Crazy SVX driver

Driving back from Rochester to minneapolis tonight in a snow storm... we were going about 50mph and feeling on the edge of safety (in my girlfriend's Cr-V) when an SVX blew by doing probably 75. If it was someone on this board - you're not invincible! Slow down next time or their might not BE a next time.

Sorry, needed to vent.. seeing people stupidly risk their lives...

-Colin

I agree but then again...it was probibly fun and you only live once...

[Seraph]

I thought the name of the movie was "You only live twice"

L

ps. it wasn't me ... so said shaggy

[kuoh]

Personally, I just don't believe in imposing my personal judgement of safety on someone else. You may have felt that you were on the edge at 50 in your CRV and the other driver felt that the edge was 75. What about the guy in the Accord doing only 35 that you passed? Perhaps you should've slowed down to his speed as well?

My "opinion" on safety is if you don't think the other guy is driving safely, keep your distance. Stay ahead or let him by and stay behind, either way, just keep your eyes peeled. If the guy passing surprised you, then you weren't paying attention to your surroundings either and perhaps were just as much of a risk to other people's safety as the other driver.

It's a good thing you didn't take it upon yourself to force your will on the other driver. I think the most dangerous people on the roads are those that purposely create a traffic impediment under the mistaken belief that they're actually enhancing public safety. Nothing could be further from the truth.

KuoH

[Seraph]

Good thoughts there Mr. KouH.

I have to agree with you on that one.

[ensteele]

I don't know if you have seen the bumper stickers that say "Pace Car" and drive about 50mph and think that they are doing this great service to keep everyone at that speed. They usually drive in the left hand speed lane and won't move over for anything. I don't like to pass on the right hand side because 1) it is against the law here, and 2) you take your chance that if they don't see you that they will turn and plow into you. Yep, it would be your fault.

You pays your money and you takes your chances.

Like Kuoh, I don't think it's entirely proper to assume that the rest of the world will follow my rules. However when someone else's behavior is putting MY life at risk, I start getting pissed off. 75mph is too fast to be driving during a snowstorm if there are other people on the road with you. period. (that was like three periods. you can tell I mean business). I've driven the SVX in snowstorms at speeds approaching 75, sure, but that was at night and the roads were clear. When I pulled up behind someone going, say, 45, I'd slow down to 55 to pass and then speed back up once I was clear.

I embrace the fact that my driving ability is nowhere near what it should be, and that without the assistance of AWD, I would probably be in some guardrail by now. A friend of mine one said that all the latest all-wheel drive systems and stability control and traction control technologies are making drivers worse and worse because they're giving them too much unneccesary faith in their cars.

just thinking

-adam

[kuoh]

Personally, I think if you felt safe enough to go 75, then slowing down to pass was probably not as good of an idea as you thought. First off, it puts you next to the other car for a longer period of time. If he was going to swerve into your lane, then he would've likely done it whether you were going fast or slow, it's simply a matter of timing of when you're next to him and for how long. Second, if there were other traffic behind you, you would be slowing them down and not necessarily in a good way.

Lastly, one man's snow "storm" could be another's flurries. I've driven 75 in the rain, sleet, slush, and snow and usually know where the edge is and if I have pushed the car passed it. I can and do routinely drive my SVX at the limits of my capabilities in all kinds of weather, but I don't make it a point to admonish others or force them to adhear to my sense of where the limit is if they feel that they're more capable. That's what the law enforcement officers are there for. To be perfectly frank, even your 75 was over the safety limit established by the local safety officials. I try never to condemn others for the same actions that I am guilty of.

I leave you all with this parting thought. One night last year during a snow "storm", I was merrily passing people in the left lane of a 3 lane highway at probably 60-65, which was the normal posted speed limit. Most of the other vehicles were travelling 10-15 MPH slower. I had just passed a snow plow and crossed a bridge when only a few of seconds later, I saw a car in the rearview mirror lose control in the right lane, turn side ways and plow straight across the other 2 lanes of traffic right into the center barrier. Luckily, the driver missed the other cars, but you should've seen the pileup behind him. Obviously, the other driver was in a RWD car and not aware of his situation or conditions on the bridge. Would I have been better served to have slowed down that night? I don't believe so. If anything, it would've put me more in harm's way.

KuoH

[Pure_Insanity8]

I don't know why anyone would push the limits of their car in hazardous conditions when there are other vehicles around. When there is no one around and you want to risk flying off the road while having a little fun, then that's cool... it's at your own risk. I just don't want some "funboy" sliding into me. Sith, Sunday was pretty nasty (kinda slippery, but I think that the safety factor was more in the lack of visibility with the driving snow)... it wasn't me by the way... the SVX has been in the garage "resting" for a while now.

I think that people really should drive alot more cautiously in nasty conditions... especially snow. One night last winter (or the one before) I was driving on the freeway during a REALLY heavy snowstorm, barely staying on the road at 40 or so. A mini van comes flying by me at what must have been 70 or more and moves over in front of me. He kicked up so much snow from changing lanes that I was COMPLETELY blinded. I wandered a little toward the shoulder and the snow build up there grabbed hold of my car instantly and pulled me in. I came literally inches from slamming into the concrete barrier and then back out into the cars behind me. The *sshole could have seriously caused some serious injuries had I not been able to recover my control.

These things have happened to me in the snow a countless number of times... and I find it just horribly unacceptable. Seriuosly, it puts other people's lives in danger. Do what you want, just don't hurt anybody else while you're at it.

I'm starting to really see this dang responsibility thing grow with age... how depressing.

-Aaron

[CigarJohnny]

I'm have to say I agree with Kuoh on this (for the most part) To say your comfort level is where everyone should be at is like saying "let's all lower ourselves to limits of the lowest common denominator". We should not go faster than the slowest, most ill handling vehicle on the road driven by the worst feeble minded, slowest thinking individual with the least driving skill possible.

If everyone would just stay in their lane and continue at their own pace things would be a lot safer. I hate trying to get on the freeway when I judge the speed of traffic and adjust mine accordingly so that I slip in to the spot I have already chosen only to have someone in the right lane slow down to let me in, only to get in my way and force me to end up coming to a stop at the end of the on ramp with little room to now get onto the highway safely. MIND YOUR OWN BUSINESS AND LET ME WORRY ABOUT MERGING MY CAR INTO TRAFFIC! You only screw things up when you try to think for others! The same goes for driving in bad conditions like snow and ice. Maintain your own comfort speed and stay the hell in your own lane. Do not worry about what the other guy is doing in the lane next to you. The faster he passes you the further from you he will be when his car comes to a stop on it's roof (if that's what you are worried about). As soon as we start trying to decide who's slower speed is the safest is when you can only keep going down to the slowest car on the road. Let me say it again...mind your own business and worry about yourself. If you are worried about what would happen to the guy passing you at 70mph during a snow storm if someone were to pull out in front of him, then don't pull out in front of him. Stay in your lane and worry about keeping yourself straight.

In my younger days I drove a Horizon and knew it's limits inside and out from much practice. I could take it to the edge of it's limits (and sometimes beyond the laws of physics) in any condition you can think of. I passed lots of people in hazardous road conditions and never had an ill incident occur. I would feel comfortable having the younger me pass me but most people are not that proficient in their driving skills and I can see being concerned about the stranger flying past you in inclimate weather. But you cannot assume he/she is an idiot and be so quick to condemn them. They might have mad-skillz when it comes to driving and their car might be better than yours in those conditions. Let the authorities worry about it and mind your own business.

I got so caught up in my little rant (sorry ) that I forgot where I was going with this. Oh well...thanks for letting me go on like that. I do see some flaws in my logic but spent so much effort writing this that I'm too lazy to change any of it. Enough.

PS: ask me how I really feel

[Landshark]

Originally posted by CigarJohnny
In my younger days I drove a Horizon and knew it's limits inside and out from much practice. I could take it to the edge of it's limits (and sometimes beyond the laws of physics) in any condition you can think of.

i drove a Horizon in my younger days, too! i also knew the edge of its limits - when going up a hill it was necessary to turn off the AC!

[Pure_Insanity8]

Originally posted by CigarJohnny
PS: ask me how I really feel

... how do you really feel?

-Aaron

When I set up a network for a group I do it with the average or belowuser in mind, that way everyone else should be fine. The same thing when I teach a group of people find the least knowledgeable and the rest will be fine. I think they do the same thing with speed limits post them for the the average or bleow driver. Some people are just good drivers, have beter cars, took a course in rally driving
Call it what want to some good drivers drive slow, some bad drivers go fast vice versa.

[ensteele]

Johnny

What happens if you type a long post and change your mind by the time you get to the end of it? Do you retype it, or say to heck with it? Just wondered!