Total Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 This is not from a chain mail or another website. This happened to me, Bill, this morning. On my way to work this morning, I found myself adversely impacted by the idiocy of another driver. Now, while we all think everybody else is an idiot, everyone needs to look closer to home. As in, look in the mirror and evaluate is there an idiot driving your car. The most dangerous thing on the road right now fits into the palm of your hand, and many people have it located in their palm when on the road. That item is a cell phone. I was in the right lane, abiding by the speed limit of 40MPH. A person driving a bright yellow pickup with tinted windows was driving in the left lane. The weather was lousy. Raining and overcast. The driver in the left lane had their cell phone up above steering wheel height. Apparently texting or looking for the correct number to dial. More concerned with their own little world than the one they were driving in, they started merging right. They did not use their blinkers and they definitely did not look in their mirrors before starting the merge. Unlike the car my wife drives, mine does not have Traction Control nor a pristine ABS system. I hit the horn and started stepping (not slamming) the brakes. In the wet conditions though, all four tires locked up putting me into a 40MPH skid with traffic ahead, beside, and behind me. The skid carried me into the curb. Had I not taken an evasive driving course in the military, I have to wonder if I would have lost control of the vehicle and gone into a spin. I was able to maintain control and limp it into the parking of the Madison County Human Resources building. The damage to my vehicle is both rims on the right-side are bent and need to be replaced. Luckily, I do not use my car as a status symbol, so my rims are stock steel rims. Both tires will need to be replaced. Additionally, my steering is now out almost 10 degrees left. The driver of the pickup continued their merge even after hearing my horn. I did not get their license plate number. I was a bit more intent on maintaining control of my car as to not spin out in front of oncoming traffic. No use calling my insurance company. The rims, tires, and front end alignment will probably run the same amount as my deductable. So, some idiot just cost me about $500 for the sake of a text message or a phone call. For the sake of other drivers: 1) Unless you have a completely hands free, voice activated cell phone system, leave the blasted thing alone while you are driving. Don't even look at it to see who is calling. Wait until you are at a stop light or stop sign. 2) There are mirrors and blinkers on your vehicle for a reason. Use them! 3) Don't stare at the radio or GPS in traffic. If you don't like the song that's on, turn the radio off instead of fiddling with it while looking at the display. Program your GPS in a parking lot or, better yet, before you even leave. 4) Forget about your little world when driving in the big world. Not paying attention to the big world can bring an abrupt end to your's or someone else's little world. 5) Wait until you are at your destination to take the lid off of that scalding hot cup of coffee or open the wrapper on that triple-decker hamburger. I don't really care about your little world. I care about mine. I don't want your inability to pay attention to the big world to cause my little world financial strain or to come to an end. Please pass this along to those you know. Maybe someone who is an idiot will realize they're being an idiot and maybe, just maybe, stop being an idiot. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monotwix Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 I wouldn’t get totally disappointed, and you could get used to it. How long have you been driving for? I know the human being and fish can coexist peacefully. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
topol-m Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 You are right about all but one thing: an idiot can`t realize he`s an idiot. Whatever you do to convince him he`s an idiot like talking to him, cursing him, beating him, etc. has no result at all. Even if you prove him with facts he`s an idiot he will never realize it. He can learn though to restrain his idiotness in certain situations, like in your example not talking while driving. But deep inside he`s the same idiot that desperately wants to express himself and express himself he will if not in this occasion then in another. You see once he voluntarily oppresses or is forced to oppress one part of the idiotic side in his personality another part grows stronger. For instance, he will stop talking on the mobile phone while driving but he will start to find eating while driving very exciting or he`ll replace talking with making his pedicure. He will more often open the window cursing the drivers around: "Speed up you geizer! My 80 years old grandma drives faster than you! Speed up or I`ll park my yellow pickup on that wheel-chair of yours that you call a car! Idiot!". So the tactic should be not to convert the idiots into normal people, but instead to reduce the manifestation of their idiotness in moments that are most threatening like in your example driving a car. :thumbup: [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Posted December 11, 2009 Author Share Posted December 11, 2009 I wouldn’t get totally disappointed, and you could get used to it. How long have you been driving for? 23 years. Just alot more prevelant than last year or the year before. Coming home this evening, saw a lady with the phone in one ear and waving her other hand around as she was talking.....all while merging into oncoming traffic. The inevitable happened - she slammed into a car. I stopped with every intent to sign a witness report. Luckily, no one was hurt. After I filled out the form, the officer read and it and shook his head. Just sucks that some of our city council have business constituents who were against the resolution to make it an offense to use a cell phone while driving. As I was talking to the officer, I heard you talking on her cell saying "Yeah, I got in an accident when I was talking to you. Hopefully, it will be the other person's fault" heh The "Stay Connected" philosphy is disconnecting people from the road. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brit_Radar_Dude Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 It is an offence here in the UK. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Sorry Death, you lose! It was Professor Plum.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GGTharos Posted December 11, 2009 Share Posted December 11, 2009 Cellphones while driving are an offense punishable with an $500 CDN fine and points on your license where I live now. ANd not a moment too soon, IMHO - there's enough distractions while you're driving, no need to add extra. Sorry to hear about your car being damaged, that really sucks, especially since the other driver got away with it. 23 years. Just alot more prevelant than last year or the year before. Coming home this evening, saw a lady with the phone in one ear and waving her other hand around as she was talking.....all while merging into oncoming traffic. The inevitable happened - she slammed into a car. I stopped with every intent to sign a witness report. Luckily, no one was hurt. After I filled out the form, the officer read and it and shook his head. Just sucks that some of our city council have business constituents who were against the resolution to make it an offense to use a cell phone while driving. As I was talking to the officer, I heard you talking on her cell saying "Yeah, I got in an accident when I was talking to you. Hopefully, it will be the other person's fault" heh The "Stay Connected" philosphy is disconnecting people from the road. [sIGPIC][/sIGPIC] Reminder: SAM = Speed Bump :D I used to play flight sims like you, but then I took a slammer to the knee - Yoda Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Total Posted December 12, 2009 Author Share Posted December 12, 2009 Well, I scored a couple of rims for $35 each from a local salvage palce. Not bad considering that it proved to be hard as hell to find 15X6 steel rims for a 2004 Suzuki Verona. If this place wouldn't have had them, it was going to involve shipping charges. Now, just gotta save up the $ to get the tires replaced and the front end re-asligned (that's the fricking biggie there). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WhiskeyJuliet Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Danm thats really unfortunate man. I aggree with everything you've said, it is really important for people realise the danger. Recently, a lorry driver on one of our motorways ploughed into a traffic jam while he was fiddling with his laptop. He crushed a car with a family of five inside. They were trapped, and burned to death. A mother, father and three small children. THE ROAD IS THE MOST DANGEROUS PLACE ON EARTH, TREAT IT AS SUCH. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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