The Language of Love

Scary!

 

I did an involuntary 180* turn down an icy hill last year. Wound up in the other lane...facing the right direction (for that lane)! I narrowly missed a tree. I don't know how. I was praying hard LOL. I think I had some help.

I would think so! Your guardian angel (or whatever) was following you that day!

Almost as scary as helplessly watching an impending collision with your car, is wondering whether the other driver has insurance.

 

Glad you're okay.

 

-- Nephele

I know...when one car is cutting in and out of lanes, barely missing the other cars around them. I can feel my eyes widen as big as saucers, I seem to gasp for air, and I'm praying that the other drivers are aware of what's going on. Freaky!

Its funny you posted this Doc. A friend of mine drove in the states once and was thoroughly frightened. Not by gun totin' hoodlums or whatever, but just by people cruising at legal speeds and basically losing attention because of the boredom.

 

I'm reminded of an american lady I came across once. She was from Idaho, or Iowa, or somewhere flat and empty. We got talking about driving and I asked how she found it driving on British roads.

 

She gasped in typical rural drawl "You people are sooo-peerrrrr-men." and went on to describe how she drew up at a road junction and didn't dare move for cars whizzing all around her.

 

In fact, the same phenomenon is starting to occur in Britain. Now that speed limits are rigidly enforced, people are becoming less attentive (one reason why the accident rate hasn't improved much since speed cameras came in). Whereas in the good old days you kept a good look out for your own survival, now you just sort of accept that everyone is doing the same speed and doing the same things.

 

Before my car(s) were nobbled and I became a pedestrian, it was getting more and more hazardous on city dual carriageways (the ones limited to 40mph) because no-one bothered to look before they manoevered. Not really a change for the better.

Yep, you could be right. I fully admit to resembling a low-flying aircraft in my Corolla on the highways, but still done while paying attention. While I do have a hands-free device for my cell phone, I really don't use it...I just don't like talking on the phone while driving. I admit to singing, talking outloud to remind myself of something, but esp. if I'm in the car by myself I tend to pay attention. You never know when the Highway Patrol will be out there.

Good point. Increasingly, with cars becoming dull as ditchwater to drive, lots of gadjets and toys are migrating to the front dash for drivers to play with.

 

I think the reason I haven't had any serious accidents (I made a couple of low speed bumps in my early days, one was someone elses fault) is that I don't play with the dashboard or even bother with the stereo. Always look out the window. I know it sounds daft, but, there's a sort of parallel with fighter pilots. Its the one you don't see who gets you.

 

Actually, the dullness of modern cars is a mystery to me. Adverts constantly portray production vehicles as fun to drive, exciting, responsive, a pleasure to own etc... The ones I've driven handle like rice pudding and need a request signed in triplicate before they gather speed. Maybe I'm lucky. I'm old enough to remember when cars were real cars

Hmmm...I think you and I need to apply to be test drivers for Top Gear, Mr. Caldrail Sir. Of course, that means I have to learn to drive a standard transmission...oh, the price of education... :D :D