I hear you on that—tech just doesn’t get nuance. I tried one of those “safe driving” trackers last year, thinking it’d save me money, but it dinged me for braking hard when a dog darted out. Like, what was I supposed to do, just keep rolling? It’s frustrating because the system can’t tell the difference between reckless driving and reacting to real-life stuff.
I get that insurance companies want data, but sometimes I wonder if these mileage-based programs actually reward careful drivers or just people who drive less in perfect conditions. Has anyone found a company that actually accounts for context, or is it all just algorithms and no common sense? I’m all for saving cash, but not at the expense of being penalized for doing the right thing in a split-second situation.
Tried one of those trackers with my last policy—same deal, it docked me for “aggressive braking” when a kid’s soccer ball bounced into the street. I get wanting to pay less, but these things seem to reward folks who only drive empty roads at noon. Haven’t seen a company that really gets context, just different flavors of the same algorithm. Maybe they’ll figure it out eventually, but right now it feels like you’re stuck if you actually have to drive in the real world.
“these things seem to reward folks who only drive empty roads at noon. Haven’t seen a company that really gets context, just different flavors of the same algorithm.”
That’s been my experience too, honestly. The tech is impressive in theory, but it’s not exactly nuanced. I had a similar situation—got dinged for “hard braking” when someone cut me off in traffic. It’s frustrating because you’re penalized for being alert and cautious, not reckless.
I do wonder if the companies are just erring on the side of caution with their algorithms right now. Maybe as more data comes in, they’ll get better at distinguishing between defensive driving and actual risky behavior. Until then, it does feel like you’re at a disadvantage if you drive anywhere with unpredictable traffic or, like you said, kids playing nearby.
Still, I try to look at it as a work in progress. The potential savings are nice, but I agree—it’s not quite there yet for those of us who don’t have the luxury of empty roads and perfect conditions.
“got dinged for ‘hard braking’ when someone cut me off in traffic. It’s frustrating because you’re penalized for being alert and cautious, not reckless.”
- Totally get this. Algorithms don’t know the difference between slamming the brakes to avoid a fender bender and just bad driving.
- I’ve seen folks get penalized for driving in city traffic at rush hour—like, what are we supposed to do, teleport?
- The “potential savings” are real, but only if you’re living that empty-road fantasy. For most of us, it’s just a gamble.
- I keep hoping they’ll figure out context soon... until then, it feels like a bit of a lottery.
Honestly, I’ve had the same thing happen—hard brake to avoid an accident, and the app dings you like you’re reckless. It’s frustrating. These systems just don’t get real-world driving, especially in city traffic. You’re not alone in this mess.
