I just have to wonder how many wrecks were caused by people in thier SUV's calling the cops on thier cellphones while they should have been DRIVING. Now there's the REAL danger...not people who are actively driving, and paying attention (even if racing), but people who are yacking away with that phone jammed to thier ear, or not even looking at the road while dialing thier phones. Just MY $0.02.

I am all for banning cellphone use while driving. I think people should be DRIVING while driving...end of list. I don't even like to mess with my radio controls while driving...taking your attention off of the road, and cars around you, is BAD.

[This message has been edited by AtomHeart (edited 04-15-2000).]

 

Well, for what it's worth, here's my view.
I'm all for screwing it to the floor every once in a while, I sure didn't finsd out how sweet it handles at 135 on a closed track with a professional driver. But in traffic, even light or moderate traffic, there's no place for rat racing, you could kill someone whether they're on the phone or not. Find a good stretch of open road and stretch it out, don't go weaving among the ametuers, it scares the straights.

My .02

Gregg

------------------
'00 Silver Lightning
"Ontario Rocket Sled Racing Team"
Manufacturing Tech at Sharonville Transmission Plant

 

Your response simply validates my first reaction, you really don't care whose lives you threaten with your behaviour. The use of a phone while driving is not illegal; foolish sometimes, yes, but not illegal. However your driving as described in your own words is not only illegal, it's just plain foolish. Sorry if that offends you, but you posted the story hoping for member comments, and I think most of the members would agree that we all love to drive fast and test our toys. However, when you feel your right to drive fast supersedes public safety, then you are wrong. Sorry.

------------------
Mark Swaim
1999 Lightning (sold)
1997 Cobra (deceased)
1993 Cadillac Allante (Sold, Finally..)

 

No...it doesn't offend me at all. And no need to be "sorry". Thank you for your opinion.

I was there, and didn't personally think the situation was dangerous, though it may sound that way in my post, but that is MY opinion.

[This message has been edited by AtomHeart (edited 04-15-2000).]

 

Atom Heart,
Be careful out there most people in the denver area dont know how to drive and will cut and swerve,mostly cause i dont think they care.But it would be pretty sad seeing your new toy being hauled away on a wrecker!Try taking that beast to the track and test it out there.I guarantee youll have more fun there.
Enjoy your new Ride!

------------------
99.5 Lightning(white)
ARE Tonneau Cover
Clear turn signal lenses
Apline CD
2 Alpine V12 Amps
2 10" Boston Pro Series Subs,Boston Rally 5x7 and Apline DDDrive Components
Dynomat
Clifford Alarm system
PSP Chip On order
Airraid Intake on Order

 

Atom Heart,

The idiots on the road NEVER thing that THEY are the problem, nor do they properly perceive what IS and what IS NOT dangerous.

Unfortunately, from your posts, it appears as though you number among the clueless dolts.

Sorry to be harsh, but grow up.

Gordon

------------------
Regards,
Gordon

99.5 Red Lightning
Only driven on Sundays (1/4 mile at a time)

 

Thanks, oldtimer...I'll keep that advice in mind.

Just one thing to keep in YOUR mind: You weren't there. All this ammounted to was: speeding up, and slowing down in traffic, with lots of lane changes. You are assuming that the wreckless picture you have in your mind is what happened, and it is not. Sorry to have used such colorful language while describing it...I realize that words like "weaving, and punching" get older fellas excited...but it was to make the post seem more exciting. Mission accomplished, I guess. Heh. At any rate...no one was endangered, and no one died, lost property, or was injured. In fact...no one even came close to any of that. It was just bad, filthy american fun. Speeds never exceeded 70 mph for goodness sake. Never did I do more than speed up and slow down IN my lane...only changed lanes when safe, after checking that blind spot no less than twice. Both hands on the wheel at 10 and 2. I'm a good little angel when I drive. Promise. Calling me an idiot that doesn't SEE the problem is not gonna change the facts.

[This message has been edited by AtomHeart (edited 04-15-2000).]

 

I guess I feel like I have an obligation to post a reply to this thread, since I am AtomHeart's witness to the whole event. I was his one and only passenger durring our exciting time testing his new wife.

There were no lives endangered durring that time... at least, no more than usual on the highways. There was simply too much traffic to make it any more dangerous than a typical aggressive drive on the Denver freeways.

Thats my two cents, as a valid witness.

 

OMG! 70 in a 65? Have you gone mad? Good kill BTW. Good article on those f*ckin' cellphone assh*les:
http://www.auto.com/autonews/lesley13_20000413.htm

------------------
Red 99.5 Lightning,
#0975,
Born 5/6/99...Adopted 5/27/99
SuperChip,
PSP Filter,
2 Chamber Flowmasters,
Water Wetter,
13.498@102.69

 

AtomHeart,

I understand what you are sayin' and also what mswaim concerns are. I believe he has been a uniformed officer at one time and may still be. Correct me if I'm wrong. True there is danger out there and at times even the safest of us have our moments. Use your turn signals and remember that even the good drivers may not see you if you are moving faster than the "normal" flow of traffic. I know how the traffic is in and around Denver having lived north in Cheyenne. Needless to say that the speed limit is somewhat higher than the posted legal limit. Now what is really dangerous is the individuals who sit in the passing lane and leisurely wreak havoc on the flow... Ever ride a scooter ?
Best advice is to ride/drive like you are invisible, because when they pull in front and or into you they will say they never saw you. I hate to ride along with the pack. They are just waiting for their chance to shorten your life span. I my self find it safer to exceed the speed limit and stay away from these mindless wonders that the Government issue drivers permits to. We all realize that the highways are dangerous and that at any given time IT could happen. While I`m punching my phone or reading my paper kissing the old lady and scratchin' my *** I'll be sure to refrain from stompin' the hammer. I have driven hundreds of thousands of miles, millions maybe. I have been cited for speeding ,Yes. Taxes in My opinion. Law Enforcement can be a wonderful thing. However, My experience is they want your money more than they want saftey. Just my opinion. If you have the money to afford the high insurance rates and the tickets and the aftermarket prices for speed products then you are invested in this System and the way it operates. I hear they are installing ticket cams up around FT.Collins. My Mother in law recieved one in the mail and my nephew was the culprit. People these days work at pissin' others off for some insane reason. Road Rage is a terrible thing. I drive fast on the roads and I don't deny it. Am I a dangerous person,
well that remains to be seen. Someone will point out that I will no doubt find out someday. I have been crowded by "Professinal Truck Drivers"..snicker, and damn near killed by their attitudes even. I more than likely am an aggresive driver but only in the sence that I want to get down the road. When I'm driving I head for where I'm going and go. I may be a bad example and I may be full of **** but at least I understand that driving is a Risk. And all Drivers should understand this. Minimize the risks.

 

Ohmigosh! Looks like I stumbled onto the AARP board.

Come on guys, give AtomHeart a break! Next, you will want us all to turn in our guns, throw away our knives and go to sleep to a US Government lullaby.

Chill out, as the (almost) oldest living member of this forum I haven't forgotten how to have fun and, so far, I haven't hurt or maimed anyone. Every day on the road you see idiot drivers of all types and ages. A fully focused L driver, having fun, is not a danger to most.

I drive fast when I feel it is appropriate, I drive carefully at all times and I even try to allow for the idiots or the folks who simply make a mistake. Let's assume that we all drive the same way with our L's and enjoy the byplay.

Not being perfect myself (although my wife denies this), I don't expect perfection in anyone else.


Boy, who pushed my button?

adp
Fast Black '99

 

Well, I guess it is about time to back on out of here. I stand corrected, I guess some of us DO think it is okay to operate our vehicles recklessly, then cast dispersion on those who disagree, or better yet, condemn the entire law enforcement profession for enforcing the law. (Think I'll go on over to the LS-1 board, where such thinking runs rampant.)

"Never exceeded 70 miles per hour."
"Had to brake hard for the cars in front of me."

HHmm, okay, just hope it's not one of your new-found supporters' family members that mean spirited police officer has to contact and make the death announcement to.

 

I notice that talking on the phone while driving isn't against the law. Endangering others by driving below the posted minimum
seems to attract no attention from the police. In my personal experinces that is. Why is it that speeding is the main ticket that is issued. Just a guess here but I think it is a good one. I wittness police doing exactly the same violations that they write folks up for. I have followed many police vehicles down the road in excess of the speed limit. As a matter of fact an officer was exceeeding the limit here in Mobile last year estimated about 100 plus and rear ended an innocent man and his daughter. The father died and she lost her leg. He was discharged I believe. They tend to be of the mind set..Do as I say not as I do.
I'm not trying to run down the police. They are only human Just Like Us. I have heard that All acidents are avoidable..Sounds sorta strange to say that. mswaim I domn`t want to insult you, not my intention at all. If I did I apologise. I have taken several defensive driving courses and served as Law Enforcement in the military. Laws are made and not always agreed upon by the populace. Mostly we obide. Sometimes we don`t. I never go driving with the intention of endagering anyone. I may inadvertantly. I am not in Control of everything and one around me. I am
in effect helpless in many situations. I don`t feel so good about that. Many things we as individuals do or don`t do could cause hurt to others. Inherently folks that buy fast cars and trucks drive them this way on occasion. Not always in a controlled environment. My father died in a single car accident back in 65. Do I blame him for his death? I accept the fact and move ahead. Saftey is a constant thing on everyones mind. Here no less than anywhere else. Inferring that I am irresponsible because I post here isn't a safe bet. If you don't expect a reply from me.



[This message has been edited by Twisted99 (edited 04-15-2000).]

 

And once again, mswaim, you call my driving "wreckless" based on the image in YOUR HEAD of how I was driving, and NOT based on reality in any way. I dont feel that 70mph, when everyone else is driving 60 is unsafe. Nor do I feel that braking hard at that speed is unsafe in a Lightning, which is a performance machine. In fact...I don't think you have ANY call to deem my driving "wreckless" at all.

And at NO time did I EVER cast dispersion upon you or anyone else who thought what I did was foolish. "foolish" is a subjective opinion, and you're entitled to yours. I value your opinion, and am happy to have had it...but everything SINCE your opinion I could have lived without. Thank you, drive through.

[This message has been edited by AtomHeart (edited 04-15-2000).]

 

Ah Yes, it's Spring, and everyones sap is flowing again. Sort of like annual puberty when our hormones get jacked out of shape and we may tend to exaggerate a bit on the one hand and over-react to that on the other hand.
I enjoyed atomHeart's story, but felt it might have been embellished just a tad. On the internet, ether world, I think all of us have a tendency to do this. Even me, maybe that 12 cylinder Benz I ran a few weeks ago didn't "disappear" quite as fast as I posted for example. Makes a good story, though, and we are all here for not only knowledge but a little entertainment I think. To a degree, our own version of Hollywood.

Not to be a smart aleck, but I too have a problem with car phone users, and can cite an example today in our shopping center parking lot where a driver of an Expy was on her phone and drove through the lot at perhaps 25-30 mph totally oblivious to the pedestrian traffic around her. (Men do this too).

I can't remember if Mark is or was a Police Officer, but I was once one in the early sixties and usually gave good drivers a lot of leeway even if they were driving in a rapid but safe way. BTW, Mark, your sig seems to indicate that you have no wheels left, what gives? Again not trying to be a smart aleck.

As to driving in today's metro traffic, be it Denver, Los Angeles or Atlanta, AtomHearts description of his drive pretty much mirrors what we see in Atlanta every day on the inner Interstate highways. Limit is 65, average speed according to a recent newspaper expose campaign is 80 and over 1000 tickets have been given out for speeds of over 100 mph in the last 12 months.
My 12 mile commute to my HobbyTown is often an adventure as I wind my way down a couple of miles of 45 mph parkway and have to stay out of the way of late to work folk who dodge and weave through traffic not only on their car phones but, sorry, also are involved in putting on make up, shaving and trying to pacify their kids on the way to day care.

Wow, it is spring, and my 60 year old libido is acting up too!!

Finally, Passenger 1, are you AtomHeart's wife or is the Lightning his new wife?
Bill

------------------
99.5 Lightning
Build #247
PSP Chip/Filter
Bassani full system
White/normal options
Tamiya 1/10 scale Bolt
Several old trucks/cars
Thunder & Lightning
Rag Doll Cats
E-mail MOSTOYSINC@AOL.com
Kennesaw, Ga. (Atlanta)