Fast Driving: The Real Dangers
Over a month ago, we ran the most controversial opinion in Allpar's history. Roger Lister, the original writer, read all the many responses and has written this reply:
After reading some of these responses, I had to respond as well. I have a "thick skin" so calling me a moron or any other name is no big deal. Go ahead, make my day.
What bothers me is that there are so many people out there that don't deserve their licenses. That the very government that requires us to HAVE that license, doesn't do a good job of evaluating those that present themselves for testing. What bothers me is the insurance companies charging more when you earn a ticket, despite the fact I've NEVER had an accident (doesn't mean I won't though).
I don't consider myself to be an average driver. In fact, I don't even use a scale to rate drivers. I do believe that I know what I am capable of, what my car is capable of, and that I can fairly judge what other drivers will do. I don't use "the force" (but admit it wouldn't hurt) nor do I rely on any other form of clairvoyance. I rely on my own past experiences, my own (personal) training and education, and road and weather conditions. Oh yeah. And traffic.
I get the feeling that the naysayers of speed misunderstood my commentary to mean I speed ALL the time. I don't. And those of you who do, frankly, scare me. I don't wish to seem contradictory here, but I feel the need to pass this on. Yes, I know the upper limits of my cars. Yet I CHOOSE not to explore them constantly. Yes, I speed. But if road, weather, or traffic conditions prohibit, I do the speed that is safe. I used a cellular phone while driving once, nearly had a wreck. Don't use one now.
I attribute a lot of what I use while driving to my years (and miles) of driving, and to my years (and miles) of riding motorcycles. I also count luck for my survival of my younger days. And my own study of my fellow human beings.
Yes, I've had close calls. I had a blowout at nearly 100. In that case I felt a thump thump thump through the wheel and took my foot off the gas. Probably saved my life. I also survived a front blowout on a motorcycle. Without crashing. I'm not superhuman. I'm not invincible. I accept the "risks" associated with speeding. I KNOW the risks.
I don't like the swarms on the interstates. In fact, I don't really exceed the limit on the interstates by much. No, my speeding is done more on deserted two lane highway. Out where I live, the roads are good, long and mostly straight. If there is traffic, I slow down. I don't make an ass of myself by swerving in and out.
For the truck drivers, first off, thank you for what you do. I respect the skill it takes to drive large vehicles. I encounter many of these rigs on my drives. Yes, they slow me down. But I like to eat, wear clothes, play with my kids and the toys they get thanks to the trucks that deliver their goods to the stores of our great country. Small price to pay, slowing down for these trucks. I watch so many people complain and swear about trucks. Hide on the back bumper of these trucks until they can (almost) safely pass. And then practically cut the truck off as they swerve back into their lane.
To the police officers in the crowd. I really do respect the job you do too. No, I'm not kissing ass here. You put your life on the line daily. And you waste your time with people speeding. What about enforcing turn signal usage. Or citing people driving unsafe vehicles. Or the idiot that is on the phone and realizes he (or she) has almost missed their exit and BLINDLY swerves four or more lanes to the exit. Or the folks that can't or won't stay off my bumper, yet won't pass.
My point is, if I don't believe the road is safe to speed on, I don't. If the traffic is heavy, I don't. If it is bad weather, I don't. If I don't have enough light, I don't (100 MPH with original equipment headlights is stupid, they barely work well enough for 60MPH). Traction Control and ABS brakes are wonderful. But ONLY if you know how to make them work for you. So many accidents have happened in bad weather with cars with ABS, because, when the brakes were applied the driver could really steer, and didn't know where to steer to. So they won't automatically save you.
I believe in seatbelts, but not airbags, and I believe in helmets for motorcycles, but also the right to choose for yourself. I always wear my seatbelt. And when I ride a motorcycle, I wear a full face helmet.
I said it before, be safe out there, but I will never tell you not to have fun.
Responses
| Jay Jochec | I totally agree with all your points! If only 75% of the people would follow them there wouldn't be the term "Road Rage." Your views and opinions on Police Officers is so true! I've had an officer follow me more than five miles in the lane next to me in my blind spot just to run my plates cause they were out of state. Yet the car right in front of the officer didn't have tail, brake, or turn signals! And when the car turned off the street the officer kept watching me! Your views on ABS and airbags are also true! A friend of mine hit a tree at 55+ mph. His Dodge Neon had dual airbags. His passenger never touched the air bag and was fine. The driver's airbag deployed outta the steering wheel and broke his nose. He said he felt the seatbelt tighten and wasn't close to the steering wheel. The frame stiffness of the Neon saved him having any more injuries. The headlight was smashed and the steering knuckle was broke and the CV axle was ripped clean out of the tranny but the frame was relatively undamaged. The windshield wasn't even cracked. Yet the cops told him that he would be dead if the airbags hadn't deployed. I say he wouldn't of had a broken nose if they hadn't deployed. I've read your first and second letters now and they both rock! Keep up the awesome literature. |
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| Walt Herold | Your article on drivng/ speeding etc. was so on the mark, that I could have not written that any better, had I written it myself. I also have done, and still do, a LOT of driving, about 40,000 miles a year. In my life, I've put about 450,000 miles (22 years) on my various motorcycles (HDs) alone, in addition to whatever I put on cars at the same time, and today do consulting work throughout the country. I also have a CDL, and drove big rigs occasionally to help out my trucking neighbor. Since 1991 when I beat my first radar speeding ticket (I used to think RADAR was infallible,what a joke!) I am now batting 1000 (15 out of 15) in five different states. I've only received two of the tickets, the others were for family and friends. The worst one was my daughter who was tabbed for 70 mph in a 40 mph zone. I HAD to get her out of it, because MY insurance would have gone ballistic. I've also had some accidents, none too serious, but only one was my fault (driving when I was super tired), and NONE due to speeding. I've also seen every possible moron, pinhead, nitwit, and brain dead imbecile imagineable on our roads and highways, and I sometimes wonder how they manage to survive, because you have to have more than one or two functioning brain cells just to eat. Anyway, a good piece, well written, right on the money, kudos to you, and it's nice to know that I'm not the only one who feels as I do, there's at least one other YOU!. |