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It is with members of the Site mentioning the Apollo 1 Accident that reminds me of how important the little things we do for safety in our daily live can be.
The Simple step of Putting on your Seat belt every time you get in a moving Vehicle is the big one to me.
I have been in 3 major car accidents in my life 2 behind the wheel my self.
The first was a Roll Over at 70 mph as a passenger in a Suburban that went out of control when another vehicle cut us of and immediately slammed on the brakes on the Inter State. We swerved, Spun, Tire Explosion and Rolled Down an embankment. The only only thing that kept me from breaking my neck that day my 'Seatbelt" I was wearing it in the middle seat.
The next time I had someone cut me off while driving to work i stopped well before hitting them only to have a truck not paying attention slam into me at over 60 mph. again my Seatbelt probably kept me from having worse injuries. I have a messed up back from that day that will never heal and, pain is a constant companion too this day.
And again another Roll Over i over did it avoiding a person who cut me off and slammed on there breaks i rolled at 35 mph. and looking at my vehicle the paramedics said i should not have walked away from the accident at all with only scrapes from broken glass. Again i was wearing my Seat belt.
So please all, do things do the little things that are an annoyance but there for your safety when doing anything at all, it may save more than your own life.
Comments
And if you are riding a Motorcycle
Wear a Crash Helmet and protective clothing.
Kevlar shoulder pads saved me from a broken shoulder after hitting a deer (female Roe) in 2010.
I got a dislocated shoulder instead.
If you doubt the benefit of proper clothing, go read up on the reports of the accident that Barry Sheene had and the damage done to his back even though he was wearing leathers.
After almost 50 years of riding bikes I can say that the majority of really serious accidents are not caused by the biker but by people in their tin boxes. Ride defensively.
Samantha
Proud owner of
2016 Triumph Trophy SE.
1982 Triumph Bonnieville T140AV
1969 Triumph Bonnieville
1955 Triumph Mountain Cub.
half the time i will agree.
Yes people in cars do not look out for motorcycles and bicycles like they should.
But people on crotch rockets blow by me so often its like if i was moving over i would not have had a chance to see them first.
Other times i have had people on chopper try to become hood decorations for my 3/4 ton truck, because they cut my off weaving around traffic.
it swings both ways.
I have seen both responsible and irresponsible car and motorcycle operators, also lets throw in all the different truck sizes and 18 wheelers.
"Cortana is watching you!"
When Oregon was debating the helmet law
When Oregon was debating whether to pass a helmet law, a friend of mine, who was and avid biker, said, "Anyone who rides a motorcycle and doesn't wear a brain bucket obviously doesn't have anything to put in it."
Hugs
Patricia
Happiness is being all dressed up and HAVING some place to go.
Semper in femineo gerunt
Bikes
'67 Triumph Daytona 500
'71 Norton Commando 750
'79 to '95 no 'sickle riding
'89 Kawasaki Vulcan 750
approx. '99; vulcan problems, Kim's depression; low money. I decided instead to spend $ on road bicycles and riding for better health, fitness and serious accident avoidance. I crashed road bikes a few times, but only lost skin; no serious injuries. Guess I'm physically lucky; mentally, emotionally, common sense, not so much.
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Seat Belts
Seat belts, absolutely. By now, seat belts are reflexive for me. I would hope that a physics class might persuade any doubters. Also, for the driver in borderline situations, the seat belt helps him keep control of the car.
Fortunately, I don't think that I ever needed a seat belt.
-- Daphne Xu
The problem is not everyone does it
my father as an example never puts on his seat belt till he sees a law officer or he will do it going 70 mph on the free-way.
He always gets pissed when i ask why not do it before you put the vehicle in gear and he gets mad because he can not find a reason.
"Cortana is watching you!"
Some will learn
Your father if like my uncle. But my uncle got a wake up call.
One day just before going on the highway he put his seat belt and got into an accident within five minutes, the seatbelt save his life. when he saw the bruise left by the life saving device, he realize the force of impact would have kill him otherwise.
Now my uncle always wear his seatbelt and will not drive until every body does the same.
Peace and Love tmf
Sometimes i think those wake up calls are not loud enough.
Sounds like your uncle got a nice jack hammer to his granite skull, before it killed him.
Sadly my father has been in a few accidents and he has not learned yet. i wonder if he will have to ed up injured in the hospital before he wakes up.
Also people texted on there phones and driving scare the crap out of me. I will barely even answer the phone to say i will call back, and others are talking on it non stop or texting when the eyes need to be on the road.
"Cortana is watching you!"
why
Are you even touching the phone when driving? You are as bad as the serial users - do not touch it whilst you are in control of the vehicle.
Madeline Anafrid Bell
I spend dozens of hours in a car nearly each week......
Traveling, and have for years. My career has required 75% or more travel for the past 18 years, and although much of it is by plane, there is still a good deal of windshield time involved.
My point here is that without being able to use my phone while driving my life would be much more difficult. The amount of business, both professional and personal, that I have conducted while driving is amazing.
However, this is primarily due to the use of a blue tooth headset, or having my phone tied into my car through blue tooth, and thank God for Siri! Anyone who holds their phone and stares at a screen, or ties up a hand while holding the phone to their head, or God forbid texts while driving should have their license revoked!
Multi-tasking is my life - but use the available technology!
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
You're Badly Mistaken
Whether or not you're holding your phone has very little to do with your ability to react to adverse conditions. There are many, many studies that show your perception of being safe because you're using a bluetooth headset is delusional. Quit it! You're a hazard to yourself. If that doesn't bother you, think of the innocent people around you who you're putting in jeopardy.
I laugh when I hear people concerned about driverless cars. Your car is apparently "driverless" a high percentage of the time. Your hands are there, but your mind is far, far away. Simply ask yourself, how many times have you arrived at your destination and felt as if almost no time had elapsed while driving. That's because you weren't actually connected to what you were doing.
I can understand your logic, but it isn't born out by actual tests.
Jill
Angela Rasch (Jill M I)
Totally agree
Even with a handsfree setup in my car I don't do anything but answer any calls and say,
"I'm driving. I'll call you back in a few minutes."
Any calls I have to make are done with the car parked and switched off.
It is all moot when on my bike. The phone might ring and ring but until I stop I don't even look at it.
It is all common sense really but IMHO, in some parts of the world using common sense is being genetically removed from the population.
Samantha
sadly there is both pros and cons.
to seat-belts. Ive heard of more than a few who died in car accidents because of a seat-belt that would not release.
Considering that I have seen a number of burnt out wrecks on the road, None Chrysler so far, that I can't help thinking someone is totally gonna die from a seat-belt that wont release.
While it seems to be a current fashion to have a cell phone. I do not have a working one. Nor would I use it in the car as a phone. Many people now have more than one phone(old phone) that can be used as a personal device for things like music while driving.
I personally also think that listening to music in congested traffic (ie inside city limits) is a really dumb thing to do. Why? Simple. You need to hear what is going around you. That car next to you. The truck behind you, how your car is not quite running right.. etc etc.
Honestly if you have gotten into a accident there is a good chance that you were driving improperly. Following way to close is a good one. Not paying attention to the vehicles around you is another. Speed limits are posted for YOUR safety. If it says the speed limit is x there is a good reason for it.