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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | http://www.wtvr.com/global/story.asp?s=10256457 "Drive Smart Virginia" has made April 29th an awareness day for distracted driving nothing is mentioned statiscally how many deaths are caused by distracted driving. This is going to have to go the way of DUI/DWI laws in which when they find you were fiddling with something and you kill someone because of it, it should be mandatory at a minimum, manslaughter or vehicular homiside. This might sound outrageous to some and we may have all been guilty at some point or another, but when I think about the outcome from a split second, I changed my habits. We tip-toe around this stuff and make general statements, like trying to make laws to stymie things like text messaging and it is all the more prevalent. I even see LEO underway doing the same crap and I wonder did they take the "driving while texting" training course along with their high-speed pursuit training. This is sometimes laughable in a sad way because before the end of today, a family member isn't coming home because of someone having to text, "I'm on my way, c u.....oooooops, I just killed someone." Sorry for the rant, but the someone could be one of us... Ride safe, ban idiots... I feel a letter to the editor coming on.....
Edited by varyder 2009-04-27 1:49 PM
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | I ride everyday on a major route that goes to a high school. I see on or two texting every day.
I made my own bumper sticker.
wen U rek txtn
Ill B LMAO @U!
Translated:
When you wreck texting
I will be laughing my ass off at you!
I just hope they do not kill me txtn. |
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Visionary
Posts: 8144
New Bohemia, VA | great bumber sticker RT. I guess my point is that when they have this "awareness day" what do they hope to accomplished if nothing is enforced? I think every single person who has a license went through some basic drivers ed that says "You're driving a very heavy machine that if you lose control of can kill you or somebody else so pay attention to what you do. I do not believe we need to have laws that cover texting as it is already covered by a law that requires you to pay attention to the road and the operation of your vehicle. I get very vocal while driving and when I see someone weaving around the road and I get up next them and see they are on the phone I make a motion to HANG UP THE PHONE. Anyway, sorry again for the rant, it is that I just get sick of this when this happens out in the middle of traffic, cars all around, motorcycles all around, people all around and folks still insist to do this stuff. Please remind your family and ourselves to be extra, extra careful. I shared an experience that just happend Friday on the VMC forum that I don't feel up to repeating, but it has made me think a whole lot here lately about riding... |
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Visionary
Posts: 1436
| Varyder, I agree with your concern. Maybe we need a law like Britian has; Bike and cage are in an accident the cage is ALWAYS at fault. Makes them pay more attention. I doubt seriously we are going to see much of an increase in penalties. Not that it isn't a good idea but rather high profile cases haven't swayed opinion.
Must have been frustrating for you..... |
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Visionary
Posts: 3006
San Antonio, TX | About two months ago I was sitting in the fifth slot behind four cars to turn left. I was in a center turn lane and saw the protected green arrow appear. The first three cars go through the light. The car in front of me waits and moves when the light turns yellow. I follow him through the intersection and turn left.
It is a teen aged young man on a cell phone with the drivers window down. I pull up beside him and in a loud clear voice said "Hang up your phone and drive." Then I drove down the road.
I parked at my workout club making my usual 24 foot u-turn to see this young man parking at the other side of the lot. As I take off my helmet he tells me that "You should not yell at other drivers". I get it, he is embarrassed. I made him look bad to whoever he had on the phone and he is mad.
I told him "Don't drive distracted." "You had no idea that the light had turned green because you were on the phone. That is the stuff that kills motorcycle operators."
He said, "I did not hit you. Your OK."
By now the young man and I are gathering a crowd and we are still 30 feet apart.
I told him "You had no situational awareness at that light. No idea what was going on around you or that the light was green. Everyone here has seen this behavior in drivers. (pointing to the group) This is the stuff that gets me and my friends and these people into the hospital. My bike does not have bumpers. Ride a motorcycle for a month and you will understand were I am coming from."
He walked away after that and went to work out. I worked out as well. He never spoke to me and avoided me.
Of course it is a ticket if a cop saw someone his age on a cell phone driving down the road. Makes me wish I was a cop at times.
I guess that next time he will roll up the window when on the phone. I bet there is one motorcycle he looks our for when driving.
Ride Safe. |
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Iron Butt
Posts: 600
Linwood, MI | Last year I had 5 people pull out in front of me, causing me to slam on brakes to avoid hitting them 3 times and actually running me into the on-coming lane twice (luckily no traffic in the lane then). Every single time the woman was talking on a cell phone. Yes, it was a woman driver every time. But I'm not saying that's the reason, beacuse I see just as many men yakking on those cursed things while driving as I do women.
Anyway, in the two cases where I was run out of my lane they never saw me because of the cell phone stuck to the left side of their head, even as I was riding right beside them with a WTF look on my face.
My mom seems to find the need to call me with her cell phone while she's driving home. I always tell her, "Mom, why don't you call me when you get home or stop someplace? I'll talk to you later." It makes her mad, but I just tell her I love her and I don't want her to be the one to kill some biker instead of just running them off the road like I've been.
RT is exactly right. I've long said that every driver should be required to spend a summer on a motorcycle. It will make you a better driver and definitely more aware of motorcyles. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Hartland, , WI | Rebel - 2009-04-27 5:26 PM
.......RT is exactly right. I've long said that every driver should be required to spend a summer on a motorcycle. It will make you a better driver and definitely more aware of motorcyles.
I was interviewed in 1991 or 1992 by a writer for the National Safety Council monthly magazine called Traffic Safety (it was work related interview thing) about true defensive driving and recall saying...."every driver of a car should have to spend a month on a motorcycle to learn how to be more observant of road conditions and the driving environment/idiots around you and feel what it is really like to be vulnerable...& another month driving behind the wheel of a big truck and understand how absolutely asinine people drive around you. You have the great disadvantage of not being able to stop really quickly and all of the yahoos around you become greatly magnified as you try to maintain your safe distance spacing and every car takes advantage of you and jumps in front of you oblivious as too why there is so much room between your truck and the vehicle in front of you. I figured if everybody did both you would have a much better perspective on true defensive driving"....I remembered forming this opinion in my early twentys when during my summer job home from school I did both...drove a Kawasaki KZ 900 to work and then drove a dual axle straight truck full of RV supplies."
So when I get on my bike or behind the wheel I always repeat two things in my mind before I turn the key:
1) Clear your mind on whatever BS is currently floating through it as it is about to be serious time called driving...and then....
2) "Live long and Prosper"!
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Tourer
Posts: 548
Mount Vernon, WA United States | "I think every single person who has a license went through some basic drivers ed that says "You're driving a very heavy machine that if you lose control of can kill you or somebody else so pay attention to what you do."
This is an assumption based on the state in which you live.
I have recently lived in arguably both the best and worst places to be a biker in the USA. Maryland being one of the worst, and Washington state being one of the best. While I agree it would be nice to see more than just "awareness," anything helps. While in both states the majority of motorcycle fatalities are from drinking and driving, most in Maryland involved another vehicle, and out here most involved people being stupid on their own. In the three years I have lived here, I have had ZERO people pull out in front of me or cut me off due to distractions or anything else. In Maryland, I don't ever recall going ANYWHERE without some "incident" no matter how slight. Here in fact, when people see a bike, like at a 4-way... they tend to try and have you go first, even if it's "out of order" which I find more annoying so I just put my feet down and act like I don't see them waving me.
Even something as subtle as the "Road Construction Ahead, Motorcycles Use Caution" signs raise awareness I guess. In Maryland, there were roads that would be completely tore up and you wouldn't now about it until its too late.
I think both states are about equal on the drivers ed thing, but for different reasons. Maryland had a high number of foreign drivers who did not have driving experience and in many cases didn't have to take a test to get a license... not to mention the ridiculous traffic. Here, there are a high number of just flat out unlicensed drivers.
Bottom line.. while I think states like Hawaii where a DUI or DWI looses your driving privilege forever are on the right track, the next best thing is just raising awareness that we are out there. I think getting motorcycles off the "recreational vehicle" category would be a good step too. JMHO |
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Visionary
Posts: 1290
Ruskin, Fl | I did a search and can't find the specifics, but Florida was proposing passing a law that if the driver of a car injures a motorcyclist they would face like a year in jail. Didn't pass and just went away in the news. |
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Cruiser
Posts: 266
Hartland, , WI | Why Miles! I'm not sure I ever seen you so "wordy"...I think Varyder would be proud of you.
You should come out and play more often...lol....but I like the passion you have for this topic!
And I really like your construction warning sign for motorcycles...Great idea!
Since Varder started this...my bud Bruce works for your DMV. They had a mystery that the powers to be above Bruce came down to say...WTF...we had more motorcyle fatalities (two year ago now) by alot...like by more than a third to anytime prior...and since Bruce is incharge of the VA motorcycle safety classes they asked him his thoughts. Good ideas came from it...more "crotch rockets" than ever on the road and since the stats. were up because of single bikes leaving the roadway...people (young) were dying because they were way over their head in machine and way out of their good decision making mind...maturity/experience!
Life seems so much more valuable now that I'm "fitty"! |
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Tourer
Posts: 548
Mount Vernon, WA United States | Thanks..
"And I really like your construction warning sign for motorcycles...Great idea! "
Sorry can't take credit.. they've been a staple of Washington roads since January of 2004.
http://www.wsdot.wa.gov/publications/fulltext/ProjectDev/ProjectDel...
These are usually accompanied by the type of construction, and while their primary purpose is the obvious, ALL motorists see them. So they have a subliminal usefulness as well. |
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Some things just make me mad...