There's nothing like a mindless action flick to escape into after a busy week at work. The villains are villainous, the heroes are virtuous, and no one gets seriously wounded in spite of the amount of shooting, punching, and car-crashing depicted.
It would be great if that escapism was purely escapism… but it's possible that we subconsciously learn bad habits from television and film. Here are four bad driving habits we see frequently in movies and TV:
1. You don't need to look out the windshield when you're having a conversation
This one is one of the most common! Two people are having a conversation in a car but the driver doesn't look at the road for extended periods of time. That may work in movies but it doesn't work in real life! Keep your eyes on the road and off of the leading lady sitting beside you.
2. You can do several complex things while driving perfectly (usually through a crowded, narrow European street)
Laws are being passed all over North America to ban drivers from using cell phones while driving. Statistics show that we can't use cell phones and drive at the same time. But we're taught by television that we can use a cell phone, shoot a gun, solve a mystery (and probably eat a sandwich) while racing at high speeds… and usually through the most crowded, narrow, and winding streets in Europe.
3. Everyone else moves at a uniform rate of speed, allowing you to weave through traffic
Have you ever noticed this? While the hero races after the villain, every other car seems to drive at a uniform speed and perfectly spaced from the person in front of them, allowing the two action cars to slalom between the innocent drivers. This doesn't happen in real life: Beware of all other cars on the road… no one ever drives at a uniform speed.
4. Car chases have no consequences
This one is another very common scenario in action movies: Entire city streets are completely demolished, cars crash into buildings, they drive on sidewalks, they sideswipe parked cars, they run red lights… all while people from one car shoot at another. Amazingly, no one gets hurt. In real life, this doesn't happen. There are consequences to every decision we make on the road and some of those consequences are disastrous… or even fatal!
It's okay to watch exciting action movies and to get caught up in the thrilling adventure. But make sure you get a reality check before you sit behind the wheel of your real car… because the consequence-free high-speed action sequences do not exist in real life.
If you experience the consequences of a collision, bring your car to Boyd Autobody & Glass. We've been helping action heroes like you by repairing cars and making them safe again.
