NOTE TO Mods....pls leave this posted here -- but feel free to post in other sections as well.....I hope what follows may one day save a life..........



Hannan Road in Canton Township, Michigan is a contradiction in many ways……


There are warehouses --

--there are housing developments --

………..and yet there are also acres and acres of green fields and trees.

The fields and woods give this area a sense of peace.

That peace was shattered earlier this week when 1 young lady and four young men had their lives suddenly ended……all because of what appears to be a disregard for common traffic laws.

Jessica Sadler was only 14 -- she was riding with her friend, Eddie Gross. Joining them were brothers Sean and Terrance Harris. And driving the Black Ford Fusion was 19 year old Dan Broughton.

It was a warm July day -- not too hot, not too cold -- sunny -- a day of promise.

Coming from Pontiac, Michigan -- and traveling at over 60mph was Amtrak #353 -- heading to Chicago with 170 people on board. Many of the passengers had been in Michigan to attend a conference on Blindness -- many of them were, in fact, accompanied by their seeing-eye dogs.

The Norfolk-Southern Tracks intersect with Hannan Road.

A white SUV saw the lights begin to flash -- and the gates to drop -- and thus came to a complete stop.

What will never be known is why the Driver of the Black Ford Fusion decided to ‘blow by’ the white SUV -- at least 20 seconds after the gates had dropped………

The Amtrak engineer was following all protocols -- and of course blew the horn on the engine as required before every grade crossing.

We Camaro Enthusiasts have a good friend, "Turtle" Young.... who is a Railroad Engineer and lives in Austin, TX. He tells me that it’s unbelievable as to how many people try to outrun a train….and barely make it. I can’t imagine what it must do to a Railroad engineer’s adrenalin system each time this happens………..


As fate would have it, a video surveillance camera was operational at a nearby building and captures the horrible moments……..

……..one can see the white SUV stopped --

………..suddenly the black Fusion appears traveling at a high rate of speed……

…………….it swerves around the SUV ……….still moving at a high rate of speed…..


…………..and then there’s the Amtrak train --

…………………and it hits the Fusion squarely in the B-pillar -- carrying it down the tracks for nearly 1,000 yards before the train can come to a complete stop……the Fusion practically ‘welded’ to the front of the train.



…………and you have to ask yourself: “Why is it that intelligent people refuse to pay attention to traffic signs and signals?”


Five young lives snuffed out in an instant.

Four Families grief stricken.

Several communities in shock.


………and I cannot imagine the horror that the Amtrak Engineer has had to endure -- even though he is faultless.

It would be easy to say: “well -- it’s fate”

……..and it would be easy to say “….oh no, more senseless deaths….” -- and then go on with our lives.

---which, of course, brings me to my rant:


People are becoming more and more lax in their driving habits.

I’m tired of seeing people “slow” to 10 miles an hour at stop signs.

(IT SAYS STOP! SO STOP! COMPLETELY!!!)

I’m tired of people blowing thru red lights.

I'm tired of people who have evidently never been formally introduced to the turn signal lever in the car or truck in which they're driving.......

I’m tired of seeing people ‘yammering’ on their cellphones while driving…..

…………and don’t EVEN get me going on those who think it’s their God-given right to ‘text’ while behind the wheel -- or read their mail -- or put on makeup…….

Stop signs and Traffic Lights and Railroad Grade Crossing signs ARE NOT SUGGESTIONS!!!!



It’s time for us (…that’s you and me…) to lead by example.

It’s time for us to call others out for their bad behavior. (and don’t try to tell me that you or anyone else is capable of talking on a cell-phone and driving at the same time….I’ll bury you with facts and video!)

.......

I was walking out of a Kroger Store this evening with my arms full of groceries…..

Luckily I’ve learned to look both ways -- even on a one-way street --

…….because sure enough -- a Lexus SUV was coming into the parking lot THE WRONG WAY on a one-way street…the driver ‘yammering away’ on his cell-phone.

I called out: “YOU’RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!…”

(…………no, I did not use the word ‘***’…..)


The Driver of said SUV gave me the finger………..


What happened next was absolutely priceless:

A woman who appeared to be in her 70s marched over to the SUV and proceeded to tear this guy apart verbally…….. And as she did, several people applauded her…..(me being one of them…)


So -- how ‘bout it?

Are you tired of reading about senseless deaths and injuries due to negligence?

It starts with us. (…….that’s you and me…….)

Speak up!

Talk to your children!

Talk to your nieces and nephews and neighbors!

..but do NOT think that it’s an ‘age’ thing.

People in their 30s, 40s, 50s, and 60s are just as bad if not worse!

So call people out!

You MAY just save a life.......



It starts with us.....

……and that’s you and me…

 

Scott,

Of all the things you have ever said I could not agree with you more on this one. I mean I have been driving for 15 years now and it's just amazing to me how bad people have got on the roads as of late. I know everyone likes to have the newest toys, but to many people spend time playing in their cars and so little time actually driving. There are many advantages, but all of the new gadgets and safety features in cars now have also made people lazy and given a false sense of security. How often have you seen people that can barely watch the road because they are too busy play with the GPS, talking on the phone, or God knows what else. Sadly you will never be able to change people's habits. The only thing we can hope for it to be able to teach our children and even our children's children better habits. Ok, I will stop my rant now...

 

Since I have owned my Camaro (a little over a month), I have nearly been t-boned in it twice by people blowing through red lights. One would have surely put me in the hospital or killed me.

Both drivers had their hand to their ear.

I'd love to see someone try to explain to my wife and son how they lost a husband and father because talking on a cell phone was more important.

If you cannot talk and drive simultaneously, do one at a time.

 

While I do agree, statements like this worry me. All it means is Uncle Sam is going to tell me another thing I can't do to protect myself from myself.

 

It is not to protect you from yourself, it is to protect the innocent from the stupid.

If you can manage to do both, no problem. I have no problems doing both myself, but it is clear that it is a big problem with many other people.

I am sure there is a law that covers distracted driving that is clearly not being enforced. If a person is swerving, blowing red lights, etc. because a person is drunk, high, trying to slap their kid around in the backseat, fiddling with the radio, just careless, criminally stupid...or...not paying attention because of a cell phone in their hand...they need to be pulled over and issued a citation for it. Ownership and operation of the combination of a motor vehicle and a phone doesn't allow give the right to put other's lives in danger out of carelessness.

It is a sad world when people have to be taken by the hand to explain what is stupid and dangerous and what is not. I think those who are too dumb to know the difference possibly need to be protected from themselves or Darwinism would do its job. Taking all the safety labels off of everything would be a step in letting the problem solve itself.

 

Well...lookee what I found...
http://www.ghsa.org/html/stateinfo/l...hone_laws.html

 

I'm so sick of people on their damn phones behind the wheel.

I can't count the number of times I've almost been hit or the number of green lights I've had to sit through behind idiots on their phones. I say we take all the saftey features out of cars these days and see if people remain so complacent.

 

I am going to start performing the following actions when I see someone that needs it.

1. Carefully and in a safe and controlled manner, get next to offending driver
2. Make pissy face and look lover at them
3. Blip horn to get their attention
4. All in one quick and smooth motion, extend pinky finger and thumb and place near side of head, making the international "I am on the phone" gesture.
5. Abruptly "slam" imaginary phone down so they get the message
6. Ignore middle finger gestures coming your way, simply nod and smile acknowledging that you just called them out and ruined their day. Back off so their embarrassment disguised as rage doesn't cause an accident.

Okay...I am just kidding. Maybe.

 

People are just much more rude and pushy these days, nobody wants to wait for anything, let alone a traffic light or to merge to the other lane when there is a sign that says lane ends in 500 ft, they have to floor it and pass as many people as possible and cram in the front of the line forcing everyone else to slow down to let them in. Nobody wants to just move over when they see the sign and wait their turn. We are becoming a rude society devoid of manners.

 

Problem is even with the laws banning cell phones the penalty isn't stiff enough. It needs to be $1000.00 fine and at least 6 months license suspension. Maybe that will get a message across.

 

It's amazing to a greater degree that folks who insist on talking on their phone while driving don't go for a Bluetooth earpiece and be able to hands free communicate.

 

Yea, in a couple of cities in Michigan (I know Southfield) it has become Illegal to drive with a cell phone. However it is NOT illegal to text while driving .

17,000 people lose thier lives every year due to drunk driving.
Texting while driving has more accidents each year than drunk driving (there is no formal stat I can find, due to nobody admits they texted when they got in the accident)
Cell phone distraction causes 2,600 deaths and 330,000 injuries

I'm down for leading by example, only good can happen for us educating others how to drive properly.


Just a little stat to think about

In addition, the survey of 1,200 driving Americans found that:
83% believe they are safe drivers.
59% don't consider themselves as distracted drivers.
73% talk on cell phones while driving.
16% drive below the speed limit.
38% admit they have driven a certain distance without recalling it.

 

The problem is determining where the line is. I agree with your point still but how do we differentiate between the people who can do this and who can't? Its just going to wind up a blanket law that tells everyone what you can and can't do. I am a firm believer in natural selection, its just unfortunate when like in the OP, the one being selected brings others down with him.

 

The kid driving that black ford fusion was a *****ing retard and should have known better.

My condolences to the families of the children who were killed.

 

How is the 2010 Camaro involved in this topic? Just curious.