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Almost had a close call.

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  • Almost had a close call.

    The other day I was going down the road in my '40 to pick up a pizza. I was crossing an intersection with the RIGHT OF WAY when out of the blue a driver ran a red light and made a left turn right in front of me!!! Keep in mind that I was going full speed in OD! So I quickly threw it out of gear an OD and hit the brakes. I was surprised, I didn't use the E brake, but did lock up and drag all four tires! I came within inches, but did miss hitting this other car. I wish some people could slow down and not run red lights! At least my brakes work.
    Chris Dresbach

  • #2
    Chris, glad to hear you are okay! Its always scary stuff....

    I am also very happy that you are obviously a believer in 'do the brakes first'. Extra bonus points for you!

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    • #3
      Chris, I am happy you are OK. Sad to say that due to your young age and the era of cell phones, this is likely not the last time you will be tested.

      It is a good example of how one alert driver can avert disaster.

      As a lifelong "daydreamer," it has always been a challenge for me to make sure I didn't let my thoughts outrun my "reality" while driving.
      John Clary
      Greer, SC

      SDC member since 1975

      Comment


      • #4
        Sounds like you DID have a close call! Glad you are safe and the brakes worked. Coulda been worse, mighta happened on the way back with the pizza and it would have slid off the seat and pizza would have been stuck to the box!
        Pat Dilling
        Olivehurst, CA
        Custom '53 Starlight aka STU COOL


        LS1 Engine Swap Journal: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/jour...ournalid=33611

        Comment


        • #5
          Good "save," Chris. You'll never regret being a defensive driver. BP
          We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

          G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

          Comment


          • #6
            People running stop lights is getting to be a real problem around here. It seems many people just don't want to be bothered. I have been waiting at traffic lights and when the light went to yellow I heard the on coming vehicle shift into passing gear. People are in too big a hurry and have too many distractions.
            BTW That wasn't almost a close call, that was a close call. If it had been almost you would be much worse off.
            Last edited by 52-fan; 10-18-2010, 09:08 AM.
            "In the heart of Arkansas."
            Searcy, Arkansas
            1952 Commander 2 door. Really fine 259.
            1952 2R pickup

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            • #7
              Nice going, Chris, but in my opinion, it's a mistake to throw the transmission out of gear in a panic stop situation. Several reasons:
              1. it takes a little time to do it, and robs you of a little concentration, just a fraction of a second, but fractions count.
              2. you lose a little engine braking, in the first stages of the stop, at least

              3. (and most important), if the situation changes, say the other driver wakes up and takes inappropriate evasive action, you are green-wienered if you have to suddenly accelerate to avoid him.

              Bottom line is that with the transmission in gear, that accelerator pedal is a means of control that you can use if you need it. With the transmission in neutral, the accelerator is useless to you. And it always takes longer to shift back into gear than it did to shift out.

              If the brakes are effective enough to lock up all 4 wheels, they are effective enough to stall a Champion six with a closed throttle.

              Ask Officer Dave about this; I'd be surprised if he told you any different.
              Gord Richmond, within Weasel range of the Alberta Badlands

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              • #8
                Wrong title...

                This classifies AS..."a close call"..

                Good to hear you made it thru ok.

                Mike

                Comment


                • #9
                  Here in NYC the running the red light syndrome seems to have taken on a prep for Olympics competition. Running STOP signs comes in at first. then running red lights! I can sit in front of my house and make my mortgage payment each month if I could give tickets. Cell phone driving also is a contributing factor. Call me old fashioned, but I don't own one! I do not know how many times I stop for a red light, look in my rear view mirror and see that the driver behind is talking on the phone. You have to have eyes all around your head today. Chris, you indeed were very lucky and you seem to be a good driver.
                  1957 Studebaker Champion 2 door. Staten Island, New York.

                  "Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think." -Albert Einstein

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Chris_Dresbach View Post
                    Keep in mind that I was going full speed in OD!


                    Maybe if slow down a little...............

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Chris, thank goodness you and your car are ok. It seems like there's an epidemic of idiocy on the roads. It's all over the country. Careless driving and driving while texting and speaking on cell phones is all too common. I don't know how we can stop this, but it's getting scary.
                      Rog
                      '59 Lark VI Regal Hardtop
                      Smithtown,NY
                      Recording Secretary, Long Island Studebaker Club

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                      • #12
                        Chris, I'm very glad to hear you and your marvelous car are all right. Still, this is also an argument for sweeping intersections prior to entering, left-right-left. One of the best defensive driving techniques is to drive at least half a mile ahead. In town, an intersection ahead. Always assume the other drivers will do the most stupid possible action. Often enough, they will.

                        Glad to hear your brakes are up to snuff.

                        Paula and I had quite a scare in Redding two weeks ago. We were approaching the edge of town, and the first stop light. It's a particularly obnoxious one. As I was approaching it, the light changed to green. I accelerated towards the speed limit (55 MPH) and about fifty feet from the intersection the light rapidly changed to red. I was prepared (barely) as I had seen the vehicle approach the intersection on the cross street, which has priority on the switch. Standing on Bess' brakes brought her to a halt just behind the line, though not without a lot of tail wagging. Scared the living Hell out of us! Sadly, this was more than her old brakes could stand and I've since noticed a slight grinding sound since whilst stopping. So, she's now awaiting a brake job.
                        Home of the famous Mr. Ed!
                        K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Studebaker!
                        Ron Smith
                        Where the heck is Fawn Lodge, CA?

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Originally posted by Chris_Dresbach View Post
                          The other day I was going down the road in my '40 to pick up a pizza. I was crossing an intersection with the RIGHT OF WAY when out of the blue a driver ran a red light and made a left turn right in front of me!!!<<<
                          Chris, a stark reminder whenever you are behind the wheel:

                          Cemeteries are full of people who also had the RIGHT OF WAY!!!

                          Glad to hear you and the Stude came away from this near miss OK!!! On a lighter note, may I ask what intersection this was at and was it a Starlite, Bruno's or Barnaby's pizza?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by studeclunker View Post
                            We were approaching the edge of town, and the first stop light. It's a particularly obnoxious one. As I was approaching it, the light changed to green. I accelerated towards the speed limit (55 MPH) and about fifty feet from the intersection the light rapidly changed to red. I was prepared (barely) as I had seen the vehicle approach the intersection on the cross street, which has priority on the switch.
                            That sounds like a very poorly engineered set-up. The way you're describing, it stayed green for barely ten seconds before changing back to red again. That light should be green for a minimum of 30 seconds, maybe longer since its a 55 mph zone. Because of that permitted speed limit, I'm VERY suprised there is no 'Prepare to Stop' sign 500 feet from that intersection with programmed lights that flash in advance of it turning red. I would get after your town councillor over that one before someone gets killed.

                            Craig

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by 8E45E View Post
                              That sounds like a very poorly engineered set-up. The way you're describing, it stayed green for barely ten seconds before changing back to red again. That light should be green for a minimum of 30 seconds, maybe longer since its a 55 mph zone. Because of that permitted speed limit, I'm VERY suprised there is no 'Prepare to Stop' sign 500 feet from that intersection with programmed lights that flash in advance of it turning red. I would get after your town councillor over that one before someone gets killed.

                              Craig

                              Chris & Craig:

                              This type of issue is the reason the following organization exists. They do some wonderful things:

                              We look at important driving issues such as speed limits, speed cameras, red light cameras, speed traps and more. We also have a list of traffic attorneys.
                              We've got to quit saying, "How stupid can you be?" Too many people are taking it as a challenge.

                              G. K. Chesterton: This triangle of truisms, of father, mother, and child, cannot be destroyed; it can only destroy those civilizations which disregard it.

                              Comment

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