Wake up call.....

[MNYPNNY]

This morning on my way to work I witnessed a fatal accident. Had I been 5-10 seconds earlier, he would have taken me with him.
A small pickup truck coming off the highway, the opposite direction I was going, flew end over end across the median, right in front of me, landing on its top. It hit hard enough that there was no cab left. Needless to say, the driver was killed nearly instantly.

It just goes to show that you never know what's going to happen when, and no matter how good a driver you are, you could still be taken out in an instant.

I've had my wake up call....

~~Michelle

[jscorse]

I understand how you feel I've been whitness to more than one similar accident (I spend a LOT of time on very fast highways), but consider the vehicle.

I see so many people driving past me (with my cruise set a fair amount above the speed limit, but normal HS lane for the area) in trucks and minivans that should not and will not be controllable in the event of an ... event.

Most vehicles are perfectly capable of driving very fast in a straight line, but few are able to handle an upset event such as a blown tire, other idiot driver or the occasional squirrel.

I hit an owl the other night. I was travelling 35mph driving a friends pickup and I wasn't about to turn or brake abuptly in that kind of a vehicle. I feel bad about it, but at least I didn't kill him AND myself.

[Mr. Pockets]

Originally posted by jscorse
I see so many people driving past me (with my cruise set a fair amount above the speed limit, but normal HS lane for the area) in trucks and minivans that should not and will not be controllable in the event of an ... event.

Most vehicles are perfectly capable of driving very fast in a straight line, but few are able to handle an upset event such as a blown tire, other idiot driver or the occasional squirrel.

I agree completely, Jeff. Most people simply don't understand the physics of driving a car (or truck, etc).

Besides the rules of the road, I think drivers should be well-taught in driving physics. Driver's Ed should be far more inclusive than it is and probably take far longer than it does. It's not enough to know what the law says you should and shouldn't do, and for a very good reason:

When you're a kid, and your mom says 'don't play in the street - you'll get hit by a car,' what do you do? You heed her warning for awhile, test the waters and eventually play in the street like the rest of the kids. Most likely, nothing happens. The reasoning in your head becomes, 'mom didn't tell me the truth about that - it's clearly okay to play in the street.'

Same thing with driving. People tell you, 'don't drive too fast - it's dangerous.' Yet we all do it every day, usually without consequence. Then the unexpected happens.

Sorry for the rant. I just think that the majority of accidents could be prevented with better driver education. Bad things would still happen, but it'd be less often, I think.

Yikes. Glad you didn't get killed. :| I haven't seen an accident in a while, don't care to see one in the future either. I almost hit a hawk once.

- Ca$h

last night coming home there was a camaro with the liscense plat "AMAAZING" swering in and out of lanes infront of me, never using a turn signal, I tried to get around him and he swerved right into me without using a turn signal. I was lucky i noticed him and quickly got in the lane beside me.

I saw a pontiac gran prix fly by me on the highway one night; about 30 minutes later I passed it- it was wrapped around a telephone pole. What a moron.

- Ca$h

[Seraph]

These trucks carrying liquid CO2 seem to love my car for some unknown reason. I nearly got hit by one again (for the 4th time this year). At least I'd be frozen before I die.

Lwin

[Landshark]

another trend i've been noticing around here lately (besides turnsignals are optional) is that the center line in the road doesn't mean much anymore. i can't even count the number of times other vehicles have crossed the line into my lane coming around a corner, and sometimes even on a straight road!!! put down the cellphone/ makeup/ newspaper/ videogame controller/ cheeseburger/ etc. and pay attention to what you are doing - driving!
i would support the enforcement of a mandatory driving school that taught skills and driving etiquette. not like the B.S driving test we have here (memorize a few road signs, 2 minutes around an obstacle course). would have to have "refresher courses" every few years, too. too many people (of all ages) with cars now that really shouldn't be behind the wheel.

[vkykam]

Driver Ed really does need to be improved in North America. It's just way too easy to get a license here.

I recently went to the BMW Driver Training (gift from friends for Birthday), and for the day, they taught some of the basics that everyone takes for granted. Simple things such as seat, mirror, and hand positions that can make a world of difference. Then they taught skid control (understeer/oversteer), ABS, effects of speed, and emergency maneuvers.

The emergency maneuver involves 3 pylons placed 13ft. apart in a equilateral triangle. You approach the base of the triangle at 30 and 40MPH, and you have to steer through either side of the triangle and not clip it.

Two things I drew from the end of class:

1) That if I didn't use the hand and seat positions, there's NO way I could've pulled off the maneuver or skid control.
2) That if I had the lessons before being fully licenced, I would have been able to avoid the couple of not-at-fault accidents which I have had.

If everyone had to learn those before being licenced, we'd all be safer drivers and we'd all pay lower premiums. Sigh.

VK

[svxistentialist]

Originally posted by thndrmtn92svx
This morning on my way to work I witnessed a fatal accident. Had I been 5-10 seconds earlier, he would have taken me with him.
A small pickup truck coming off the highway, the opposite direction I was going, flew end over end across the median, right in front of me, landing on its top. It hit hard enough that there was no cab left. Needless to say, the driver was killed nearly instantly.

It just goes to show that you never know what's going to happen when, and no matter how good a driver you are, you could still be taken out in an instant.

I've had my wake up call....

~~Michelle

Hi Michelle

If you were able to see it, you must have been real close, time-wise. Glad the poor guy did not include you in his accident. Keep safe.

There seems to be a big trend towards SUVs and trucks, and it started in the States. They are tall, so unstable by nature, and are often jacked up to look more butch, and become even more unstable.

I try not to be dismissive of another man's sport, or woman's, but the rules for owning and driving these things should be different if they are inherently unstable, and a danger to the driver and other road users. Michelle could have been thumped by this guy.

Where is Ralph Nader when you need him?

Joe

[MNYPNNY]

The more I've thought about this all day long, the more I seem to remember. I just don't think that the guy was simply going too fast, although I suppose it's possible. Knowing the ramps intimately (since I drive them every day), I know that going too fast on this particular ramp could definitely cause an accident. However, I really wonder if he didn't have some sort of mechanical failure, such as a blown tire or a ball joint go out. It was an older small pickup, not sure what make, maybe Nissan or Chevy, 2WD. When I got home tonight and was trying to explain it to my husband, we got out the matchbox cars and played with different scenarios, trying to make them match what I saw. I also saw the skid marks for the first time this afternoon on my way home and they don't match up with my original conclusion as to how it happened.
On the news tonight they mentioned the accident, gave the name of the driver (now he has a name ) and said that the police had not made a determination as to the cause of the accident.
I am just so very grateful that I was not going just that much faster this morning or I very well would not be talking to you folks now.

~~Michelle

[dromano]

Originally posted by Landshark
another trend i've been noticing around here lately (besides turnsignals are optional) is that the center line in the road doesn't mean much anymore. i can't even count the number of times other vehicles have crossed the line into my lane coming around a corner, and sometimes even on a straight road!!! put down the cellphone/ makeup/ newspaper/ videogame controller/ cheeseburger/ etc. and pay attention to what you are doing - driving!
i would support the enforcement of a mandatory driving school that taught skills and driving etiquette. not like the B.S driving test we have here (memorize a few road signs, 2 minutes around an obstacle course). would have to have "refresher courses" every few years, too. too many people (of all ages) with cars now that really shouldn't be behind the wheel.

I took a "55 Alive" class last month and learned that Oregon has a law regarding old folks that are a driving danger can have their driver's license revoke if someone gives their name to DMV and a hearing determines to revoke.

[Landshark]

Originally posted by dromano


I took a "55 Alive" class last month and learned that Oregon has a law regarding old folks that are a driving danger can have their driver's license revoke if someone gives their name to DMV and a hearing determines to revoke.

that sounds a little extreme! if my neighbor is old and i don't like him, i can turn him in and cause a big hassle for him? maybe driving retests after a certain age, and increasingly more frequent ones thereafter? i don't know. other than driving too slow, and the occaisional "way-too-old-and-senile-to-drive" folks, i think younger/middle-aged people have caused more problems for me on the road.

[dromano]

Originally posted by Landshark


that sounds a little extreme! if my neighbor is old and i don't like him, i can turn him in and cause a big hassle for him? maybe driving retests after a certain age, and increasingly more frequent ones thereafter? i don't know. other than driving too slow, and the occaisional "way-too-old-and-senile-to-drive" folks, i think younger/middle-aged people have caused more problems for me on the road.

It's more about a senior that is reluctant to give up the independence and freedom of driving. Think about the little old lady that mowed down a bench full of folks waiting for a bus in Florida.
At some point for ALL of us, eye sight and reaction time become less than minimum required.

[Ron Mummert]

You've all probably seen those tests where teenager's reactions & driving skills are tested on a slolom course prior to a few belts of alcohol, & after. I'd like to see the same tests applied with & without a cell phone plastered to the driver's ear. I find that I now dart my eyes around at the drivers who are yakking away at 70 mph & avoid their proximity just as I would if they were sucking down a pint of joy juice.

It's always sumpthin'!

Ron (tailgaters should be shot on sight).