Things you do to Keep on Living

[redwoods]

Don't use your Teeth to dig your grave.

AKA: eat to survive not for fun.

[benos]

Another tip, when riding a motorcycle, drive like you are invisible, because to everyone else on the road you ARE!

When I bought my first motorcycle in '84, that was the first thing an experienced motorcycle riding friend told me. I also drive a car like I'm invisible. I expect every car that's coming toward me to ram me.

Positively, that save me and BigJoni's life, as we were heading across a Kansas state route around 2 AM, in the VW van.

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.

There ya go.

Don't use your Teeth to dig your grave.

AKA: eat to survive not for fun.

Good one!

Be especially alert when an elevator door opens. That would be an easy moment to get caught off guard.

If your cellphone rings as you are getting out of your car - don't answer it until you are sure you are safe.

be

[Chills1994]

I make sure the lid is closed on the parts cleaner now...before I fire up the plasma cutter... or make sparks in general. I also make sure the welding screens and a fire extinguisher are where they should be.

DAMHIKT.

In some respects, the one lesson I picked up from that Clint Eastwood/Hillary Swank movie about the woman boxer, Million Dollar Baby, was... the first rule is to protect yourself at all times.

Oh yeah... dumb people/idiots are out to kill ya.

[Nik Habicht]

Be especially alert when an elevator door opens. That would be an easy moment to get caught off guard.

As once memorably demonstrated on an episode of L.A. Law penned by David E. Kelley.....

"Rosalind......"

[ima45dv8]

Please don't confuse me being an Assertive driver with being an Aggressive driver. I try to be as crisp with driving as I am with my 'Make Ready' routine.

I was raised to believe that every other driver on the road is a complete idiot and deserves my full attention. They're out to kill me and it's my job to ensure they don't.

Driving is nothing less than a full-time job.

As for how it relates to IPSC/USPSA shooting, I've come to accept that shooting more closely mirrors my approach to driving than the other way around.

[G-ManBart]

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?

ALL the time! Great point....

[MarkCO]

As a guy who got out of a ticket by proving to a State Patrol Officer that "Yeah, my car can be going 130 mph only 1/4 mile after the red light", investigated 100s of MVAs, and taught "Assertive Drivng", a few things I have learned...

1. All "rules" are generalities.

2. 2 second rule for following: 2 seconds between when they pass an object and when you pass it.

3. At 30 mph, you cross an average interesction in about 1.5 seconds.

4. While human reaction times might be 1/3 second, real reaction time is about 1.5 seconds, time to see, perceive and react.

5. Never ride in front of or next to a vehicle that is larger/heavier than yours, especially semis.

6. Don't try to use your vehicle to enforce the law on other drivers: get out of the way of speeding jerks, especially in the fast lane.

7. City driving: Rule of 1/3rds, between intersections, accelerate, coast, cover the brake.

8. The majority of fatalies are broadsides in neighborhoods, most of those left turns.

9. Take the 5 extra seconds to pull over and let tailgaters pass.

10. If you have a flat/problem on a Freeway, get OFF the freeway if you can.

11. On snow and ice, drive a gear down to get the benefit of engine braking.

12. Every time you get gas, check your tire air pressure.

13. Unplug all accessory chargers when you park the car in the garage.

14. If you have a 1992 to 2005 Ford with cruise control, don't park it in the garage!

15. Keep your eyes moving. You should scan the rear and both side mirrors for about 25% of the time, about 4-5 times per mintue.

[Sam]

Yeah, as deeply as I sometimes think, I can still miss the metaphor.

But, yeah......if we aren't paying full attention, at all times, we are just letting our lives slip away.

Ya got me, Brian!

[Sam]

Another tip, when riding a motorcycle, drive like you are invisible, because to everyone else on the road you ARE!

This would explain why Kawasaki named a bike the Ninja?

[Neomet]

I've handled the consequences of auto accidents for over 30 years. Going through intersections is where you are most likely to really get hurt. It has the most opportunity for people to make a big mistake, you have much less protection on the side of a vehicle, and most opposing vehicles are not braking and in fact often are accelerating as they attempt to beat the light. The addendum to not being first across the intersection is to go across with another vehicle alongside you if possible. That car will make a nice shield for you.

Another tip is to vary the way you drive to work/home. If you go the same way each time the mind kinda drifts into autopilot which frequently results in bad things.

My last one isn't very green or economical but be in the biggest, heaviest damn thing you can buy. You can not argue with Newtonian physics. The big guy always wins.

[Chris Keen]

15. Keep your eyes moving. You should scan the rear and both side mirrors for about 25% of the time, about 4-5 times per mintue.

Great point! Thanks for reminding us.

[SiG Lady]

"Another tip is to vary the way you drive to work/home. If you go the same way each time the mind kinda drifts into autopilot which frequently results in bad things."

I have no way of doing this without encountering even MORE dangerous traffic circumstances (and add'l miles, thereby spending more on gas and time, producing even MORE stress), and I nearly every day remind myself to PAY ATTENTION on the way home each day. It's only 3.5 miles but it's busy roadways (at 55-60mph) and anything can happen at any time--and I'm acutely aware of it.

And still I see people doing dangerous or stupid things, I swear.

[Toolguy]

That's why the Europeans don't have cup holders in their cars over there. They think when you're driving you should not be doing anything else.

[Ron Ankeny]

Do ya think the word "awareness" might be as relevant for living as it is for driving? I have taught driver education in the summer off and on (mostly on) since 1976. I was also a Chief Instructor for the Motorcycle Safety Foundation for many years. From time to time I would pose the question, "How many of you consider yourselves above average drivers?" As you can imagine. almost every hand in the room would be raised. For a country that doesn't have very many average drivers, we sure have a lot of crashes.

[benos]

Yeah, as deeply as I sometimes think, I can still miss the metaphor.

But, yeah......if we aren't paying full attention, at all times, we are just letting our lives slip away.

Right!

Enjoy the increased energy and happiness that comes with paying full attention to what you are doing at all times.

Do ya think the word "awareness" might be as relevant for living as it is for driving?

Absolutely! And not just relevant for driving - paramount - for everything you do.

be

[JFlowers]

When it comes to driving, the folks in Charleston, SC seem to have all went to the same Driver's Ed class taught by a freakin' moron! When the light turns red, 3 cars will turn left thru the intersection. Don't know how or why 3 became the magic number but every time I visit we sit there and count them.

When I started riding a bike, the father of a friend gave me a piece of advice "Assume everyone else is an idiot and will do the stupidest thing possible at the worst time possible. They might not, but if you are prepared, you will likely survive." Too bad my last bike wreck had me sitting still at an intersection.