How Has Your Life Been Altered?

[scotty-2-forty]

As a serious note, share how your life or a love one's has been altered as a result of someone else's negligent driving including road rage, illegal street racing, DUI, cell phone, etc.

I lost a friend a few years back due to a street race (which I wasn't present). He lost control of his S13 at about 100mph+ and rolled it. It really makes you think twice about speeding on city streets; and it was lucky he didn't take somebody else's life with him, in the car or out. I seriously frown on street racing, not as a result of this, but really even more so because of it.

In 1984 I was hit by an oncoming car in an intersection. I was driving my '82 Dodge Charger 2.2 and had the green when an early 70's Caddilac blew the light and hit me just behind the driver's door. My car spun and I was thrown from it. I had forgotten to strap my seatbelt that day; and I always wear it. I ended up with massive roadburns and not surfacing until years later to this date I have neck problems with C2 and C4. The story was he was simply in a hurry to get to work, sped up to hopefully make the light and by that time it was too late to stop. My medical was paid at that time, but I must live with pain and stiffness in my neck as a result.

In 1990, my girlfriend was T-boned in her '63 Tempest on the passenger side by a drunk driver in a Ford-F150 doing what police estimated as about 70mph on a 35mph road and blew the red light. Her car spun several times and into a concrete lamp post. The Tempest was not equipped with seat belts. She had massive trauma to the right side of her face and lost her eye as a result of it. She also received multiple lacerations to her arms from the broken glass and metal shards. After many years of reconstructive surgery, she has a metal plate replacing her cheekbone, eye socket rim and temple. A prosthetic eye now resides in that socket. She is as beautiful as ever, and it's hard to tell anything like that ever happened. The other driver received minimal injuries; he died about 8 years later as a result of another DUI incident.

The moral of my posting here is hopefully others who frequent this forum will realize slowing down and good judgement is a REQUIREMENT for sharing the road with precious human life. Always ask yourself, what if it were me or my loved one(s)???

[SHIFT_Z]

I'm sorry for the unfortunate incidents that have occurred to you and your loved ones, brother.

Myself and the other senior members of the forum have been around long enough to see such unfortunate events happen to other fellow members, and fellow members' friends and family. I should have been killed in 2 different car accidents (one my fault, one as a passenger)... That, and I've been riding motorcycles for about 4 years. We all know the risks associated with that. So I've had my eyes opened more than once. Over the years it's shaped me to be an extremely defensive and aware driver, it's just crappy that sometimes it takes such an event to change one's driving habits.

But yeah. Keep it smart, and keep it safe.

[tiger-SE-R]

It only take one person to break the chain. I try and drive and remember that every car around has a family in it, or one that they're going home to.

I log a lot of miles due to my job and have seen some scary stuff. My daily focus is getting from point A to point B in one piece. Similar to what to Shift_Z said, riding a motorcycle on the street has heightened my awareness on the road as well

[Kelbizzle]

A group of people were hit and killed in Maryland recently because they were watching an illegal street race. They were standing in the street watching the previous race, when two more racers came and plowed through the crowd.

That has really altered my life... I now stand far, far away from where any race goes on! Instead of in the middle of a two lane Highway. May the ignorant rest in peace.

[princess37]

first i want to say im sorry for your losses guys

my closest association with a negligent driving story would be that the ex owner of my house who is a dear friend of my parents got hit and killed by a drunk driver. he was working on the roads on i95 at about 5 am and a drunk woman rammed right into the area where he was working although it was completely blocked off. he was killed almost on impact. the woman did not get a scratch on her. her car is going to be paid for. AND the worst part is she has yet to even face a court date. she plead insanity as the reason for the accident and might not get much if any jail time.

[93coupe]

THAT was some crazy s***!

I can't really say that anyone else influenced my driving by way of negligence. I have made quite a few mistakes when it comes to driving and have radically changed my ways because of it. Now I get hassled for driving like a granny, save for every now and then on a back road.

[Bubba1]

THAT was some crazy s***!

I can't really say that anyone else influenced my driving by way of negligence. I have made quite a few mistakes when it comes to driving and have radically changed my ways because of it. Now I get hassled for driving like a granny, save for every now and then on a back road.

My experience with a idiot street racer didn;t alter my life, as much as it did my passenger. We were broadsided in the passenger door crossing an interesection by a 16 yr old street racer wannabe who blew threw a red light in his dads car after slowing it down to about 60mph. Broke literally every bone in the right side of my passengers body. I escaped with lacerations.. Major props to the police/fire department/EMT's who saved her life, and to the witnesses who blocked that kid from fleeing. Took a half hour to extract her from what was left of my car, made more complicated by a ruptured gas tank. No remorse at all by the kid or his father. My passenger made a full recovery, and her enormous medical bills were completely covered.

It was an unforgetable experience. As a result I have zero respect for anyone who brags about street racing. And get angry when kids dis cops for giving them tickets. These guys save lives.

[bersh240]

my aunt was hit by a drunk driver...broke her hip...17 years later shes had 7 different hip replacements. 26 different surgys to clear infection and all that good stuff...and can never work again do to some kinda nerve thingy.and my uncle was in an atv accident hit by some person and was paralized in the right arm, and brain damage..coma for 6 months.

they met in the hospitle.there a great couple. ha.

[AZhitman]

16 yr old street racer wannabe

witnesses who blocked that kid from fleeing

No remorse at all by the kid or his father.

...and THOSE are the people we need to make famous.

We have the venue, we have the audience.

Public shaming and societal consequences are quite effective, and their deterrent value suffers if we protect their identities.

[Dire91]

It was an unforgetable experience. As a result I have zero respect for anyone who brags about street racing. And get angry when kids dis cops for giving them tickets. These guys save lives.

^ I agree with you completely. I witnessed two kids street racing and one lost control and smacked the back of an older woman's car, don't know the outcome but it just shows the stupidity of some teenagers. The only real story that has altered my life is the one my Dad told me. When he was 16 he was hit by a drunk driver who was in a truck. He flew out the wind shield due to not having seat belts in his coupe.

[Bubba1]

...and THOSE are the people we need to make famous.

We have the venue, we have the audience.

Public shaming and societal consequences are quite effective, and their deterrent value suffers if we protect their identities.

You are absolutely right, but in my case, there might be a glitch. We both made financial settlements with the dad after he lost his attempt to dismiss the charges against his son in court. I'd have to find and dust off the ol' fine print to check, but I suspect one of the conditions for getting that money was not publicizing their names.

[seang]

They say there are about 250 close calls for every really bad accident, but that is an average.

[AZhitman]

You are absolutely right, but in my case, there might be a glitch. We both made financial settlements with the dad after he lost his attempt to dismiss the charges against his son in court. I'd have to find and dust off the ol' fine print to check, but I suspect one of the conditions for getting that money was not publicizing their names.

You should comply with the terms of the settlement.

I, on the other hand, am not bound by any such restrictions.

[ADDirishboy]

You should comply with the terms of the settlement.

I, on the other hand, am not bound by any such restrictions.

If we just happen to see there names somewhere, I'm not contractually obligated to keep there names out of the paper.

[AZhitman]

It's an occupational hazard - I just seem to have an inordinate amount of access to info that most people would prefer be kept hidden.

[bersh240]

that scares me a bit...what do you know about me that i dont?

[S13_love]

what do you know about me that i dont?

So...wait, Greg knows more about you than you do about yourself?

[ADDirishboy]

To contribute to the ACTUAL topic at hand....

My uncle is currently in a coma. He was on a job site in Denver, he and 2 other guys were drunk and drove back to the hotel. My uncle was not driving, but the driver lost control and rolled the vehicle. My uncles head went THROUGH the metal roof of the car, came back inside, and then he was thrown out a side window. Been in a coma for 2 months now. He is starting to get better now though.

This hasn't really changed my driving habits though. I never drove drunk anyway. But I'm more cautious of the people on the road late at night now.

[RCA]

Philosophy class my sophomore year of college. Guy was a total nut job, he would spend all class eating breakfast and calling us idiots because we didn't have questions about the assigned readings. But every other week or so he would go off on a rant about the material and for 30 minutes he would spew gold nuggets of information from his mouth.

He forever changed how I think about every thing from life to religion. He challenged every thing I and my class mates thought was normal or ok.

I'll never forget it.

[Legion76]

When my younger brother was in high school, and for a few years afterwards, he was into some bad things. Drinking, drugs, you name it. He wasn't a dead beat or anything, had a full time job that he was at for years, just partied all the time. He started getting his act together, not staying out all night and getting wasted. In Aug 2001, he rode down to FL with a friend to wish a mutual friend a happy birthday and they had a few drinks. Coming back on I-95, it was dark and foggy and the driver didn't realize that he was in an exit lane only. Neither one was wearing a seatbelt, and after the car rolled a couple of times, it ended up on my brother. The kid that was driving ran off and passed out in someones yard. The police were not called until 7 hrs later. The kid had a few cuts and bruises, my brother is paralyzed. Because of this pay more attention when driving and especially in foul weather. It's also why I don't take the bait when I'm driving his Zenki and some ricer acts the fool next to me at a light or on the highway.

[Jesda]

Most accidents happen because of inattention, not malice. Sucks when it does happen though, but every accident I've been in has been the fault of another driver not looking or paying attention.

[Ozzie]

It's an occupational hazard - I just seem to have an inordinate amount of access to info that most people would prefer be kept hidden.

Sometimes, you scare me.....

Did you need more tim-tams BTW? or a back massage, or a wax job on the vert?

On a more connected note to the original post...... I worry about this, because I live in a place where the ONLY off-street 1/4 mile track has been closed.There is nowhere to race now, except the streets.

We get news reports of people dying in street race related accidents more often these days.... but the govornment brings in tougher laws, to give rights to authorities to crush cars of racers, instead of working on providing an off-street venue for racing....

It makes me wonder if govt officials walk around with blinkers on(like the kind race horses wear) all the time.

Give us a venue to race at, and we shall come...... if one is not provided... expect the streets to be used as drag strips.

[krimsonviper]

My recent accident has me watching all of my mirrors at all times and I actually follow the 3 second rule. I believe the lady behind me was either talking on her phone, or putting on her make up.

[nissangirl74]

I have way too many examples. My ex drove drunk on a regular basis. To my knowledge, he has never been personally responsible for anyone being physically hurt, but his negligence made me hyper sensitive to everyone else on the road. I am always one step ahead of the drivers around me, sub consciously predicting their next move.

I had a friend in high school who was killed because the driver of the car thought it would be cool to see how fast her Miata could hang a hairpin curve in the rain. The driver walked away. The passenger was so badly hurt, her organs couldn't be donated. That one slowed my a** down a LOT. You also won't catch me driving in the rain on bald tires, period.

[Loki]

I had to go through this. It has undoubtedly shaped my life more than anything else. To be honest, I think it made me lose my humanity. I've become very jaded and I just plain don't see the value in human life much anymore. If I know of someone who drives drunk they become dead to me. I've also started taking driving much more seriously, and trying to drive defensively everywhere I go. All that really accomplishes is the show just how terrible the other drivers are around me. It's a depressing downward spiral.

The drunk that hit me made off with hardly a scratch, as is usually the case. He was back to partying a short time after he recovered. Never served jail time...never lost his license. It pays to have a big family in backwoods PA. On top of this there is a local high school football player who has the same mentality. He rolled a car with four other high school students in it. Nearly severed his arm and almost killed a 15 year old girl. After he is released pictures surface on Facebook of him holding beers in that same nearly severed arm. Not even five months after the wreck he is arrested for underage drinking. He is currently about to serve 6 to 23 months in jail and is being sued by the 15 year old's family. I truly hate these people who live life a bottle at a time. I honestly wish they would all die and let the rest of us live our lives in peace.

Also, my wreck happened on a dark back country road. Every time I drive a similar road I feel as though I'm dreaming, or dead. Life has a very disturbing view when you've come within a millimeter of dying.
Modified by Loki at 8:17 AM 3/25/2010

[PEZi]

well... let's see... i've had 5 of my high school friends die already... 3 in car accidents

the one i'd like to bring to light for this thread however is a former friend and teammate... he was a track star and in all honesty i feel he coulda have made the olympics eventually

his life was taken when a friend of his was driving drunk at over 100 MPH on city streets... the car struck a median, rolling the car and throwing my friend from the vehicle over 100 ft away... he was pronounced dead on the scene

this guy was a great person... had a lot going for him breaking school records in every event he ran... and was one of the nicest people you could ever meet

alcohol + car + lead foot = another life lost

[nissangirl74]

I had to go through this. It has undoubtedly shaped my life more than anything else. To be honest, I think it made me lose my humanity. I've become very jaded and I just plain don't see the value in human life much anymore. If I know of someone who drives drunk they become dead to me. I've also started taking driving much more seriously, and trying to drive defensively everywhere I go. All that really accomplishes is the show just how terrible the other drivers are around me. It's a depressing downward spiral.

Also, the wreck happened on a dark back country road. Every time I drive a similar road I feel as though I'm dreaming, or dead. Life has a very disturbing view when you've come within a millimeter of dying.

Damn man, I never knew the story behind the CT. It fits.