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Incredibly Stupid & Criminal Pedestrian (Long)



 
 
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  #41  
Old July 6th 05, 03:15 PM
Scott en Aztlán
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On Tue, 5 Jul 2005 12:52:58 -0400, "Ted B." >
wrote:

>Everyone seems to be assuming that the pedestrian was unintentionally
>stupid. To me it sounds like some kind of sick prank.


That's definitely a possibility.

Kinda like that auto insurance commercial where a squirrel runs out
into the road in front of an oncoming station wagon: the wagon swerves
to avoid hitting the squirrel and crashes into the ditch, and the
second squirrel comes out and high-fives the first squirrel.

As many drivers have noticed, there is an element to society that,
while powerless in their everyday lives, loves to exert what little
control they do have whenever possible. These are the people who walk
S-L-O-O-O-W-L-Y through the crosswalk in front of your car in order to
make you wait longer, or drive S-L-O-O-O-W-L-Y down the street because
they know another car is behind them. I would not put it past such
people to attempt a prank like this.

>That is, convenient 2nd pedestrian on the side (so can't swerve right).


And to high-five the first guy after he makes the car crash.

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  #42  
Old July 6th 05, 06:05 PM
Alan Baker
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In article >,
"Daniel W. Rouse Jr." > wrote:

> "Alan Baker" > wrote in message
> ...
> > In article >,
> > "Daniel W. Rouse Jr." > wrote:
> >
> > > "Arif Khokar" > wrote in message
> > > ...
> > > > bosk wrote:
> > > >
> > > > > Looking back on this, I'm so glad I was driving the older Toyota

> stick
> > > > > shift, not because of the manual trans. but because the other car I
> > > > > sometimes drive (a relative's) is a similar looking wagon, newer
> > > > > Subaru, but it is automatic and has ABS brakes which I still cannot

> get
> > > > > used to, particularly the loss of steering and control I've

> experienced
> > > > > in it.
> > > >
> > > > With ABS, you're better able to maintain steering control as opposed

> to
> > > > skidding in a stright line like you did in the Toyota.
> > >
> > > Except that overcorrecting while steering during ABS braking can lead to

> a
> > > spinout (car) or rollover (minivan, SUV), if the vehicle doesn't have

> some
> > > sort of intelligent traction control system.

> >
> > It's not as likely to lead to a spin out as your suggesting of engine
> > braking the rear tires and steering with the fronts!
> >

> [snip...]
>
> That claim is made by David W. Poole Jr., not me.


Apologies for not seeing that.

--
Alan Baker
Vancouver, British Columbia
"If you raise the ceiling 4 feet, move the fireplace from that wall
to that wall, you'll still only get the full stereophonic effect
if you sit in the bottom of that cupboard."
  #43  
Old July 6th 05, 10:25 PM
John David Galt
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The Real Bev wrote:
> When my mom was still driving, I told her that if an animal ever darted out in
> front of the car she should try to brake but go straight ahead, not try to
> avoid the animal. Better to hit it than spin or roll or smash into another
> car. She seemed surprised, but on reflection thought that that was the proper
> thing to do.
>
> I would guess that would go for humans too.


For a dog or cat, yes. But for a deer, cow, or any other animal tall enough
that it's likely to go up on your hood and hit the windshield, I'd rather
swerve and take my chances on spinning out. A side impact with a deer will
probably leave me uninjured and the car drivable -- head-on probably won't.

Most humans are big enough to belong in that second category too, although
I'd hesitate to swerve to the right; they may run that way if they figure
out the problem at the last second. That's less likely with a deer or cow.
  #44  
Old July 6th 05, 10:26 PM
John David Galt
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Scott en Aztlán wrote:
> Anyone stupid enough to walk out in front of oncoming traffic deserves
> a Darwin Award - and there isn't a cop on the planet who will ticket
> you for it (as long as the pedestrian is not in a crosswalk, of
> course).


If only this were true. Remember the WTO protesters?
  #45  
Old July 6th 05, 10:28 PM
John David Galt
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Brent P wrote:
> I hope you don't have any trouble for leaving the scene. Of course since the
> ped ran off, odds are he's not wanting to go to the cops and it's clear
> that the guy in the black car knew who to blame as well.


Just as well. These days, some stupid jury would probably decide you're
at fault just because he's a Helpless Ped and you're in a Big Bad Car.
  #46  
Old July 7th 05, 06:30 AM
Scott en Aztlán
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On Wed, 06 Jul 2005 14:26:39 -0700, John David Galt
> wrote:

>Scott en Aztlán wrote:
>> Anyone stupid enough to walk out in front of oncoming traffic deserves
>> a Darwin Award - and there isn't a cop on the planet who will ticket
>> you for it (as long as the pedestrian is not in a crosswalk, of
>> course).

>
>If only this were true.


It was true the time I hit a pedestrian. He was crossing the street in
mid-block and walked right out in front of my car; I braked, but he
was too close, and he was knocked to the ground. I was not cited.

  #47  
Old July 8th 05, 10:11 PM
Part_Time_Troll
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"David W. Poole, Jr." > in :

> If it was a drug deal turned sour, well, maybe helmets are the new way
> the heads identify themselves to each other.


look for a nearby abandoned motorcycle or football game?

--
Talon news; giving new meaning to the appellation "Chickenhawk"
  #48  
Old July 9th 05, 05:59 AM
The Real Bev
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John David Galt wrote:
>
> The Real Bev wrote:
> > When my mom was still driving, I told her that if an animal ever darted out in
> > front of the car she should try to brake but go straight ahead, not try to
> > avoid the animal. Better to hit it than spin or roll or smash into another
> > car. She seemed surprised, but on reflection thought that that was the proper
> > thing to do.
> >
> > I would guess that would go for humans too.

>
> For a dog or cat, yes. But for a deer, cow, or any other animal tall enough
> that it's likely to go up on your hood and hit the windshield, I'd rather
> swerve and take my chances on spinning out. A side impact with a deer will
> probably leave me uninjured and the car drivable -- head-on probably won't.
>
> Most humans are big enough to belong in that second category too, although
> I'd hesitate to swerve to the right; they may run that way if they figure
> out the problem at the last second. That's less likely with a deer or cow.


What about at freeway speeds with the usual freeway traffic and YOUR number
comes up? I guess we'd all be doomed then and it probably wouldn't matter.
We don't have much livestock, but every once in a while a dog makes it up onto
the freeway...

--
Cheers, Bev
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level.
It's cheaper." -- Quentin Crisp 1908 - 1999
  #49  
Old July 9th 05, 06:01 AM
The Real Bev
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Dave wrote:
>
> "David W. Poole, Jr." > wrote:
> > On Tue, 5 Jul 2005 12:59:31 -0400, "Ted B." > was
> > understood to have stated the following:
> >
> >>Initiation of some kind? -Dave

> >
> > Initiation into the ranks of the stupid. I believe aunt Judy went
> > through this procedure some time back, without as happy of an ending.

>
> Hey, I just remembered later, the pedestrian was wearing a helmet. Yet one
> more reason to think that it might have been intentional. Why wear a helmet
> to cross the street and then go running? -Dave


A lot of autistic or OCD kids wear helmets.

--
Cheers, Bev
--------------------------------------------------------------
"Never keep up with the Joneses. Drag them down to your level.
It's cheaper." -- Quentin Crisp 1908 - 1999
  #50  
Old July 9th 05, 05:24 PM
John David Galt
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>> The Real Bev wrote:
>>> When my mom was still driving, I told her that if an animal ever darted out in
>>> front of the car she should try to brake but go straight ahead, not try to
>>> avoid the animal. Better to hit it than spin or roll or smash into another
>>> car. She seemed surprised, but on reflection thought that that was the proper
>>> thing to do.
>>>
>>> I would guess that would go for humans too.


> John David Galt wrote:
>> For a dog or cat, yes. But for a deer, cow, or any other animal tall enough
>> that it's likely to go up on your hood and hit the windshield, I'd rather
>> swerve and take my chances on spinning out. A side impact with a deer will
>> probably leave me uninjured and the car drivable -- head-on probably won't.
>>
>> Most humans are big enough to belong in that second category too, although
>> I'd hesitate to swerve to the right; they may run that way if they figure
>> out the problem at the last second. That's less likely with a deer or cow.


The Real Bev wrote:
> What about at freeway speeds with the usual freeway traffic and YOUR number
> comes up? I guess we'd all be doomed then and it probably wouldn't matter.
> We don't have much livestock, but every once in a while a dog makes it up onto
> the freeway...


I commuted for a year on CA-17, an almost-freeway (divided mountain highway
with freeway speeds and no shoulder, but a few intersections) where deer and
collisions with deer are very common. From what I saw, if "your number's
up" it's up. The driver will usually survive the hit, but his car won't.

But there's no effective defense except (a) be lucky enough to have the deer
appear and start crossing a block or more ahead of you, rather than jump out
right in front of you, or (b) drive a big rig. (An SUV may help if the deer
is relatively small, but for real protection you'd need enough of a "roll
cage" that the deer can't reach the windshield.)

In my view the real solution to this problem is to kill off the free ranging
deer and all other similar sized wildlife.
 




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