Safety Reminder

Hi Guys,

I was driving on a rural highway last night in light rain. There were a few cars coming toward me in the opposite lane. I have been a volunteer firefighter for a long time, so I get pretty paranoid about roadway safety. Things go bad so quickly. Both hands were on the wheel, and I was right at the speed limit, 55 mph. Radio was off. I was paying attention to the road (actually was looking for cops out of habit).

Then, SWOOSH! I zoomed by a pedestrian walking away from me on the shoulder. I had to have come within a few inches of breaking the guy's arm with my mirror. All I saw was the back of a red ball cap and denim jacket. The only reason I can think of that I did not see him was that my lights were on low and he wore dark pants. There was no abandoned vehicle or anything else to alert me to the resence of a pedestrian on the highway.

I hope it scared the guy as badly as it did me. I suspect not though, since he was in the state of mind to be walking at least *on* the fog line on the wrong side of the road.

I know it is preaching to the choir posting this here. Just a reminder to assure that all your drivers at home have a light and are aware of visibility issues for those nighttime breakdowns. If I would have hit that guy he would have a fouled up arm, and I would stand a good chance of being in hot water.

Scott

Although firefighters are statistically the safest drivers, I too find myself wondering about these near catastrophies and pondering past incidents as I drive along familiar roadways potmarked with past tragedies so invisible to others. Even with protective clothing and lighting, it behoves us to be constantly aware of our surroundings when we are roadside particularly given the number of impaired drivers operating under the influence.

I hope I didn't sound like I am putting my driving on a pedestal. Many others are more skillful than myself. I am just an average driver. Having seen mangled people and trying to keep other people's loved ones alive after near misses that weren't does help keep you from forgetting to be careful though. Often times when I am clearing the scene I'll think about the person's famility at home, wondering what is taking so long, just as I wonder about my wife sometimes.

Scott

Just curious, do people who are driving under the influence, "home" in on bright flashing lights? Reason being is that a friend of mine was hit head-on on a two-lane road. He noticed that the driver on the opposite side was swerving in and out of both lanes. Then he proceeded to flash his lights and the other driver still kept coming, mirroring his moves, until they hit! The person was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

Also, on one of those "Cop" shows, where a trooper pulled over someone else and while the cruiser's lights were still flashing, a person under the influence rammed it. After being pulled out of the vehicle, the person mentioned that all he knows was seeing the bright flashing lights and just headed for it. So I'm curious about that. . .Do people who are under the influence and driving, do they tend to hit bright lights and if these bright lights are flashing too? What say you?

1) the guy walking on the road must be either "messed up" or really stupid. When I walk roads for whatever reason (breakdown) I will move out of the way when a car is coming. I will walk in the grass a good car width away from the shoulder of the road if I can.

2) Drunks do go for lights, flashing or not. I had a friend killed by one. He pulled over in his Saleen mustang because it was raining, and he had bald tires. Then a drunk ramed into him and killed him. When I heard he died, I though it was because he wrecked his mustang driving too fast. But that wasn't the case at all. His dad was killed by a drunk driver as well, that's how he had the money for his car. Very sad.

If you are going to pull over on the high way at night, I ALWAYS shut off my lights totally. It's much more safer to do that. You may think but then they can't see you. Well if they can see the lines in the road, they will keep going hopefully. But don't turn them off if you can't pull on to the shoulder and are in the road still.

If they are drunk, and see your tail lights, flashing or not (they could be so drunk the flashing doesn't even resigter as flashing to them), they will ram right into your vehicle. Because they think they are following behind another car that is moving, not realising that it is stopped.

chc I think they see two squads and aim down the middle........I try to put higher intensity bulbs in all my vehicles so low and high beams are brighter.

I've noticed more and more walkers and joggers are wearing bright clothes and reflectorized stuff. (at least the responsible ones are)

scary....

Interesting comments IsaacHayes. Sorry to hear about your friend and his father. . .

Like already mentioned, I wonder about that too when walking on the roadways at night and one has lights on them. Scary as RKonieska mentioned. Well the need to be on the offensive/defensive as IsaacHayes alluded to in his manner of walking.

RKonieska, maybe they think they can somehow just drive on by and not get caught. . .

Not if I'm holdin my newly ordered Ae Powerlight....

Unfortunately people tend to go where they look. It helps explain a lot of rear enders. Instead of looking beside the stopped car people tend to stare at the rear bumper. Usually this is followed by the sound of crunching metal. I almost did this myself until my brain dragged out the proper procedure.

Michael