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#162498 - 01/11/09 11:51 PM 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH
Be_Prepared Offline
Addict

Registered: 12/07/04
Posts: 530
Loc: Massachusetts
The ice and snow combined with poor driving and there was a 51 vehicle pile up on the interstate in southern NH this morning:

http://www.wmur.com/news/18456864/detail.html

I was watching the video on local stations, and more than one person talked about being able to stop their car, only to have it get rammed from behind. One person was interviewed and said that he jumped from his car before it was hit from behind and driven under a bus.

Another interesting observation was how many of these folks were not dressed for the below freezing, snowy conditions. People commented on how lucky they were that they could borrow things from the other vehicles. They were out driving in a snow storm with little more than a cotton hoodie as their outerwear. No boots, jacket, hat, gloves, etc... and apparently, they don't carry anything in the trunk that wasn't put there by the manufacturer. Ok, we've covered that one to death before I guess.

My main issue is: I have a young driver in my house, and I have always wondered why the driver training classes don't incorporate any training on ice/snow/rain conditions? They go out of their way to NOT take the kids out for driving when conditions are poor. A few of us have taken advantage of large open parking lots during snow and ice conditions to get the kids real exposure to skidding, recovering from a skid, how ABS works and feels, etc. I'm afraid that most kids don't get this kind of training. It's a lot better to spin out on an open parking lot a few times, and see how hard it is to turn, and brake on ice, isn't it? Do other folks do this with their kids? (Heck, it's good for adults too)

What kind of defensive driving "practice" have you folks had? How much was learning the hard way, vs any formal or planned training?
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- Ron

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#162501 - 01/12/09 12:05 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: Be_Prepared]
Dan_McI Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 12/10/07
Posts: 844
Loc: NYC
Running boats was some of my best training for driving. It taught me that managing momentum and not fighting it made life much easier. Incorporate that with the idea that the brake pedal really does not exist when things are slippery, and you get much better at driving in bad conditions. Unfortunately, when cars have to stop to avoid an accident in front of it, it does not have many options for getting out of the way of the drivers behind their cars.

With snow and ice, I had at least one hard lesson. I went down an ice-covered road when I was 17, my car spun and I was stuck jsut off the road, with little damage. Then, another car came in the other direction and smashed into the right rear quarter of my car (really my parents car). This other car backed up and drive off. My car had a huge dent at the back of the passenger door and front of the quarter panel. The passenger door never opened again. Of course, when I explaned to my parents that some other car didi all the damage, I was not really believed. Luckily, the other car showed up te next day, and it had been driven by someone I knew who was 1 year older than I was.

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#162503 - 01/12/09 12:12 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: Dan_McI]
scafool Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 12/18/08
Posts: 1534
Loc: Muskoka
I was taught to drive young.
I was taught on country roads, gravel pits and frozen ice.
Yes, I agree young drivers should have at least one day on the skid patch.
Even knowing how a car spins out and how to correct I still have been surprised by ice.
_________________________
May set off to explore without any sense of direction or how to return.

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#162504 - 01/12/09 12:13 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: Be_Prepared]
Blast Offline
INTERCEPTOR
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 07/15/02
Posts: 3760
Loc: TX
Growing up in Minnesota, my dad would take us out on frozen lakes and have us put the car into skids then recover. And if we didn't recover we got to practice how to get the car unstuck using shovels, kitty litter, and peices of carpet.

-Blast
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#162508 - 01/12/09 12:52 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: Blast]
CANOEDOGS Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 1853
Loc: MINNESOTA

Blast..i got my "ice time" in up on lake Bemidji when i went to
college up there...not having winter gear in your car is just a result of all the good cars we have these days.in my 60 Chevy i had a full trunk of winter camping gear.the other day i made a cross town drive in my seldom used Plymouth that i haul my canoe around with in the summer.at below zero i just had a car coat and ball cap..about halfway home with the heater just starting to warm up i thought--if this old beater stalls out i'm cold toast--even with a cell it would take an hour for a tow.yes,changes will be made.but our SUV warms fast and never misses a beat--so why worry about getting cold??..ya--i know..

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#162510 - 01/12/09 01:20 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: ]
JohnE Offline
Addict

Registered: 06/10/08
Posts: 601
Loc: Southern Cal
I didn't know that there were that many people driving in New Hampshire at the same time...

JohnE
_________________________
JohnE

"and all the lousy little poets
comin round
tryin' to sound like Charlie Manson"

The Future/Leonard Cohen


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#162513 - 01/12/09 01:41 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: ]
Be_Prepared Offline
Addict

Registered: 12/07/04
Posts: 530
Loc: Massachusetts
I managed to gain some great experience from a couple smash bang's as a young driver... my dad's car, my gram's car... just was looking for ideas to help my son avoid the same typical teen driver learning curve. I'll have him out in storms this winter, and will get him into some open lots with ice/snow.

"Good judgement comes from experience, which often comes from bad judgement" (I've heard quote that attributed to various folks over the years, but, whoever said it knew a thing or two!)
_________________________

- Ron

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#162514 - 01/12/09 01:41 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: JohnE]
Susan Offline
Geezer

Registered: 01/21/04
Posts: 5163
Loc: W. WA
Don't depend on someone else to teach your kids anything except music and art.

Some parents don't bother teaching their kids at all, then they get all in a snit when it ends up costing them money.

Sue

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#162515 - 01/12/09 01:46 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: JohnE]
ki4buc Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 11/10/03
Posts: 710
Loc: Augusta, GA
My dad had some training at FLETC, and when it was time for me to learn, he taught me a lot of stuff, but he never told me everything. When I mentioned that I think kids should take advanced driving like skid control, taking corners at high speed, and really learning how to control the car, he said he purposefully didn't. He was afraid I'd go out an drive the car to the maximum and kill myself or someone else.

I agree a little bit, but, I really think driver's licenses should be more skill based. You should have to complete an aggressive course that includes accident avoidance, "kid coming between parked car into road" wake-up call ( "kid" jumps out and at 35 you don't have enough time to stop ), high-speed braking, skid recovery, slalom, rapid lane change, placing your vehicle in a spot with just 6 inches space on each side, proper left lane use and etiquette, teaching how your single actions affect those around you, and how to increase traffic flow efficiency with small changes.

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#162517 - 01/12/09 01:53 AM Re: 51 Vehicle pile-up on I-93 in NH [Re: ki4buc]
CANOEDOGS Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 02/03/07
Posts: 1853
Loc: MINNESOTA

i think "kids" should drive 5MPH under the limit and be off the streets by dark..adults should get free skid pad,ect training in return for their license fees...but winter driving is a killer.

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