Asleep at the wheel?

[Kirby]

My wife an I were out for a ride yesterday from our home to a nearby town which is about 45 miles away. We hadn't gone far when we came up behind a line of traffic and had to slow down a bit. As we were riding along I began to notice there was a small truck a couple of vehicles ahead of me that was weaving back and forth from the centerline to across the white line on the edge of the road. I stayed behind for about 15 miles before finally passing and put some distance between us and the pickup. Now I'm thinking, "all is well". As we continue on, I notice the truck is catching up, now he's riding too close to me. I tap my brakes to let him know I'm concerned about his being so close to me. We come to a passing lane but he doesn't want to pass, just stay right on my rear. So, what do I do, he's still weaving and acting like he's either impaired by alcohol or lack of sleep. Before passing him, I had noticed he had an out of state tag, so I'm guessing he's from out of state and been on the road too long. I've given him the opportunity to pass, so now I crank the throttle and leave him behind. Once again, all is well. As it turns out before long I've run up behind slower traffic again. This time I see a SUV slowing ahead of me to turn right so here I am putting on brakes for him when I glance in my rearview mirror and see this idiot bearing down on me with all four tires in a slide. As, a last resort I split traffic, going between the turning vehicle and the oncoming traffic to keep from being rearended. The driver of the pickup naturally acts like nothing has happened and passes me on the right. My blood was now boiling! It's probably a good thing I don't carry a weapon with me because I would probably be in jail today for manslaughter. After a few choice words directed in his direction, I continued on where he turned onto the interstate and our paths divided.

(1)I'll never again pass up the opportunity to call the LEO's to someone like this.

(2) I'll never pass someone else like this and hope to let someone else deal with him!

 

I wrote all this to make you all aware of the dangers out there of drivers that are behind you, not only to your front.

 

Be careful out there folks, most times we don't get a second chance!!

[BuddyRich]

Yea, Being in front of them is never a good thing. The further behind the better.

[Brake Pad]

Ditto, What He siad. I'll alway fall back, and let them go

[Venturous Randy]

I have called 911 several times lately on what appeared to be impaired drivers and have even stayed in sight of them to give their current direction. I feel it is better for them to be checked out than to hurt or kill someone else.

RandyA

[CaptainJoe]

Good for all of YOU.

It's good citizens get involved and make a difference.

Call 911 after dropping back and getting a good description of the driver, vehicle and tags on the vehicle along with road and location.

Use to let them go and blame it on "wheres a cop when you truly need one" but as I got older/wiser, came to the conclusion that if YOU, and I mean "YOU", don't do something about a situation you see, YOU have no right to complain about it.

For those of YOU, that may have just saved someones life, I for one say, THANK YOU!

Edited November 29, 2010 by CaptainJoe
10 thumbs :(

[Missionary Rider]

I hope you guys have better luck with your call than I did. I followed an errant driver for 30 miles on Hwy 78 (I-22) across MS. He had a child with him, was all over the road, almost hit 3 different bridge abutments, and no LEO ever showed up in response to my call. I finally played Mario Andretti to get away from him. I'm not saying don't call. I would definitely try again in the same situation - especially with a child in the car. I have just lowered my expectations significantly.

Lynn

[Guest PlaneCrazy]

I fell asleep on one of my motorcycles once.

 

It was back when I was still dating my wife to be and I used to have to drive 5 hours from my city to hers. Stupid me, I drove down one Sunday early, then spent the whole day with her riding all over Southern Ontario, then figured I was ok to drive home late at night because I had to work the next day. So, here it was about 11:30pm Sunday night and I'm on the 401 heading East somewhere past Kingston. It's cold, dark and hardly any traffic. I started to nod a bit and then I just blanked out... and then woke up again about a kilometer down the road !! I don't know how I stayed upright and on the road.

 

Anyhow, a truck driver behind me must have seen me weaving and the next thing I know, he moves up close behind me, then another truck comes up and passes me and moves close in front of me and they "escorted" me another 20 mins or so to the next HWY service station where I got off. I drove right into the parking lot then around the gate of the little picnic area they had there and parked beside a picnic table and then laid down on top of the table and had a power snooze for 30 mins.. still in full leather and with my helmet on After that I was ok the rest of the way home.

 

Those truck drivers were pretty cool to do that for me though. I'm sure they were talking on the CB and watching our for me. After that little episode, I don't push myself to ride my bike when i am tired.

[Freebird]

The posts that were turning this into yet another gun debate have been deleted. Please don't start them again.

[Kirby]

The posts that were turning this into yet another gun debate have been deleted. Please don't start them again.

 

 

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

[CaptainJoe]

When I made the comment that "YOU" should do something about things YOU see, I did not under any circumstance mean that one try to force someone off the road or take matters into their own hands. I ment that you should call 911 as these calls are recorded, and, the police always respond to these calls, unless they have more important matters and cannot get to it.

If one is weaving from one side to the other, you don't know what their mental state is, wether they are intoxicated, a domestic assult is in progress, they are high, falling asleep, or are having a heart attack. I personally would stay back a safe distance flash my lights a couple of times and call 911. Better to be behind them than in front and you definately don't want to be beside them, your just endangering yourself and your passenger(s). BE SAFE...

[Drreb]

????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????

Woopsie! Bad boys Bad boys....