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Obstructing traffic
Prudence | 22 Septem 2005 | Ron Pickrell

Posted on 09/22/2005 7:38:56 AM PDT by pickrell

On the way to work today, the southbound traffic in Columbus Ohio was held up for miles. Untold fuel was expended and an indeterminable number of persons were late for work, appointments, and other committments. Many minutes later we inched our way past the cause of the delay- two vehicles sitting motionless in the roadway.

You might assume that terrible loss of life had occurred, or the vehicles were wrecked beyond movement. You'd be wrong. The drivers of the 2 vehicles had engaged in a minor fender-bender, and were waiting for the police to arrive unsolicited, so that they could plead their respective cases against insurance payouts.

Drivers in the other lanes were availing themselves of long, delicious "oooh...aaaaah!" gawks to try to snatch a glimpse of blood or absorb dark delight in how bad the accident had been.

Flash forward, (at least back to 45 miles per hour), and read the Drudge Report about a hundred miles of traffic out of Houston locked up to a standstill, and a bad feeling overcomes you.

Can we not agree, as a rational society, that the personal self-absorption manifested by holding up a huge number of people, instead of pulling the vehicles off to the berm, is a bad, perhaps even rotten, thing to do? Could we not further stipulate that the duty of any driver, finding himself in front of a massive contingent of other drivers, is NOT to slow down to a crawl so as to better soak up the carnage, but rather... to drive?

In any major catastrophe, the whole of the people depend on all of the individuals involved exercising reason and prudence in their actions. In future, it should be mandated that any drivers, finding the entire evacuation held up by the mindless actions of a few drivers, should exit their vehicles, firmly escort the brain-dead obstructors to the berm, and push or force the roadblocks out of the way, brooking no argument from the obstructors.

Mercifully, it will play out that other causes brought the evacuation of Houston to a temporary halt. Can you imagine in future if such foolishness caused massive death along the evacuation route because such mindlessness occurred?

I can.


TOPICS: Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: gettingoutofdodge; perspective; rubbernecks; sanity; switchtodecaf
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1 posted on 09/22/2005 7:38:57 AM PDT by pickrell
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To: pickrell
Travelling around the country, Lady Liberty and I saw several signs on urban freeways encouraging people to get their cars off the road after fender-benders.

I won't go around calling the folks referred to in this article a bunch of names, though. Waiting for the poice and not moving things was the way most of us were taught. Now, there is need for change, and it'll have to be done state by state.

2 posted on 09/22/2005 7:46:26 AM PDT by Cyber Liberty (© 2005, Ravin' Lunatic since 4/98)
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To: pickrell

My son has a huge chevy truck with a lift kit, I have a tire for him to chain on the brush guard in case of an emergency so that he can push the kind of idiots you mention out of the way.


3 posted on 09/22/2005 7:48:42 AM PDT by MissAmericanPie
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To: pickrell

Just remember, half of the people out there have below average intelligence! I suspect that they are the democRATS.


4 posted on 09/22/2005 7:49:23 AM PDT by midwestmidnight
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To: pickrell

What we need is the return of real chrome plated steel bumpers. The "5mph bumper" that falls off in the center lane Jap Crap just plain sucks. My crown vic may look goofy with a primered steel front & back bumper, but people don't mess with me.


5 posted on 09/22/2005 7:50:40 AM PDT by Fierce Allegiance (Anyone want to be on my Civil Engineers ping list? Infrequent pings only to relevant stuff.)
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To: pickrell

This helps explain why reality TV shows get such high ratings.

And why people line up to throw the ball at the dunk tank.

Could also explain why some people are Democrats.


6 posted on 09/22/2005 7:52:37 AM PDT by savedbygrace ("No Monday morning quarterback has ever led a team to victory" GW Bush)
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To: pickrell
I drive Columbus frequently. It can be a pretty ignorant place. I have crawled through traffic jams caused by rubberneckers gawking at a COP WRITING A TRAFFIC TICKET! Not much else going on there, I guess.
7 posted on 09/22/2005 7:54:13 AM PDT by manwiththehands
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To: midwestmidnight

I think 90% of people are below average intelligence. That's my Yogi thought for the day.


8 posted on 09/22/2005 7:54:21 AM PDT by Right Wing Assault ("..this administration is planning a 'Right Wing Assault' on values and ideals.." - John Kerry)
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To: Fierce Allegiance

Fierce Allegiance RULES the wasteland!

9 posted on 09/22/2005 7:57:17 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

Here in Philly, people cause traffic delays by gawking at cars pulled off to the side of the road ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE DIVIDED HIGHWAY ! And of course shortly thereafter, there's another fender bender caused by such gawking.

Sorry, there's no known remedy for stupidity.


10 posted on 09/22/2005 7:58:29 AM PDT by cinives (On some planets what I do is considered normal.)
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To: Cyber Liberty

We have, in Atlanta, places called Accident Investigation Areas, and you are required by law -- if your car is mobile -- to get to one of those instead of staying on the road, during fender benders.


11 posted on 09/22/2005 8:01:05 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Islam is merely Nazism without the snappy fashion sense.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
A few miles down the road, I saw a rig that can haul that tankah.

You wanna get out of heah, you talk to me.

12 posted on 09/22/2005 8:02:18 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Islam is merely Nazism without the snappy fashion sense.)
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To: Lazamataz

A poster, a quick poster might have a weapon under that keyboard.

I'd have to pin his head to the monitor.


13 posted on 09/22/2005 8:04:04 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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To: cinives

That's rubber-necking, and I hate that too. Unless it's a really cool wreck....


14 posted on 09/22/2005 8:04:57 AM PDT by Cyber Liberty (© 2005, Ravin' Lunatic since 4/98)
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To: Lazamataz

That makes sense. Hard to believe some government thought that up.


15 posted on 09/22/2005 8:05:25 AM PDT by Cyber Liberty (© 2005, Ravin' Lunatic since 4/98)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

Guzzoline! Lots of it! All you want! Pumpin' it, they are! Refinin' it! Kachoonk, kachoonk, kachoonk, kachoonk .....


16 posted on 09/22/2005 8:06:52 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Islam is merely Nazism without the snappy fashion sense.)
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To: Tijeras_Slim

I am the Ayatollah of Rock & Rollah!


17 posted on 09/22/2005 8:08:42 AM PDT by Fierce Allegiance (Anyone want to be on my Civil Engineers ping list? Infrequent pings only to relevant stuff.)
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To: Lazamataz

It's my snake, I trained and I'm gonna eat it.
I got a recipe for snake.
Fricasee of reptile.


18 posted on 09/22/2005 8:10:29 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Now that taglines are cool, I refuse to have one.)
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To: manwiththehands
I drive Columbus frequently. It can be a pretty ignorant place. I have crawled through traffic jams caused by rubberneckers gawking at a COP WRITING A TRAFFIC TICKET! Not much else going on there, I guess.

This kind of stupidity is everywhere. I've been in traffic jams in San Jose, CA, caused by a group of bikers pulled off to the side of the road to take their jackets off because the weather was warming up.

Another time some idiot came to a FULL STOP in front of me on a freeway on-ramp to look at someone changing a tire on the shoulder.

19 posted on 09/22/2005 8:11:33 AM PDT by Disambiguator (Making accusations of racism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.)
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To: Fierce Allegiance
Just walk away, and we can end all this violence.
Just walk away, and I'll spare your lives.
20 posted on 09/22/2005 8:12:38 AM PDT by Lazamataz (Islam is merely Nazism without the snappy fashion sense.)
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