swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
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posted August 01, 2003 05:55 AM
Elderly drivers...
Had a call with a customer up in Everett, WA. I live in Port Orchard, WA, on the Kitsap peninsula, so it's a fair haul up there, about 70 miles. Coming back, I didn't want to have to deal with Seattle traffic, so I jumped off I5 at Edmonds and took the ferry over to Kingston. Was a *hot* day, about 94 degrees, and I was baking in the jacket. But hey, gotta be safe.  Headed down WA 3 till I got to Bremerton, then took WA 16 east towards my exit just past Port Orchard. I head down the offramp, prolly just a mile from home. Get about halfway down the offramp, and a blue Neon turns UP the offramp, heading west! Holy refried beans, BatMan! I swerve off to the side, park the bike, and get the cell phone out to call 911. This shit just happed a couple months ago, and people DIED!! I look back, and cars are bailing to the right and left, avoiding the guy as he drives up the offramp. In a moment of clarity, he stops before enting the headon stream of traffic, and turns around, heading back down the offramp. I wave him down, get him to the side of the road, and have him turn the car off while we wait for WSP to arrive and check him out. The old guy was *confused* and kept asking me which way Silverdale was. I told him "Well, you were heading the right way, but on the wrong side of the highway!". WSP arrived, and I headed home. Didn't stick around to see what transpired, but I would hope that they got him home and took the keys (and license!).
  
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Ninjaman12R
Needs a job
as a Deal's Gap tour guide.
Posts: 4767
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posted August 01, 2003 06:19 AM
That's messed up............
Dude!!! That sounds like a close call for sure. Thumbs up for dialing the digits and getting the authorities involved.
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What we're dealin' with here is a complete lack of respect for the law.
Sheriff Buford T. Justice of TEXAS
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted August 01, 2003 07:18 AM
good for you SWFT for not just sitting around and not doing something about it.....More people need to get involved in their communities...
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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deathpulse
Pro
Posts: 1688
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posted August 01, 2003 07:45 AM
I've seen this happen too!!!! I was with a buddy on Route 17 in Paramus NJ (for those "in the know" that is one busy ass road at about 4Pm, as it has traffic to/from NYC to NJ). Some guy was on the other side of the road (17 south) GOING NORTH!!! I called 911, don't know what happened (we were on 17 North) but I can tell you there was a TON of tire squeeling/swerving/burning rubber. People MUST have died on that one... its a road where BMW/Merc execs routinely go 100 Mph. I don't know if the guys was old or not - but JEEZUS
OH!! and another time - I own a big ol black 2000 expedition (with a HUGE tow hitch in the back). I was stopped, getting ready to merge with traffic on Rt 3 (another HUGE traffic road in NJ - traffic from NYC to NJ via Lincoln tunnel) when all of a sudden I feel a BANG... then I feel my car trying to move foward!!!!!!!! I plant the breaks and look in the rearview - there is a ford taurus TRYING TO PUSH MY TRUCK INTO TRAFFIC!!! Smoke screaming out of the tires and all!!! FINALLY it stops trying to push me I put the car in park and put hte e-break on HARD. Get out and go to kick some serious ass for the idiot who just tried to kill me. Turns out it was a little old (foul mouthed) lady!!!!!! She kept insisting that she didn't hit my car!! (now keep in mind that my tow hitch is now firmly planted into her (now broken) radiator!!). Anyway cops arrive, my truck is fine (hheeheh like a fly trying to move a 747) but her car is banged up. Well, the cops are talking to me getting ready to serve her a ticket... when SHE TAKES OFF AND TURNS THE WRONG WAY DOWN ROUTE 3!!!! No joke. Cop told me just to go, he had my info and jumped into his cruiser to go save some innocents. Don't know what happened (didn't read abvout it in the news, guess everyon was ok) but JEEEZUS.
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swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
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posted August 01, 2003 12:15 PM
Holy shit! Fewking crazy taxi granny!
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BA
Pro
Posts: 1592
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posted August 01, 2003 03:09 PM
Holy Fokking Shit Batman!!! Y'all got's some f'd up drivers out there!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
definitley two thumbs up for calling the po-po guys.
I love that the lady tried to deny that there was a Big Black Expedition embedded into her radiator! LMAO! Sweet!
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Megabyte
Pro
Posts: 1047
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posted August 01, 2003 03:13 PM
I wonder how many lives you saved by getting him to pull over and wait. Good Job!
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We First make our habits and then our habits make us.
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Hells Dark Lord
Needs a life
living life, and loving it.
Posts: 7981
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posted August 01, 2003 03:28 PM
hey Death, remind me not to ride with you...you got shit for luck bro......lol
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When in doubt, lean farther and go faster....
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jonwright
Needs a job
Posts: 2416
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posted August 01, 2003 04:36 PM
quote:
Dude!!! That sounds like a close call for sure. Thumbs up for dialing the digits and getting the authorities involved.
Thought I'd never see Rick write that.
But, good for you. Now, if rocket launchers were legal.....
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necro
Needs a job
My Grandma Is A Virgin
Posts: 2148
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posted August 01, 2003 09:03 PM
 Edited By: necro on 1 Aug 2003 22:03
quote:
Holy refried beans, BatMan! quote]
Ha ha... I like that
I am glad you weren't asleep after that long haul and managed to get out of the way.
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swft
Needs a life
Full throttle!
Posts: One MEEEEEELLION
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posted August 01, 2003 10:03 PM
Yah, was a good ride, except for the end!
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12RPilot
Pro
Posts: 1094
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posted August 02, 2003 12:58 PM
Edited By: 12RPilot on 3 Aug 2003 18:52
Geez, Swft. Just hearing all the names of those places brings back fond memories. Washington, despite the rain, is a beautiful piece of country. I used to live on Erland's Point, north of Bremerton.
Anyway, back to the subject, These stories really tear me up. I feel so sorry for seniors that are losing their driving (and reasoning) skills. I can't imagine how bad it would suck never being able to drive again. But we obviously need to address the issue in this country, in fact many are. If you look at a graph of accidents vs age, it's a big smile with teens and old folk causing the majority. I think it's time to require annual driving tests with a little more actual skills scrutiny. Maybe after 65 years old you would have to negotiate a series of cones or whatever. Poor old folk. Don't mean to be deadly, but many are.
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If you aren't an AMA member, you're part of the problem.
NESBA #209
http://www.bikepics.com/members/12rpilot/04zx10r/
 
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len
Parking Attendant
Posts: 9
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posted August 04, 2003 12:53 PM
This is so ironic. Me & a buddy was discussing this just the other day!! I think that at a certain age (maybe 65 or so), elderly people should be required to re-take the road test & every 5yrs. there after. I had a neighbor who was about 70yrs. old (RIP) & he drove until his last few days & he did not belong behind the wheel. When he so-called parked, he was about 2ft. from the curb on an angle. He drove very slow & his coordination was slow which I know definitely affected his reaction time. This can really cause an un-safe driving environment for other drivers.
And recently there has been a few deadly accidents involving elderly people who have mistakenly pressed the gas instead of the brake. This is VERY scary!!
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"SAFE RIDING"
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VincentHill
Needs a life
Posts: 6520
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posted August 05, 2003 09:48 AM
Age is only part of the problem! We all have seen people in their 30's & 40's that maybe should not be driving! Now add 20 to 30 years to the person!! I know a lady that is 84 and looks in her late 50's to 60's and drives great! Really, only the Doctors have any clues as to their condition, but would be sued if they said anything! That is where another problem is, I do not want my doctor telling anyone what condition I am in! It might be better if once you hit 65, you had to have your Doctor OK Your Health every 5 years until 80, then every year! No doctor would lie and then get sued!
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