Moronic drivers

[turnkey4099]

Had a buddy of mine drove his 18 wheeler off the road driving up out of the Walla Walla valley to the Wallowas, probably going 12MPH. Middle of the day, clear weather in the summer time. He dropped his burrito and was leaning over to pick it up off the floor and slowly drove up against the guard rail and tipped the whole works on it's side.

I have had 8 accidents directly in front of my house over the years in which the cars were totaled. A 100' tape would cover the accident locations from one end to the other. Location is a 2lane highway with moderate traffic, straight stretch, guardrails both sides. All non fatality, most single occupant, Asleep at the wheel seems to be the cause. No one can figure out why they all happen right there. There have also been other within 1/2 mile either way but common spot. Last year we even had a single engine plane make emergency landing just past my place taking out the power line to my house. Weird.

Harry K

 

[mikehaugen]

Had a buddy of mine drove his 18 wheeler off the road driving up out of the Walla Walla valley to the Wallowas, probably going 12MPH. Middle of the day, clear weather in the summer time. He dropped his burrito and was leaning over to pick it up off the floor and slowly drove up against the guard rail and tipped the whole works on it's side.

A "buddy of yours," huh? :laughing:

 

[Bird]

Had a buddy of mine drove his 18 wheeler off the road driving up out of the Walla Walla valley to the Wallowas, probably going 12MPH. Middle of the day, clear weather in the summer time. He dropped his burrito and was leaning over to pick it up off the floor and slowly drove up against the guard rail and tipped the whole works on it's side.

Reminds me of one of my brothers who said he was driving a belly dump tractor/trailer on a job and was going down the highway with a full load when he dropped his apple, the apple hit the switch, and he dumped the whole load on the highway.:laughing:

 

[JDgreen227]

Reminds me of one of my brothers who said he was driving a belly dump tractor/trailer on a job and was going down the highway with a full load when he dropped his apple, the apple hit the switch, and he dumped the whole load on the highway.:laughing:

Bird, I don't understand how dropping an apple could cause that to happen...why would anybody have a switch on the floor that would activate the dump function?

 

[Bird]

Bird, I don't understand how dropping an apple could cause that to happen...why would anybody have a switch on the floor that would activate the dump function?

Sorry, I didn't explain better. He said there was a toggle switch on the dash; up closed the belly doors and down opened them to dump. So the apple hit that toggle switch and knocked it into the down position.

 

[JDgreen227]

Sorry, I didn't explain better. He said there was a toggle switch on the dash; up closed the belly doors and down opened them to dump. So the apple hit that toggle switch and knocked it into the down position.

Thanks, that I can understand...one of my work trucks was a tandem rear axle Chevy C-65, it had a toggle switch on the dash that engaged the diff lock, was heading toward Saginaw one time and hit a huge frost heave in the road, my knee jammed into the dash and hit the diff lock switch, turning it on at 60 mph, good thing it had a safety feature that kept it from engaging at speed....

 

[cqaigy2]

A "buddy of yours," huh? :laughing:

Ya i kinda mix up the tense in the sentence, mea culpa.

 

[Looking4new]

Sorry, I didn't explain better. He said there was a toggle switch on the dash; up closed the belly doors and down opened them to dump. So the apple hit that toggle switch and knocked it into the down position.

I guess after that episode he would turn the switch around so that down closed the doors and up opened them.

 

[Bird]

I guess after that episode he would turn the switch around so that down closed the doors and up opened them.

That would make sense, but it wasn't his truck. He did own, first a Kenworth, then later a Peterbilt while he lived in Alaska, but neither if them were what he was using on that job.

 

[Johnny g]

I guess after that episode he would turn the switch around so that down closed the doors and up opened them.

or stop eating while driving.

 

[westcliffe01]

When I was a teenager I was a marshal on a race track and on rallies (mostly dirt road with a few asphalt sections thrown in). Initially I worked at the beginning or end of the "special stages" and timed the competitors in or out. Later I ended up in some of the "official" vehicles which cleared the course before or after the competitors, since many of the older marshals did not have the stomach for it.

It was certainly an eye opening experience for me and a good time to learn these kinds of things. I discovered that the really good drivers had special brain capacity so that their conscious mind was not required for any of the typical driving tasks (shifting gear, applying power, steering etc). Their mental capacity and training was such that those tasks were done essentially autonomously. The conscious mind was capable of holding a conversation, listening if there was any kind of problem with the car, looking for any sign that the navigators instructions might be off. One of the things that most people do not realize is that the rally drivers have to drive beyond the limits of their vision. In other words, the navigator says that a left had turn of radius X is coming up Y meters and the driver will set up the car for the turn before he has any chance of seeing the start of the turn. Even more amazing is that they will recover even if the navigator makes a mistake and there is a 1000ft sheer drop off the side of the road.

The characteristics that define people who excel in driving are basically the same as those that define fighter pilots and the biggest one is the ability of the brain to process multiple tasks simultaneously. Being exposed to this kind of talent when I was in my teens led to a little quick self examination and realization that I was not in this class and never would be. In fact, my wife defines me as being a "slow processor". That does not mean that I am dumb, my many patent applications would contest that, but it does mean that high speed anything was probably not what I was made for. Consequently I neatly avoided the overconfidence that is so typical for most males when they get their drivers license and then proceed to total the next 3 cars that they own... Living within ones limitations is a very important life lesson that many never seem to reach.

 

[Bird]

Living within ones limitations is a very important life lesson that many never seem to reach.

Well said. And those limitations change with age, experience, physical condition, etc. Yep, I'm among those who believe I'm a better than average driver. But I also know that at age 74, I'm not even close to being the driver I was 40 years ago. So I know I have to be more careful than ever.

 

[JDgreen227]

Well said. And those limitations change with age, experience, physical condition, etc. Yep, I'm among those who believe I'm a better than average driver. But I also know that at age 74, I'm not even close to being the driver I was 40 years ago. So I know I have to be more careful than ever.

Bird...I have always thought for the majority of us older drivers, our experience cancels out the slower reflexes and sometimes the reduced vision...and we are MUCH more careful because we know our limitations, unlike the reckless idiots who think they are really capable behind the wheel.

 

[jaotguy]

we know our limitations, unlike the reckless idiots who think they are really capable behind the wheel.

and they forget that "Traction Control, ABS, etc" are doing their job for them.... and think THEY are great drivers ...

foolish? yes.... dangerous ? yes .....

how about using "driving simulators" ( like flying simulators ) for testing their skills and issuing the driving permit based on the true score ...
and allow those that pass with flying colors to take additional test for advanced skills and better insurance rates.
those that don't pass the basic test (computer is not biased nor feels sorry for anyone) ... they don't get to drive.

sitting at a driving test Ministry office back in the early 80's ( waiting for a friend to get a motorcycle permit) I saw one guy that could drive the wheels off a bike get Failed for being "too confident" by a tester ... another tester asked the first one why he failed the guy , his response was " I don't like his attitude and I'm going to fail him the next time he comes back" .... minutes later, a girl was crying for being Failed ( she drove over a side walk in a turn during her test and almost hit someone ) the tester felt sorry for her and changed it to a Pass and told her "try not to do it again" ....

the person she almost hit was me !

I am a better driver than the average person , I have the track "RACE License" to prove it .... BUT better doesn't mean faster , quicker , etc ... it means I am aware of my surroundings and drive according to conditions ... I leave room for my "escape" route , and still keep up with traffic ...
I signal my intentions and check to see if it is safe to do so ... I plan my route and know where I have to turn and what lane to be in.... ( they make maps and GPS units ) and lots of experience ( just ticked over the 2 million miles behind steering wheels ... that's 3 million KM up here )

Have I done stupid things ? YOU BET! ..... have I made mistakes? YES! ... but that is all included in "experience" because I "learned" from it.... just like most of the folks here ... ( ain't gonna do that again! )

I also recognize that I am older and have more limitations ( I heal slower and scars are not cool anymore) ....

 

[ncnurseryman]

I work in a field where I do driving evaluations for patients of neurologist doctors to help determine if they are still safe for driving. Many older drivers especially those with medical conditions such as strokes, dementia, etc., are significantly challenged when it comes to driving safely. Often the person can continue to drive with restrictions, some are recommended to discontinue driving completely. I've been fussed at, argued with, called names and other insults by mostly men whom I've had to recommend cease driving. Everyone forgets that driving is a privilege not a right and if you can't safely drive then you are a danger to yourself and others.

 

[JDgreen227]

I work in a field where I do driving evaluations for patients of neurologist doctors to help determine if they are still safe for driving. Many older drivers especially those with medical conditions such as strokes, dementia, etc., are significantly challenged when it comes to driving safely. Often the person can continue to drive with restrictions, some are recommended to discontinue driving completely. I've been fussed at, argued with, called names and other insults by mostly men whom I've had to recommend cease driving. Everyone forgets that driving is a privilege not a right and if you can't safely drive then you are a danger to yourself and others.

YEAH.."OLDER DRIVERS" (emphasis added) sure point a finger at them as a group, then tell us why are so many incompetent YOUNG DRIVERS permitted to operate vehicles with NO restrictions?

 

[ncnurseryman]

Don't get your panties in a wad. It just happens that a majority of the people I work with are older and have medical conditions. The younger folks are simply inexperienced and reckless. I can see you would be one of those argumentive type people that i try to help even though they won't accept it.

 

[Looking4new]

Don't get your panties in a wad. It just happens that a majority of the people I work with are older and have medical conditions. The younger folks are simply inexperienced and reckless. I can see you would be one of those argumentative type people that i try to help even though they won't accept it.

I had one of those a few years ago. he couldn't shift a 18spd to save his life with the clutch. I suggested to him that he try shifting it without the clutch (so he could feel the gears meshing). He told me in no uncertain terms, "I always use the clutch". I told him he couldn't shift his way out of a wet paper bag. He tried blaming the truck, I drove it right after he said it was the truck and there was nothing wrong with it. (I very seldom use the clutch.) I told the boss when we got back to the yard, 'if you want to put a tranny in it, hire him. IF you don't want to spend the money on a tranny, then don't hire him. Your choice. He didn't get hired. I hate argumentative people

 

[JDgreen227]

Don't get your panties in a wad. It just happens that a majority of the people I work with are older and have medical conditions. The younger folks are simply inexperienced and reckless. I can see you would be one of those argumentive type people that i try to help even though they won't accept it.

You are right, if you spent more time here on TBN you would have learned by now that I am a stubborn, obnoxious, bullheaded, opinionated old fart...and I am d**n proud of it.

 

[murphy1244]

You are right, if you spent more time here on TBN you would have learned by now that I am a stubborn, obnoxious, bullheaded, opinionated old fart...and I am d**n proud of it.

But still a alright guy!