Anytime you think you have seen it all when it comes to bad drivers, look at “Russian Dashcam” on Youtube and you will see what really bad driving is all about. I guess a combination of factors including corruption in getting a license and enforcement of traffic laws as well as lots of drunk driving all play a role but this is still nuts.
I knew it was bad over there but stumbled into a Youtube channel on this mess while looking at some car videos. It looks like there are LOTS of Youtube channels with HOURS of videos just compiled into various collections. Apparently the source of these videos is never ending…
The reason there are so many videos about bad Russian drivers is that almost every one there has a dash cam.
They have them because there is a lot of insurance scammers corrupt police and insurance plans that are reluctant to pay out.
Russia actually falls somewhere in the middle when it comes to traffic related deaths per capita world wide.
I also think that many of those traffic related fatalities are due to the fact they have less effective emergency response systems in place and less top tier trauma centers throughout their country.
I’m sure if most everyone in the US had a dash cam you would see a lot of “Crazy American Driver” videos out there on the internets as well.
I use a dash cam and have gotten some real idiots but it doesn’t seem to be of the scope and scale of what goes on in Russia! I am sure local standards apply depending on where you drive. I am pretty sure insurance fraud goes on here as well. I am out on the road doing service work all the time. It seems that the worst driving always happens when the “government check” people get their money on the 1st or 3rd of the month and are out on the roads raising hell. I have had several people just lock up the brakes and stop at a green light for no good reason. All I can figure is that they were trying to get me to hit them for insurance fraud as the person who hits gets found at fault. So slam on your brakes at a green light, get hit, and and get money.
Don’t even get me started on the roundabouts around here… I thought they were a good idea at first but now I feel they should be removed because no one knows how to use them. People literally drive around in circles because they can’t figure out how to leave them. Then there are those who just stop like they are a stop sign when no one is in sight. I think in theory they are a good idea but on paper they have been a disaster.
I just watched one called “Russian Dash Cam Crash Compilation” My first take is that it’s a little unfair to make generalizations about the Russian driving experience if you get to pick and choose what to show and what not to show. However it is pretty clear the road designs of what’s shown are pretty unsafe compared to my area, with many two-way narrow-lane traffic only separated by a painted line. Bizarrely placed road construction barriers were another contributor to the accidents. Drivers pretending they were on a race course rather than a roadway occupied by folks taking their kids to school, another. Inconsiderate drivers making unsafe repositioning maneuvers took their toll as well. Finally, for some reason drivers would veer or cross into the oncoming lane for no apparent reason. I presume this is due to some combination of distracted driving, suspension or steering system failures, or driving under the influence. My takeaway: If you must drive in Russia, besides wearing a seatbelt, also wear a helmet.
I noticed the ones where people would just veer off the road or into the oncoming lanes. You wonder if they are drunk or just stupid. Yes, many are also going WAY too fast and cause these crashes. Some just run into a truck or whatever. How do you miss the trash truck in front of you and just crash into it?
I’ve seen some of those videos and just shake my head but the ones I like are where they are pulling a car out of the frozen lake. About all they use is some rope an planks.
I think my favorite one was where some car was driving down the road and one wheel had fallen off. The mounts for the suspension had rusted off so they bolted a big caster into its place and the car was going down the road on three wheels and a caster. I guess safety standards are nonexistent or not enforced.
. You’ll be late for work.