How's Your Driving ?

[markymark640]

In the infamous words of George Carlin ...

Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

I recently changed the auto insurance on our cars to Allstate.

Like many others, they have some program called 'DriveWise' that supposedly gets you some type of a discount.  When I suggested to my spousal unit that we sign up, she responded "So you want them to know your speeding ?"

In my jurisdiction, the local LEOs won't pull you over unless you break a 15 MPH grace. It's generous, I know. But I guess knowing that, I tend to ride a bit over the speed limit from time to time to time to time ( well almost always) !

So, does anyone have any experience with this type of program, and any ideas as to whether or not it's worth signing up for if you have a slightly heavy foot ?

[scooperhsd]

It's not so much that I have a heavy foot (except when accelerating), but I like cornering fast and braking fast - IOW , I live for accelerations - which is exactly the wrong style to have with these monitoring programs....

[cookiedough]

did 2 programs with other insurnace carriers like Allstate's drivewise.  Both scenarios I drove for 6 months like an old lady and saved about 17% off each vehicle ONLY until next renewal and lost the 17% upon renewal so is a big gimmick.

Trust me,  you will get BEEPED at all the time even what I consider NORMAL driving.  Hard braking is BS I have slowed down to what I consider normal a few times but the darn thing is hooked up to the ECM control module you plug in and if you brake in 1 second 10 mph down is a BEEP against you and if you speed up 10 mph in 1 second is a BEEP also.  Braking is VERY easy to do and depending on the vehicle, if you have a faster vehicle 10 mph speed up in 1 second can be done off the line very easily as well.

MOst insurance companies do not care if you drive 80 mph in a 55 mph speed zone but do set a limit of how fast you can go (most do anyways) but I keep it under 85 mph so not an issue speeding no BEEPS against you on that.

Another thing counts against you is late night driving say after midnight as well goes against you so if you have a 2nd or more 3rd shift job your discount will be lower as well.  I think after midnight or 1 a.m. is bad.

It also tracks your mileage as well so if you drive like me 35 miles one way to work,  you will not get as much of a discount as say driving 10 miles per day or so.   So, if you have a LONG vacation planned best to take it before hooking up your Drivewise device or do what I did is disconnect it for a few days then plug it back in when you get back home is all.    Just do not do that too often since has to be plugged in most of them for 6 months straight (some 1 year) and if you disconnect it too many times,  it might start your 6 months over again from the beginning ticking you off.

LIke said,  is a scam you get say a 10-18% discount upfront upon renewal but both times with 2 other insurance companies basically lost almost all of that 17% discount upon next renewal and NO fault of my own nothing changed. 

It is annoying though when you hear that BEEP hard braking or fast accelerating and had a few fast starts, but the hard braking is BS had about 15-20 or so in 6 months and would say over 1/2 of them was NOT hard braking just normal breaking.  Some hard brakes cannot be avoided though with idiots on roads in front of you to avoid an accident.

I was ticked off at my oldest daughter going to high school ONLY 1 mile and one of our cars is very JUMPY off the line  (fast) and she got everyday almost 1st week (you can sign up to monitor each vehicle) 1 per day fast acceleration even though she was not flooring it,  the car takes off pretty fast off the line even stepping on gas pedal normally.  So, she had to re-learn how to drive like an old granny.

[John Schmidt]

Friend had his insurance cancelled due to excessive beeps or whatever his system did. After 3-4 months he was told he's a reckless driver and was cancelled outright. Have no idea which company, just know he drove a stick shift which was kinda unusual. I personally wouldn't have anyone monitor my driving, they wouldn't like the results either. 

[cookiedough]

I was told 5% discount regardless but can see if you have say 100 hard brakes, 100 fast starts, a lot of after midnight driving, and speeds over say 90 mph them cancelling you. 

The plug in device for the most part pissed me off more than anything and makes you drive very slow like a granny in the end was NOT worth it seeing as how like I said both companies jacked up the rates next renewal anyways so waste of my time and headaches monitoring all 3 cars at the time.

Plus,  my former toyota tundra under warranty had to disconnect device since it causes heating / AC issues which is rare but can happen.  l would not recommend drivewise simply because of the headaches of having it installed.

[Rams]

A company I worked for had reporting devices installed in every company vehicle, they knew everything you did and every where you went.   I personally didn't have a problem with it but, I recognized some of the problems it had.   First, the program thought it knew every established speed limit, it didn't. 

Secondly, it didn't account for things like construction speeds that were no longer in effect.   While I wouldn't mind it so much in a company vehicle, I sure as hell wouldn't want my insurance company monitoring everything I did.     They all use the same or similar companies with similar capabilities, if they have evidence you are a habitual speeder, hard cornering/hard braking driver, you'll end up regretting you ever signed up.

Rams

[Willow]

Even if my driving (or riding) was entirely according to the posted legal limits I wouldn't want any "big brother" keeping a watch on me.

No, thank you (and the thank you is certainly optional).

[old2soon]

       Heartland's trucks maxed out at 64 M P H. The "insurance industry" IS trying Hard to remove all the independent drivers and what those of us called-large cars. 18 wheelers capable of True triple digit speeds. Do NOT knock it til you've tried it. I've driven triple digit trucks and Trust Me NEVER east of the big muddy. I've been called on the carpet even in a 64 MPH rig. NOT fun and the little gal that was tellin me things had No freakin clue. Personally after already been there done that got the T-shirt-No way No how do I want an insurance company watching my every move while driving. I do NOT Want nor desire big brother in my car or on my scooter with me. Sometimes I am guilty of pushin the limit. x wife 2 had a bad habit of tellin me how I should drive!  Didn't listen to her either. RIDE SAFE.