Ever had one of those moments?

[Dutch]

I'm leaving work about 6 PM yesterday (I'm deciding I should tell this story only today). I drive through a small neighborhood near my work and get to the main road. The light is red, but I'm the first one there. I pull up and just kind of daze out. I'm tired, it's been a long day, it's hot as hell.

When I look up at the light, the light is green and think, "Damn, that was quick."

I put the car in first (manual) and start rolling forward, letting off the clutch, when suddenly....a big Ford F-250 comes flying by at like 50 or 60 MPH (running the red light) and I'm about 4 or 5 feet away from him in the intersection.

He doesn't slow down. Doesn't faze him. But I about have a heart attack.

Scary moment. Louisiana drivers scare me. The part that freaked me out was that I didn't see the light turn green, it was already green before I even started going. So there is no telling for me if the guy was just gunning it through the intercection or completely dazed out like I did and missed the light.

[flere-imsaho]

Glad you're OK.

I get these pretty often. Running the red light is very common in Chicago.

[CamEdwards]

A buddy of mine had one of these moments not long ago. Drove right through a stopsign.

His passenger is still recovering from the broken pelvis (two places), two broken ribs, severe lacerations, and whiplash.

Glad you're all right, Dutch.

[JeeberD]

Asshole ran a red light when I was on my way to work the other day and when the three cars in the three lanes that nearly hit him honked he merely raised his hand in apology.

Asshat.

[BigJohn&TheLions]

I bet the bastard was on a cell phone too.

[TroyF]

Asshole ran a red light when I was on my way to work the other day and when the three cars in the three lanes that nearly hit him honked he merely raised his hand in apology.

Asshat.


Not to be an asshat myself, but what exactly is he supposed to do at that point?

Hell, at least he realized he made a boneheaded move and waved. More than I can say for some of the jack asses that cut me off or pull that stunt.

[duckman]

Glad you are all right, Dutch. Yes, LA drivers can be nerve racking.

[JeeberD]

Uhhh...maybe he's not supposed to run a light that's been red for at least two seconds already. The dude was VERY late getting into the intersection...it wasn't even close.

[RPI-Fan]

Uhhh...maybe he's not supposed to run a light that's been red for at least two seconds already. The dude was VERY late getting into the intersection...it wasn't even close.

Yea', but you make it seem like the wave made it WORSE... I agree with the other poster -- he made a dumb move, and instead of continuing to act like a jackass he showed some remorse for it.

[RPI-Fan]

I bet the bastard was on a cell phone too.

To quote the FOBL boards -- there is definitely a disproportionately high dislike of cell phones at FOFC.

[Galaxy]

Yea', but you make it seem like the wave made it WORSE... I agree with the other poster -- he made a dumb move, and instead of continuing to act like a jackass he showed some remorse for it.

I don't know...Sounded like he clearly ran the red light by a good amount. Him waving would piss me off, as he knew what he did.

[Draft Dodger]

but there's a "gee, I'm sincerely sorry" wave and a "yeah, sorry, but fuck you, I'm more important" wave. if the douchebag throws up the former, I'm cool. the latter, I ram him.

[JeeberD]

I don't know...Sounded like he clearly ran the red light by a good amount. Him waving would piss me off, as he knew what he did.

Thank you. It's not like it could have been an accident...

[SackAttack]

There was a dude yesterday who didn't run a red light, but he DID race through the intersection and cut off two emergency vehicles who had already been there for about 2 minutes (waiting for traffic to clear) just to get through the intersection before the light changed.

[RPI-Fan]

Thank you. It's not like it could have been an accident...

But you said he waved his hand in apology!!!!!!!!

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

Glad you are ok. Pisses me off how some folks are sometimes but all that matters is that you are fine.

[Galaxy]

But you said he waved his hand in apology!!!!!!!!


But what does apologizing do if he did get into an accident because he was a careless, idotic driver? Next time, he could be in jail if he killed somone.

[Eaglesfan27]

I'm leaving work about 6 PM yesterday (I'm deciding I should tell this story only today). I drive through a small neighborhood near my work and get to the main road. The light is red, but I'm the first one there. I pull up and just kind of daze out. I'm tired, it's been a long day, it's hot as hell.

When I look up at the light, the light is green and think, "Damn, that was quick."

I put the car in first (manual) and start rolling forward, letting off the clutch, when suddenly....a big Ford F-250 comes flying by at like 50 or 60 MPH (running the red light) and I'm about 4 or 5 feet away from him in the intersection.

He doesn't slow down. Doesn't faze him. But I about have a heart attack.

Scary moment. Louisiana drivers scare me. The part that freaked me out was that I didn't see the light turn green, it was already green before I even started going. So there is no telling for me if the guy was just gunning it through the intercection or completely dazed out like I did and missed the light.
I'm glad you are ok. I've driven in NYC, Philly, and Los Angeles, but I honestly think I get the most frazzled in New Orleans (and Louisiana more generally.) Perhaps, it is because I'm getting older and more careful myself, but I constantly see people running the red 2-3 seconds after it turns here in the city. It drives me nutts. Anyway, I'm glad you are ok.

[tategter]

Glad you're ok. Driving in the South is just plain scary.

[illinifan999]

Yeah noticed the light changed, started to move forward and for some reason I decided to take one more look to my left and going full speed through the red light was a semi truck. Didn't even blow his horn in warning. Guess it was a good thing I decided to take one more look because in a case of semi truck vs. explorer, semi will win especially going 55.

[Dutch]

I always thought Los Angelino's were bad drivers. For instance, when it rains, all the native go extra slow because they know the roads are more slick. And transplants go extra fast to show how easy it is to "drive fast" in inclement weather. So the mix of fast and slow drivers is always a mess. :)

Of course, the interstates are always the safest place to be. It's hard to get hurt when you are only doing 5 MPH.

[JW]

I'm glad you are ok. I've driven in NYC, Philly, and Los Angeles, but I honestly think I get the most frazzled in New Orleans (and Louisiana more generally.) Perhaps, it is because I'm getting older and more careful myself, but I constantly see people running the red 2-3 seconds after it turns here in the city. It drives me nutts. Anyway, I'm glad you are ok.

I agree, New Orleans is bad, Louisiana in general. I always look before going thru a traffic light to make sure some fool is not trying to run the red light no matter how long my light has been green. I have to. On the little stretch of straight Interstate through Monroe we have wrecks every day from people following too close and cutting each other off. It is idiotic. I hate to drive at all when it rains in Louisiana because it seems people drive faster and follow closer. But I have done a lot of driving in the North, lived in Indy and Pittsburgh and spent some time in DC among other things, and the drivers there have their own problems. One thing in particular I learned is that people in the North DO NOT all know how to drive in the snow. My favorite place to drive - Germany.

[Dutch]

Germany.

:D

[JW]

:D

Agreed. :cool:

[TroyF]

But what does apologizing do if he did get into an accident because he was a careless, idotic driver? Next time, he could be in jail if he killed somone.


It doesn't do anything. He made an idiotic mistake and it COULD have been an accident. Traveling at 35, it doesn't take much more than a dropped CD or a quick brain freeze to do something like that.

In the original post, it said he waved in apology. Well, my questions stands. What is he supposed to do to rectify the situation? He F'd up. He could have killed an innocent child. He was wreckless, careless and a fool.

But after that's happened, what would make you feel better? Short of watching a cop give him a ticket, I'm not sure what you want. It would make me feel good that at least he acknowledged he screwed up. The hope would be that he'd be a little more careful the next time.

Guess I'm in the minority here.

[Glengoyne]

Back when I was in High School and drove a fairly unreliable car, I came to a railroad crossing. I was the second car in line when the cross arms came down. The crossing was in town, so there was no real line of sight down the tracks because buildins were blocking the view. After some short amount of time the arms went up. The car in front of me went across, and I followed. It took some coaxing to get my car to move over the crossing after stopping. I was nursing it across, right in the middle of the tracks. Then there was a HUGE LOUD HORN. I looked out my passenger window, and ALL I could see was TRAIN. I swear it filled the entire winow frame(In retrospect I'm sure it couldn't have filled the window...but really that is still the image in my mind's eye). I coaxed a bit more with the gas pedal, and then looked back in my rear-view mirror to see the train crossing behind me, and the arms coming back down. Man that was close. I pulled over and stopped, it was just too much.

[korme]

I hate driving, I see a Green Light ahead, it seems like everytime I see it and start to approach it, it turns yellow and I have about 1 second to decide to make it through the light or slam the brakes. This is like my worst fear driving that I'm going to fuck up one time.

[korme]

Guess I'm in the minority here.
FWIW Troy, I am with you on this one. I don't think you are too against the grain on this one.

[Pyser]

my grandfather was driving with my grandmother once, and just stopped at an intersection. there was no stop sign, no red light. and my grandmother said, "why are you stopped?"

5 seconds later, a car blew through the stop sign through the intersection at over 50 mph. theres no way my grandfather saw the car coming....something just made him stop for no reason.

pretty incredible.

[Rizon]

A few years ago a woman ran a red light (intentionally we later found out) and nearly killed my wife. She felt it was more important to get her little crumb muncher to daycare on time than to care about others lives.

[KevinNU7]

my grandfather was driving with my grandmother once, and just stopped at an intersection. there was no stop sign, no red light. and my grandmother said, "why are you stopped?"

5 seconds later, a car blew through the stop sign through the intersection at over 50 mph. theres no way my grandfather saw the car coming....something just made him stop for no reason.

pretty incredible.
If he had gone about his regular business he would have been way past that area before it happened :D

[Eaglesfan27]

If he had gone about his regular business he would have been way past that area before it happened :D
Not if he drives like my grandfather did (back when he was alive.) I affectionately called him "putt putt." He thought anything over 20 MPH was too fast ;)

[Glengoyne]

Not if he drives like my grandfather did (back when he was alive.) I affectionately called him "putt putt." He thought anything over 20 MPH was too fast ;)
My father used to routinely tell me that just because the speed limit was posted, didn't mean you HAD to go that fast. Travel was an all day affair back then.