Study Says Gamers Are Bad Drivers

[Poomanchu745]

Flawed study is flawed. Im guessing that the majority of gamers are younger. I would tend to assume younger drivers get more tickets, talk on teh cell phone more, etc. Now find me a study comparing 2 different groups of people from the same age group then it might hold more water. Too many things at play that make me glance at this study and immediately discount it.

 

[NeutralDrow]

What is a prang? It sounds like a disease.

Considering that Racing games are all about speed, I'm not surprised by this. Also, what the fuck is a "prang"?

Um...what's a prang, again?

?"Prangs" in the past 12 months: 1 to 2 (...What??)

Considering that Racing games are all about speed, I'm not surprised by this. Also, what the fuck is a "prang"?

What in good God's name is a prang?

http://lmgtfy.com/?q=what+is+a+prang

Any other questions?

Yeah. Which one of those links says what the hell a prang is, as related to driving?

 

[Alar]

Wait... so we can't crash into other peoples' cars and buildings and be okay?

 

[Credge]

* Stopped by police: 22 percent to 13 percent

Been driving for 7 years, never been pulled over.

* Used a phone while driving: 19 percent to 12 percent

Does this mean of the time? Holy fucking shit if so.

* Made a claim for an accident: 30 percent to 15 percent


Never.

* Ran a red light in past 12 months: 31 percent to 14 percent

Never.

* Driven wrong way down one-way street: 13 percent to 10 percent

Never.

* Hit stationary object while parking: 22 percent to 13 percent

Never.

* Kept quiet about banging into another car: 19 percent to 11 percent

How would they know? They also didn't keep quiet either.

* Taken risks (accelerating too quickly, passing, etc.): 44 percent to 21 percent

Don't even know what this means. Since it's the UK I imagine it's a lot different.

* Suffered road rage: 45 percent to 22 percent

Ever? What a crap statistic.

* Speeding: 25 percent to 13 percent

Everybody has.

* Scaring passengers: 26 percent to 11 percent

Never.

* Attempts to pass driver's test: 2 to 3

1.

* "Prangs" in the past 12 months: 1 to 2

wat

 

[Jack and Calumon]

Calumon: Aww nuts. Now I can't go to the Bakery with him. He'll crash and I'll hurt my nose! : (

but you dont have a nose ... how do you smell

Terrible. Calumon barely bathes.

Calumon: I don't smell, meanie! You just wanted to make a joke!

 

[microwaviblerabbit]

This study proves that people who like driving fast and riskily, tend to drive fast and riskily more than others. The gamer part seems like it was design to make a quick headline. I would imagine that most of those who enjoy racing games also like motor-sport, but there is no headline: "Formula 1 fuels fans into flames".

On a side note, the worst (and best) driver I know is my mother, who achieves large lateral G's in a minivan through residential neighbourhoods (watch the junk fly across the floor)and who views the speed limit as a suggestion.

 

[Racecarlock]

Well, at least this study looks more substantial than "Did this group of aggressive looking children look at an xbox within the last year?".

I looked up "Prang". I got a harry potter character, a german humiliation device, and a school art supplies brand. The study must have a typo, or the guy didn't know what sound a vehicular bump makes or something.

 

[Bender Rodriguez]

My racing simulator experience got me out of a potential accident once.
A powerslide and handbrake turn got me out of harms way as a truck slid past.

Icy roads...

 

[OniYouji]

My inability to drive has nothing to do with my habit of gaming. My inability is that I simply refuse to read the driver's manual, and have a deathly fear of causing a 50-car pileup on the highway.

 

[Ravek]

All this has a simple alternative explanation: Gamers spend more time on the road than non-gamers. How did they control for this possibility?

 

[blind_dead_mcjones]

What is a prang? It sounds like a disease.

Um...what's a prang, again?

What in good God's name is a prang?

a prang is typically a low speed collision where very minor damage is inflicted to the vehicle(s) and no one is hurt

 

[instantbenz]

I've been driving since I was 15 in US and I've had one speeding ticket 70 in a 65 (ideal weather) and a fender bender (or prang as some people who make up words call them apparently) from me slowly anti-lock-breaking down a 10degree decline of pure ice thru a stop sign at 5mph.

I DO, however, have road rage whenever I enter a new location as I have to acclimate myself to just how ignorant the drivers are.

 

[CrazyCapnMorgan]

Almost 30 years old here, and not involved in a single accident and no tickets. I have been caught speeding, however, doing 87 and 105 in a 65 mph zone. Those I got away with during weekend reservist duty and in both cases the officer who pulled me over said to keep it under 80 and to drive safe after I said I was late for drill. I still keep my tags on me when I drive to this day.

Also, I have some demon flesh on mah bumpah, but that's how the world is today, I'm afraid.

 

[loc978]

Of all the things listed, all I've done in the past ten years is speed, take risks, and scare passengers...
Not gonna mention the four years before that... except to say that I passed my driver's test the first time with a perfect score...

 

[Nikolaz72]

Ehem. The study seems quite accurate, last time i played a racing games i ran into a LOT of objects, specially other cars.

 

[Evilsanta]

What the hell is "prang"?

And i have to disagree with this. I can drive quite well and i surpress all my urges to put he pedal to the metal and driving on the sidewalk...

 

[Treblaine]

"gamers are "worse" drivers"

"non-gamers required an average of three attempts to pass their driver's test, as opposed to only two attempts for gamers, and have been involved in an average of two "prangs" over the past 12 months, as opposed to just one for gamers."

So the actual MEASURABLE stuff the gamers are significantly better, by 50% and 100%. Particularly the less actual accidents on average.

Whereas for the subjective self-reporting aspect we do worse, how much is that down to merely how honest we are being or even that we are just more aware of our mistakes?

I take this as a win for gamers, to spite the best effort with "OMG! Gamers don't know the difference between games ad reality!" bias by the publisher.

 

[Loonerinoes]

Perfect choice of an article picture heh.

And I suppose it is possible. Best just wait for those computer-driven cars that are coming in 20 years' time rather than doing our drivers' licence, eh?

 

[Buccura]

Pardon me for seeming like I'm raging a bit but

ENOUGH WITH THESE GOD DAMN STUDIES JEEZ IT'S MAKING ME CAPLOCK

 

[Prince Regent]

I can personaly confirm this one ^^