Yikes, what an experience!
I agree. I drove Spitfires almost exclusively for my
first 5-6 years, in Miami traffic. It was great
training. Even today, no matter what I am driving, I
keep track of driver head movements, and changes in
front wheel angles of every car near me, watching for
that slight hesitation and wander of lane placement
that says, "Hey, I'm a bozo, and I don't even know
what planet I'm on". I just automatically assume that
everyone else is nuts. I am seldom disappointed.
Treat them as mobile chicanes.
Carter
--- wizardz <wizardz@maxinter.net> wrote:
>
> ...in 1981.... at 4:00 pm in the afternoon....
> I'm headed southbound on the highway... in the slow
> lane.
> (that puts the Sun on the passenger side of the
> vehicle.)
>
> While conversing with my passenger... out of the
> corner
> of my eye I see something rising up the front bonnet
> of my car.
> As I returned from a quick glance at my passenger,
> what I realize
> is on my hood is the shadow of the tractor trailer
> that is in the middle lane.
> (to my left - more easterly position than I)
> HE'S COMING OVER ON US! screams my companion.
>
> My only option was to change lanes UNDER the truck.
> There was no shoulder
> on the bridge. well.. maybe 15" from painted line
> to the wall)
>
> With only minor scraping of the aluminum trim on top
> the windshield frame,
> on the underside of the trailer... nothing was
> touched.
>
> By this time, my 6'5" passenger was completely off
> the seat down into the footwell.
> There were finger marks broken completely through
> the top of my ...what was then
> less than a 1 year old brand new 1980 Triumph
> Spitfire dashboard top where he had
> dug in fear. (although he hates me to repeat it,
> but yes, he also soiled my seat!)
>
> The point of all this??
>
> Any mismatch in vehicle shape and size, bumper
> contact alignments, amount of metal
> between you and the other guy, attention span of the
> other guy... all doesn't matter.
> What matters is that YOU are paying attention....
> and drive under the assumption that
> you are completely invisible. You must assume that
> every idiot is about to plow into you.
>
> ...just my .02 YMMV
>
> Paul Tegler wizardz@toad.net
> http://www.teglerizer.com
> OBie - '73 BGT - daily driver
> http://www.teglerizer.com/mgstuff/ob_description.htm
> Punkin' - '78 Spitfire - corner ripping screamer
> http://www.teglerizer.com/triumphstuff/spit78.htm
> Lil' Greenee - '73 RWA Midget - lady killer
> http://www.teglerizer.com/midgetstuff/index.html
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Banbury, Terrence
> <Terrence.Banbury@dnr.state.oh.us>
> To: Laura Gharazeddine <Laura.G@141.com>; 'Jeff
> McNeal' <jmcneal@ohms.com>
> Cc: spitfires@autox.team.net
> <spitfires@autox.team.net>
> Date: Monday, March 13, 2000 3:00 PM
> Subject: RE: CRASH!-'79 Spit parts car for sale
>
>
>
> That is true. No substitute for sheer mass.
> Now a sidebar about those "damned big SUV's". This
> rant is not aimed at
> anyone; it is just something that boggles my mind.
> What about the thousands
> of semi-trucks, UPS delivery vans, RV's, dump
> trucks, buses, and all the
> other larger vehicles that have been on the road for
> decades. Aren't they
> "dangerous and unsafe" for the smaller vehicles out
> there? Should they be
> banned? Ok I'm done. It comes down to people's
> attitudes. I try to
> remember that the Expedition driver up ahead there,
> just might be driving
> his Spitfire tomorrow. (So far, Jeff and I are the
> only ones I know that
> own both vehicles. Hey, let's start a club. No,
> no, no,...I'm only
> kidding.)
> Terry Banbury
> Mk III
>
> > ----------
> > From: Jeff McNeal[SMTP:jmcneal@ohms.com]
> > Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 2:24 PM
> > To: Joe Curry; Laura Gharazeddine
> > Cc: Banbury, Terrence; 'Winnie Olmer';
> spitfires@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Re: CRASH!-'79 Spit parts car for sale
> >
> > Just a word of advice. The big cars always win.
> The bigger they are, the
> > wider the margin. I have my Spitfire parked in
> the garage next to our
> > Expedition and I almost shudder when I glance over
> and see that the top of
> > the tire on the Ford is nearly as tall as the top
> of my door on the
> > Spitfire!
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Jeff in San Diego
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: Joe Curry <spitlist@gte.net>
> > To: Laura Gharazeddine <Laura.G@141.com>
> > Cc: Banbury, Terrence
> <Terrence.Banbury@dnr.state.oh.us>; 'Winnie Olmer'
> > <who@sover.net>; <spitfires@autox.team.net>
> > Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 10:30 AM
> > Subject: Re: CRASH!-'79 Spit parts car for sale
> >
> >
> > >
> > > Such is life in LALA land! That is why my son
> hasn't driven his Mk2 in
> > > a while. He whips in and out of traffic in his
> Jetta Wolfsburg edition
> > > like there is no tomorrow. Can't do that in a
> Mk2 Spit. He wants me to
> > > bring it to Arizona and put a big engine in it.
> > >
> > > Barry, are you up for a challenge???
> > >
> > > Joe
> > >
> > > Laura Gharazeddine wrote:
> > > >
> > > > Ditto, I always drive around with my
> headlights on.
> > > >
> > > > On the other hand, Friday, coming back from
> lunch, I was signaling to
> > move
> > > > over to the exit lane (so as to not have to
> drive 5 miles out of my
> > way
> > at
> > > > 1.79 a gal!) and the S*F*UV would not let me
> over no matter what I
> > did.
> > I
> > > > looked up and saw the driver-and she looked me
> right in the eye!-and
> > kept
> > > > going! I would say that in the area I live in,
> 8, maybe9 times out of
> > 10,
> > > > they do see me-we make eye contact, but the
> drivers here are sooo
> > arrogant
> > > > that their attitude is "I have the right, I'm
> better than you-!@#$
> > you!"
> > > >
> > > > Talking to friends from L.A.-they agree with
> my assesment of OC
> > drivers.
> > > >
> > > > I used to have a Maverick-but I had to get rid
> of it because people
> > were
> > so
> > > > rude to me-the moment of realization came when
> I was trying to exit
> > the
> > > > freeway and a grey haired 'grandma' -wearing
> a Chanel suit driving a
> > Jag
> > > > Vanden Plas-flipped me the bird!
> > > >
> > > > Anyway, I use my headlights, my horn, and I'll
> yell-Hey!-but some of
> > these
> > > > people think they have the god given right to
> be there, and you don't!
> > > >
> > > > Laura G.
> > > >
> > > > Vita brevis est: rapide agite, vigore
> strigate!
> > > > ----- Original Message -----
> > > > From: Banbury, Terrence
> <Terrence.Banbury@dnr.state.oh.us>
> > > > To: 'Winnie Olmer' <who@sover.net>
> > > > Cc: <spitfires@autox.team.net>
> > > > Sent: Monday, March 13, 2000 7:38 AM
> > > > Subject: RE: CRASH!-'79 Spit parts car for
> sale
>
=== message truncated ===
|