5 Drivers From TV & Movies You Should Totally Avoid
Lights, Camera, Accident: Avoid These Fictional Drivers at All Costs
Movies do a great job of bending the rules of the real world. In fact, some of our favorite fictional film heroes can walk away from crazy car accidents with nothing but a scratch on them. Have you ever wondered what these drivers would be like in real life?
No? Well we have. We put together a short list of the 5 worst drivers from Hollywood. While this isn't a comprehensive list of all the bad drivers from movies (the list would never end), we certainly account for a couple of characters you don't want to imitate.
Clark Griswold – National Lampoon's Vacation
To be honest, we could write a whole blog series on why you should never act like Clark Griswold. But in this classic family road trip film, we find our protagonist busy dealing with a car full of complaining family members, an irritable Aunt Edna, and an unwieldy map.
Griswold takes his eyes off the road for a little too long, and the "Family Truckster" ends up airborne after they rocket off a closed road. Moral of this story? Make sure you're not a distracted driver and keep your eyes – and attention – on the road.
James Bond – Literally Every James Bond Movie Ever Made
Sure he's a secret agent. He's also a horribly destructive driver. Can you imagine the property damage bill 007 incurs after his mission is complete? While the world's most famous secret agent has a car filled with gadgets, tricks, and ejector seats, we've never seen the airbag go off.
While the car chases in action movies have grown to epic proportions, 007 still reigns supreme with his erratic, reckless, daring driving. We'd recommend pulling off to the side of the road if you see his signature Astin Martin come roaring up behind you.
Bob Falfa – American Graffiti
To be a teen again. Well, it might not be as great as you think, especially if you're one of the characters in this classic coming-of-age film. Set in 1962, this story revolves around friends struggling with college decisions, relationships, and navigating the rocky roads of teenage life.
In one of the most memorable scenes, John and Bob take to Paradise Road to race. It doesn't end well for Bob. His car blows a tire, flips, and explodes in a cornfield. Miraculously, no one is killed. Unfortunately, that's not the case for most car accidents with teen drivers.
The Dude – The Big Lebowski
This crazy, rambling, modern noir is chock-full of dark humor, an insane amount of cursing, and terribly illegal, wanton drug use. The worst of which culminates in our main character – the great sage and eminent slacker – referred to as The Dude (or El Duderino if you're not into the whole brevity thing).
Simply put: The Dude is a horribly dangerous driver. While the movie makes light of his casual drug use and driving while intoxicated, the ugly truth is that drunk driving accidents affect millions of people each year. Take notes on The Dude's driving and make sure you're never like him.
K.I.T.T. – Knight Rider
We're officially in the future. Back when Knight Rider was on the air, the idea of having a talking car was futuristic. Now, your car can help you dial your mom or even contact the police if you're in a car accident.
However, KITT – though helpful – was a different kind of assistant. Sure, it makes sense that if you've got a guy like David Hasselhoff as your partner, you're going to show off a little bit. But KITT took too many chances for us. He's another one of those dangerous fictional drivers – even if he was actually a car and not a person.