Why do people drive 15 MPH when there is an accident on the OPPOSITE side of the highway?

Question

It boggles me... I mean, it's one thing to "proceed with caution" but it's another thing to slow down to 15-25 MPH and act NOSY. Do they get nervous? Do they worry about the cops who are on the OTHER side of the median? Just drive people....

Yesterday, while driving to work, I was 25 minutes late because of something (I didnt even see anything that resembled an accident) that happened on the OPPOSITE side of the highway. People were passing by, going like 15 MPH, staring over there so nosily, so much attention was focused OVER THERE that they weren't really focusing on the road ahead of them. Isn't this ridiculous?

Answer 1

Yes, it tragic.  The disease you are referring to is 'rubber-necking' and it too can cause many an accident.

It generally affects those who pay more attention to everyone elses driving business instead of their own.  Common symptoms include:  The need too slow down a gawk at some one elses tragedy, swerving lanes as they take their eyes off the road to look, slamming of the brakes as they nearly, or sometimes hit, the vehicle in front of them and causing another accident to totally s***w up a stretch of roads flow.

Please, if you suffer from 'rubber-neck', do your fellow motorist a favor, trade in your vehicle, buy a bus pass and stay off the road.

Call you Congressman now, and say NO to rubber-necking.

Paid for by drivers against rubber-necking.

Answer 2

People slow down to get a good look at somebody dying or with severed limbs.

I hate when people see a speed camera for 50mph and slow down to about 20 or 30...why...grrrrrr

Answer 3

A question I have ALWAYS wanted to know the answer to.

I hate this SOOOO bad.

I think that as people pass the incident everyone caught with their head not facing forward and not not paying attention to the road should be given a fine. I bet traffic would move then.

Answer 4

YES, these people are totally stupid, if you want to see that bad, pull over....let us by...

Answer 5

Ah yes, rubberneckers, I understand curiousity but it can be dangerous.

And why do people who drive by accidents get so fascinated by the accident that they almost hit the EMTs/Firefighters/Cops on scene? I've had that happen more times than I can count.

Answer 6

Driving on a highway is boring, and a lot of people are desperately looking for *something* to interest them on the long drive. So yeah, they're likely to overreact when they see a little activity on the sidelines.

It's at times like those that I wish I had a little police light to place on the top of my car.

Answer 7

It is a common affliction known as "spectatoritis".... cause by the need to turns one neck to see other peoples pain and reflect better on their own grim life scenario.

Answer 8

Ok that is retarded but that is human curiosoty at work and they can really make another accident happen lby doning that  also that's called rubbernecking and its against the law.