Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

Today (July 10, 2012) there were radio reports of a vehicle crash, near me.
I searched for it on the web, but did not find it. What I remember is:

Driver of vehicle killed. (insert name) was sitting at an intersection. He
was struck from behind, by another vehicle. This pushed him into the path of
an oncoming driver, who happened to be driving a semi trailer, with a heavy
tank full of product. The driver was killed instantly.

When I was in Driver Education, we were taught to wait with our steering
wheels straight. So, if we were hit from behind, we'd go through the
intersection, instead of pushed into oncoming traffic. I guess the deceased
either didn't take driver ed, or decided not to follow the instructions he
got. And, he's dead.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

In article , cayoung61
says...

Today (July 10, 2012) there were radio reports of a vehicle crash, near me.
I searched for it on the web, but did not find it. What I remember is:

Driver of vehicle killed. (insert name) was sitting at an intersection. He
was struck from behind, by another vehicle. This pushed him into the path of
an oncoming driver, who happened to be driving a semi trailer, with a heavy
tank full of product. The driver was killed instantly.

When I was in Driver Education, we were taught to wait with our steering
wheels straight. So, if we were hit from behind, we'd go through the
intersection, instead of pushed into oncoming traffic. I guess the deceased
either didn't take driver ed, or decided not to follow the instructions he
got. And, he's dead.

I'm not sure how that follows. Sitting with wheels straight if you get
rearended you still go into the intersection and if there's an 18-
wheeler about to enter it at that time, unless you get rearended by the
Starship Enterprise at Warp 9 or something you're going to get hit
before you go all the way through the intersection.

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

On 7/11/2012 7:51 AM, J. Clarke wrote:
In article , cayoung61
says...

Today (July 10, 2012) there were radio reports of a vehicle crash, near me.
I searched for it on the web, but did not find it. What I remember is:

Driver of vehicle killed. (insert name) was sitting at an intersection. He
was struck from behind, by another vehicle. This pushed him into the path of
an oncoming driver, who happened to be driving a semi trailer, with a heavy
tank full of product. The driver was killed instantly.

When I was in Driver Education, we were taught to wait with our steering
wheels straight. So, if we were hit from behind, we'd go through the
intersection, instead of pushed into oncoming traffic. I guess the deceased
either didn't take driver ed, or decided not to follow the instructions he
got. And, he's dead.

I'm not sure how that follows. Sitting with wheels straight if you get
rearended you still go into the intersection and if there's an 18-
wheeler about to enter it at that time, unless you get rearended by the
Starship Enterprise at Warp 9 or something you're going to get hit
before you go all the way through the intersection.

I think he's saying that he was hit by an oncoming truck on the same
road, instead of getting hit from the cross road. It could have just
been the reporter using the wrong terminology.

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

Not sure if I can do it with keyboard, and ascii art. But, lets do it on
compass points, shall we?

What happened in this case, is that a driver of a panel van was going east
bound on route 5 and 20, in Lima, NY. A semi driver is going west bound, on
route 5 and 20, in Lima, NY.

Van driver wants to turn left, so that he'd be going north into a store. SUV
driver, also going east bound, slams the van. Van has wheels turned, so the
van goes north. Semi, west bound, slams the van who is now (crossing the;)
in the west bound lane.

Had the driver kept wheels straight, the van would have gone further east,
and the west bound semi would have gone west bound.

I'm not sure that's clear.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
in.local...

I'm not sure how that follows. Sitting with wheels straight if you get
rearended you still go into the intersection and if there's an 18-
wheeler about to enter it at that time, unless you get rearended by the
Starship Enterprise at Warp 9 or something you're going to get hit
before you go all the way through the intersection.

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

Lets try keyboard art.
====================================
[west] [east]
(LEAD UP)
(parking lot)

SEMI TRACTOR
TRAILER]
[SUV] ---- [VAN]
===================================
(THE HIT)
(parking lot)
^
/ [SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER]
[SUV] ---- [VAN] /

(See how the van curves, "up the page" and is now in
front of the semi?)
===================================
(IF HE'D KEPT WHEELS STRAIGHT)
(parking lot)
[SEMI TRACTOR TRAILER]
[SUV] ---- [VAN]
===================================

Hope that's more visual.


Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
in.local...

I'm not sure how that follows. Sitting with wheels straight if you get
rearended you still go into the intersection and if there's an 18-
wheeler about to enter it at that time, unless you get rearended by the
Starship Enterprise at Warp 9 or something you're going to get hit
before you go all the way through the intersection.

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

That's correct.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"tnik" wrote in message
...

I think he's saying that he was hit by an oncoming truck on the same
road, instead of getting hit from the cross road. It could have just
been the reporter using the wrong terminology.

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 07:51:08 -0400, "J. Clarke"
wrote:

In article , cayoung61
says...

Today (July 10, 2012) there were radio reports of a vehicle crash, near me.
I searched for it on the web, but did not find it. What I remember is:

Driver of vehicle killed. (insert name) was sitting at an intersection. He
was struck from behind, by another vehicle. This pushed him into the path of
an oncoming driver, who happened to be driving a semi trailer, with a heavy
tank full of product. The driver was killed instantly.

When I was in Driver Education, we were taught to wait with our steering
wheels straight. So, if we were hit from behind, we'd go through the
intersection, instead of pushed into oncoming traffic. I guess the deceased
either didn't take driver ed, or decided not to follow the instructions he
got. And, he's dead.

I'm not sure how that follows. Sitting with wheels straight if you get
rearended you still go into the intersection and if there's an 18-
wheeler about to enter it at that time, unless you get rearended by the
Starship Enterprise at Warp 9 or something you're going to get hit
before you go all the way through the intersection.


Read the article. He was not at an intersection, he was on a straight
section of road trying to turn left into a driveway.

Driver trianing also taught that if you see you are going to be hit
from behiind you should push on the brake as hard as you can to
prevent your car from moving and being involved in second and third
crashes.

Remove 333 to reply.
Randy

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

"Randy333" wrote

Driver trianing also taught that if you see you are going to be hit
from behiind you should push on the brake as hard as you can to
prevent your car from moving and being involved in second and third
crashes.


Wouldn't the G forces propel you rearward, taking your foot off the brake?

I intend some time in my life to propose a movie idea about all the times
when we paused a second or two at a stop sign to retrieve a dropped item or
to slap the kid, and there's a big accident in the intersection, and had we
gone when we wanted to, we would have been in the middle of it. Missed a
plane, and the plane crashed killing all aboard, etc, etc, etc. I don't
know about you, but there has been many times like that in my life alone,
enough to make a very long movie.

Steve

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

On 7/11/2012 8:51 AM, Randy333 wrote:
....

Driver trianing also taught that if you see you are going to be hit
from behiind you should push on the brake as hard as you can to
prevent your car from moving and being involved in second and third
crashes.
....

Methinks one would hard pressed to find an actual DT program w/ that as
a tenet. Even if it really would make much difference as soon as the
impact occurs the chances of being able to retain control of body
sufficiently to do so are zero in any impact sufficient to propel the
vehicle any distance--personal strength just don't match up w/ 3000-lb
20+ mph forces...

--

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

Good advice. Sadly, the one time I didn't see it coming from behind.

The last time I got hit from behind, I was WB on NYS Thruway, going about 55
MPH. Snow, but the road surface was good. The semi that hit me, went off the
road, and hit a tree. My four door Blazer fish tailed, back of the truck
went to the right. I corrected, best I could, for fish tailing. I didn't see
the truck from behind, I was watching forward for ice. The Blazer flipped up
on it side, and slid for a while longer. I hung there in my seat belt, until
the rescue arrived. Didn't want to climb out, and get run over.

I'm fine. the truck was a total loss. The insurance money bought me a POS
Blazer, wish I had the last one. Wish that I'd stayed home. I miss that old
truck.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Randy333" wrote in message
...

Driver trianing also taught that if you see you are going to be hit
from behiind you should push on the brake as hard as you can to
prevent your car from moving and being involved in second and third
crashes.

Remove 333 to reply.
Randy

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

On 7/11/2012 8:38 AM, Stormin Mormon wrote:
Not sure if I can do it with keyboard, and ascii art. But, lets do it on
compass points, shall we?

What happened in this case, is that a driver of a panel van was going east
bound on route 5 and 20, in Lima, NY. A semi driver is going west bound, on
route 5 and 20, in Lima, NY.

Van driver wants to turn left, so that he'd be going north into a store. SUV
driver, also going east bound, slams the van. Van has wheels turned, so the
van goes north. Semi, west bound, slams the van who is now (crossing the;)
in the west bound lane.

Had the driver kept wheels straight, the van would have gone further east,
and the west bound semi would have gone west bound.


Presuming that the panel van was hit squarely, where it is more likely
that the car that struck the van would be swerving toward the shoulder,
thus hitting the panel van in such a way as to spin it into the oncoming
lane.

Why are you dredging up obscure driver's ed trivia to blame the panel
van driver, instead of the guy who failed to notice a stopped panel van
on the road ahead of him, and actually CAUSED the fatal accident?





I'm not sure that's clear.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
.

"J. Clarke" wrote in message
in.local...

I'm not sure how that follows. Sitting with wheels straight if you get
rearended you still go into the intersection and if there's an 18-
wheeler about to enter it at that time, unless you get rearended by the
Starship Enterprise at Warp 9 or something you're going to get hit
before you go all the way through the intersection.

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

The post isn't about blame. I'm not pointing
fingers, nor calling fault.

This post is about sharing how to be safer,
and more likely to stay alive, if the unfortu-
nate slam in the back happens. I'm trying
to share wisdom that might save your life.

But, I guess you can't see that. OK, go die,
it's your choice.

Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
..

"Stuart Wheaton" wrote in message
...

Why are you dredging up obscure driver's ed
trivia to blame the panel van driver, instead of
the guy who failed to notice a stopped panel van
on the road ahead of him, and actually CAUSED
the fatal accident?

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

On Wed, 11 Jul 2012 04:45:12 -0400, Stormin Mormon wrote:

Today (July 10, 2012) there were radio reports of a vehicle crash, near
me. I searched for it on the web, but did not find it. What I remember
is:

Driver of vehicle killed. (insert name) was sitting at an intersection.
He was struck from behind, by another vehicle. This pushed him into the
path of an oncoming driver, who happened to be driving a semi trailer,
with a heavy tank full of product. The driver was killed instantly.

When I was in Driver Education, we were taught to wait with our steering
wheels straight. So, if we were hit from behind, we'd go through the
intersection, instead of pushed into oncoming traffic. I guess the
deceased either didn't take driver ed, or decided not to follow the
instructions he got. And, he's dead.

That's what I was taught. Of course, the one time that I was rear-ended
in traffic I was going straight, and just got smacked into the car in
front of me.

As pointed out, if you don't get smacked straight on it doesn't help --
but there's an awful lot of rear-enders that are straight-on and come as
more of a surprise to the driver of the following vehicle than to the one
hit.

--
Tim Wescott
Control system and signal processing consulting
www.wescottdesign.com

Wheels (of metal vehicle) straight, for safety
 

On Thu, 12 Jul 2012 10:04:03 -0500, Tim Wescott wrote:

(...)

That's what I was taught. Of course, the one time that I was rear-ended
in traffic I was going straight, and just got smacked into the car in
front of me.

As pointed out, if you don't get smacked straight on it doesn't help --
but there's an awful lot of rear-enders that are straight-on and come as
more of a surprise to the driver of the following vehicle than to the
one hit.

As the victim of two ~50 MPH rearender collisions,
I generally stop at least 1.5 carlengths behind
until there are several cars behind me. Only then
do I roll up to take up the extra slack.

You guys behind are my cushion. :)

--Winston