Video of My Greatest Fear

[NW-Bound]

Seeing a similar youtube video of motorcycle accidents where the bikers weren't at fault quenches my desire to ride the streets or highways. I am sticking to riding my dirtbike into the national forest, where any mishap would be entirely my fault.

 

[BunsGettingFirm]

I'm not suggesting giving up cars, I'm suggesting that instead of 1,000 deaths in a week scattered over the whole population and country you would have 10 accidents each week where 100 people are killed, then I think you would see European style driving tests and bans on eating, texting, talking on the phone etc. A few people dying here and there on the roads just isn't news worthy - always better PR-wise to kill people slowly.

USA road deaths are about the lowest in the world but over 40,000 still die every year, plus goodness knows how many serious injuries.

I heard on NPR 8 years ago that the insurance industry is for this type of testing. Eight years later, the tests still have absolutely nothing to do with real driving, so I guess the car industry won.

I don't get the red light running mentality. Do they do it because they think that really is the fastest way to get where they need to go? One fender bender, and their entire week would be toast, so any little time that they save is completely wasted on taking care of the fallout from the accident.

 

[RonBoyd]

Do they do it because they think...

No.

 

[Alan]

I heard on NPR 8 years ago that the insurance industry is for this type of testing. Eight years later, the tests still have absolutely nothing to do with real driving, so I guess the car industry won.

I don't get the red light running mentality. Do they do it because they think that really is the fastest way to get where they need to go? One fender bender, and their entire week would be toast, so any little time that they save is completely wasted on taking care of the fallout from the accident.

I also think that the stricter driving tests won't happen here and that the emphasis will continue to be on making cars safer and adding more features (and cost) to avoid crashes.

During this last 12 months there have been 2 incidents where there has been a collision with a downtown Metro train and a bus, both caused by the bus driver running a red light. If we can't train our bus drivers to not run red lights then there's no hope for the rest of the population.

 

[TromboneAl]

If it helps with your unreasonable fear, Ron, I'll bet that most of those accidents didn't involve any serious injuries.

 

[Walt34]

That's neat compilation of videos. Reminds me that the only time I had a wreck in a police car was when a guy ran a red light and hit me.

Hint: If you're DWI don't run a red light and crash into a police car. They get annoyed by that.

 

[cantlogin]

Here's another scary video.

YouTube - Police Officer Shot Motorcyclist In Back (Dashcam)

 

[Alan]

That's neat compilation of videos. Reminds me that the only time I had a wreck in a police car was when a guy ran a red light and hit me.

Hint: If you're DWI don't run a red light and crash into a police car. They get annoyed by that.

I have a friend back in Louisiana who is a policeman and one night the same thing happened to him - he was trapped in his vehicle for an hour or so until they got him out. Driver was DWI. Sounds like an occupational hazard.

 

[Texas Proud]

Here's another scary video.

YouTube - Police Officer Shot Motorcyclist In Back (Dashcam)

I would be hard pressed to not convict the officer on this one...

 

[Koolau]

If it helps with your unreasonable fear, Ron, I'll bet that most of those accidents didn't involve any serious injuries.

Yeah, it's amazing how folks often survive these horrendous crashes with minor or even no injuries. Still, it doesn't always turn out that way. A good friend of mine (age 50 at the time and father of a 7 year old) was on a business trip with 2 other guys from our megacorp (I knew these guys too). In broad day light, a red-light runner hit them broadside. My friend died instantly. One associate never returned to work due to his extensive injuries and the other associate was off work for several months of painful recovery. Everyone was following company policy by wearing seat belts.

I have no knowledge of this, but I'll guess that the person who was responsible was a guy you'd play golf with, go to church with, let your kids ride with, etc. It can feel like a crap shoot out there. Just an instant of inattention can be fatal.

 

[Koolau]

Posted because I like the song. I couldn't find the old PSA cartoon, which ran in New York when I was a kid. The composer also wrote The Addams Family and Green Acres theme songs.

YouTube - Don't cross the street in the middle!

Reminds me of a favorite Gary Larson cartoon. We see a mutt running across 8 lanes of traffic while several other mutts watch. One mutt yells "Yayyyyy, Rusty's in the club!"

 

[TromboneAl]

Reminds me of a favorite Gary Larson cartoon. We see a mutt running across 8 lanes of traffic while several other mutts watch. One mutt yells "Yayyyyy, Rusty's in the club!"

Yeah, one of my favorites too. I've searched the Internet for that one, but never found it.