For the first time in many, many years, I almost had a car accident early this week. I have had a few close-calls (but no "near misses", nothing that serious) in the last decade, but they've all been caused by someone else (idiot running stop sign, idiot not using turn signal, idiot not paying attention to traffic around him, etc.) I have avoided accidents in these situations because, quite frankly, I pay attention whilst I drive, whether or not I'm on the phone or adjusting the radio or even reading a CD liner. I don't like accidents. They hurt. So I avoid them by paying attention and being a very good-to-excellent driver. I'm proud of that.
Well, Monday evening, I suddenly played the part of "idiot". As I was entering I-74 from Route 78, I got up to speed, quickly catching the lady who decided to enter the highway at a rousing 48 MPH ("Things More Dangerous Than Speeding, #321"), and immediately, without checking my blind spot, moved to the left. Just in time, I noticed out of my peripheral vision a small white sedan in the left lane. I whipped back into the right lane and mouthed an "I'm sorry, my bad" while patting my chest in apologetic fashion. The gentleman waved back and showed tremendous understanding. It was the one time someone could have and should have shot me the bird. Amazingly, he did not, leaving the bird-shooting to the idiots who screw up and then finger ME. But I digress.
So I got to thinking...what made me mess up like this, I NEVER forget to check my blind spot over my left shoulder when I make this move...how did it happen?
I collected my thoughts: Nope, wasn't on the phone...there it sits in the console; nope, CD player isn't even ON, so it couldn't be that; not eating; not reading a map or newspaper or CD jacket; I don't smoke so it can't be that; seat belt is on so I can't say it was that; I wasn't drinking a soda or iced tea, don't have one at this time; I don't wear makeup or brush my teeth while driving...could it, could it, could it be? YES! I was DOING NOTHING!!!!
That's right, I wasn't doing anything. Not a thing. Just sitting behind the wheel spacing off. So could I then make the case that "doing nothing" causes a fall-off in concentration? "Doing nothing" caused me to daydream and not pay attention to my driving? Could I say that there wasn't enough external stimuli to keep me focused? Could I say that? Well, yes, I can say that!
So I am. I'm saying it. So now let's see the powers that be start a study on this, and maybe when they're taking my cell phone away they can also make a law that says "you can't just sit and DO NOTHING but drive. DOING NOTHING causes the distraction of DAYDREAMING, and is now illegal." I want to see that.
In other words, you want my cell phone? Kiss my daydreaming, non-distracted, almost-wreck causing rear.
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4 comments:
Ha Ha very funny post, but all together alarming situation. They should really warn against the dangers of doing nothing in driver's ed. I happened upon your blog purely by accident. I wanted to see what would happen if I clicked the "next blog" button from the tool bar on my blog. There you were and I thought I have to read this guy's blog since he is from Peoria, IL. I'm originally from Decatur. Great blog.
Conor
www.conorjmurphy.blogspot.com
Conor, thanks for stopping by! I'll be visiting your blog as well. Where are you now?
If I were King, I'd take the cellphones away because there's only about 5% of us that can still safely drive while using one.
Sometimes even though you check your blindspots, a car will be in the perfect place to sort of follow from blind spot to blind spot. Could that have been the reason?
Nah, I just screwed up. I know I didn't check my blind spot. I zombied it. If I would have been on my phone, I'd have been fine.
But if I were King, I wouldn't take cellphones away, because then I'd lose mine due to the fact that somebody else can't do two things at once. If, however, I DID take cellphones away, I'd also take away makeup, combs, cigarettes, radios, food, and children. Anything that distracts you must go. If cellphones go, they all should go.
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