DO have good insurance, though, it's a company car, so if you get hit, you can own the company..if you have a good lawyer! )