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DRIVING - It Could Kill You ~ I bet you didn't know this! ~

Driving - it could kill you!

I hope that got your attention. Oh, but you already know that bit of information. But do you practice that bit of information when driving? I know from experience that many of you don't. Here are two examples for you to read. Realize that I was driving last night. I took my daughter to school this morning, and then to the doctor this evening. Two out of three trips...and I witness people not paying attention while driving...and this is not unusual.

Example #1:

I'm on my way home, and there is a funeral home not too far from where I live. The highway has two lanes going in each direction, and a center turning lane. As I'm approaching the funeral home, I see someone pulling out, going across the first two lanes, and I'm thinking they will go into the center lane and merge into the empty lane next to me on my left. WRONG. They just slowly came across all 5 lanes and dropped themselves right in front of me. Whoa boy...slam the brakes, hit the horn, flash the bright lights to let them know I am there, and try to avoid them by jumping over into that empty lane to my left...all at the same time. And they acted like none of that every happened as I drove past them.

EXCUSE MEeeeeeeeeee... You just came from a fueneral home, and now you try to commit suicide? Hey, I want to live...I have a wife, two kids, two grandkids, and this website to keep running. And please don't use that excuse, "oh, I am grieving and not paying attention to my driving." Then you shouldn't be driving...that is why there are taxi's in this world. Use one next time...and no, I am not being very nice about this, I am more than tired of people not paying attention to the fact that they aren't the only people on the road.

Example #2:

My wife and I had to meet at the doctors office for an appointment for our daughter. This of course meant that we were driving two cars, and as we left for home after the appointment, I naturally followed her.

We pulled up to a red light. We can't go straight at this light, it is a T intersection, meaning we could only go left or we could only go right. We were in the left turning lane, and in the left of two lanes turning left.

The light turns green and we all start proceeding into the intersection. I'm sure many of you have noticed that these types of intersections have little dotted lines to show the lane separations for turning so that people don't run into each other. Yet, some of you don't pay attention to those lines, as was the case today.

My wife was in front of me, and I noticed her hitting her brakes and honking her horn. The car to her right somehow thought no one else was on the road today, and just came on over into her lane. Now, this is rush hour, there are cars in front of this person, and this person could not have missed the fact that two lanes are turning left, yet he (or she...who knows) just came on over into my wife's lane. I"m sure that was my wife's voice I heard, it had to be.

Just moments later my phone rings...

"did you see that idiot coming into my lane?"

Yes dear, it was kind of hard to miss. I guess he (or she) just had a hankering to be featured on MrRoadRage.com tonight.

These are the kind of things that I see happen all the time. People are driving, and forgetting that they were given a brain by which they can make intelligent decisions...yet they do this kind of stuff that causes accidents, and sometimes takes the life of another.

In some cases, they lose their own loved ones. Then they feel regret for not paying attention while driving. Sorry, it is too late at that point. If you are going to drive, then think.

Don't confuse that word "think" with the word "drink."
Don't drink and drive is a very good slogan.
Don't think and drive is not.
Is there any part of that you have trouble understanding?

Visit: MrRoadRage.com
Saving Lives On America's Highways!

View the MrRoadRage Blog
where you will find this and other highway adventures!

Please view my other blog related to MrRoadRage.com

MAY I BORROW YOUR EYES?

Here's a bit of teamwork....If I can borrow your eyes,
I can help with your google juice!
Read the above Blog for more information!

Posted by Gregory Lohr on 10/08/2008 08:57 PM

Comments (18)

Driving in the ActiveRain Channel

road rage, drive, driving, doctor, funeral, cars, horn, wife, rush hour, accidents

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18 Comments on DRIVING - It Could Kill You ~ I bet you didn't know this! ~

OCT

2008

What does this have to do with Active Rain?

You drive don't you?

My Motto:
Saving Lives On America's Highways!

That life could be yours, or maybe someone you love.

If you want to change the way someone acts...first change the way they think! There are lots of BAD drivers out there. How do we change that? Invite everyone you know to MrRoadRage.com

Invite the bad drivers & the good drivers...for good drivers will want to reach out and invite other bad drivers.

Well, I'm glad you and your family are OK. We all see these people on the street everyday. My office is currently on Main Street and about 6 months ago they put a stop sign in front of our office. We entertain ourselves daily with watching at least 6 cars a day flying through the stop sign.

And, here I thought all bad drivers were in Maryland!! Scenario #1 happens here way too often and then they wonder why you lay on the horn and make obscene gestures.

GREGORY, It is all about defensive driving isn't it. I'm amazed at how people drive. Here in Texas every time we get a speeding ticket we have the option to take defensive driving. I'm not going to tell you how many times I have taken it but I will tell you some of it has stuck. I'm a good student though so my foot has become much lighter.

Tammy - Wow, I hope no one gets hurt running that stop sign. They need a better way to mark that intersection. How dangerous. I wouldn't want to be coming from that other direction. They should make it a 4-way stop. If not, someone needs to make a sign that says..."drivers prone to running stop sign, proceed with caution, " for those coming from the other directions.

HI GREGORY!

We have become a pretty careless society, while driving. If it isn't cell phones, texting, chiildren, radio, so many distractions. I too am guilty of a few of the above. Gotta pay attention, I know. Thank you for sharing your story.

June - By using body language, they are merely telling you that you are number 1! Not the usual finger for telling someone such wonderful information, but hey, it's better than not telling you at all...right? LoL!

Let me shock you...Columbia was recently voted (at some point in the past 6 months) as having the worst drivers in the nation. Here's the catch...my wife handles some statistical reporting for SC State Gov't in the realms of education. When the report comes out here regarding where the states rank in regards to education, SC is usually near the bottom. This low educational level REALLY shows itself on our highways. It wasn't even until two years ago that drivers ed was required here...which also explains why we have such bad drivers. Another area where our low eduactional level shows itself...in the laws that get passed here. I could have written a book if I would have started keeping records when I moved here in 1989 from Virginia. It is almost funny.

As i was reading your blog post I was thinking, this guy has to live in Ohio!!!!!! I thought we only had those rude, inconsiderate drivers here. I'm actually from out west, (WA) and we were taught to be courteous drivers clear back in driver's education class. I've never seen such obnoxious drivers as I have since i moved to Ohio.

Marchel - I'm always excited to hear people talk about defensive driving. My drivers ed teacher preached that into us so much in high school...his teaching is still with me today.

Of course there was one area he couldn't seem to break through with me. My foot is so heavy I can't pick it up off the floor...or at least I couldn't, not for a long time. I drive much slower now, but I used to be that guy who when you were driving 90 mph, he made you feel like you were going slow. I was that lear jet that would just breeze right on by you. I hate going slow, but I keep it down now that I am a bit older and wiser.

Starting such a website as MrRoadRage.com also really helped me to correct some things about my driving habits that needed attention. On my website, I mention that the only way to change the way someone acts is to change the way they think, that is oh so true. We change the way we think by getting involved and/or discussing things, and this is one of the purposes of my site, as it is interactive...complete with discussion board and blog.

What I am learning here on Active Rain is really teaching me how to market that site. I opened it two years ago, then realized that the web is a creature I didn't know how to tame, or how to get traffic from. Now I am learning wonderful things here in the Rain!

Now, tell me again....how many tickets did you say you had received? LoL!

BTW....since you are now friends with the driver ed teacher, have him contact me about MrRoadRage.com

Hi Yvette! - Good to see you again!

One thing I have learned is that people tend to drive in their own little bubble. You can sometimes tell when you pass them or are next to them at a redlight. They just have this glazed over look as if there isn't anyone behind those eyes. They are completely absorbed in self, and could care less about the rest of the world that is whizzing right by them as they drive dumbfounded.

Since opening MrRoadRage.com, I constantly watch other drivers very closely, and it makes me very sad to see the things I observe...almost on a daily basis. I hope that someday this site will make a difference and can somehow help people to realize that their life truly is at stake every time they get behind the wheel of a car...and they should take it seriously.

NJ Bosley - I hate to tell you, but crazy drivers are almost everywhere. Since 1989, when I moved from Va. to SC, I have been driving through Ga. NC, Va. and of course SC on a regular basis. I've been to other states, but those are the main four I drive in, and I can tell you that it is just crazy out there. I do have to say though that where I live...wow, you wouldn't believe some of the stuff I have seen.

My craziest story involved a man driving over a bridge which goes over the Interstate, and without any warning did a U-turn on the bridge with all kinds of traffic in his way, and he never slowed down to make the U-turn. People had to slam on brakes to keep from hitting him, including me. He just cut me off going in front of me to head in the other direction. I was in total shock. I was told that SC drivers were crazy when I moved here, and that was my first experience with that truth. I almost packed up and went back home as I was seriously concerned I was going to be witnessing crap like that on a daily basis. Thank goodness he was a rare exception to the rule. I do have a couple of other stories posted to the Road Rage Blog though. Some real loonies out there.

OCT

2008

We see this all the time and you have alot of people who just don't think and don't care. That is why defensive driving is so important. You have to be aware of you and the drivers around you.

Greg - I was born and raised in San Francisco and didn't get my driver's license till I was 33 and living in the suburbs because of driver's like these. It was dangerous enough to be a pedestrian.

Tanya - The old "don't think, don't care policy" that we are seeing all the time. As I wrote on my website...the only way to change the way people act is to change the way they think...that is so true. Changing the way they think is the challenge!

Joanna - Wow...didn't drive until 33. I had logged thousands of miles by then. Your last line almost stopped me though..."dangerous to be a pedestrian." San Fran may not be a good place for me then...in more ways than one.

I have had close calls that weren't wrecks only by the grace of God. I've taken it as a reminder to be careful, pay attention, and drive defensively. Thanks for the reminder.

Heather - You're welcome! I am so glad I had a great driver's ed teacher. He drilled defensive driving into our heads. This is the key. As he said...drive as if everyone else out there is out to get you and they are idiots. Well, it was close to that, I mean, after all, that was about 30 years ago...but I do remember a whole lot of what he said...he made that big an impression on me. I venture to say that I am probably alive today because of him.

OCT

2008

Driving is a privilege that should be taken away from many people, but there are so many of them that the law cannot get to all of them.

Thank goodness you and your family are ok!!!

Caren - You are so right, there are a lot of people driving who have absolutely no business on the road. Maybe, just maybe, if we can get enough people active in promoting safe driving, and in helping to promote MrRoadRage.com, just maybe we can reach a few people here and there who will realize it is up to them to do their part. We will not change the way people act until we change the way they think, and this is the main purpose of MrRoadRage.com

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