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12-18-2011, 08:54 PM
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Close Call Driving Today
Coming back from Christmas and grocery shopping today. Waiting for the light to change. When I got the green arrow to turn left I had to hesitate because of a guy going thru late. That hesitation probably saved my whole family. Before I could go, another guy came blowing through the red, accelerating as he went through. If I had gone we would have been t-boned by a car going at least 50 mph.
What could have been so important that this idiot couldn't wait 1 minute for the next light cycle.
Thank God we are still here.
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Now That's Bullet Maintenance!
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12-18-2011, 09:46 PM
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Another example of why these "lagging left" turn arrows aren't such a hot idea. I once witnessed a "t-boning" wherein a guy in a compact car tailgated a large trailer into the intersection --- he couldn't see the lights because his view was blocked by the tall trailer and I guess he just assumed he had a green light, whereas the driver towing the trailer blew thru on the yellow caution light. The driver waiting to make the left turn slavishly turned behind the trailer the instant the light turned to the green left turn arrow, and got clobbered. I hung around to give a statement to the cops, and later gave a deposition to an insurance adjuster. I prefer to have the conventional left turn signal, which lets you turn at the beginning of the cycle, when all the oncoming traffic is and has been stopped for the length of the cycle. In any case, as Mike Dillon once said, "A green light is a permission, not a command." Just because the light is in your favor doesn't mean it's safe to proceed...
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12-18-2011, 09:54 PM
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Glad you are still with us. Idiot drivers are everywhere.
Not long ago I was going down a one way in the middle of downtown Birmingham. I passed a guy who was pulling out of a parking place and as I pass I could see him talking on his phone. About two blocks later I get caught by a red light and I'm sitting there when this guy just goes right through the intersection, still talking on his phone. Luckily a couple of cars had already gone through the intersection and no one else was coming.
Makes me want to chase them down and beat some sense into them but it would probably just be a waste of a good beating.
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12-18-2011, 09:55 PM
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Glad nobody got hurt.
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Jorge
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12-18-2011, 09:57 PM
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I can remember being taught in drivers ed the "last chance to avoid an accident" at a red light. When it turns green, you wait for a second or two before preceeding to let any red light runners blow on thru.
Has saved me a couple of times!!!!
With all the red light runners, I'm not to sure I'm against cameras to catch them.
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12-18-2011, 10:31 PM
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I was taught to look left, right, and left again before you enter the intersection. over the years this has saved me several times.
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Always Stay Strong!
Last edited by old bear; 12-18-2011 at 10:50 PM.
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12-18-2011, 11:59 PM
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My brother in law is one of the worst, to him a yellow light means floor it...
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"Shall not be infringed"
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12-19-2011, 01:23 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by old bear
I was taught to look left, right, and left again before you enter the intersection. over the years this has saved me several times.
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Same here... high school drivers ed in the early 60's. Really a good habit to get into.
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12-19-2011, 06:06 AM
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That happened to me one night real late.. And the vehicle
that blew through the just changed to red light was an 18 wheeler..
Doing about 50 in a 35...
Luckily I was super tired, and actually almost fell asleep at
the intersection waiting for the light to turn green.
In my sleepy state, there was a delay before I noticed the green and
was going for the gas pedal..
I was just getting ready to press the pedal when the truck blew by
right in front of me. Whoooooooshhhhh!
I liked to wet myself.. :/
In the dinky car I drive now, I always look L/R before going through
any intersection. To get T-boned in my car is pretty much the kiss of
death if the other vehicle is large.
But I could have been in my Ford truck and would have still been toast
if that 18 wheeler had hit me.
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12-19-2011, 07:07 AM
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Around here, you had better wait a bit after you get the green light.
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12-19-2011, 08:42 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Evil Dog
Same here... high school drivers ed in the early 60's. Really a good habit to get into.
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Yes it is. Got my license 50 years ago and this habit has saved my bacon several times. Defensive driving is simply assuming everyone else on the road is about to do something stupid, and you are going to be prepared for it.
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12-19-2011, 11:45 AM
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Actually - We're involved in a *close call* anytime a vehicle is going past in the opposite direction!
Unless, of course, you're on a motorcycle - In which case everyone is out to run into you anyway....
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12-19-2011, 05:19 PM
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Around here there's practically an over/under betting line on how many cars in the "left turn only" lane run the red light before you can proceed across the intersection once you have green. It's usually about two or three; four or five if it's rush hour. My highest count is seven.
The number of clueless cell phone users in their SUV's is staggering. I've been rear-ended and had my car totaled by one. Hit me so hard the drivers' seat broke. I was laying flat staring up at the dome light afterward.
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