How to really avoid an accident 4487

Reminds me of one of those clbuttic psych-philosophy questions that are supposed to provoke thought and discussion rather than an answer. J. Pompous Blowhard has spent the whole party being ever more objectionable in a wider and wider variety of ways. After spraying spittle and opinions from the second floor balcony awhile, he gets a fresh drink, starts down the stairs, and takes a spectacular pratfall, end over end, ice cubes and hors d'oevures flying. All the guests are laughing at his self-inflicted comeuppance and when he hits the bottom there's scattered applause. He doesn't get up. He'd broken his neck. He's dead. The question: On which step did it stop being funny?

I think in this case if it gets that unfunny (with respect to him or an innocent bystander) the district attorney starts using terms like "vehicular homicide" and "reckless endangerment" and the detectives talk to witnesses and maybe come up with a description of a car that looks kinda like yours.

Even if nobody was hurt but the other guy turns out to be a well connected member of the community who wants his lawyer to find the so-and-so who ran him off the road and present a repair bill not to mention attorney's fees, you might find that the laughter stops before you're done.

Oh, yeah, and maybe a "scared pooless" person who has already proved himself to be a dangerous driver freezes up at the wheel... after you've set yourself up on a collision course. Before you do that again, see if you can get a "pre need" discount on a tombstone inscribed, "Oops!"

The trick is to figure out a bit earlier when it's GONNA get unfunny. In cars, that usually means slowing or maneuvering early so as to obey the First and Second Rules of Driving* until the idiot is safely clear.

Certainly it does *not* mean deliberately increasing your proximity (in both position and vector) to a dangerous driver.

--Joe

* 1. Don't hit anything. 2. Don't get hit.