Fun with Quark

[chaosmagnet]

My daughter's school is a few blocks away across a busy two-lane state highway. We walked over there to attend a fundraising event, staying on our side of the highway until we made it to the marked crosswalk.

Motorists seem to have a big problem remembering to stop there, especially during the evening rush hour.

As we approached I took out my Quark 123^2 (my Titanium 123^2 hadn't arrived yet) and tightened the bezel. I walked into the crosswalk, and a guy in a gray BMW 5 series accelerated, with the obvious intention of making me jump back so that he wouldn't have to stop for us. I brought up the flashlight and shined it on Turbo into his face. He squinted with an unpleasant look, but stopped. We crossed, and all was well.

My five-year-old daughter asked me what I would have done if he didn't stop. I said, "Then I would have used the strobe."

 

[Dan FO]

My five-year-old daughter asked me what I would have done if he didn't stop. I said, "Then I would have used the strobe."

Then you would have been in heaven.

 

[fiorano]

Then you would have been in heaven.

Indeed.

Last time I checked someone holding a flashlight on strobe is not going to physically stop a speeding 3500 lb. vehicle.

For your daughter's sake: the wiser man yields.

 

[chaosmagnet]

Indeed.

Last time I checked someone holding a flashlight on strobe is not going to physically stop a speeding 3500 lb. vehicle.

For your daughter's sake: the wiser man yields.

While I was in the crosswalk and I had the right of way, I was not in fact in the BMW's lane. Nor did I walk out in front of it until it had stopped.

 

[Painful Chafe]

Wow. A BMW driver did that? Wierd.

 

[clintb]

Wow. A BMW driver did that? Wierd.

I would have guessed it was an SUV driver had there been no mention of vehicle type...

 

[DimeRazorback]

Doesn't matter what the vehicle is, there can be idiots in or on any of them!

 

[madmook]

Still waiting on my opportunity to give someone a good in-yer-face strobe... (they have to deserve it, of course)

 

[Stress_Test]

Guys, better think twice about doing stuff like this. Read this thread (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=177448) about flashing a light at some guy in a car.

My own experience with road rage has made me realize how stupid it is to provoke anyone behind the wheel of a car.

Some people turn into freakin' PSYCHOPATHS when they drive! Watch out!

 

[Morelite]

Not only is it stupid and unsafe to impair the vision of a driver (whether or not they deserve it) it is illegal to do so.
Lights should only be used to get their attention and let them know your there but should not be directed in there face.

 

[jp2515]

Guys, better think twice about doing stuff like this. Read this thread (http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?t=177448) about flashing a light at some guy in a car.

My own experience with road rage has made me realize how stupid it is to provoke anyone behind the wheel of a car.

Some people turn into freakin' PSYCHOPATHS when they drive! Watch out!

Exactly, I live in the metro part of Los Angeles and experience has told me that drivers (and pedestrians alike) can be angered easily. Better not risk ticking off the wrong person and play with traffic.

 

[flasherByNight]

as everyone else has said....illegal, ill advised, bad idea.

I had a lot more comments to say, but it started to turning into a mini rant.

One thing I'll say is that I never understand pedestrians who put their lives in the hands of others. ie crossing streets w/out looking assuming that drivers will come screaching to a halt (what if they're not paying attention etc).

 

[WadeF]

What's worse than a driver that doesn't stop for a cross walk? A person armed with a very bright flashlight that shines it at oncoming traffic and then boasts about their deed. Come on people, these stories don't impress us, they make the responsible people here shake their heads in disappointment. Shine the light at the ground, strobe it at the ground. They should at that point at least see you are there. It's up to them if they are going to stop or not and you should wait and see what they do. Trying to FORCE them to stop by shining a bright flashlight in their face is just uncalled for, illegal, the list goes on. Why not just pull out a gun and shoot their tires out while you're at it? :shakehead

 

[flasherByNight]

as far as my helpful comment...

Bring it up with the city, spend an afternoon videotape how difficult it is to cross and the lack of motorists yielding to pedestrians. Go viral if you have to...

I've seen many intersections/crosswalks vastly improved when someone finally brought it up with the city.

A) It'll improve the situation (permanently)
B) It's legal :thumbsup:
C) You won't be in jail and without a quark to boot

 

[burntoshine]

yeah, i don't understand it. some pedestrians will walk out in front of me (while i'm driving) assuming i see them and assuming that i plan to stop. they don't even bother to look either way. if i would continue at present speed, i would run them over. crazy fools. your health is not worth whatever money you'd get out of a lawsuit. some people think hospitals can always fix you 100% no matter what happens.

if you're in a place where you're worried about being seen, i might suggest just pointing the light at the ground; maybe use the strobe, pointing down when you're preparing to cross. i agree with the others, never point a light in someone's eyes unless they're a bad guy breaking into your house or something; but then you'll need more than just a light.

the way i see it, always avoid needless confrontations; let the crazies kill each other.

...i'll live another day

...to buy another light to play with.

EDIT: ah, wade, you beat me to my suggestions. it takes me too long to think; 3 posts while i was typing.

 

[Stress_Test]

......... your health is not worth whatever money you'd get out of a lawsuit. some people think hospitals can always fix you 100% no matter what happens.
..............

+1

Back a couple of years ago when I was still a university student, on a campus with MUCH traffic + pedestrians, I overheard one student tell another something about "I WISH they'd hit me in the crosswalk, then I'd sue and get all that money".

Totally stupid attitude for TWO reasons: 1, the person who hits you is likely to be another student, and also poor; wouldn't get any money suing anyway, and 2, once your body's been smashed up it's never as good as it was before, and no amount of money can make your body good as new!

Having "Right of way" is small consolation when you're lying broken and bleeding in the street...


(sorry bit OT, but relevant to crosswalks, drivers, and pedestrians at least)

 

[LightOnAHill]

+1

Back a couple of years ago when I was still a university student, on a campus with MUCH traffic + pedestrians, I overheard one student tell another something about "I WISH they'd hit me in the crosswalk, then I'd sue and get all that money".

Totally stupid attitude for TWO reasons: 1, the person who hits you is likely to be another student, and also poor; wouldn't get any money suing anyway, and 2, once your body's been smashed up it's never as good as it was before, and no amount of money can make your body good as new!

Having "Right of way" is small consolation when you're lying broken and bleeding in the street...


(sorry bit OT, but relevant to crosswalks, drivers, and pedestrians at least)

I have to say your reason #2 is the winner!!! In order for the lawsuit to be able to have grounds, you have to show injury and it usually needs to be bad enough to justify damages.

BUT, you're incorrect with #1. You can get hit by any old poor person; you sue their insurance company. That's what liability insurance is for. Now, if you get hit by somebody that doesn't have that insurance, you're out of luck.

Such a sad few in this generation--kids want to suffer being maimed rather than working hard and being fulfilled to earn money. :shakehead

 

[Dan FO]

His defense would be that he was blinded by the wanton and willful negligent use of the flashlight and sue you or your estate for the damage to his vehicle.

 

[DM51]

What you did was irresponsible and illegal in some countries, foolish and extremely dangerous in others, and just plain suicidal in many more. Some members have quite understandably pointed this out to you.

Road rage threads almost always end badly; we'll close this one now.