Just a friendly reminder

[GeorgiaHybrid]

6 hours ago, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

But some of us don't have all that new fangled fancy gizmo stuff.... I still have to check the vacuum tubes to make the windshield wipers work.....

I thought you had a hand crank on top of the windshield to move the wipers with. 😁 I have driven several cars in my youth with vacuum wipers that would quit working when you floored it and start working again when you backed out of it and got enough maniflod vacuum to work.

[Alie&Jim's Carrilite]

43 minutes ago, GeorgiaHybrid said:

I thought you had a hand crank on top of the windshield to move the wipers with. 😁 I have driven several cars in my youth with vacuum wipers that would quit working when you floored it and start working again when you backed out of it and got enough maniflod vacuum to work.

Actually, that's Alies job on the passenger side, she pulls the string and then I do....

Someone brought up the Smith Driving series.  Smith is now part of the Southern Cross training our techs are taught.  There has been a reduction in reported accidents since this was instituted a year ago.  

[Heavymetal]

I try and use the adaptive cruise as much as possible it keeps us a safe distance away and adjust automatically when a vehicle fills in the gap. The best part is it uses the standard brakes to slow or stop you so the brake lights are activated.

[Dollytrolley]

On 9/2/2017 at 10:38 AM, Steve from SoCal said:

I just did a 700 mile drive bobtail and, I had a long conversation with Phil about this crash just before Texas went under water.

 

Here is my 2 cents, there are times when you can't avoid driving in traffic.    Make your own space when ever you can, I don't drive as fast as the fast traffic but, faster than the slow traffic.    Usually with this speed you can build a little bubble around you, changing lanes to merge traffic as needed.     In some places where lane control is in place this is harder but, none the less it works.    

 

Avoid driving in packs, that is where more stuff happens in less time.    Also, you should be looking at traffic a half mile to a mile ahead of you.     I look at trends in closure, so many people, CDL drivers and average motorist only focus on what is nearly ahead of them.     

 

Steve 

Steve you bring a lot of good points to the table.

In the stone age......Grumps used to preach that the less the gap to the car in front of you.......the less time you tend to look in your mirrors........

Out in the wilds of Oregon and Washington freeways were scarce and narrow often twisty, hilly roads were the rule and Grumps spent a lot of time keeping space ahead of the truck and looking in mirrors ...........he looked at jokers in the mirror that were tail-gating and weaving trying to short-pass between curves ..........he would often pull off into a wide shoulder to let the "soon-to-be-wreck" pass on his "appointment-to-eternity" as grumps would mutter......

Grumps had the concept that trucks never had the right-of-way......ever.... and if a car did something stupid in front of a truck the truck had to give way.........that's just what he did the day when a bug-eyed-Sprite came screaming around a curve head-on in our lane and the ole KWopper rolled over in the ditch.......make no mistake these trucks hit the ground HARD I know first hand!!

Being the biggest dog on the road aint as easy as it looks in the movies......

Even out in the boondocks you need to keep your eyes open and the space ahead large enough to save the dummy ahead of you.

Drive on..........(Do you have enough time to look in your......mirrors?)

[G&K]

On 8/30/2017 at 9:48 PM, Jack Mayer said:

Geo, welcome back to the cold.....well, not quite "real" cold, but it must seem that way coming back from the tropics. 

Thanks Jack. On a plane tomorrow morning. Its going to be a scramble to find somewhere to live and a job.

Geo

[G&K]

On 9/3/2017 at 1:34 AM, jaird said:

Geo,

Great to see you on the forum again. Sure did miss you and your great posts. Hope all is well with you.

Blessings

Jesse

Thanks Jesse. We're all good. Still waiting for Rocel to get her Permanent Resident Visa for Canada so I'm coming back on my own for now. Sure am going to miss the Philippines. Love it here even if there are no RVs!!

Geo

[JPL]

Big 5er   Thanks for the traffic reminder. We leave for a 8 week trip out west the 21st so that was a timely reminder. Hope you faired well during the flooding. We are planning a short stop in Alvin to meet a old Shipmate. Hope to be able to be able to buy you a cold DP! Take care and be safe.   Pat

 

 

The Old Sailor

[Vegas Teacher]

Being new to the road and driving the Volvo I have no illusions of where I sit on the ability range - somewhere near the bottom I am sure. I am learning ever so slowly and bugging the living @#$% out of Vegas Flyer. Anyway pictures and events like what happened in what was posted just remind me to not get into a hurry, leave a lot of room for mistakes and to watch everybody and everything going on around you. I know each time I get back behind the wheel of my truck I have to take a deep breath and remind myself:

1. This is not your Toyota Tundra.

2. You don't have an (oops!) accident, you kill somebody.

3. You don't want to go to jail for being stupid, and looking at your cell phone, radio, pond on the side of the road or the lady in the convertible next to you doing what???????? Yep my wife would not like that anyway LOL! I know it is serious but you get what I mean.

Later,

Vegas Teacher - Cory Ossana

P.S. Any snowbirds on their way out through Vegas yet?

  

[Dennis M]

On 8/26/2017 at 7:15 AM, Pat & Pete said:

Definitely agree .

We travel at 55 - 60 MPH . Even old people give looks of 'concern' when passing .

 

Me too! 63-64 MPH is the comfort spot for us. Often see the same four wheelers, and some RVs sailing past us 2 or 3 times in a day!

I try to keep reminding myself that we are 65 feet long and weigh 37k, over and over!

Edited September 12, 2017 by Dennis M

[Steve from SoCal]

Another thing to remember, no holding cell phones or worse reading messages while driving.     Many states prohibit this now and everywhere CDL drivers are, drive like a professional even if you aren't one.

 

Steve 

[JPL]

VT   I like your reminder list. Will be on the road heading west on the 21st with a planned stop in LV(mid Oct). Hope we can share a cool one!   

Dennis M     63-65 is our speed. We are 67' and 34K  No phone or text. I sure do not want to hurt someone.     Pat

 

 

The Old Sailor

[Big5er]

1 hour ago, Steve from SoCal said:

Another thing to remember, no holding cell phones or worse reading messages while driving.     Many states prohibit this now and everywhere CDL drivers are, drive like a professional even if you aren't one.

 

Steve 

Steve, unfortunately there are very few states that prohibit "holding" a cell phone. Only about 10 states have gone so far as to ban "holding" a cell phone. Most cell phone laws are sadly unenforceable simply based on how they are written. Texas recently passed a law banning texting and driving. The law spells out exactly what a text message is.

Officer: "Sir, you were texting and driving".
Violator: "No sir, I was not. I was playing Candy Crush and driving (or entering an address on the GPS, or surfing the internet or watching youtube, etc.)"
Officer: "Oh. Well you can go".

Sadly, how many of us have a small computer built into the dash board (a radio that is more than a dial and a volume knob) and use it as we drive down the road? Is there really a difference between channel surfing on that touch screen radio and holding your phone? Distracted driving is distracted driving and a lot of us are guilty of it even without using the phone. It seems that phone is just the latest whipping post of "feel good" legislation. 

[eddie1261]

Here in Ohio we have those laws but they are not enforceable as the primary reason for LEO to make a stop. And by the time a cop  runs the tag and walks up to the car, the driver can have his cell phone shut off and in the cup holder. The one time I was asked about it I showed it to hi and showed him that I was looking at the GPS app. We have no law against that, just texting while driving. I am 1750% in favor of these laws but they truly can't be enforced unless the police can prove you were texting.  And short of a drone pulling up next to you and recording you texting, how they going to do that? Sadly. more and more people are going to die because they think they can hold their lane with their eyes averted, and they really can't. If someone texts me, I wait until I get to a stop point and using voice, text back that I am driving and I will respond later.

[Hot Rod]

What is it about distracted driving that legislators and the general public do not get?  It is not the fact that you are holding the phone up to your face, or usingit hands free.  It is not whether you are texting or typing on the gps.  IT IS BECAUSE YOU ARE CONCENTRATING ON SOMETHING OTHER THAN DRIVING!!!  Same goes for channel surfing on the radio and talking to your 6 friends back in the coach or eating your coffee and bagel while reading the newspaper (saw it happen).  You are concentrating on something other than the vital life and death business of operating the vehicle.  That is the problem, not the technological variation that is the hot topic of the week.  Watch the dam road and pay attention.  Not real complicated.

[noteven]

 

So we in Alberta were the last hold outs to enact a "cell phone" feel good law - oops we have a law against Distracted Driving - which is anything that distracts your attention from outside the windshield  - if you are wandering around your lane putting your make up on, fiddling with technology gadgets, or yakking on a hand held phone or texting or eating or reloading your gopher gun - or - wait for it - being distracted by a hands free phone call (OMG!) such that you are not driving properly - you may get to explain the situation to a LEO... 

 

[Chad Heiser]

2 hours ago, Big5er said:

Steve, unfortunately there are very few states that prohibit "holding" a cell phone. Only about 10 states have gone so far as to ban "holding" a cell phone. Most cell phone laws are sadly unenforceable simply based on how they are written. Texas recently passed a law banning texting and driving. The law spells out exactly what a text message is.

Officer: "Sir, you were texting and driving".
Violator: "No sir, I was not. I was playing Candy Crush and driving (or entering an address on the GPS, or surfing the internet or watching youtube, etc.)"
Officer: "Oh. Well you can go".

Sadly, how many of us have a small computer built into the dash board (a radio that is more than a dial and a volume knob) and use it as we drive down the road? Is there really a difference between channel surfing on that touch screen radio and holding your phone? Distracted driving is distracted driving and a lot of us are guilty of it even without using the phone. It seems that phone is just the latest whipping post of "feel good" legislation. 

This is one thing CA actually fixed in the law.  As of January 1 this year you can't have the phone in your hand at all while on the road (even while stopped).  In addition you can only interact with a mounted phone with a single touch or swipe (i.e. answer or hang up from a call).  Anything more than that is also a violation.  

It has made enforcement very simple and we right numerous tickets for it every day in my city.  Just because there is a law doesn't mean people are going to follow it without a little encouragement.

[Dollytrolley]

Perhaps ..........we need a "New-Law"........

Perhaps we need a .......Co-driver law

In the "A E R O S P A C E" game almost ALL aircraft grossing more 12,500 have to have a copilot ( a few very easy to fly aircraft are wavered)

So why do we have copilots?  ? 

Captain  says........... copilot is his "slave"

Copilot says.........copilot says that he has to fly the aircraft do all the "dirty" work and keep the geezer Captain awake during the landing..

So..........here is the "New Law" for driving....... "Any vehicle with ANY electronic device in the vehicle has to have a C0-Driver........

Shucks imagine both drivers could spend 50% of the time driving each and another 50% of the time playing DOOM or Grand auto racer or posting Utube of the close calls while they drive.

Distracted vehicle operations are difficult to solve.......

Many many moons ago (Dec 29, 1978) I spent a long day flying in marginal weather most of the day but weather cleared  and was glad to get the bird in the hanger....... 

I was driving through Portland Oregon when IF I had looked in the rear view at Burnside and 157th ave I would have soiled my undies since I would have seen a United DC-8 crash land in the street behind me.........Gulp......Imagine flying all day and then having another darn airplane kill you as you drive home from the airport.........

So what happened in the ole DC-8 that resulted in the darn thing crashing a few miles from the runway on a clear winter evening?

Well the captain became distracted by a minor landing gear problem......

The copilot became distracted by the same landing gear problem......

And the Flight Engineer became distracted by the same landing gear problem......

Of the three man crew no one remembered to fly the aircraft........

It was flying around Portland for a hour trying to solve the minor landing gear problem and it ran out of fuel and could not glide to the runway.........

So........maybe our "New C0-Driver Law) will need a "Riding-Driving-Engineer" to assist the "Driver" and the C0-Driver when any electronic device in the vehicle........

Or maybe the "Driver" just .........drives.....

SIDE NOTE:

The Portland United Airlines accident resulted in sweeping changes that resulted and system instigated called CRM (Crew Resource Management) that has gone a long way in improving aircraft operational safety..........it has not solved all problems but it has resulted in measurable gains in aircraft safety.

 

Drive on............(Where is my.........C0-Driver?) 

[bobsallyh]

Yep, Vegas Teacher. Left Boulder City Elks Lodge RV park on Monday the 11th. Now on our RV lot in Yuma, AZ. Not an HDTer but dually and fiver. By the way, got drenched last Friday night at the Bishop Gorman football game !

[coachmac9]

Great information in these posts, I would like to add something that has literally saved me from many accidents. When I was much younger I drove an ambulance for many years and while we never had to pass any special test to do this we had several "driving lessons" from others that had been driving ambulances and other emergency vehicles for years.

Their number one tip or habit that they taught us to develop was "driving ahead" the faster you go the farther ahead you look and always assume they are going to do the worst possible thing. Change lanes in front of you, pull out from a stop sign, driveway or business as you are approaching ect ect. and always believe they aren't paying attention and don't hear your siren or see your lights...I know of three situations that by doing this I was able to take defensive action and avoid what would have been a very bad accident. I did it for many years and it just became so ingrained in my mind that I do it in any vehicle I drive. Checking mirrors constantly and checking side traffic constantly...it will save your life! 

[Hot Rod]

7 hours ago, coachmac9 said:

Great information in these posts, I would like to add something that has literally saved me from many accidents. When I was much younger I drove an ambulance for many years and while we never had to pass any special test to do this we had several "driving lessons" from others that had been driving ambulances and other emergency vehicles for years.

Their number one tip or habit that they taught us to develop was "driving ahead" the faster you go the farther ahead you look and always assume they are going to do the worst possible thing. Change lanes in front of you, pull out from a stop sign, driveway or business as you are approaching ect ect. and always believe they aren't paying attention and don't hear your siren or see your lights...I know of three situations that by doing this I was able to take defensive action and avoid what would have been a very bad accident. I did it for many years and it just became so ingrained in my mind that I do it in any vehicle I drive. Checking mirrors constantly and checking side traffic constantly...it will save your life! 

X2.

motorcyclists and truckers (I've been both) develop the exact same habits, and yes, it has saved more than one accident in the daily driver as well.  assume the general driving public is stupid, and will pull the stupidest stunt you can imagine, and you will be right and avoid many accidents.

[Buscrusher]

1 hour ago, Hot Rod said:

X2.

motorcyclists and truckers (I've been both) develop the exact same habits, and yes, it has saved more than one accident in the daily driver as well.  assume the general driving public is stupid, and will pull the stupidest stunt you can imagine, and you will be right and avoid many accidents.

X3

I started driving motorcycles on the street in 1967, and in the 42 years I rode I've been in 46 of the lower 48 on 2 wheels. I also drove city buses in some of the heaviest traffic in the country (Seattle area) for 30 years. Driving as if you are invisible and expect the other driver to run you down is a good survival tactic. You learn to read what the other motorist is going to do, and make a practice of not being there when they make their move is something I'd call "aggressive defensive driving". You take charge of the situation.

[CoffeeRv]

Hey G&K by chance would you still have those PIAA pro 90 xt lights? Please contact me with a price. blair@coffeehome.com

[Dennis M]

On 9/13/2017 at 1:45 PM, coachmac9 said:

Great information in these posts, I would like to add something that has literally saved me from many accidents. When I was much younger I drove an ambulance for many years and while we never had to pass any special test to do this we had several "driving lessons" from others that had been driving ambulances and other emergency vehicles for years.

Their number one tip or habit that they taught us to develop was "driving ahead" the faster you go the farther ahead you look and always assume they are going to do the worst possible thing. Change lanes in front of you, pull out from a stop sign, driveway or business as you are approaching ect ect. and always believe they aren't paying attention and don't hear your siren or see your lights...I know of three situations that by doing this I was able to take defensive action and avoid what would have been a very bad accident. I did it for many years and it just became so ingrained in my mind that I do it in any vehicle I drive. Checking mirrors constantly and checking side traffic constantly...it will save your life! 

X3 I'll chime in again. Ever since I started driving - long, long time ago  - I have always told myself that every other car on the road is trying to kill me. I try to be doubly alert in the truck and react to anything odd. Case in point, years ago in southern IL a car towing a small U-Haul passed me, the right rear tire was 6 to 8 inches outside of the fender. I immediately kicked off the cruise and slowed down. Sure enough less than a mile down the road that wheel and tire came off completely! Car and trailer came to a pretty quick stop on the shoulder, but that wheel and tire must have gone anothe half mile, bouncing off the guardrail!

[chief916]

On 8/25/2017 at 10:47 PM, Alie&Jim's Carrilite said:

North Dakota signed into law a new Distracted Driving law.  If they see the head nodding up and down, vehicle drifting but staying within the lane, etc they can now stop you and ticket you.  Yes, the provision to look at your phone for the last call, text or music download without a warrant was included.  But if you don't comply, then a warrant will be produced.

Now this is good to hear.  Now if they could only make it a national law and enforce it a lot of lives and property could be saved.  Here in NC they have the no texting law but guess what????  People are still texting and chatting away and exceeding the speed limit.  I've seen a couple of close calls.  It's enough to make me want to quit driving.

[noteven]

In the early 2000’s politicians across Canada rushed “no cell phone device use” laws into force as crackberries and smart phones were everywhere. Even though “driving without due care and attention” is already a law for 50 or 75 years we needed another law...

But anyhoo the national media would always duly report how (good ol redneck wink wink) Alberta was “behind in bringing in a law...” anyway Alberta passed a Distracted Driving law a year or so after the initial rush of mobile device specific  laws (finally! bleated the media)... oh except it means any distraction- looking for the food you dropped, fixing your makeup, reaching back to touch a kid, texting, FooFoo the Fur Baby riding in your lap licking your face, looking and poking at dash, tablet,  and gps screens, fumbling with a map, eating cereal on your way to work, talking on a hand held phone etc etc . oops...you mean all distractions? 

Have these laws on top of existing laws done much to reduce the habit? The view from my motorcycle seat across western provinces and states suggests “not really”. 

Except where roads are more challenging and speeds are higher- like a curvy foothills 70 mph no shoulders 2 lane in MT - people seem to be looking where they are going more. 

Opinion only not approved data collection methods.