Highway safety and driving thread

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by oldE

Many years ago I met a Dodge Aspen on the road near home and was so alarmed at the amount of negative camber on his left front wheel, I flogged the driver down. When I told him why I had asked him to stop, his response was, "WTF business is of yours?". I responded that I drove these roads every day and didn't want to be met with a wheel coming off some car. He did not take my concerns to heart, uttered another obscenity and left the scene at what I guessed was full throttle.
Shortly after that I believe the vehicle failed an impromptu roadside inspection.
Hey, it's a small town.

Best
Les

I thought you were going to tell us that he went over the side.

I was on my way up to Mt. Hood in between 8' snowbanks in a 67 VW bus. I was chugging along partially because it was a VW bus and partially because the road surface was not great. This was in the '70's. So a 911 of some sort was dogging me to get around and I found a place to hug the bank and let the ass by. Within a mile I passed the back end of a 911 smashed into the bank. Stop? NFW.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I thought you were going to tell us that he went over the side.

I was on my way up to Mt. Hood in between 8' snowbanks in a 67 VW bus. I was chugging along partially because it was a VW bus and partially because the road surface was not great. This was in the '70's. So a 911 of some sort was dogging me to get around and I found a place to hug the bank and let the ass by. Within a mile I passed the back end of a 911 smashed into the bank. Stop? NFW.

LOL

[Baz]

Karma....she's a b1tch!

[john70t]

Like being passed on a snowy highway, at 50mph, barely able to keep in the tracks in the right lane.

And then along comes Bonzo in the left lane at 80+ pulling a trailer with heavy equipment on top.

We meet again soon after.
Me: getting home.
Him: in the ditch.

[oldE]

The same thing happened to us one wet snowy day near the Halifax airport. A couple of guys in a Cavalier went by and about two miles later they were hanging from their seat belts in the water filled ditch. We helped get the doors open to get them out of the car and got a blanket around them until the EMTs took over.

Best
Les

[Baz]

Imagine your own car passing you in the grass....

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by Zeke

I thought you were going to tell us that he went over the side.

I was on my way up to Mt. Hood in between 8' snowbanks in a 67 VW bus. I was chugging along partially because it was a VW bus and partially because the road surface was not great. This was in the '70's. So a 911 of some sort was dogging me to get around and I found a place to hug the bank and let the ass by. Within a mile I passed the back end of a 911 smashed into the bank. Stop? NFW.

Way back in the 1970s I was heading south out of Birmingham, AL to Montgomery, AL. The national speed limit was 55 by then, and it was not just raining, it was pouring down rain. Heavy rain and water on the road and it was night time, and I was in my 914 going 50 to 55 and trying to see the road and avoid puddles. Some fool in a new Cadillac came blasting past at 70+ MPH and I just shook my head, soon after I saw their headlights, tail lights, headlights and off the road and down the embankment they went. I noted the mile marker but kept driving. I saw no reason for me to risk my life with some fool crashing into me or my car and getting all wet and muddy helping an idiot. I stopped at the first gas station and called the highway patrol and reported it. I proceeded home safely home.

I knew even back then that at 60 MPH or more hydroplaning was a real possibility in heavy rain.

[Baz]

What is it with these clowns who are quick to get up on your bumper but when they have a chance to pass don't have the stones to do so......

[rwest]

Originally Posted by Baz

What is it with these clowns who are quick to get up on your bumper but when they have a chance to pass don't have the stones to do so......

They want you to go faster and take the radar hit if there is a squad up ahead. Once they are the lead car, they start thinking about being the one getting the ticket.

[Baz]

Originally Posted by rwest

They want you to go faster and take the radar hit if there is a squad up ahead. Once they are the lead car, they start thinking about being the one getting the ticket.

In some cases yes, Rutager.....but I just think they're mostly incapable of the skill & mental capacity needed to make a safe pass vs just hit the accelerator until they're up on your 6.

[Baz]

I don't know about doing a pit maneuver in traffic. Seems like a better strategy would be to put a copter on the driver and get her when she stops somewhere.....

[wdfifteen]

Two years ago the power company put in a special purpose power line for a manufacturing company nearby. This is where the state let them situate the utility poles at every intersection - directly in the line of sight of oncoming traffic.



This is a county road that intersects a state highway. I do not understand why no one thought this was a bad idea. If I pull the bumper of my truck right up to the white edge line on the highway I can see around the pole. I guess they thought that was good enough. But moving it four feet would have made this intersection immeasurably safer, but nooooo.

[Baz]

[Bill Douglas]

Years ago now but I remember it well. GF and I were driving to a remote surfing location at the end of a long winding gravel road. I said to GF that the car in front is doing some impressive drifts around each corner going by the tracks left in the road. Totally under control and nice lines taken through the curves and a slide around EVERY corner. We got down a hill to the last corner before the beach and there was a car on it's roof with four teenagers staggering around in a state of shock LOL

[Baz]

Gotta let go.......just go on about your business.........too much ego involved in cases like this!

[Rusty Heap]

FOR GODS SAKE PEOPLE, PLEASSSE JUST DO THE SPEED LIMIT.........

Drivers asleep at the wheel on the Freeway Fast lane oblivious to the 1/4 mile backup behind them.

serious? 58 in a 70? in 4 hours of driving several times today.

sigh.

[oldE]

I'm going to have to be careful the next time I do my drive to visit family 220 miles away. Part of the trip takes me through a twisty stretch of rural two lane and I noticed the other day that the new Continentals I put on this spring are quiet! In corners where the Khumos were singing at 92 kph, the Contis were silent at 103.
This is the stretch of road where I caught up with a BMW K1300 in my diesel Jetta. I would gain in the corners, but he would pull away on the straight. We got to talk for a few minutes at the next town and he confessed the bike was new to him.
So many roads, so little time.

Best
Les

[pmax]

[Baz]

Taking out the trash........

[pmax]