When I first started driving, I had a couple fender benders with parked cars. It wasn't even parallel. All were my fault though. I just couldn't judge distance too well in parking lots, and the biggest one was cutting it too close in reverse and scraping the corner of the car parked next to me down a side of my car. I still don't do too well in reverse, but I am so much better now.
Either way, as far as major accidents, I had two that were my fault according to insurance. I hydroplaned on the interstate (I was going 45 in a 65, and everyone around me was going 55-60). I think that one was fate because I was lying to my parents by about 30 miles as to where I really was. No other car was involved. Then, I had another one where I ran a red light and hit a minivan, who of all people was pregnant. I felt bad, but all four people besides myself in the car (five total including me) didn't see that traffic light. Not even after the accident did anyone notice. We thought she pulled out in front of me not yielding at a stop sign until the cop, 15 minutes into it, told us about the traffic light. I guess many other people did the same thing, and they eventually changed how the light was. It was the first in a long series of traffic lights, but this one was on poles on the side like you'd see in a downtown area of a city, but the rest on the street were hanging over the center, and it was a four lane road.
Accidents I had that weren't my fault were even more. An old lady once turned right into three lanes of oncoming traffic and the car in the lane next to me hit me trying to avoid hitting her. She did us dirty too by trying to say she wasn't there cause we didn't call the police out of feeling sorry for her...old bag. I had an old guy hit me in a parking lot, and when I called the police, they refused to do a report because it was on private property. He ended up doing me dirty too and didn't pay for the damage he caused. I've had a teenager hit me from behind at a stop, and it did no damage. Now, on the flipside, I did that twice causing no damage, so all those cases were never reported. I also had in Wyoming, a Colorado driver not yield at a stop sign (most recent) and I couldn't avoid hitting him. I was like 3 feet away when he pulled out. Given I was only going like 15, but I still did some damage. He went through Progressive Insurance, and I loved the way they handled it for me. What helped is that I followed the advice from an AllState commercial and kept a disposable camera in my car, and I did take pictures. I highly suggest doing that.
Now, all these happened in like the last 14 years, and only 1 happened in the last 5-10. I got a lot of speeding tickets in my early driving (always on my way to a funeral at a church or church itself, hmmmm). I've been pretty good about that. Only one ticket in the last 5 years now, and that one was argumentive but I didn't try because it was on a military base.
Advice I can give you is most people have stories about their accidents. They just have them because it's a part of driving. We aren't like the bees in the Bee Movie where it just happens to come out okay all the time, and they say driving is one of the most dangerous things we do because of all the accidents. The important thing is to plan for it and manage the risks with it. Always wear your seatbelt. My neighbor just died about a week ago because she hydroplaned on the interstate, and she wasn't wearing her seatbelt. She was 23 years old I believe, and she has an 15 month old son. In addition, I would always keep a camera on you. Even if it is your fault, you don't want people adding to your damage, so take pictures to prove yourself. Also, when you do take pictures, take them of the cars before you move them out of the way of traffic, and then take close ups of the damage once you can safely do so. Get them developed where they are on CD or internet in addition to prints, that way, you can email them if necessary. Always call the police. I understand sliding on that with no damage scenarios, but even then, a person can come back at you and say you caused damage you didn't cause, and without a witness like a cop, it's your word against his. Avoid driving when you are tired, frustrated, on the cell, or any other high distractions. As far as drinking alcohol, the Air Force has what they call 0013. To know you are safe against a DUI (and this isn't always true, just usually true), the rule of thumb is 0 drinks if under the age of 21, 0 drinks if on standby (it is a military), no more than 1 drink per hour, and no more than 3 drinks a night. In most states though, if you blow anything above a 0 on the breathalizer, the cop is allowed to give you a DUI if he thinks you are driving crazy. The legal blood alcohol content limit is usually a guide. That is coming from a guy I knew who had to take a class on it after he got a DUI. Also, with time, you will be able to read what the other guy might do when driving. This is a good skill to work on because it can avoid accidents. Always look at your risks and manage that. What are the road conditions? Are they wet? How long have they been wet (they are more slick in the first 20 minutes of rainfall due to oil)? Is traffic thick? Is it common for traffic to stop here for no rhyme or reason (this is mainly for people who drive in Denver)? Is there a potential for wild animals, farm animals or rock slides? Where is your escape plan if someone pulls out in front of you or if traffic stops faster than you can. Always pay attention to your stopping time. Don't follow too closely for that reason (I'm sure you know the headlight trick to figure car lengths). To be honest, I drive safer now that I read the manual for truck drivers. Given I know too much now about air brakes, but they had a good section on driving safely for truck drivers for the Class A CDL in Wyoming. No, I never tested for that type of license. I guess I just like to read boring stuff. But, I say these things as advice because it was what made me a better driver. I could drive fast and handle my car better than anyone I knew (except in reverse), and I probably could have aspired once to be a Nascar driver, but my ability to handle my car doesn't avoid accidents. It's my ability to perceive the road, consider the hazards, and manage the risks that increased my safety on the road. I got two babies now I drive with a lot, so I'm overly cautious now. I need one of those signs that say, "caution, driving under the influence of children."
Oh, and I should also add, you know when you are turning right, and the guy approaching you is wanting to turn right on the road for which you sit, so when you see the signal and him slow down, usually you go out assuming he's going where you are sitting? Well, the guy from Colorado that hit me swore that's what i was doing, when I wasn't. The cop said it was obvious that I was not planning to turn right from the damage and setting, but the cop added that even if I were deceiving with a right hand turn and changed my mind, I would have still had the right of way, meaning it is your fault if someone else doesn't do what they are communicating and you hit them as a result. I do see a lot of drivers with their turn signals on without knowing it, and sometimes they are braking for no reason when I look at them. I hate that cause i slow down to let them through trying to be nice and the guy behind me is on my tail wanting me to speed up, and when they don't switch lanes because they have no idea their turn signal is on, I look stupid for braking for no reason. Anyway, sorry so long. I'm a little jabber jabber tonight. All my posts have been huge and long.
16 Dec 2008, 11:05 pm
but when I clicked on him, I now know why... 8 and then ) is the cool smiley. Funny.
