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Cheaper Car Insurance For Gamers

Posted by CmdrTaco on from the hand-eye-coordination dept.

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.

9 of 207 comments (clear)

  1. It make sense to me by yttrstein · · Score: 5, Funny

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

    1. Re:It make sense to me by OldSoldier · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Maybe for elderly gamers, but when I read the title I was wondering if the story would go to young gamers and I believe for them there is no correlation between gaming skill and beginning driving ability.

      Back when my 17 year old son was driving for the first time we were at a left turn stop light and it was green, but not a green turn arrow. He slowly started pulling out to make the turn. He had plenty of time to make it through the intersection before the car in the on-coming lane got to the intersection, but my son was moving uncharacteristically slowly through the intersection. I told him to go faster. I had to say this several times till the point where the on-coming car was well within my personal "danger zone". He finally started going, no incident at all and I asked him about it once we were in the clear. He said that he did not see that on coming car at all. He was paying "hyper" attention to his turn radius.

      Anyway, the up shot is that I would have thunk that a kid who can kick my butt at FPSs would have the ability to scan a "real life" scene and similarly be aware of all the action out there.

      Apparently not.

  2. Summary not wrong, but somewhat misleading by Zontar_Thing_From_Ve · · Score: 5, Informative

    I know it goes against the norm, but I actually read the article. It clearly states that the drivers in this program must play a very specific game designed to improve visual alertness. So if you thought that Allstate (the "insurers" in this article) was going to give discounts to WOW players, think again.

  3. More time playing games = less time driving by bonkeydcow · · Score: 5, Funny

    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.

    1. Re:More time playing games = less time driving by DgtalPimp · · Score: 4, Funny

      "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%".

  4. Re:not really by Krinsath · · Score: 5, Funny

    With apologies to Ron White:

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

  5. Re:not really by tom17 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I'm driving along a 40 limit road, at a cautious 30 when someone cluelessly drives into my path from a blind junction where they have no right of way. *I REACT* to this by slowing down and avoiding said stupid driver, thus making a non-situation of it. As I reacted, according to you, I had done something wrong or I wouldn't have had to. What bad decisions had I made previously? Except driving on the public roads in the first place, that is.

    Likewise, I react to someone cutting into my lane too close by backing off a bit. What did I do wrong in this instance?

    Just hypothetical questions :)

    Tom...

  6. Re:not really by apathy+maybe · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I really don't understand all this crap from US posters about how you should drive at the speed limit, or even faster(!).

    Take your reason, someone might be driving the speed limit and not notice "a rolling roadblock". What are they? Blind? When driving, you should always be aware of what cars are near by. And if you are driving along, and you are approaching a car, it is pretty damn obvious that you are going faster then them...

    You therefore, take your foot of the accelerator and access the situation, and then decide whether it is safe to pass, or whatever.

    Where I'm from learners have to have a big L displayed, and must drive a maximum of 80 kilometres per hour (or the speed limit, whichever is lower). But of course, because they are learners, they often drive slower then the speed limit, even if they don't have to.
    It would be very rare for people to get upset at these learners, whether they are on a highway or a city street.

    OK, that's one reason why someone might be driving slower, what if they don't know the area? What if they are looking for a house number? What if there are children around? Maybe their breaks don't work so well and they are going to the mechanic? Maybe they just think, "well it's a nice day, no rush to go to work/home, I'll take my time"?

    And if some idiot is driving along and cuts that slower driver off, who is at fault? The idiot driving fast and cutting off the slower driver.

    Actually, while on the topic of cars, I've often see idiots talking about how they tailgate other drivers because the other drivers drive too slow. Yeah, and you know who is rightfully to blame in the event of a rear ending? The idiot doing the tailgating.

    You should always leave enough space between yourself and the car in front to stop safely. If you can't, you aren't driving safely.

    Basically, you should be driving safely, and if that means slowing down, then yeah, there isn't a problem with that. (The only case where you can complain legitimately about someone driving too slow is if they are more then about 20 km/h below the speed limit on a highway.)

    --
    I wank in the shower.
  7. Possible indicator of coordination... by whizbang77045 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I'm 65, and have spinal arthritis. There are mornings when I get up, and everything is normal, and mornings when I'm not functional. The problem sometimes is making sure how functional I am before I try to do anything, especially operating machinery or driving. I've found that playing a computer game before I do much else is a really good indicator of how well I am functioning. I also get the impression that playing the game for a while seems to improve my functionality. I don't consider this hard proof of anything. I do think it may be an indicator that there is something to this idea. It may merit serious research.