Speed on...Hell aint half full yet

[Anonymous]

I can remember this line from an old movie that was popular when I was a teen-ager. You know - way back when. We had hot rods and we all drove too fast. My job calls for me to be in a vehicle much of the day, here in the county I live in. I can't tell you how many times I have had to leave the roadway, because of a teen-ager in a little souped up rice-burner that is running full tilt on a bad road.
The bottom line is that our roads suck. I fell in a pot hole the other day and said "hey" to the folks in China. Ninety percent of the time, there is no shoulder to escape to, and if there is a shoulder, it is gravel. So you may as well kiss your a$$ good-bye if you have to hit it at a high rate of speed.
It's a scary situation folks. It seems like here we will go for some time without incident, and then wham, we will loose some of our kids to recklessness.A young man I have known most of his live died alone on the road a couple of days ago.
Please, sit your kids and grandkids down and tell them to slow down a little. Tell them about some of the friends you have lost in your past, and that they are not beyond becoming a statistic. We all are. Please, slow down and live.
A few years ago I witnessed a roll over accident with a teenage couple in the car caused by fast reckless driving.The car rolled over several times and stopped on its roof and caught fire.I was able to drag the young lady out the passenger window-but the car was torn up so badly I couldn't get to the young man.As I franticly worked to get to him the car exploded into flames.I tryed to fight thru the flames to get to him-burned my hands pretty badly-but he died before help arrived that might have saved him.
I have been haunted by this ever since.A thousand times I have relived the situation in my mind-If only I had had a fire extinglisher with me-A thousand times I have asked myself if I did EVERYTHING I could do to save him.I did.But it wasn't enough and he died.He left behind a devastated family that may never recover.The girl survived but will carry the scars with her-both physical and emotional-all of her life.
I know that talking to your kids and grandkids may not do much good.At that age they think they are immortal.Most of us probably drove crazy as teenagers-I know I did.I just wish there was some way to get thru to them before more have to die a horrible death at a young age.

 

[Anonymous]

an extinguisher with me. Never needed it but your tale is just an extra reminder to have it there.
God bless
All the best
M

 

[Anonymous]

Young drivers driving too fast and recklessly. The roadways are more crowded now days than when we were young, and the cars are smaller...all a blueprint for trouble.
Folks talking on a cell phone is causing accidents down here too! Please have a great day! Kelley (Texas) <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="">

 

[Anonymous]

who was fire chief in our township, talking about some of the horrible accident runs he had gone on and they haunted him, as the one you described does you. I got away with stupid driving too.
These kids go through drivers training and think they know how to drive. Even figure they can drive better than their parents who have driven over a million miles. It is stupid. They are just learning.
Back in the 50's when I learned to drive, drivers training was in it infancy. My dad was already dead 4 years when I started learning and my mother got private lessons for me. It was a strain on her budget, 5 dollars for a one hour lesson but that is how I learned. The next year our school system started giving them and I had to take them over again but it didn't hurt.
I still drove like an idiot but survived it.
Like Fred said, there are far more cars now days and everyones little lovely has one from the age of 16, which I think it stupid personally and the cars are much smaller.
More kids are wearing seat belts now days which is a big plus, we had never heard of them back then but there is more booze and drugs now to cloud their judgment.

 

[Anonymous]

....but she shall always have a special memory of you, the man that risked his life to save hers.
How special can that be??? <><
AJ

 

[Anonymous]

You can be in the right, and do everything correctly and still.......the graveyards are full of these people. Throw in playing around? You may survive, but the person next to you may not, or in the other car.

 

[Anonymous]

we recently had a triple fatal where a young man crossed the centerline and hit a woman head on. Not only did the adults perish, but the lady's 7 year old daughter became a statistic! <img src="/metal/html/angry.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt=":mad">
Dave

 

[Anonymous]

not a month went by without us responding to accidents on treacherous Hwy 70---one of the most dangerous in Arkansas. It has double lanes that suddenly turn into one. This hwy runs 30 miles to Hot Springs, Ar with the rode changing like this at least 4 or 5 times and to think some Engineer and Architech were actually paid to design this highway.
There are many makeshift memorials all along the highway. More than once Ive had to scrape brains off the pavement! Please slow down. Thanks for the reminder Dan.
God Bless,
Lil Brother

 

[Anonymous]

drives too fast, and not because he really intends to, he just has a lead foot. I hate riding with him. We talk to him all the time, and even bring home emergency room stories to all of them. He is a graduate of "Driving School" X 3. Scott and I just prayed that he got back to school, before he got another ticket. He always agrees with our getting on to him, but it doesn't last. The tickets were when he was 18, and to my knowlege has not had another one since, but it always scares me that he is so far off, and we don't have a clue what he is doing most of the time. But....I think this is called "letting go".
One of the hardest thing a parent will ever do is watch their child, boy or girl, drive out of that drive way for the first time on their own. Lots and lots of prayers being said.
And of course you did everything you could have done! That was a brave act, indeed!! <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="">

 

[Anonymous]

really is a horrible road. I always recall living at the old home place, and they came through with I-30. You could sit on our front porch and hear the sound of metal on metal. The yield sign got over looked a lot! Arkansas is known for their "death trap" on and off ramps, too. They have tried really hard to get it reworked in the past two or three years. Maybe somthing will make it better!

 

[Anonymous]

we do, is have those little ones in their car seats, and make sure they are properly installed. You know? I can remember myself, and later on my daughter standing in the old GMC truck beside my daddy! Hard to imagine! But somehow I don't think our accidents were as numerous!
One of our favorite things to do as a teen ager was a bunch of would load up and ride in the back of someones pick up truck all over town!
Times change, I guess, and so do laws!

 

[Anonymous]

[No message]

 

[Anonymous]

things our kids do now. It's just something they have grown up doing, and never give it a second thought! <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="">

 

[Anonymous]

completely out of hand. I don't use the phone when I'm driving!! <img src="/metal/html/smile.gif" border=0 width=15 height=15 alt="">