Financed to the MAX

[Metalcat]

If any of the answers are "no," then yeah...you've likely got some self-destructive shit going on somewhere in your head.

Or... maybe... you're human and keeping 100% of the plates spinning at all times is an unreasonable expectation?

Yeah, and a big part of being human is being profoundly affected by the toxic messages in ones environment, no?

The question was whether someone should engage in some self-reflection as to how toxic beliefs may be affecting them. The answer is almost always "uh, yeah, you probably should."

to be a devil's advocate, shit happens. For example right now I'm a little sleep deprived plus my house is not in ideal shape bc I have a self imposed deadline..basically I have a different priority. It's just something I accept. My priorities shift so for example if I'm having people over I will make sure the house is clean (shrugs). I guess if it's a chronic issue that you want to change and can't, different story.

I mean, I'm with you. These are normal trade-offs, and life throws Big Curveballs. The life I planned for and the life I am living now are two totally different lives. My house isn't typically clean because I have made a choice to put it at the bottom of the priority list and deal with more pressing needs. There are many pieces of scaffolding to put in place before I get to that one, and it just takes time to rebuild.

And it sounds like you've done reflection and are cool with how your life is.

I never said people need to have all that shit perfectly in order.
If someone is chronically unable to keep themselves/home/family well fed, exercised, clean, and connected to loved ones, then it's not a bad idea to do some self-reflection to be sure that the priorities driving this state are really healthy.

If they are, then cool, enjoy your life. If not, then it's a good idea to look at them.

[ChpBstrd]

Regarding the worries about a car from 10 years ago not being as safe, there are actual statistics showing fewer people died in car crashes 10 years ago than today.

2010 deaths per 100k population: 11.4
2020 deaths per 100k population: 12.9

https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths-and-rates/

Maybe it's not a 100% valid to extrapolate that statistic and say cars from 10 years ago were safer, but I'll make the point anyway. My 12 year old Toyota has all the same airbags, safety cage, and crumple zones as a 2022 model. What it does NOT have is a touch-screen infotainment system. Yea... just what you need... a 10 or 12 inch television in the middle of your dash popping up little notifications and whatnot to get your attention as you hurtle down the road. My car also doesn't have adaptive cruise control, so on long road trips I have to stay awake adapting my speed to traffic.

We're paying thousands of dollars more for car luxuries that make us less safe on the rationale that we need safer cars.

[scottish]

Yep.   Just like you're paying hundreds of dollars for keyless entry to make your vehicle less secure.

Bring back the basic vehicle, I say.

[iluvzbeach]

Or a push button start instead of using a key? Exactly what is the business reason/need for push button start? Yet, there are many reports of people who died, or got very ill, from carbon monoxide poisoning because they inadvertently left their car on in the garage and went in the house. Makes no sense. I never had an issue inserting a key to start my car.

[RetiredAt63]

Regarding the worries about a car from 10 years ago not being as safe, there are actual statistics showing fewer people died in car crashes 10 years ago than today.

2010 deaths per 100k population: 11.4
2020 deaths per 100k population: 12.9

https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths-and-rates/

Maybe it's not a 100% valid to extrapolate that statistic and say cars from 10 years ago were safer, but I'll make the point anyway. My 12 year old Toyota has all the same airbags, safety cage, and crumple zones as a 2022 model. What it does NOT have is a touch-screen infotainment system. Yea... just what you need... a 10 or 12 inch television in the middle of your dash popping up little notifications and whatnot to get your attention as you hurtle down the road. My car also doesn't have adaptive cruise control, so on long road trips I have to stay awake adapting my speed to traffic.

We're paying thousands of dollars more for car luxuries that make us less safe on the rationale that we need safer cars.

From other reading, the increased mortality is not the cars, it is the increase in large SUVs and trucks.  In an accident both are more likely to cause death and serious injury to occupants of other vehicles, not to mention pedestrians and cyclists.

[A1Jackass]

Regarding the worries about a car from 10 years ago not being as safe, there are actual statistics showing fewer people died in car crashes 10 years ago than today.

2010 deaths per 100k population: 11.4
2020 deaths per 100k population: 12.9

https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths-and-rates/

Maybe it's not a 100% valid to extrapolate that statistic and say cars from 10 years ago were safer, but I'll make the point anyway. My 12 year old Toyota has all the same airbags, safety cage, and crumple zones as a 2022 model. What it does NOT have is a touch-screen infotainment system. Yea... just what you need... a 10 or 12 inch television in the middle of your dash popping up little notifications and whatnot to get your attention as you hurtle down the road. My car also doesn't have adaptive cruise control, so on long road trips I have to stay awake adapting my speed to traffic.

We're paying thousands of dollars more for car luxuries that make us less safe on the rationale that we need safer cars.

The trend is due to increasing numbers of distracted drivers, more excessive speeding, and more reckless behavior in general. It's got nothing to do with cars being less safe; (almost) strictly behavioral.

[ATtiny85]

Regarding the worries about a car from 10 years ago not being as safe, there are actual statistics showing fewer people died in car crashes 10 years ago than today.

2010 deaths per 100k population: 11.4
2020 deaths per 100k population: 12.9

https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths-and-rates/

Maybe it's not a 100% valid to extrapolate that statistic and say cars from 10 years ago were safer, but I'll make the point anyway. My 12 year old Toyota has all the same airbags, safety cage, and crumple zones as a 2022 model. What it does NOT have is a touch-screen infotainment system. Yea... just what you need... a 10 or 12 inch television in the middle of your dash popping up little notifications and whatnot to get your attention as you hurtle down the road. My car also doesn't have adaptive cruise control, so on long road trips I have to stay awake adapting my speed to traffic.

We're paying thousands of dollars more for car luxuries that make us less safe on the rationale that we need safer cars.

The trend is due to increasing numbers of distracted drivers, more excessive speeding, and more reckless behavior in general. It's got nothing to do with cars being less safe; (almost) strictly behavioral.

Probably not as absolute as you stated, but I also agree that more distracted drivers are making things trend in the wrong direction. Unfortunately it is not always the piece of shit on their phone that dies in the accident, and there’s surely a ton who are never even cited as being a leading cause.

Besides the accidents, traffic issues also have to increase when some piece of shit sits at a green light for two cars worth of time because they have their nose in a phone. Or partially swerves put of their lane, causing others, who are paying attention, to have to check up and cause a cascade of traffic jam.

I have recently tried to be in less of a hurry while driving to try and improve my attitude about things. But that doesn’t mean anyone who looks at a phone while driving doesn’t deserve, well, something that I won’t type out…

The infotainment centers are also an issue, as are some other features, but in my limited experience it is the phone-in-the-nose that is a larger problem.

[YttriumNitrate]

The trend is due to increasing numbers of distracted drivers, more excessive speeding, and more reckless behavior in general. It's got nothing to do with cars being less safe; (almost) strictly behavioral.

You're right that behavioral issues dwarf the relatively small differences in safety for a car. For example, HALF of those that die in passenger cars are not wearing their seatbelt [1]. Considering 90% of people wear their seatbelts [2] having half the deaths come from other 10% is crazy. Also, about a third of drivers killed are drunk [3] and riding a motorcycle has a fatality rate per mile roughly thirty times that of a passenger vehicle. [4].

[partgypsy]

If any of the answers are "no," then yeah...you've likely got some self-destructive shit going on somewhere in your head.

Or... maybe... you're human and keeping 100% of the plates spinning at all times is an unreasonable expectation?

Yeah, and a big part of being human is being profoundly affected by the toxic messages in ones environment, no?

The question was whether someone should engage in some self-reflection as to how toxic beliefs may be affecting them. The answer is almost always "uh, yeah, you probably should."

to be a devil's advocate, shit happens. For example right now I'm a little sleep deprived plus my house is not in ideal shape bc I have a self imposed deadline..basically I have a different priority. It's just something I accept. My priorities shift so for example if I'm having people over I will make sure the house is clean (shrugs). I guess if it's a chronic issue that you want to change and can't, different story.

I mean, I'm with you. These are normal trade-offs, and life throws Big Curveballs. The life I planned for and the life I am living now are two totally different lives. My house isn't typically clean because I have made a choice to put it at the bottom of the priority list and deal with more pressing needs. There are many pieces of scaffolding to put in place before I get to that one, and it just takes time to rebuild.

. Yes! This past week: taking oldest to college. Patching and painting youngest bedroom. Attic getting a makeover. Plus deadline for my hobby. I do have my wishlist/looking forward for when life slows down, to make house clean, improve yard/garden makeover, etc. It will happen.

[A1Jackass]

You're right that behavioral issues dwarf the relatively small differences in safety for a car. For example, HALF of those that die in passenger cars are not wearing their seatbelt [1]. Considering 90% of people wear their seatbelts [2] having half the deaths come from other 10% is crazy. Also, about a third of drivers killed are drunk [3] and riding a motorcycle has a fatality rate per mile roughly thirty times that of a passenger vehicle. [4].

Agreed with the seatbelt comment. I lumped that in with reckless behavior, but it deserves its own mention. 'Everybody' knows that you should always wear your seatbelt, but some people don't do it and they're far more likely to die. Same with drinking, though that affects everyone on the road and not just an unrestrained driver/passenger.

[zolotiyeruki]

Yep.   Just like you're paying hundreds of dollars for keyless entry to make your vehicle less secure.

Bring back the basic vehicle, I say.

A basic, all-metal, no-electronics key is one of the greatest features of my new-to-me (but 25-year-old) car.  A replacement key is $3 at a local locksmith, vs $100 for a replacement transponder key for our minivan.

The problem is that car manufacturers have to market their cars for the type of people who buy new cars, and that segment of the population is, generally, less concerned with frugality, simplicity, and longevity.  If they were, they'd be shopping for a used Corolla or Civic.  And they're willing to spend thousands of dollars extra for features that seldom get used after the first few weeks.

It seems to me that "lane assist" is only useful when a driver isn't paying attention, due to distraction, drowsiness, inebriation, etc.  In such cases, the driver is the problem, and the feature is merely a bandaid.

Or a push button start instead of using a key? Exactly what is the business reason/need for push button start? Yet, there are many reports of people who died, or got very ill, from carbon monoxide poisoning because they inadvertently left their car on in the garage and went in the house. Makes no sense. I never had an issue inserting a key to start my car.

I can see pushbutton start being a benefit...to the manufacturer.  A keyed ignition switch involves a lot of parts that have to be designed, machined, and assembled.  Replace it with a few extra electronic components, and you save a bunch of money.  The genius is that the manufacturers market it as a premium feature, even though it's likely cheaper.

[RetiredAt63]

Yep.   Just like you're paying hundreds of dollars for keyless entry to make your vehicle less secure.

Bring back the basic vehicle, I say.

A basic, all-metal, no-electronics key is one of the greatest features of my new-to-me (but 25-year-old) car.  A replacement key is $3 at a local locksmith, vs $100 for a replacement transponder key for our minivan.

The problem is that car manufacturers have to market their cars for the type of people who buy new cars, and that segment of the population is, generally, less concerned with frugality, simplicity, and longevity.  If they were, they'd be shopping for a used Corolla or Civic.  And they're willing to spend thousands of dollars extra for features that seldom get used after the first few weeks.

It seems to me that "lane assist" is only useful when a driver isn't paying attention, due to distraction, drowsiness, inebriation, etc.  In such cases, the driver is the problem, and the feature is merely a bandaid.

Or a push button start instead of using a key? Exactly what is the business reason/need for push button start? Yet, there are many reports of people who died, or got very ill, from carbon monoxide poisoning because they inadvertently left their car on in the garage and went in the house. Makes no sense. I never had an issue inserting a key to start my car.

I can see pushbutton start being a benefit...to the manufacturer.  A keyed ignition switch involves a lot of parts that have to be designed, machined, and assembled.  Replace it with a few extra electronic components, and you save a bunch of money.  The genius is that the manufacturers market it as a premium feature, even though it's likely cheaper.

Our first car as a married couple was a 1960 something Chevy Impala, not sure of the year.  It was a boat, no seat belts, very mechanical engines, etc.  I remember my husband bringing the butterfly valve up to the apartment to see if he could fix it and ending up buying a replacement.  I loved how big the trunk was on that car but otherwise I much prefer the new ones.

I just bought an almost new car - 2022 Mazda CX-3.  It was "used" with 2,000 km.  After having a 2010 Mazda 3 hatchback, I can tell you I absolutely love the backup camera and the sensor for nearby vehicles.  The way people walk and drive in parking lots theses days, they are invaluable. 

I already appreciated the remote, after having had door locks in older cars freeze in winter.  Such fun, warming the key with your hand, getting it part-way in, warming it some more, getting it a bit further in, until the lock is finally thawed and your hand is frozen.   Basically these days I buy new or almost new, because I will keep it for ever (my last car was over 300,000 km) and I like to know it has had good maintenance from the beginning.

The lane sensors, I can live without.  The time I would need them the most (driving in bad visibility/blowing snow) is when they won't work.  My daughter loves hers, it actually acts like a self-driving car when she has it set right.  Her distraction is a baby - If she is lucky the baby sleeps in the car, if the baby is unhappy DD has a major distraction.    ;-)  Not much she can do about that.

[scottish]

My old style key fob gives me a remote to unlock my door without the nonsense of today's "keyless entry".    I push the button, it sends a code over the radio and the car unlocks the door.

The news ones unlock the door automatically when you approach the vehicle with the key fob in your pocket.   They also have a security problem related to the fob and vehicle communicating all the time  so an attacker can use a repeater to trick the car into thinking he has the key when it's in your dresser drawer in your bedroom.   Then he can unlock the door, start the engine and drive off in seconds.

And when the batteries die, you have to pull out the little emergency key to unlock your door.   Assuming your vehicle has an emergency key.    And of course the automatic radio transmissions make your battery die faster.    And don't get me started as to what happens if you go boating and drop your fancy new key fob in the water...

Vehicle manufacturers did it right when they added the chip to the mechanical key, at least as far as security goes.   A thief had to deal with 2 problems to steal the vehicle:  defeating the mechanical locks, and defeating the immobilizer system embedded into the plastic part of the key.     And for outdoors types, those keys are just about as weatherproof as it gets.

[lifeisshort123]

The new keys can be a nightmare when they get wet though…. The old keys would function just fine in that environment…. I find that really annoying.

[RetireOrDieTrying]

How do people live so far from reality and who are the people who marry them?

<raises hand>

The former Mrs. was exceptionally poor at money. She was unreceptive to discussions about it or how we could better evaluate where it went.

I pragmatically accepted this because she was fun, kind, hard-working, knockout gorgeous and the prurient side of our relationship was life-changing. Gawd almighty.

With many relationships there is a give-and-take in different areas. Rarely are you going to stumble across someone who is 100% tee-totally perfect for you. There are typically going to be things that you each make peace with because you perceive the overall package to be worth it.

[SunnyDays]

How do people live so far from reality and who are the people who marry them?

<raises hand>

The former Mrs. was exceptionally poor at money. She was unreceptive to discussions about it or how we could better evaluate where it went.

I pragmatically accepted this because she was fun, kind, hard-working, knockout gorgeous and the prurient side of our relationship was life-changing. Gawd almighty.

With many relationships there is a give-and-take in different areas. Rarely are you going to stumble across someone who is 100% tee-totally perfect for you. There are typically going to be things that you each make peace with because you perceive the overall package to be worth it.

Was it worth it?  I note that you say "former Mrs."  Finances are one of the top reasons for divorce, right up there with adultery.

[Siebrie]

Regarding the worries about a car from 10 years ago not being as safe, there are actual statistics showing fewer people died in car crashes 10 years ago than today.

2010 deaths per 100k population: 11.4
2020 deaths per 100k population: 12.9

https://injuryfacts.nsc.org/motor-vehicle/historical-fatality-trends/deaths-and-rates/

Maybe it's not a 100% valid to extrapolate that statistic and say cars from 10 years ago were safer, but I'll make the point anyway. My 12 year old Toyota has all the same airbags, safety cage, and crumple zones as a 2022 model. What it does NOT have is a touch-screen infotainment system. Yea... just what you need... a 10 or 12 inch television in the middle of your dash popping up little notifications and whatnot to get your attention as you hurtle down the road. My car also doesn't have adaptive cruise control, so on long road trips I have to stay awake adapting my speed to traffic.

We're paying thousands of dollars more for car luxuries that make us less safe on the rationale that we need safer cars.

The trend is due to increasing numbers of distracted drivers, more excessive speeding, and more reckless behavior in general. It's got nothing to do with cars being less safe; (almost) strictly behavioral.

Probably not as absolute as you stated, but I also agree that more distracted drivers are making things trend in the wrong direction. Unfortunately it is not always the piece of shit on their phone that dies in the accident, and there’s surely a ton who are never even cited as being a leading cause.

Besides the accidents, traffic issues also have to increase when some piece of shit sits at a green light for two cars worth of time because they have their nose in a phone. Or partially swerves put of their lane, causing others, who are paying attention, to have to check up and cause a cascade of traffic jam.

I have recently tried to be in less of a hurry while driving to try and improve my attitude about things. But that doesn’t mean anyone who looks at a phone while driving doesn’t deserve, well, something that I won’t type out…

The infotainment centers are also an issue, as are some other features, but in my limited experience it is the phone-in-the-nose that is a larger problem.

Not Just Bikes just made a vlog about this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jN7mSXMruEo

[JAYSLOL]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is. 

[SpaceCow]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

[SpaceCow]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between unibody construction, AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

[ChpBstrd]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

In Europe, cars often have engines 25-40% smaller than their similar-sized American counterparts. Yet they get around just fine. Imagine how many lives a giant gasoline tax would save.

[bill1827]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

[ChpBstrd]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

[SpaceCow]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

I think many (most?) drivers know how fast they're going and how recklessly they are driving. They just don't care. Around here, the risk of getting a ticket is so low that drivers just don't care.

Add into the mix that folks are driving around 4000lb, leased, fully insured tank-like vehicles and it's no surprise that people are driving more recklessly. The penalties aren't there. And humans tend to underestimate fat tail risk anyway.

[Dicey]

Imagine how many lives a giant gasoline tax would save.

Californians pay 86.3 cents per gallon in state and federal taxes.  No appreciable difference. 

If you jacked it up more, you'd merely widen the gap between rich and poor.

It is said that higher taxes would public transit, but even public transit seems to go where rich folk want to go.

[RetireOrDieTrying]

How do people live so far from reality and who are the people who marry them?

<raises hand>

The former Mrs. was exceptionally poor at money. She was unreceptive to discussions about it or how we could better evaluate where it went.

I pragmatically accepted this because she was fun, kind, hard-working, knockout gorgeous and the prurient side of our relationship was life-changing. Gawd almighty.

With many relationships there is a give-and-take in different areas. Rarely are you going to stumble across someone who is 100% tee-totally perfect for you. There are typically going to be things that you each make peace with because you perceive the overall package to be worth it.

Was it worth it?  I note that you say "former Mrs."  Finances are one of the top reasons for divorce, right up there with adultery.

Worth the price of admission? Yes, but it was also a learning experience. The things I'm looking for in a good match have been revised.

When she decided to follow her own path, the reasons she gave didn't make any sense to me, and still don't. Perhaps that statement in itself was part of the issue.

As it turns out, there appears to have been some overlap between our marriage and her next beau, but honestly the reason doesn't matter. She's a grown woman capable of making her own decision, and it's not less hurtful to me to be thrown in the trash for one reason vs. another reason.

[bill1827]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

[ChpBstrd]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

Yes. The reality is that roads are too wide, cars have too much horsepower, and their luxuriousness isolates the driver from certain signals that they're going too fast, leaving only the speedo to carry the burden of informing the user of their recklessness.

In the near future, I can imagine speedometers that light up in red when one is traveling over the marked speed limit. Such a notification could save a lot of lives.

[Metalcat]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

Yes. The reality is that roads are too wide, cars have too much horsepower, and their luxuriousness isolates the driver from certain signals that they're going too fast, leaving only the speedo to carry the burden of informing the user of their recklessness.

In the near future, I can imagine speedometers that light up in red when one is traveling over the marked speed limit. Such a notification could save a lot of lives.

These exist. I had a rental ford that alerted me when I was over the speed limit.

[ChpBstrd]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

Yes. The reality is that roads are too wide, cars have too much horsepower, and their luxuriousness isolates the driver from certain signals that they're going too fast, leaving only the speedo to carry the burden of informing the user of their recklessness.

In the near future, I can imagine speedometers that light up in red when one is traveling over the marked speed limit. Such a notification could save a lot of lives.

These exist. I had a rental ford that alerted me when I was over the speed limit.

Follow my channel for more predictions and forecasts about the past.

[ATtiny85]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

Yes. The reality is that roads are too wide, cars have too much horsepower, and their luxuriousness isolates the driver from certain signals that they're going too fast, leaving only the speedo to carry the burden of informing the user of their recklessness.

In the near future, I can imagine speedometers that light up in red when one is traveling over the marked speed limit. Such a notification could save a lot of lives.

Drove a lot of pool cars for my company in Germany that had an upper speed limit feature. It is very nice in traffic, and it would override easily if you matted it.

[ATtiny85]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

I would say that in my experience of several decades of driving and riding, in several countries, in dozens of different vehicles, that people who claim to be good, conscientious drivers normally are not. And that in my experience of a couple decades of online experience, these threads become full of self-proclaimed good, conscientious drivers.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

I would say that in my experience of several decades of driving and riding, in several countries, in dozens of different vehicles, that people who claim to be good, conscientious drivers normally are not. And that in my experience of a couple decades of online experience, these threads become full of self-proclaimed good, conscientious drivers.

People's driving skills tend to be far lower than they believe they are. For any given vehicle, there's a speed at which it's unreasonable to expect to be able to react to a road hazard or a blown tire unless you're Nikki Lauda... who found out the hard way about his driving limits in the rain. Everyone likes to think they have the reflexes, vehicle awareness, and control of a Formula 1 driver but few people really do. Especially not after they've been drinking.

[Kris]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

Yes. The reality is that roads are too wide, cars have too much horsepower, and their luxuriousness isolates the driver from certain signals that they're going too fast, leaving only the speedo to carry the burden of informing the user of their recklessness.

In the near future, I can imagine speedometers that light up in red when one is traveling over the marked speed limit. Such a notification could save a lot of lives.

These exist. I had a rental ford that alerted me when I was over the speed limit.

Follow my channel for more predictions and forecasts about the past.

They had these a long time ago. One of my good friends in high school in the 80s had an old beater Buick with a speedometer that buzzed when you went too far over 55.

[JAYSLOL]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.

I've been driving for a very long time. Every vehicle that I've ever driven has had a funny little dial directly in front of the driver called a speedometer. Part of the driver training is that you check your speedo periodically along with your mirrors, so a competent driver knows his speed without reference to the noises the car makes.

This is one of those "people ought to" statements that redirects a conversation from reality.

I take it that you are saying that most drivers are really bad at driving and ignore all the indications that they have that they are driving too fast.

Yes. The reality is that roads are too wide, cars have too much horsepower, and their luxuriousness isolates the driver from certain signals that they're going too fast, leaving only the speedo to carry the burden of informing the user of their recklessness.

In the near future, I can imagine speedometers that light up in red when one is traveling over the marked speed limit. Such a notification could save a lot of lives.

These exist. I had a rental ford that alerted me when I was over the speed limit.

Follow my channel for more predictions and forecasts about the past.

They had these a long time ago. One of my good friends in high school in the 80s had an old beater Buick with a speedometer that buzzed when you went too far over 55.

At a non profit I volunteered for about 15 years ago, all the vehicles had this, they would buzz if you went like 10 over the speed limit, and if you went beyond that it would also log the information of how fast and who was driving (each driver had a key fob they had to swipe before a vehicle would start). 

[JAYSLOL]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.   

[TheGrimSqueaker]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

Isn't maintaining comprehensive insurance, with the lender as the payee, a condition of the auto loan?

I haven't had a car loan in decades, but I remember that the deal I signed with my credit union stated that if I didn't insure the vehicle they would call the loan and it was payable in full, immediately. When I changed insurance companies, I made sure to forward a copy of my new policy to the credit union, but they still sent me a form letter from my credit union saying that the original coverage had ended, and that if I didn't produce proof of insurance within a specific time frame they were going to call the loan and/or repossess the vehicle. The car was insured with the new company and they already had the paperwork they needed; it was just a computer sync issue that they later fixed. Still, the fact that a letter like that was initiated at all showed that the lender was serious about making sure the loan was secured by the car itself, and that if something happened to that car they had a way to get their shareholders' investment back. When my niece had a loan for her truck (with a shady lender that had what I believed to be some predatory business practices), she was late with an insurance payment once and the *lender* imposed a fine for it.

My big question is: how could any lender be so irresponsible as to allow (edit: "the borrower" not the person I incorrectly identified) to continue to have and use their asset without maintaining insurance on it?

[JAYSLOL]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

Isn't maintaining comprehensive insurance, with the lender as the payee, a condition of the auto loan?

I haven't had a car loan in decades, but I remember that the deal I signed with my credit union stated that if I didn't insure the vehicle they would call the loan and it was payable in full, immediately. When I changed insurance companies, I made sure to forward a copy of my new policy to the credit union, but they still sent me a form letter from my credit union saying that the original coverage had ended, and that if I didn't produce proof of insurance within a specific time frame they were going to call the loan and/or repossess the vehicle. The car was insured with the new company and they already had the paperwork they needed; it was just a computer sync issue that they later fixed. Still, the fact that a letter like that was initiated at all showed that the lender was serious about making sure the loan was secured by the car itself, and that if something happened to that car they had a way to get their shareholders' investment back. When my niece had a loan for her truck (with a shady lender that had what I believed to be some predatory business practices), she was late with an insurance payment once and the *lender* imposed a fine for it.

My big question is: how could any lender be so irresponsible as to allow Caleb Hammer to continue to have and use their asset without maintaining insurance on it?

*Caleb is the guy who does these interviews/financial audits, it’s the guy he’s interviewing that is responsible for this mess

I’m honestly not sure how the loans work, I don’t do auto loans, but that was my understanding too that if you have a financed vehicle you are required to keep full insurance coverage on it so that a lender doesn’t lose their asset in the case of a collision.  I can’t remember from watching that video, but he might have been behind on payments for that car as well, so the lender might actually be on the lookout to repo that thing

[sonofsven]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

There's an even better (worse?) one where a guy on army disability bought a new house, new Harley, and new truck, all in less than a year. All with crazy high interest rates.
The best plan Caleb could come up with was to sell the truck at a big loss and pay off the truck loan with a personal loan.
Ouch.
Thanks for posting the links to Caleb, I'm now addicted to his show!

[sonofsven]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

Isn't maintaining comprehensive insurance, with the lender as the payee, a condition of the auto loan?

I haven't had a car loan in decades, but I remember that the deal I signed with my credit union stated that if I didn't insure the vehicle they would call the loan and it was payable in full, immediately. When I changed insurance companies, I made sure to forward a copy of my new policy to the credit union, but they still sent me a form letter from my credit union saying that the original coverage had ended, and that if I didn't produce proof of insurance within a specific time frame they were going to call the loan and/or repossess the vehicle. The car was insured with the new company and they already had the paperwork they needed; it was just a computer sync issue that they later fixed. Still, the fact that a letter like that was initiated at all showed that the lender was serious about making sure the loan was secured by the car itself, and that if something happened to that car they had a way to get their shareholders' investment back. When my niece had a loan for her truck (with a shady lender that had what I believed to be some predatory business practices), she was late with an insurance payment once and the *lender* imposed a fine for it.

My big question is: how could any lender be so irresponsible as to allow Caleb Hammer to continue to have and use their asset without maintaining insurance on it?

You, being responsible, always paid your insurance bill.
If you don't pay your bill you don't have coverage. If you then wreck your car the insurance company won't pay.
You could miss just one payment and be screwed.
It sounds like you haven't watched the show. It's a parade of bad decisions, like not paying your insurance bill! Enjoyable, if you like trainwrecks.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

It sounds like you haven't watched the show.

Right in one. I'm relying on the recap.

It's a parade of bad decisions, like not paying your insurance bill! Enjoyable, if you like trainwrecks.

I don't really. I'm pretty careful what I allow to take up space in my brain, because I find that when I spend a lot of time watching or listening to other people, my standards gradually shift in that direction.

I'll go back and fix my incorrect reference to which person was the bad credit risk; it sounds like I've accidentally maligned someone who doesn't deserve it.

[JAYSLOL]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

There's an even better (worse?) one where a guy on army disability bought a new house, new Harley, and new truck, all in less than a year. All with crazy high interest rates.
The best plan Caleb could come up with was to sell the truck at a big loss and pay off the truck loan with a personal loan.
Ouch.
Thanks for posting the links to Caleb, I'm now addicted to his show!

Yep, I actually was debating if I should post that one or this one lol.  I watch (or rather listen to while I’m working) every episode he does, it’s amazing.  It’s one thing to listen to people call in to Dave Ramsey and they get like 30 seconds to explain their situation, and it’s not always obvious if they are exaggerating or sugarcoating it, but with Caleb, there’s nowhere to hide, he literally sits down face to face for hours and pours through the person’s actual accounts and cards and loans and mercilessly grills them.  Reveals some crazy shit lol. 
There are so many that stand out, notably the one where the girl was a “life coach” and her life was a giant instagram-lie of faking-it debt and mess underneath the “abundance-mindset” and “free spirit” and all that manifesting crap.  Also the 52 year old that was broke and caught up in a pyramid scheme that he thought was a great business, and Caleb literally had to do the recreation of that “drawing the pyramid” scene from The Office in front of him, was sad to listen to but he needed the face punch

[RetireOrDieTrying]

I'm pretty careful what I allow to take up space in my brain, because I find that when I spend a lot of time watching or listening to other people, my standards gradually shift in that direction.

Boy, howdy, is this worth repeating. Nothing orients my brain toward a desired direction like consuming content on that direction (financial, health, etc.).

We share an aversion to "garbage in, garbage out." Time is a zero-sum game. Any time spent consuming crap is taken from time consuming or acting upon quality content.

[iluvzbeach]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

OMG, JAYSLOL...This is so horrific, I cannot even continue watching beyond about the first five minutes.  Is this a joke or are these people for real?  Really scary to think people go through life like this.  In some ways it's like a train wreck you can't stop watching and in other ways it makes me want to puke.  Should definitely be required watching for teens, young adults and those who suck at managing their finances. 

[theninthwall]

There's an even better (worse?) one where a guy on army disability bought a new house, new Harley, and new truck, all in less than a year. All with crazy high interest rates.
The best plan Caleb could come up with was to sell the truck at a big loss and pay off the truck loan with a personal loan.
Ouch.
Thanks for posting the links to Caleb, I'm now addicted to his show!

Even worse, the guy had a Smart car previously and his reasoning for buying the giant, $50k truck was that the Smart cars tires were expensive and needed replacing.

[JAYSLOL]

Anyways, let’s get this thread back on the Caleb Hammer train, this was another video he did not too long ago that had some outrageous financial stupidness in it

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=4D2psZ0GrrQ&t=14s

Long video, for those that want the recap of car-related stupidity, dude makes less than $20/h, has THREE auto loans, one for a $30k Mitsubishi Evo that he blew up the engine on street racing, another a pretty expensive Hyundai car he bought for his sister for some reason even though he’s completely broke, and another for a brand new Mitsubishi SUV he originally bought for his mom (which she refused) and he had to start driving because he can’t afford to fix the Evo, oh and he crashed the SUV and doesn’t have insurance on it and can’t afford to fix it.

OMG, JAYSLOL...This is so horrific, I cannot even continue watching beyond about the first five minutes.  Is this a joke or are these people for real?  Really scary to think people go through life like this.  In some ways it's like a train wreck you can't stop watching and in other ways it makes me want to puke.  Should definitely be required watching for teens, young adults and those who suck at managing their finances.

Boy do I ever agree with this, managing finances should be taught early in schools everywhere.  And yeah, these people are (*mostly) for real, it’s a mess out there in the non-Mustachian world.  For the most part these people are 100% real and almost always think they are doing better than they are in reality. 

*There are a few I’ve seen on his show I question their motivations for coming on, like one guy that was in his extremely early 20’s and said he had been running a window cleaning or pressure washing business or something and supposedly brought in $14k every month but stopped doing that to “focus on his next business venture”, but he had no real concrete plans, and I got the strong feeling he watched too much Shark Tank and came on Caleb’s show because Shark Tank turned him down.  He even dressed up in a suit and everything like he was doing a pitch for Shark Tank.  Nobody else on that show dresses up, especially a 20-something

[JAYSLOL]

There's an even better (worse?) one where a guy on army disability bought a new house, new Harley, and new truck, all in less than a year. All with crazy high interest rates.
The best plan Caleb could come up with was to sell the truck at a big loss and pay off the truck loan with a personal loan.
Ouch.
Thanks for posting the links to Caleb, I'm now addicted to his show!

Even worse, the guy had a Smart car previously and his reasoning for buying the giant, $50k truck was that the Smart cars tires were expensive and needed replacing.

That is surprisingly common behaviour among the less financially literate, they spend everything and have no emergency fund or room in their budget available when maintenance comes due, and they end up financing a new car costing them tens of thousands more per year for many years to come because “it was less this month” than just paying out of pocket for whatever the repair was.  Especially stupid when it’s such an obviously upcoming expense like tires, you can literally see it coming years in advance if you pay attention. 

[Chris Pascale]

4 financed iPads (cause it was Christmas and that’s what everyone wanted)

That's really rough.

[jinga nation]

There are so many that stand out, notably the one where the girl was a “life coach” and her life was a giant instagram-lie of faking-it debt and mess underneath the “abundance-mindset” and “free spirit” and all that manifesting crap.

99% of social media posts are 100% bullshit

[Fomerly known as something]

I’m my opinion, part of what makes brand new vehicles less safe than old vehicles is they are just too damn easy to drive fast.  My 90s Toyota has zero safety features, no airbags, no abs, nothing, it’s just a little tin can on wheels.  But it’s also terrifying to drive even slightly above the speed limit.  The road noise, the rattling, wind noise and of course the sub-100hp engine trying to even get there.  Every new car I’ve driven so so disconnected from the road, so smooth and quiet, and unbelievably fast that it makes it almost impossible to do a speed as pathetic feeling as the speed limit.  I’d take my chances in the old Toyota at 55mph over a new car at 95mph.  Almost all cars I see doing way over the limit are new or close to new vehicles, I use to wonder why until I jump in a newer vehicle and remind myself how crazy easy it is.

Which is why a friend with front wheel drive did not get stuck going to Tahoe, but their friends in the Tesla with AWD did, twice.

I agree. Drivers adapt their driving habits to their vehicles. Today's cars accelerate and brake far better than cars made one or two decades ago. Between AWD, stability control, and other electronic safety features, cars handle far better as well. Drivers are driving more dangerously because they can get away with it...until they can't.