how did that happen

[Ken Garlock]

Yesterday afternoon I had finished testing my eyelids for light penetration, and as I walked through the house I noticed a firetruck and state patrol cruiser out in front of the house. Our house sets 500 ft. off the road.

The road is a blacktop and in very good condition. I moseyed out to the road and there was a minivan in the ditch about 60ft north of my driveway culvert. It appears that the driver ran off the road about 50 ft. south of my drive and managed to cartwheel the van along the ditch, crossing my driveway culvert without touching it, and coming to rest 60 ft away. The state has not mowed the roadside ditch and the grass/weeds were laid down from the van rolling over them. Needless to say, the driver was taken to the hospital, and I would guess the van to be a total loss. Both the front and back ends were severely damaged.

There are no hazards along the road, and the road is straight. I can only guess that the wreck was caused by a driver medical problem, or perhaps a drug user. The good is that no one was killed, and for once no one hit my mailbox.

[Nancy Laird]

Maybe a critter ran out in front of the van and the driver swerved to avoid hitting it?

Maybe the driver was speeding and just twitched the wheel enough to throw the vehicle out of control.

Maybe the driver was reaching for something and lost concentration?

There are a myriad of reasons why this could have happened. And some things are never explained.

Nancy

[Tom Jones III]

I go for a run at lunch time through a nice residential neighborhood. It can get pretty scary running out there, sometimes I think I've got a target painted on my shirt. I watched one of these happen although without the rolling over. Mom was driving a car about the size and cost of my first home, she had a Starbucks drink in one hand, was talking on her cell phone with the other hand and turned around to deal with the crumb cruncher in the back seat. All I could see at that point was a velour clad bottom in the windshield and then I watched as the front wheels came off the road and into the shoulder then the ditch. If it had happend another 100 yards down the road she would have dropped 40 ft into a bayou.

[Ken Garlock]

Yes, you are right, Nancy. There are lots of ways to loose control. From what I gathered, there was only one person in the van. Maybe the driver was trying to put a new CD in the radio, or a host of other things.

About four yrs ago, when I took the drivers training for insurance discount. The teacher said that biggest cause of traffic accidents in Plano was people talking on cell phones. What the heck did people do before cell phones? I sure would support a state law forbidding the use of cell phones while the car is in motion.

Tom, your target statement reminds me of a Far Side cartoon. Two deer were standing in the forest, and one has a bullseye painted on his chest. The other is saying "nasty birthmark you have."

[Nancy Laird]

The City of Santa Fe passed a law several years ago outlawing the use of a cell phone by a driver in a moving vehicle...but the city police are spotty in enforcing it.

The City of Albuquerque passed the same law earlier this year, after much publicity leading up to it. Since we both work in Albuquerque and have customers and family in the City, LOML and I both got Bluetooth receivers. I can tell you that it makes a huge difference with not having to juggle a cell phone while driving. I haven't noticed that my attention is diverted by talking on the Bluetooth like it was with just the cell - the Bluetooth is no different than carrying on a conversation with a passenger in the car.

If you have a cell phone, get a hands-free device. If you can carry on a conversation with your shotgun passenger, you can talk on the cell on a Bluetooth!!

Nancy

[Ken Garlock]

Nancy, most of the new cars now have a blue tooth interface as standard or available as an option. I can see how it would be helpful....

[Nancy Laird]

Ken, I didn't know that. Haven't bought a new car in four years, so that technology is new to me. (And I hope I don't have to buy a new car for another 7-8 years--still paying for this one!!)

Nancy

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

a driver medical problem, or perhaps a drug user.

Or a cell phone on the floor or a pedestrian running across the road or a steering linkage failure- - - it just goes on and on

[Brad Schmid]

Two deer were standing in the forest, and one has a bullseye painted on his chest. The other is saying "nasty birthmark you have."

As I recall, that deer's name was "Hal". And, I have no idea why I thought it would be helpful to bring that up

Perhaps the driver was also testing his eyelids for light penetration, just not as responsibly as you

[Jim O'Dell]

snip
Perhaps the driver was also testing his eyelids for light penetration, just not as responsibly as you

Now THAT'S funny!

Bluetooth can be added to certain factory radios also. (Probably would have to be the last year or two though) They have to be Bluetooth ready, but it can be added if so. (The Ford indash Navigation systems are one) We also have available a bluetooth clip on piece for the visor that retails for about 79.95 and has very good sound quality. Jim. (Who doesn't have, nor want, a cell phone. When I'm away, I'm away.)

[Jeffrey Makiel]

Based upon what I see in my State, I'm guessing a cell phone had something to do with it. Even though it's unlawful to use a cell phone while driving in my State, about 30% of the drivers that I see (and deal with everyday) are on their cell phone.

CNN recently did a report about hand-free head phones vs hand held phones. The level of distraction was the same and was similar to that of a person driving while intoxicated.

-Jeff

[Bill Lewis]

There have been a few studies that I have heard that state that the use of a cell phone while driving is as bad as driving drunk, and it doesn't matter if you are using a hands free (blutooth or otherwise) cell phone or not.

For quite some time I have been able to spot a cell phone driver in a heartbeat. For that reason I held out on getting a cell phone, but recently I did get one. I tried to talk and drive on it for the first time the other day. Pretty scary! When I drive (especially commuting) I like to concentrate on my driving. I can go for miles and never even hear the radio if it is on, I just tune it out.

I am all for banning the use of cell phones while driving. But just as everything else it'll never be enforced. Not unless they come up with cell phone camera's (like the red light camera, or speed camera)

Speaking of which....and please excuse the minor hi-jack

Our county recently deployed speed cameras. The criteria was that they were placed in 35 mph (or less) zones in the vicinity of schools. They put one on a road near an elementary school in a rather affluent part of the county. The problem is that speeding near this school isn't the problem. It's the parents picking up their kids. I occasionally take this route home, and more than once I have had near accidents from parents stoping abruptly to pull over to the side of the road to pick up their kids, or, and this gets even better, pulling out in to the road without looking after picking up their kid....while talking on the cell phone.

I just don't get it. It's like the ones I see that are leaving my neighborhood, and they are on their phone, not even half a mile from their house.

[Al Willits]

Unfortnately to many people think driving is a inconvience to whatever their doing at the time.
I won't anwser my cell phone while driving.

Having to drive in my job, and having gone though the Smith system of driving courses about every other year, I've learnt that driving is a full time activity, and when it becomes one of several things your doing, mistakes happen.
Them I try to keep to a mimumun.
Only takes the eyes off the road for a few seconds to get into trouble.

We may never know what happened here, but chances are.....

Al

[Mike Wilkins]

The moose from the Pep Boys commercial ran into the road.

[Belinda Barfield]

Alien abduction? You wouldn't have noticed all the bright lights from the saucer seein' as how you was in the middle of that light penetration test!