Re: The "other" first gear

[jafo@tummy.com]

In article <199612141802.NAA10136@ngw2.hns.com> you write:
>Shaun Mullen <smullen@philly.infi.net> writes:
>>ScharfR@aol.com wrote:
>>> The bottom line is that you have to decide if you trust pyrotechnics in the
>>> proximity of loved ones.  ... snip ...

I've always been one for seatbelts as the first line as well.  I just
shook my head when I found that those stupid "mouse-in-track" belts were
to be required by law.  I can't even back my car out of the garage into
the driveway (all 15 feet of it) without feeling uncomfortable without
a seatbelt...

You know, in Canada it was actually illegal to HAVE those mouse-in-track
belts -- they apparently have very high compliance with seatbelt laws.  My
wife (from SK) blames it on these commercials they had years back that
had voice-overs saying things like "I'd rather be thrown clear of the
wreck", and showed pumpkins colliding with trees, lamp poles, etc...

>comments.  Get back to me after you experience going through a 
>green light at 30mph and a drunk runs the red directly infront of 
>you such that you hit him broadside with no possible chance of 
>avoidance (as happened to me).  Then tell me about "hankie-wringing".

Just because you had a green light doesn't mean that you didn't have
to pay attention to what the other drivers at the intersection were
doing.  If you hit him broadside, that would tend to indicate to me
that you had an opportunity to avoid it.  I never hesitate to slow
down or stop where I have right-of-way if it looks like somone
on a cross-street is not going to stop.  I would certainly lay the
blame on the accident on them, but I would still wonder why the
accident happened.

Sure, I often slow down or don't accelerate when the light turns
green because of somone who brakes late and hard, but on the other
hand it *HAS* saved me from what would otherwise have been an
accident otherwise -- on many occasions.

It's a two way road -- I've been as thankful of the other drivers who
have been more alert than, as I have been when I was on the other side
of that fence.  In a perfect world, traffic would flow according to
the rules all the time.  It's hardly perfect though, so everyone needs
to be alert to preventing accidents.  A green light may or may not mean
anything...

Enjoy,
Sean
-- 
 I used to think that the brain was the most wonderful organ in
 my body.  Then I realized who was telling me this.  -- Emo Phillips
Sean Reifschneider, Inimitably Superfluous <jafo@tummy.com>
URL: <http://www.tummy.com/xvscan> HP-UX/Linux/FreeBSD/BSDOS scanning software.