Book Review: "The Driver" by Alexander Roy

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Scott in SoCal - 05 Nov 2007 02:07 GMT

I heard about this book a couple of weeks ago. The author was being
interviewed on some radio program, talking about how he had driven
from NY to LA in 31 hours. But the book is about much more than just
this record-breaking cross-country run. Like Bradbury's Illustrated
Man, Alex Roy's quest to find "The Driver" is the thin thread that
ties together a series of otherwise disjoint stories into a single
riveting narrative, complete with a "hide-from-the-cops-behind-a-semi"
scene that's straight out of "Smokey and the Bandit." Roy BMW M5 has a
collection of electronic gear that makes the inside of his car look
like cockpit of a fighter jet. And, perhaps most satisfying of all,
this book will make Joan Claybrook's head explode like the guy in the
movie "Scanners." :)

http://youtube.com/watch?v=HY-03vYYAjA

From the time you first pick it up, you will unduobtedly finish this
book in less time than it took Roy to drive across the country - it's
that riveting. If you liked Brock Yates' "Cannonball" you'll LOVE this
book. It proves once again that people CAN drive at triple-digit
speeds on American roads with reasonable safety. SPEED DOES NOT HAVE
TO KILL!

Highly recommended!

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Brent P - 05 Nov 2007 03:02 GMT

> I heard about this book a couple of weeks ago. The author was being
> interviewed on some radio program, talking about how he had driven
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
> speeds on American roads with reasonable safety. SPEED DOES NOT HAVE
> TO KILL!

Hmm... I did read cannonball, but I bought it cause it was on sale for $6
(in hardback).

My question though, is how does he prove beating the cannonball record of
just under 33 hours.

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Scott in SoCal - 05 Nov 2007 14:30 GMT

>My question though, is how does he prove beating the cannonball record of
>just under 33 hours.

He used the same timeclock method they used for the Cannonballs, only
he flew the SAME timeclock from NY to Santa Monica so there would be
no question of clock synchronization. He also had witnesses on each
end of the trip as well as a documentary filmmaker riding along.

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Brent P - 05 Nov 2007 15:14 GMT

>>My question though, is how does he prove beating the cannonball record of
>>just under 33 hours.
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> no question of clock synchronization. He also had witnesses on each
> end of the trip as well as a documentary filmmaker riding along.

Did he correct for the realitivistic (sp?) effects? :)

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Scott in SoCal - 05 Nov 2007 15:25 GMT

>>>My question though, is how does he prove beating the cannonball record of
>>>just under 33 hours.
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
>
>Did he correct for the realitivistic (sp?) effects? :)

Come to think of it, he makes absolutely no mention of such a
correction.

Clearly his claim to the record is invalid. :)

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gpsman - 05 Nov 2007 16:32 GMT

> If you liked Brock Yates' "Cannonball" you'll LOVE this
> book. It proves once again that people CAN drive at triple-digit
> speeds on American roads with reasonable safety.

How does -that- work?!

Is the hazard relevant to the disparity of velocities of vehicles
suspended if one is traveling at 100+? If I found a report of someone
crashing at 100+, would that prove people CAN'T "drive at triple-digit
speeds with reasonable safety"?

How about all the "sloths" traveling 25-45mph slower, no longer
dangerous?

This site proves computers can read your mind:
http://petrix.com/magic/

> SPEED DOES NOT HAVE
> TO KILL!

Seems a rather drastic change of your former opinion: "speed does not
kill". That must be one hell of a book!
-----

- gpsman

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