A close call at work Saturday.

[Bugman]

I was going to post this to my blog but I think it's important enough for a thread here. Around noon Saturday I pulled out of a park and ride lot to begin the next leg of my route. About two blocks down the street is an entrance-exit drive for a large apartment complex. I see two cars sitting side by side waiting to pull out into traffic so I slow down a bit and cover the brake pedal as we are taught to do. I'm almost right on top of them when some guy messing with his phone pulls out in front of me. By slamming on the brakes I miss him by inches, throwing a passenger out of his seat to the floor. I'll leave the rest out, other than that the guy was not seriously injured but I'm sure he had a headache and soreness later.

My point here is, when you get behind the wheel put the damn phone down! That text message or voice mail is not worth your life, or the life of someone else. A 35 foot New Flyer bus weights around 13 tons, depending on the model and fuel-passenger load. Had I T-boned that guy, it could have killed him. When I stopped shaking and my heart quit pounding I was furious. It would not have been my fault, but if that man had died or been seriously injured I would have carried that around the rest of my life. Don't put someone in that position for a stinking text message or conversation. It's just not worth it.

 

[ticklemepls]

Amen to that and I applaud your paying attention and noticing the potential danger ahead of time...

 

[kered]

True to the max! That cell phone ain't shit compared to a life. I have idiots do this all the time. These clowns even run stop signs because they are too interested in the conversation than watching where they are going. One instance the person on the cell tagged some poor inocent schmoe and both took ambulance rides. It's just not worth it.

 

[Gothika]

glad it was not worse dude aroud here they have got harder on people that talk on the phone or txt if ya get cought its 3 points on ya license and a huge fine also they started to put signes around warning people not to text and drive

 

[Bugman]

Amen to that and I applaud your paying attention and noticing the potential danger ahead of time...

Thanks hon, I do my best. We are not allowed to have our phones on at work unless we step off the bus, but sadly I see other drivers chatting away with one hand on the wheel. This is grounds for immediate termination, as it should be. I don't even answer the phone while driving my car. It can wait until I can pull over.

True to the max! That cell phone ain't shit compared to a life. I have idiots do this all the time. These clowns even run stop signs because they are too interested in the conversation than watching where they are going. One instance the person on the cell tagged some poor innocent schmoe and both took ambulance rides. It's just not worth it.

Yes my fellow road warrior, you understand. I remember you posting about some fool busting a stop sign resulting in what could have been a real tragedy. And for what?

glad it was not worse dude around here they have got harder on people that talk on the phone or text if ya get caught its 3 points on ya license and a huge fine also they started to put signs around warning people not to text and drive

I wish Texas would really crack down on this. In Austin, if you get caught using a cell phone in a school zone you get a hefty fine. I don't know if any other city here has a similar policy.

 

[TropicThunder]

In BC, its illegal to drive with any hand held objects. No phones, no make up, no nothing. There was a huge debate going on about whether or not cigarettes classified as those types. But if you got caught using your phone and driving, your license could be suspended.

 

[PiedPiper]

Bugs, I've become convinced that continuous, real-time electronic connection with our friends will be the subtle death of our culture, just as surely as lead dinner-ware was death for the Romans. We used to work, focus and produce so that we could get to the end of a day and hang out with our friends - now we can hang out all day long,.. more important matters (like driving) are pushed aside,.. and no good will come of it.

 

[General Zod]

Glad things did not end bad Bugman.people like you,me,and Kered could fill up a thread with the idiot drivers we see.

 

[Bugman]

In BC, its illegal to drive with any hand held objects. No phones, no make up, no nothing. There was a huge debate going on about whether or not cigarettes classified as those types. But if you got caught using your phone and driving, your license could be suspended.

While I'm all for as much individual freedom as possible, I don't have a big problem with that. With real freedom comes real responsibility, which seems to be lacking in society at large.

Bugs, I've become convinced that continuous, real-time electronic connection with our friends will be the subtle death of our culture, just as surely as lead dinner-ware was death for the Romans. We used to work, focus and produce so that we could get to the end of a day and hang out with our friends - now we can hang out all day long,.. more important matters (like driving) are pushed aside,.. and no good will come of it.

We grew up in a different world my friend. I've never been able to wrap my mind around this seeming need to be in touch with everyone we know every waking moment. People who have my cell number will tell you my phone is seldom turned on, and if you send me an email, well, I check it now and then. But, I've always been something of a hermit. 🙂

 

[Bugman]

Glad things did not end bad Bugman.people like you,me,and Kered could fill up a thread with the idiot drivers we see.

Indeed we could my friend, indeed we could. And thanks. I'm glad too.

 

[Gothika]

I wish Texas would really crack down on this. In Austin, if you get caught using a cell phone in a school zone you get a hefty fine. I don't know if any other city here has a similar policy.

ya they need to do that everywhere its crazy and so many innocent people are getting killed for nothing my sister text while driving all the time she wont listen to know one about it she is hard headed like me lol

 

[unclebill]

Good job on your part to avoid a potentially tragic accident, bugman. I want to be just like you when I grow up.

 

[Bugman]

ya they need to do that everywhere its crazy and so many innocent people are getting killed for nothing my sister text while driving all the time she wont listen to know one about it she is hard headed like me lol

I hope your sister is not part of a needless tragedy some day my friend.

Good job on your part to avoid a potentially tragic accident, bugman. I want to be just like you when I grow up.

Thanks Bill, but I hope you have higher standards than that. I'm a real mess. You have no idea.

 

[smokinj]

I'm completely on board with you. Its almost worse than drunk driving because at least the drunks are trying to pay attention, not that I advocate drunk driving of course. The idiots who are texting and talking are in another world. I won't answer my phone when I'm in the car, whatever it is can wait until I get to my destination. Good thread.

 

[Leo tickles]

I ended up T-boning a lady who decided that paying attention to a stop sign was too much to ask.

Before I leave the house, I let the person or persons I am texting with know that I'll get back to them in a certain amount of hours because I have to drive somewhere. Worst case scenario I vanish for a few hours.

But I don't pull my phone out while driving. It's just not worth it.

 

[milagros317]

Well done, Bugman. Your alert defensive driving probably saved that guy's life.

 

[Bugman]

I'm completely on board with you. Its almost worse than drunk driving because at least the drunks are trying to pay attention, not that I advocate drunk driving of course. The idiots who are texting and talking are in another world. I won't answer my phone when I'm in the car, whatever it is can wait until I get to my destination. Good thread.

Thanks man. It seems many people put the car in drive and the brain in neutral when driving. And it seems to get worse every day.

Well done, Bugman. Your alert defensive driving probably saved that guy's life.

Thanks my friend. You know, the guy in that car didn't even slow down, just went on his merry way. Later on I got to wondering if he was married, maybe has some kids. How would you like being the one who had to tell his family he died because he was sending or responding to a text message, or making a phone call? I know I sure as hell would not want to be that person.

 

[milagros317]

Thanks my friend. You know, the guy in that car didn't even slow down, just went on his merry way. Later on I got to wondering if he was married, maybe has some kids. How would you like being the one who had to tell his family he died because he was sending or responding to a text message, or making a phone call? I know I sure as hell would not want to be that person.

You know what happened and that nobody had to tell his family why a tragedy occurred. Again, well done. 😀

 

[kopfhorer]

Jesus, Bugman, that was some sharp maneuvering. Glad you averted disaster. Way to go.

Here in The Vampire State where tax increases are out but ridiculous traffic ticketing is in, where the cops can't wait to slap you with a whopping fine for going .00000000000001 MPH over the speed limit, I see schmucks yapping on their goddamned cell phones as they drive at 30, 50 or 70 MPH every fucking day. So where are the blue-and-magenta lights when you need them?

To paraphrase a tenet of Zen Buddhism, drive when you drive!

 

[paracarl44]

Glad things did not end bad Bugman.people like you,me,and Kered could fill up a thread with the idiot drivers we see.

^I once saw a truck driver with a cell phone in one hand making a turn with his eighteen wheeler. I gave him a wide berth.^

 

[Bugman]

Jesus, Bugman, that was some sharp maneuvering. Glad you averted disaster. Way to go.

Here in The Vampire State where tax increases are out but ridiculous traffic ticketing is in, where the cops can't wait to slap you with a whopping fine for going .00000000000001 MPH over the speed limit, I see schmucks yapping on their goddamned cell phones as they drive at 30, 50 or 70 MPH every fucking day. So where are the blue-and-magenta lights when you need them?



To paraphrase a tenet of Zen Buddhism, drive when you drive!

Thanks man. Your state does seem to have its priortiy's skewed. Not that I condone speeding, but at least people who speed generally seem to be focused on the road.

 

[Bugman]

Damn Bugman!!! Good reactions!

Lots of people think that they can handle every situation... but seriously... they do NOT!

Thanks. I've earned my daily bread driving commercial vehicles of one sort or another since 1980, started driving in 1972, and I guess I've about seen it all with well over one million miles under my belt. What I hope though is that someone will read this thread, and take it to heart. If one needless death or serious injury is prevented as a result that would make me very happy although I'll likely never know about it.

 

[c7_assassin]

Well done keeping others safe in spite of themselves, Buggy. If any of us have a shot, it's because of people like you.

 

[Bugman]

I hope so too. Why do humans only seem to learn when shit goes wrong... (Kay... not always... but often)

Sadly, humanity often seems to learn even from our failures...

Well done keeping others safe in spite of themselves, Buggy. If any of us have a shot, it's because of people like you.

Thanks my friend, but this is not about me. This incident has sparked something of a personal crusade within me. And I'm going to shout my message from the rooftop. If it falls on deaf ears, well, I tried.

 

[Dussicar]

I'm glad there is a province-wide ban on texting and cell phone use while driving where I live. This is something that goes way beyond obnoxious. It's dangerous and unnecessary.