Crashing and rally racing just go hand-in-hand. There have been all kinds of crashes in the history of the sport, including cars hitting fans, cars hitting each other, and cars hitting trees. This time, however, the wreck is a car hitting a non-race vehicle.
How exactly a couple in a regular car got onto a rally race stage is unknown. Usually, everything is blocked off to keep people safe and to guard against cheating. The worst part of this video is you can see the collision coming, and there's nothing you can do to stop it. Fortunately, nobody was seriously injured, according to reports on the crash. Still, it's a scary video to watch.
The above video is from an alleged drowsy driver in Fayette County, Pennsylvania. As you can see, the woman driving the Jeep is swerving around in her lane, sometimes crossing into the oncoming traffic and narrowly missing a crash, and sometimes swerving onto the shoulder.
Admittedly, the guys who were filming this should have been calling the police to report the dangerous activity. While it's doubtful the cops could have stopped the crash before it happened, it might have gotten them there quicker. As it stands, the person doing the filming with his phone continues to do so after the wreck, instead of calling 911 for help. Stupid? Yes. But it's a great video to illustrate how dangerous it is to keep driving when you're really tired.
I know how tempting it is to keep pressing on until you can get to your nice, soft bed. Studies have shown, though, that driving drowsy is just as dangerous as driving drunk. Quite a few people who would never, ever consider getting behind the wheel after having several drinks will readily drive when they can't keep their eyes open. Go figure.
Yes, this a real product! What if the airbag deploys?
For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.
Humans seem to be getting dumber, because in recent years we think we can safely pilot a 4,000 pound vehicle while not looking or even keeping our hands on the steering wheel. Why? Because we're too busy fiddling with phones, tablets and other things that have absolutely nothing to do with driving, that's why!
I cannot tell you how many times I recently have been almost hit by another driver who is swerving, running stop signs, etc. only to see the other driver is looking at his/her phone. It pisses me off like nothing else, because my kids' lives are worth more than some asswipe's weekend plans that have to be texted about right at that exact moment.
If people think about their actions for one moment, they would realize that using electronic devices instead of paying attention behind the wheel is incredibly selfish. Cars are dangerous weapons, every bit as dangerous as a gun or knife, yet we treat them as if they are playthings. If you hit a cyclist even with a tiny car like a Ford Fiesta, you could easily kill or permanently maim the other person. Do we just not care about other people? Oh, you're bored behind the wheel, so you decided to risk everyone else's lives? It would be like a parent being bored during their baby's bath, so they just leave the baby alone in the tub while they watch a movie!
To make things even better, I hear some people I know for a fact text and drive complain about the advent of autonomous vehicle technology. You see, these people don't trust technology, which is why their entire social life is facilitated by their phone. I would rather trust an algorithm that these morons behind the wheel of their vehicle, especially if it's my kids' life on the line.
Put your damn phone/tablet down and drive you car, people! Stop being a selfish asswipe and thinking only about your pathetic entertainment while driving.
These videos are shocking and hopefully will help impact behavior behind the wheel:
For the month of April I will be participating in the Blogging From A to Z Challenge. Learn more about the challenge by clicking here. Each day (except Sundays) I will be posting a theme based on each letter of the alphabet. This blog is covering automotive topics for the month. To read my other blog posts for the challenge, click here.
Crashing a vehicle can be an incredibly scary experience. Fortunately, I've never been in a serious car crash, but I've seen a few in person and many, many on video. Car crashes become even scarier when you are a parent and you realize that you have precious cargo on board, which is why I've made a conscious effort to purchase safer vehicles in the past several years.
Despite this fear of crashes, I find watching car crash videos to be fascinating. Maybe the reason why is that I've been in a few close calls a number of times and I feel the need to relive the experience. Or maybe it's a way to release tension after dealing with morons on the road who do everything but drive when they're behind the wheel. The following video of a driver smashing the cell phone of a guy who crashed into his car is a perfect example:
Of course, some of the most horrific crashes are from motorsports. The combination of high speed and racing fuel can make for some serious consequences when things go wrong. One of the most horrific crashes I can remember seeing is from 1998 at the JGTC race at Fuji. The short clip below shows Tetsuya Ota crash his Ferrari F355 into a Porsche 911 that had spun out. Ota's car burst into flames on contact, leaving him trapped into the inferno. What you can't see in the video is how a fellow racer, Shinichi Yamaji, used his own car's fire extinguisher to help put out the blaze and begin the process of extracting Ota from his Ferrari. By some miracle, Ota survived the ordeal, but it still underscores how dangerous motorsports crashes can be.
