Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community - View Single Post - Should I have sympathy for poor drivers who kill themselves?

krwlz · 02-08-2006, 10:03 PM

Imagine if instead of Drivers Ed, or your (possibly poor driving) parents teaching one to drive, it were looked at as more of a privledge than a right, and we had to take real driver training.

Somewhere on closed roads, with an instructer right there to help you learn all the nuances, to practice skid avoidance, and recovering from a skid, all those little things that a summer driving next to mom can NOT teach.

When I got my license, I was a very confident driver. I thought I was a great driver. And in the sense that I knew the laws, I was very good at being aware of vehicle size and placement, I was. But I did not know how to deal with sliding sideways down a road at 55 mph, because I came over a ridge and hit a 5 inch deep drift wrong... Didn't get hurt, car was driveable.

Later that same winter, driving in slush, and going about 5 mph faster around a nasty turn at the bottom of a hill than I should of... Accident number two.

Around then I was severly humbled (and fucking broke) and havnt had a major altercation on the road since. Do I think I can handle any situation perfectly? Probably not. But having been in those situations (and induced a few in parking lots etc) I have enough expirience to make my first reaction to an emergency a good one...

Or at least not a detrimental one. I wish I had that expirience before I hit that drift. In the same situation now, I could have steered through it saving my car and pride.

We as americans also feel we have a right to drive for whatever reason in whatever conditions. Lets do everyone a favor and next time it might be slushing/snowing on your way home from the local flea market? Just dont go. We have weather forcasts for a reason. Someone who may not have any choice in his being on the road could get wiped out, or he could wipe out you. Its risk management.

KnifeMissile... I cant even totally support your decision to MAKE that road trip as good driving.

More of driving is in your head than at your hands and feet. Use it. If she had driver training, used her head and put down the cell, slowed down, not taken the frivilous trip, who knows? Maybe she would be alive. As it is, my sympathy goes out to everyone involved. Just because it could have been prevented doesnt change my remorse at the loss of life.

02-08-2006, 10:03 PM	#42 (permalink)
krwlz Fledgling Dead Head Location: Clarkson U.	Imagine if instead of Drivers Ed, or your (possibly poor driving) parents teaching one to drive, it were looked at as more of a privledge than a right, and we had to take real driver training. Somewhere on closed roads, with an instructer right there to help you learn all the nuances, to practice skid avoidance, and recovering from a skid, all those little things that a summer driving next to mom can NOT teach. When I got my license, I was a very confident driver. I thought I was a great driver. And in the sense that I knew the laws, I was very good at being aware of vehicle size and placement, I was. But I did not know how to deal with sliding sideways down a road at 55 mph, because I came over a ridge and hit a 5 inch deep drift wrong... Didn't get hurt, car was driveable. Later that same winter, driving in slush, and going about 5 mph faster around a nasty turn at the bottom of a hill than I should of... Accident number two. Around then I was severly humbled (and fucking broke) and havnt had a major altercation on the road since. Do I think I can handle any situation perfectly? Probably not. But having been in those situations (and induced a few in parking lots etc) I have enough expirience to make my first reaction to an emergency a good one... Or at least not a detrimental one. I wish I had that expirience before I hit that drift. In the same situation now, I could have steered through it saving my car and pride. We as americans also feel we have a right to drive for whatever reason in whatever conditions. Lets do everyone a favor and next time it might be slushing/snowing on your way home from the local flea market? Just dont go. We have weather forcasts for a reason. Someone who may not have any choice in his being on the road could get wiped out, or he could wipe out you. Its risk management. KnifeMissile... I cant even totally support your decision to MAKE that road trip as good driving. More of driving is in your head than at your hands and feet. Use it. If she had driver training, used her head and put down the cell, slowed down, not taken the frivilous trip, who knows? Maybe she would be alive. As it is, my sympathy goes out to everyone involved. Just because it could have been prevented doesnt change my remorse at the loss of life.