Cheaper Car Insurance For Gamers

I know your first reaction is that this story is gonna be an ad, but SpuriousLogic's story is actually about insurers considering giving a discount to elderly gamers. The question is: does gaming improve mental agility and make you a safer driver? And if so, I'll have to add gaming to mowing the lawn for my weekly chores.

Comments

It make sense to me

[yttrstein]

...as elderly gamers probably spend very little time in their cars.

Re:It make sense to me

[Anonymous Coward]

Funny, since grampy started playing GTA4 he's spent more time in [stolen] cars!

Re:It make sense to me

[mmalove]

Well, I'm already a gamer.

And this morning, I'm feeling kinda elderly. What the heck, sign me up!

Re:It make sense to me

[Anonymous Coward]

GTA: Farmer's Market

Re:It make sense to me

[steelfood]

Different games require different mental "modes" to perform well in them. For example, both FPS's and driving games promote fast reflexes. But for FPS's, your view is forward, and hence intense concentration of "forward" gets promoted, a tunnel vision of sorts. For racing games, and especially something like Mario Kart, you need a greater awareness of the situation around you. The same concepts apply to turn-based and realtime strategy games.

So I'll bet if someone runs out onto the road in front of your son while he's driving, he'll respond very quickly. Now, whether that's hitting the brake hard or hitting the gas hard is a separate matter...

Re:It make sense to me

[flappinbooger]

The on-coming car was not shooting at him.

Yes!

[camperdave]

All my years of FreeCell and Minesweeper will not have been in vain.

More time playing games = less time driving

[bonkeydcow]

You probably don't have a life, so you can drive less? World or Warcraft should give you an 80% discount on your car insurance, heck it could cover the monthly fee. I see synergy.

Re:More time playing games = less time driving

[DgtalPimp]

"State Farm how can I help you"?
"I just finished leveling my Destro lock"
"That's great sir. That qualifies you for a 5% discount on your annual rate, if your 6/8 T6 or higher we can adjust it to 10%, but you have to show a decent DPS AND join the State Farm guild".
"Do I have to be in the guild for the 5% discount"?
"No sir that's our standard no life, 'No life, No drive' discount"
"Yeah your right, send the guild invite and mark me down for 10%".

Re:not really

[Krinsath]

With apologies to Ron White:

"Real life driving is not like a racing game, and I'm quoting a judge on this one"

So...

[ZarathustraDK]

Does Carmageddon count?

Re:Not for everyone.

[Onaga]

But we all know that space fighter video game experience translates well into the real world

fine and dandy by me

[Anonymous Coward]

hey, if it keeps grandpa from having an accident, let the actuaries go at it and find out how much they should save.

"Did you make it level 48 yet of BloodWars III, Willibur? No... but I saved a ton on my car insurance."

OK, I've watch too many

[Amazing Quantum Man]

bad Japanese monster movies.

I read the headline as "Cheaper Car Insurance For Gamera ".

I guess Godzilla and Mothra have to pay more.

Just saved a bunch of money ....

[Windows_NT]

*ring ring* Hey Dan?
Its Joe. I got some good news and bad news.
The bad news is i just smoked a pedestrian with your car, cuz i had a GTA flashback.
But the good news is a just saved a bunch of money on my car insurance by switching to Geico.

Re:Just saved a bunch of money ....

[mcgrew]

My friend and roommate Charlie has a brother in prison for real life GTA. She (my friend Charlie) told me her brother was in prison because he loved cars so much he stole them.