Me: Picking a battle w/a hornet
What's the Dumbest Thing You've Done While Driving
- Thread starter Speak2Mountain
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Offering to drive a friend's young son back to the woods to release a bag full of garter snakes he and his bud's had spent the morning catching.
Hmm, let me restate that...not making sure the bag was securely closed was the dumbest thing....
Harmless, but the bigger ones can be grumpy.
Hmm, let me restate that...not making sure the bag was securely closed was the dumbest thing....
Harmless, but the bigger ones can be grumpy.
I was driving cross country back in 1978 with my Dodge Dart (no cruise control). That 10-12 hours driving every day was tough on the legs holding the same position. Eventually I ended up sitting in the center of the bench seat and used my left foot for alternation. A panic stop would have been interesting.
Even dumber than that was coasting down hills in neutral in my old carb'd cars decades ago, thinking/hoping I was saving gas. One time when I shifted back into drive at 55 mph, I inadvertently found "REV" gear. The car didn't like that as it stalled out and screeched to a stop. Oddly, no damage resulted and that trans lived a nice life until the engine was terminal at around 165K miles.
Even dumber than that was coasting down hills in neutral in my old carb'd cars decades ago, thinking/hoping I was saving gas. One time when I shifted back into drive at 55 mph, I inadvertently found "REV" gear. The car didn't like that as it stalled out and screeched to a stop. Oddly, no damage resulted and that trans lived a nice life until the engine was terminal at around 165K miles.
Not me but someone I knew who owned a early 70’s era Dodge Dart with the famous slant six that stalled when making a left hand turn. He was pretty good in moving the shift lever for the automatic into neutral, restart the engine and back into drive. One time after he restarted the engine he accidentally bumped the lever up into reverse. That transmission sure squealed for the second it was in gear until he popped it out into neutral then drive.
That car was indestructible. Mopar made some good vehicles then.
That car was indestructible. Mopar made some good vehicles then.
Bringing my wife along.
I was helping a team build a drag racing snowmobile back in 1990 the sled made 275 HP and weighed 345 pounds without the rider. The race team asked me if I wanted to try it across the lake (about quarter mile) so I jumped on and floored it! WOW! 325 ice picks in the track dug a hole in the ice about 100 feet as the tack pins itself to 9,500 RPM and bang I was going 100,120,130 .... The problem was I really did not know how long it took to stop! I am fast running out of lake pumping the brake hard and I run out of room! Lucky for my there was a boat ramp on the other side of the lake and I drove right up went up about 10 high and 30 feet long then landed and came to a stop right before hitting someone's new Chevy truck in the parking lot! .... After changing my underwear I decided one ride was enough!
I was roadtripping with my wife in New Mexico, empty road, she was asleep, I was half asleep and I was trying to stay awake: so I was messing with the shifter of the slushbox, coasting, changing gears. At the end of a downhill (70 mph) I mistakenly moved the shifter from neutral to reverse: the engine stalled. After some fumbling, what worked was putting it in neutral and cranking. I was doing 60 mph by this time, but at least I properly woke up
. Car was a rental Cobalt, it seemed to have survived it just fine.
A long time ago, I borrowed a large VW van from work to help a female friend move. On one of the runs, her sister brough her terrier named "Jessie" in the cab. It didn't take long for Jessie to make a home under the pedals. That was pretty scary in heavy traffic with a manual transmission.
My dumbest thing by far is falling asleep or dozing off at the wheel, I am prone to doing this. Never got me into an accident yet fortunatelly, but I woke up heading for the ditch, or big cliff drop-offs.
A long time ago, I borrowed a large VW van from work to help a female friend move. On one of the runs, her sister brough her terrier named "Jessie" in the cab. It didn't take long for Jessie to make a home under the pedals. That was pretty scary in heavy traffic with a manual transmission.
My dumbest thing by far is falling asleep or dozing off at the wheel, I am prone to doing this. Never got me into an accident yet fortunatelly, but I woke up heading for the ditch, or big cliff drop-offs.
Originally Posted By: RamFan
During my senior year of high school I had a rather fun "friend" in the passenger seat. Yeah, my head may have been turned for a bit too long. Almost drove my mom's car off the road and into the side of a cliff.
Mine was somewhat similar to this. But I just closed my eyes too long.
During my senior year of high school I had a rather fun "friend" in the passenger seat. Yeah, my head may have been turned for a bit too long. Almost drove my mom's car off the road and into the side of a cliff.
Mine was somewhat similar to this. But I just closed my eyes too long.
I'm not even gonna get into the stupid stuff I did when I was a teen driver. Just not enough space here. How I made it to adulthood is a mystery.
However, just recently I did something dumb. I was driving on a 2 lane highway while having a quick cell conversation. I put the phone on the passenger seat when finished. But then I wondered if it had "hung up", so I leaned over and had a look. By the time my eyes were back on the road, I was more than half way into the oncoming lane. I quickly jerked back into my lane. IF I had been a second longer there would have been a head-on. The other vehicle was a pick-up and I was in a Cavalier, so you know I would have gotten the worst of it.
The rest of the way home I was thinking: This is the kind of stupid [censored] OTHER people do!
However, just recently I did something dumb. I was driving on a 2 lane highway while having a quick cell conversation. I put the phone on the passenger seat when finished. But then I wondered if it had "hung up", so I leaned over and had a look. By the time my eyes were back on the road, I was more than half way into the oncoming lane. I quickly jerked back into my lane. IF I had been a second longer there would have been a head-on. The other vehicle was a pick-up and I was in a Cavalier, so you know I would have gotten the worst of it.
The rest of the way home I was thinking: This is the kind of stupid [censored] OTHER people do!
This did not happen to me but a guy I know. Yes he survived
We were riding motorcycles coming back to AL from St Louis one summer. It was hot and humid. We had eaten lunch and were full
We were going about 100 MPH and he fell asleep. He rode the Goldwing off the road and into a ditch. There were blue plastic parts scattered all over the place. We found him sitting upright in the ditch. Believe it or not, only broken finger.
They did put him in hospital overnight for observation. He was sore as [censored] for about a week.
The bike was obviously gone.
Moral is don't fall asleep riding a motorcycle. It wont be good ending
We were riding motorcycles coming back to AL from St Louis one summer. It was hot and humid. We had eaten lunch and were full
We were going about 100 MPH and he fell asleep. He rode the Goldwing off the road and into a ditch. There were blue plastic parts scattered all over the place. We found him sitting upright in the ditch. Believe it or not, only broken finger.
They did put him in hospital overnight for observation. He was sore as [censored] for about a week.
The bike was obviously gone.
Moral is don't fall asleep riding a motorcycle. It wont be good ending
Listen to the Mother in law, back seat driver.
Sorry, can't talk about $ex.
I used to constantly nod off on long drives, finally I woke up with my car pointed right at a guardrail. Somehow got out of that and learned that napping for even ten minutes made a world of difference and I didn't nod off anymore.
I also used to eat fast food while driving, one day I drove a long ways to get some chili dogs in Dallas and didn't want to wait until I was home to eat them because they might get cold (no microwave for me back then). I had the bag in my lap and was finishing up the dogs when I went to turn left into my apartment complex, then suddenly lost control of my car and was headed straight for somebody else pulling out. I was frantic to get it back and ended up grabbing the wheel by the horn, so I was careening towards another car with my horn blaring while screaming like a maniac! I barely avoided a collision and haven't eaten anything while driving other than something like a granola bar now and then when I'm cruising on the highway (when I don't have to make sharp turns).
I also used to eat fast food while driving, one day I drove a long ways to get some chili dogs in Dallas and didn't want to wait until I was home to eat them because they might get cold (no microwave for me back then). I had the bag in my lap and was finishing up the dogs when I went to turn left into my apartment complex, then suddenly lost control of my car and was headed straight for somebody else pulling out. I was frantic to get it back and ended up grabbing the wheel by the horn, so I was careening towards another car with my horn blaring while screaming like a maniac! I barely avoided a collision and haven't eaten anything while driving other than something like a granola bar now and then when I'm cruising on the highway (when I don't have to make sharp turns).
In 64 I was driving on a dirt road with a buddy, showing off, seeing how long I could spin my tires on the dirt road. Hit a patch of ice, went sideways into farmers steel post mail box and ripped right front fender off of the car. Tough explaining that one to Dad.
Stopped to help a stranded female motorist on I-10 in SE TX. Pulled up past her on the shoulder of the interstate. She came to my window explaining what she needed help with. I was distracted watching for the 75 MPH traffic flying past us, so much so when I got out of the cab of my truck I forgot to put the trans in Park, (or shut the engine off). After one step away my truck took off on its on. Luckily I was able to run it down and hop in it before it veered onto the Interstate. WHEW!
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Was at a T intersection with two stop signs. Mine being at the bottom of a hill while oncoming traffic doesn't have one. I turn right and roll through, I looking the rear view mirror and there was a cop sitting in someone's driveway. Lights blipped. I didn't even bother looking at the private property because you can't turn left. Only right or go straight.
I was late to an eye appointment to get new contacts. Me being honest with the cop got me a warning.
I was late to an eye appointment to get new contacts. Me being honest with the cop got me a warning.
Probably my Second Ticket. (which was only 5 mos after the first one)
It's Prom night. Fully Sober. Driving to a friends' house for a post Prom Bonfire.
there's 3 of us in my car, and we are coming up along side a friend and her BF in her dad's VR6 Corrado.
I listen to the Idiot in my Passenger Seat, and "try to Pass him", so like an Idjit, Down goes My Foot, and the Mighty series 1 3800 in my Olds unleashes all 150 HP.
as we are accelerating past him, I look over, and say, "Huh, he's got a Radar Detector" not noting the part where it was "LIT UP LIKE A DANG CHRISTMAS TREE!!!"... Yeah....
not quite that bad, there were only 2 of 'em.
clocked me doing 18 over. 58 in a 40. roughly $100 fine. (previous ticket was 88 in a 65...just 5 months earlier)
so the lesson here kids, is:
1)Don't Speed on Prom Night
2)Don't listen to the Idiot in your Passenger Seat. Esp on prom night.
It's Prom night. Fully Sober. Driving to a friends' house for a post Prom Bonfire.
there's 3 of us in my car, and we are coming up along side a friend and her BF in her dad's VR6 Corrado.
I listen to the Idiot in my Passenger Seat, and "try to Pass him", so like an Idjit, Down goes My Foot, and the Mighty series 1 3800 in my Olds unleashes all 150 HP.
as we are accelerating past him, I look over, and say, "Huh, he's got a Radar Detector" not noting the part where it was "LIT UP LIKE A DANG CHRISTMAS TREE!!!"... Yeah....
not quite that bad, there were only 2 of 'em.
clocked me doing 18 over. 58 in a 40. roughly $100 fine. (previous ticket was 88 in a 65...just 5 months earlier)
so the lesson here kids, is:
1)Don't Speed on Prom Night
2)Don't listen to the Idiot in your Passenger Seat. Esp on prom night.
On an on-ramp with a decreasing radius, add in tiredness and a momentary distraction = bushes, unintended 40mph off road excursion and embarrassment...even though I was alone on the road and in the car.
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