From: terry@prcrs.prc.com (Terry Cunningham)
Newsgroups: dc.general
Subject: Re: Speeding & radar gun locking
Date: 27 Jul 92 14:07:50 GMT
Organization: PRC Realty Systems, McLean, VA

In article <TALE.92Jul22204145@ten.uu.net>, tale@ten.uu.net (David C Lawrence) writes:
  The original tale:                                                     
> > One day I was driving down the New York State Thruway from Albany to
> > New York City and falling asleep at the wheel at a speed of 55-60.  I
> > sped up to 75 and the resulting need to use more of my senses made it
> > easier to stay awake.

  some fawning:
> expected something like what the endearing Mr. Cunningham offered.

  now the good stuff:
> Now on to Terry.
> 
> In <4403@prcrs.prc.com> terry@prcrs.prc.com (Terry Cunningham):
> > Sounds like bull to me Dave.  When you are tired you are tired period!
> _That_ sounds like bull to me.  Are you familiar with my physiology?

  I usually work on the principal that I'm an average schmuck, no better,
  no worse, no different than most.  I know my own physiology and when I'm
  really tired I should not be driving.  Apparently others are the same
  way hence the number of accidents where people fall asleep.   I just
  don't have a macho hangup about willing myself to be more awake.
             
> Did I say I did not need to use my senses?  No.  Please try keeping up
> with the discussion next time.  You can see what I wrote a few lines
> up there.  
 
  I left them in. You say at 75 you need more of your senses than at 55

> All caught up now?  Good.  As I was saying, the greater speed required
> more use of my senses.  Instead of going with the basic flow of
> traffic, by passing people I had to pay more attention.  I was less
> bored.  My mind was more awake.  My driving was better, which was the
> topic of the message.

  To wake up, you exceeded the speed limit, weaved through traffic, and
  drove recklessly (75 in a 55). You endangered others for a selfish 
  reason,  you did not pull over.  What if you were really tired, you
  know - bobbing for apples, would 85 have done the trick? 

> I didn't pull over and take a nap because a) I really didn't need to
> and b) I had an obligation to get some non-driver passengers to Staten
> Island by a particular time that we would have missed unless it was a
> terribly short, useless nap.  I wasn't about to fall asleep at 75, and
> if I felt like I was still having a problem I would have told them and
> we would have come up with a way to handle it.  There certainly have
> been times when I have stopped due to being genuinely sleepy.

  I think we're getting to the point.  You really weren't that sleepy
  at all,  and you posted this crap about speeding when you're tired
  just for grins.

> Good thing I'd deleted it, because now I don't feel like ignoring it.
> I deleted it in part because I thought that an intelligent reader
> would have seen that "Why didn't you pull over and nap?" was _not_
> within the direct scope of discussing someone becoming safer when they
> sped up.

  You thought wrong.

> Flame to live and live to flame and all that rot, eh?  A "stunt"?  Be
> real.  You, sir, have no idea what you are talking about here.  Though
> I know better to stoop and justify myself to you, I've feeling a
> little irritable now so I'll do it anyway.

  Thanks for stooping, and this is the longest justification I've
  ever received on the net, a personal best!

> Second, people can and do improve as drivers.  My sister used to scare
> God help us all if everyone still drove like they did in their first
> couple of years of motoring.

  You though, are trying to be the exception to the rule.

> Third, I didn't include my membership numbers.  You should not cite

  Then how did I know you had them?

> I could go on, 

  You already have.


> Too bad your name isn't on the East Coast Ride list for this weekend.
> We could still get together for dinner sometime, though.  Your place
> or mine?

  I don't know if I feel like making up right now.
  obmoto - if you know of a Norton or BSA in decent shape for sale,
           drop me a line

> Kiss kiss,
> Dave

Terry

-- 
 | Terry Cunningham terry@rsi.prc.com | "Let me take my chances on the wall  |
 | DoD# 541                           |  of death"       Richard Thompson    |