benos Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 My girlfriend's always the first one in an intersection after a green light. I've told her many times people die all the time from doing that by drivers running red lights. But she still does it. Until last night. I always check both directions before leaving a green light. Last night that saved us from being hit by a driver running a red light. Now she's a believer. I guess the other thing here is that we often learn by direct experience more quickly than we do from words. be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve J Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 We're glad you're safe and I hope she does slow down. So many people push the yellow and blatantly run red light and they're paying attention and doing it intentionally. Then there are the distracted drivers whose ranks are growing exponentially. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Avezorak Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I missed the brake petal while driving in Atlanta one time. Combination of a new truck and an unfamilar area. I was really glad no one rushed the green that time. Glad yall are ok. It sure taught me a lesson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
benos Posted November 20, 2009 Author Share Posted November 20, 2009 We're glad you're safe and I hope she does slow down. So many people push the yellow and blatantly run red light and they're paying attention and doing it intentionally. Then there are the distracted drivers whose ranks are growing exponentially. Thanks. When I was teaching BigJoni to drive, I told her, usually, accidents happen because two drivers are not paying attention at the same time. So if you are always paying attention you'll always be safe. Many years later she repeated that in a conversation. I was shocked. My daughter actually listened to me! be Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sam Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Brian I'm so glad you live carefully. I would hate like everything to be mourning your passing and reading about your wreck in "Left the Range". Life is precious. Blessings to you and your Girlfriend! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
herky Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Live by the "3 second" rule. Don't move after the light changes for three seconds. I'm a delivery driver and it has saved me numerous times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kgunz11 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Another tip, when riding a motorcycle, drive like you are invisible, because to everyone else on the road you ARE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Another aspect of driving is getting some attention here in Duckville: blathering on cell phone while driving. We can get cited for it. One of my attorney associates at the office was blathering-on-the-cell a couple of mornings ago and cut off a police cruiser in traffic on the way to work. He stopped her, of course, gave her a warning (she groveled with her usual cheerfulness and admitted her mistake), but the irony of the incident having involved an on-duty cop was, well, both amusing and timely. She regarded this as a MAJOR, major wake-up call about paying attention on the road. And, yes, we still have a huge number of red-light-runners here in Eugene; and what's worse--this seems to be the hit-and-run capital of the known universe! God, can you imagine!?!??!? It's revolting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atbarr Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 There are some great thoughts here. As far as that 3 second rule, here in Lexington, to be safe it needs to be a 5 second rule. Some of these drivers are f-ing crazy. Stay Safe, A.T. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I have my yougest starting to drive now. I tell her to drive like every car around her is going to make some kind of mistake and to watch for it. I am also relentless in reminding her that by definition a green light means, "proceed with caution". Glad your safe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Singlestack Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I am guilty. I was driving tired and I knew it. I was pushing and I knew better. I blinked and next thing I knew I was blowing through an intersection at sixty miles an hour and the light was stone cold red. Scared the hell out of me. I was very lucky I didn't kill someone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nik Habicht Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I'm often the first person in an intersection when the light flips to Green ---- but it's because I've been watching the light change for cross traffic and because I've determined that it's safe to proceed at that time..... It's all about not driving oblivious.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-ManBart Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I'm often the first person in an intersection when the light flips to Green ---- but it's because I've been watching the light change for cross traffic and because I've determined that it's safe to proceed at that time.....It's all about not driving oblivious.... Me too. In fact, I am almost always the first into an intersection, but I've been watching and checked both directions before moving. I actually check left, right then a quick left again before moving. I will admit that when I'm in my work car (Crown Vic), and I'm alone, I watch for idiots blatantly running red arrows and intentionally start to pull out (to get their attention) and hit the air horn so they know what they've done....but I do it in a very calculated fashion so that even if they screw up further they still won't come close to hitting me. I think dumbing things down (please don't take offense, I can't think of a better term right now) to a "rule" about how many seconds or anything like, that can set you up for a problem almost as much as not using the rule.....you get to thinking "I waited X seconds, it must be safe", when the real goal is to know it's safe, not wait any certain length of time. The fact is, driving is the most dangerous thing most of us do on a daily basis. The standard of driving is SO low that you really need to be paying attention as much as possible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
3quartertime Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 I drive like an old lady. Even at that I find myself having more 'near misses' than I'd like. I used to see someone do something and think, ' how could they not see this or that'. I've had to tell that to myself a few times lately. My oldest has her permit now. She's pretty hard headed, ( no idea where she got that from!) but she's doing good. The biggest thing I do to 'Keep on Living' is everything. I think maybe about the time I turned 40 I started to think more about each thing I did. Not sure if it was cause my parents started retiring or just because I began to realize I'm pretty much solidly in the middle of it all if I'm lucky to live that long. I did some crazy stoopid things as a young adult that one slip and I'd have been toast. Now when I think of something I can't help considering the consequences. I know, I know... Live fast die young, It's better to burn out than fade away, Live fast die young and have a good looking corpse, etc... I'm not ready to stay on the porch and watch everyone else have the fun, I just plan better than I did before... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Considering the things I USED to do in cars as a young idiot, I'm really lucky to be alive and still ambulatory. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L-10_shooter Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Driving around town I count the times I see people on the cell phone, eating, TEXTING GRRRR, makeup, etc. It boggles my mind how many people are driving into oblivion. When crossing a street I make shure to make eye contact with the first driver in line to be shure they know I am there. I think my alertness when driving/dealing with cars has helped my shooting. Being aware of my surroundings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sarge Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Considering the things I USED to do in cars as a young idiot, I'm really lucky to be alive and still ambulatory. Considering all the things I used to do in cars......... Ah to be young again. But anyway back to DRIVING in cars. Speaking of idiots, when I was 19 I wrecked twice in one night before I totalled my 73 Nova. Then, less than a year later I wrecked my mom and dad's car while home on leave. Both times, you guessed it, drunk off my ass. But I was lucky and got to learn from my mistakes. I never drink more than a beer before driving now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bell Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Considering the things I USED to do in cars as a young idiot, I'm really lucky to be alive and still ambulatory. +1 smacked up a lot of cars and did damn stupid things. Glad I never hurt anyone else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritinUSA Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 (edited) I treat all other drivers as if they are idiots... Related thread ---> Texting while driving Edited November 20, 2009 by BritinUSA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greg Bell Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Awareness is the key, many years ago on a rainy night I heard a car coming up behind me with the brakes locked. I pulled out of the way as it sailed by with wheels locked. Freaked my wife right out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Keen Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 You guys are all correct. And Brian ..... glad to hear you're ok. But you folks are all taking this literally, instead of metaphorically ...... as I think Brian may have been eluding to from the start. I believe there are many parallels between driving & shooting. Driving is a very technical skill, that we learn slowly. Very conscious of our actions at first. And then it quickly becomes subconscious as we get more accustomed to it. To the point that we can drink our coffee, talk on our cell phones, and operate the machinery without really thinking too much about it. But as Brian always says about the shooting ... the most important thing is always being aware of what is going on around us. Paying attention, watching the driving, and correcting what needs to be corrected as it happens. ok enough of that stuff. No seriously, Tuesday night as I was on my way to take my 84 year old mother out to dinner, it was dark & rainy, and I narrowly avoided being side-swiped by another car. I was in the left lane of a 2-lane road, and as I passed thru an intersection another driver, who was turning right (in my direction) decided that the left lane looked better than the right lane. Luckily I had already noticed his wider-than-normal turn and slowed down enough to allow him room. I dont even think he knew what he did was wrong. But that brings up another point to think about. For those of us who are smart enough to slow down, and stop at a yellow light ..... how many times do you look in your rear-view mirror to make sure the guy behind you is planning on stopping as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SiG Lady Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 "Considering all the things I used to do in cars......... Ah to be young again." Yeh, that too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlamoShooter Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 A teaching Rule is ..80% of what we learn comes through our eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redmanfixit Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Another tip, when riding a motorcycle, drive like you are invisible, because to everyone else on the road you ARE! +1 on this one. I thought I was the only one that espoused the invisibility strategy. So glad there was no harm. Remember when you were little? Look both ways before you cross the street! Don't step out from between parked cars? When I was young I drove a wrecker for quite awhile. To this day whenever I drive anything, at the root level, I'm scared to death. The fear keeps me alert! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boz1911 Posted November 20, 2009 Share Posted November 20, 2009 Chris, I understand where Brian's going. I drive and shoot like an old man with a hat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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