A Matter Of Principle
<div class="IPBDescription">**Grits Teeth**</div> This may be a little long but honestly, if you have a short attention span just dont read the topic and hit the back button.
Last night two friends and myself went for a drive. No biggy, just an hour drive to a pier to talk and get our respective weeks straight before going home and getting back to the grind.
We went in two cars. I went with my best friend, lets call him Joe, in his car. The other friend, lets call him Tom, went in his fathers car.
Joe has been my best friend for at least 15 years. I have known him since the proverbial sandbox, and probably a little bit earlier. I've been driven in his car before, and I know that the car and Joe are trustworthy.
Tom I've been friends with since about the start of this year, though Tom and Joe have known each other for a bit before that. I've driven with Tom before and havent had any real trouble.
Anyway, know onto business.
To get to the local pier, we have to navigate fairly winding road, complete with blind corners and the odd pothole.
I was in Joes car, passenger side, Joe, quite obviously, was driving. Ahead of us was Tom. Along a straight section, begins to swerve side to side (no cars on the road, no oncoming traffic) but he eventually straightens out. Joe and I both decide that he's just being a ****... or he dropped his mobile phone or something.
Anyway, it's a little further up the road. Tom takes the corner sharpy. Very sharply. In fact, he cut the road entirely.
So, picture this if you can, we're on the LEFT side of the road going forwards. Tom has cut over a solid line onto the RIGHT side of the road at one of the relatively blind corners (Relative as it's trees blocking the view as opposed a solid brick wall).
When I saw this, my entire brain simply put out one sentence; "What the F**** is he doing?!"
Once we reached the pier, I got out of the car, walked to his window and asked him what the hell that was.
His responses were;
Me: "Why the heck were you swerving all over back there?!"
Him: "Awww I was having fun"
Me: "And going on the wrong side of the road before?"
Him: "So the car doesn't slip on the gravel and so I can take the corner a bit faster"
Me: "Listen to me Tom. Never. Ever. EVER. <b>EVER</b> go on the wrong side of the road. EVER. For ANY reason. EVER."
Him: "Yes Dad" (Sarcastically)
We've been arguing this point since then. In my view, your never on the road to have fun. Your on there to get where you need to go and arrive alive. You should NEVER risk your life.
I keep arguing that an oncoming car would have finished him, that he would have killed someone or even us had his tires lost traction and he'd spun out.
He argues that he "Made Sure" That nobody was coming on the right side of the road, that no one was there and that he was going "Safely" at about 70Km/h.
My counter argument is that there IS no sure. The worst enemy on the road is in fact yourself. Overconfidence kills as much as alcohol does. You can NEVER be sure under ANY circumstances. Moreso in the dark, around a fairly blind corner travelling at that speed.
He offered to lift me back home, to which I answered with a steadfast NO. Joe jokingly said it was either with Tom or I'd have to walk. To this I answered that I was perfectly fine with that. Joe got the hint and lifted me back.
As I've said, Tom and I have been arguing this since last night. I honestly cant believe that he got his license legally the way I saw him driving last night, and the fact that he believes that he's not only right but justified in doing so horrifies me.
That corner alone has been responsible for 12 deaths over the last 20 years, all the drivers that died there were speeding, had recently got their license AND were on the wrong side of the road. In ALL cases, either the driver died, or the person/car he hit died.
He claims that he would not have done anything like that had anyone been in the car with him at the time. He also claims to have been avoiding potholes and gravel.
I dont believe him on the first point. Not one bit. The only time that I'll know for certain what he'll do is when it's already done and it's too late to do anything about it.
On the second point, I'll be inspecting that corner tommorow, checking for the gravel and potholes he claimed were there. Even if there does turn out to be either or both gravel and potholes, he should have simply slowed down and taken the corner easier and on the correct side of the road as opposed to what he did. If I find no gravel and no potholes... I dont know what I'll do.
Facts are Facts. I dont trust him, and I am certainly not going to allow him to drive me as far as I can throw him. I dont like his cavalier attitude to driving either. He's 18 and has his license. I suspect that he's had less then 10 hours of practice on the road. I'm 19, and I dont have my license. I dont think I'm ready for it yet and I've had almost 30 hours of practice on the road.
He may think that he's come of age now, that he's 18 and has a license and that gives him the right to do as he pleases. But in my view, he's still a child and he has a lot of growing up to do. Maybe I may be a bit too serious about this but honestly if it's his life and the lives of others, I dont think it's possible to be too serious.
What do you guys think?
Last night two friends and myself went for a drive. No biggy, just an hour drive to a pier to talk and get our respective weeks straight before going home and getting back to the grind.
We went in two cars. I went with my best friend, lets call him Joe, in his car. The other friend, lets call him Tom, went in his fathers car.
Joe has been my best friend for at least 15 years. I have known him since the proverbial sandbox, and probably a little bit earlier. I've been driven in his car before, and I know that the car and Joe are trustworthy.
Tom I've been friends with since about the start of this year, though Tom and Joe have known each other for a bit before that. I've driven with Tom before and havent had any real trouble.
Anyway, know onto business.
To get to the local pier, we have to navigate fairly winding road, complete with blind corners and the odd pothole.
I was in Joes car, passenger side, Joe, quite obviously, was driving. Ahead of us was Tom. Along a straight section, begins to swerve side to side (no cars on the road, no oncoming traffic) but he eventually straightens out. Joe and I both decide that he's just being a ****... or he dropped his mobile phone or something.
Anyway, it's a little further up the road. Tom takes the corner sharpy. Very sharply. In fact, he cut the road entirely.
So, picture this if you can, we're on the LEFT side of the road going forwards. Tom has cut over a solid line onto the RIGHT side of the road at one of the relatively blind corners (Relative as it's trees blocking the view as opposed a solid brick wall).
When I saw this, my entire brain simply put out one sentence; "What the F**** is he doing?!"
Once we reached the pier, I got out of the car, walked to his window and asked him what the hell that was.
His responses were;
Me: "Why the heck were you swerving all over back there?!"
Him: "Awww I was having fun"
Me: "And going on the wrong side of the road before?"
Him: "So the car doesn't slip on the gravel and so I can take the corner a bit faster"
Me: "Listen to me Tom. Never. Ever. EVER. <b>EVER</b> go on the wrong side of the road. EVER. For ANY reason. EVER."
Him: "Yes Dad" (Sarcastically)
We've been arguing this point since then. In my view, your never on the road to have fun. Your on there to get where you need to go and arrive alive. You should NEVER risk your life.
I keep arguing that an oncoming car would have finished him, that he would have killed someone or even us had his tires lost traction and he'd spun out.
He argues that he "Made Sure" That nobody was coming on the right side of the road, that no one was there and that he was going "Safely" at about 70Km/h.
My counter argument is that there IS no sure. The worst enemy on the road is in fact yourself. Overconfidence kills as much as alcohol does. You can NEVER be sure under ANY circumstances. Moreso in the dark, around a fairly blind corner travelling at that speed.
He offered to lift me back home, to which I answered with a steadfast NO. Joe jokingly said it was either with Tom or I'd have to walk. To this I answered that I was perfectly fine with that. Joe got the hint and lifted me back.
As I've said, Tom and I have been arguing this since last night. I honestly cant believe that he got his license legally the way I saw him driving last night, and the fact that he believes that he's not only right but justified in doing so horrifies me.
That corner alone has been responsible for 12 deaths over the last 20 years, all the drivers that died there were speeding, had recently got their license AND were on the wrong side of the road. In ALL cases, either the driver died, or the person/car he hit died.
He claims that he would not have done anything like that had anyone been in the car with him at the time. He also claims to have been avoiding potholes and gravel.
I dont believe him on the first point. Not one bit. The only time that I'll know for certain what he'll do is when it's already done and it's too late to do anything about it.
On the second point, I'll be inspecting that corner tommorow, checking for the gravel and potholes he claimed were there. Even if there does turn out to be either or both gravel and potholes, he should have simply slowed down and taken the corner easier and on the correct side of the road as opposed to what he did. If I find no gravel and no potholes... I dont know what I'll do.
Facts are Facts. I dont trust him, and I am certainly not going to allow him to drive me as far as I can throw him. I dont like his cavalier attitude to driving either. He's 18 and has his license. I suspect that he's had less then 10 hours of practice on the road. I'm 19, and I dont have my license. I dont think I'm ready for it yet and I've had almost 30 hours of practice on the road.
He may think that he's come of age now, that he's 18 and has a license and that gives him the right to do as he pleases. But in my view, he's still a child and he has a lot of growing up to do. Maybe I may be a bit too serious about this but honestly if it's his life and the lives of others, I dont think it's possible to be too serious.
What do you guys think?
Comments
Anyways, I wouldn't preach about it constantly, because as you know, people don't like to admit that they are wrong. He prolly got the hint but he just doesn't want to admit it.
Still, he will have a close encounter and then calm down, you can't do anything about his attitude.
Better a jerk than a dead conformist.
He's been giving me the cold shoulder. If 20 Degrees is friendly and 0 is Aquainted, then he's about -180 at the moment.
We havent even made eye contact since tuesday. We acknowledge each others prescence and then mutually agree to completely ignore one another.
When I mentioned a good comic I found in a free slot today, he said that "Your kind of comics are ****".
Perhaps that says quite a bit about what situation we are at.
In my opinion it's no real loss. I'll simply pay off my debts, collect my stuff (or the stuff loaned to him on a goodwill basis) and sever ties with him.
All I can say is that I spoke my mind and made my point absolutely clear. If he feels the need to shun me for being honest and showing genuine concern then so be it. I am not his friend and I will cease to behave as such.
The split may actually do him some good. He may actually pay attention in class instead of relying on me, he may actually do his homework instead of relying on me to convey him the answers and he may actually use his brain for once (seriously, sometimes he just does not think).
Insofar as I am concerned, we are finished, and should he require help in any way, manner, or form, I will decline any request for such.
Lets see how much he values his image when he's a paraplegic with brain damage and the death of a family on his conscience.
i know 99% of you will disagree with me... as it seems myself and paranoid are the only 2 racers around, im not 'proud' of what i do.. but i can handle it. i often go on another side.. altho not for corners.. i would rather go wide..
if he was safe.. and nothing happened.. what is the big deal? did anyone get hurt? no. he shouldve told you he was gonna pull something to be safer.. but still no harm no foul.
i know i will get bashed for this.. b ut it is how i see it.. and i apologise to anyone who has lost friends to accidents.. i myself have lost 5 friends to motorbike crashes this year.. it is freaking morose. but it happens. the way i ride isnt going to change anything.
i know 99% of you will disagree with me... as it seems myself and paranoid are the only 2 racers around, im not 'proud' of what i do.. but i can handle it. i often go on another side.. altho not for corners.. i would rather go wide..
if he was safe.. and nothing happened.. what is the big deal? did anyone get hurt? no. he shouldve told you he was gonna pull something to be safer.. but still no harm no foul.
i know i will get bashed for this.. b ut it is how i see it.. and i apologise to anyone who has lost friends to accidents.. i myself have lost 5 friends to motorbike crashes this year.. it is freaking morose. but it happens. the way i ride isnt going to change anything. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
JALSKDFKJALS
IT'S PARNOIA
DEAR GOD PEOPLE - GET IT THE FREAK RIGHT!
*ends rant* rofl
Indeed Moq and I are street racers and yes it is fun, but I really wouldn't recommend it. Not sure why we do it. Guess for the adrenaline rush and maybe we are missing some brain cells.
If I do race though, it's on a clear street/freeway and late night with little to no traffic, but if i'm not racing or crap like that. I take it easy on the road.
Messing around on a curvey roads like that and having his license for less then a day is just asking for it. You had every right to talk to him about it.
Like my 2nd to last race I had was with 3 of my other friends and I and we went on a road the curved down and it was a hella dark 4 lane street *two lanes on each side*. I actually didn't push myself that hard 'cause I was a bit afraid and I didn't know the area I was in that well. I could of easily ramped my car and go off road, granted it was friggen fun as heck though <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /><!--endemo--> lol
No harm, no foul. Not really the best quote, but if he continues to do that. Someday, either a close encounter or wham.
Dang, my city police has been a bit more active. They are coming down harder on speeding. *sighs* I'm seeing less cops in the area that I go to chill with my friends than the area I am in. And my friends area has superb streets for racing.
Either way, you're not gonna be able to convince him otherwize unless he either has a bad experiance taking an unnecciary risk, or changes his mind on his own accord. Honestly he isn't entirely wrong, there are two grey sides to this issue.
I imagine that he still respects you as a friend and is just frustrated with your inability to see the issue from his prespective. Thus I wouldn't worry about him pulling stunts like that when you're in the car with him, although you can guarrentee this more by making it very clear that you are not comfortable with it.
Let him live his life however he chooses to, you're his friend, not his boss. Is it really worth giving up a lifelong friendship over a traffic infraction?
Hmm, yes and no.
Two sides to this.
He either doesn't tell his friend anything and he continues to drive like that and there will be no more friendship *death*.
Or he tells him and there is a chance of being lost as friends, but no death and there is always the chance for forgivness.
I'd say that you're justified. He was an inexperienced driver, was driving in a dangerous fashion on a winding mountain road, and most importantly refused to admit that he was wrong. Ten hours is NOT enough to get a real feel for driving. You've most likely never been in a crisis situation at that point. So if he DID run across gravel, or otherwise broke grip on that corner, he'd more likely be dead.
Moq, Para, you have to remember that the guy he's talking about had just received his license. He barely knew how to point a car in the right direction and make it go, much less how to really drive. If he'd at LEAST been driving for a year or two, I'd be more likely to see it the other way... but on this one, it was just a drunk-with-freedom kid doing something stupid, that could have just as easily ended with a skid he didn't know how to control or finish, that would have taken him off the edge of a mountain.
im young myself... but on my first night with a 400 cc i took it to over 100.. it is just... to say he isnt ready.. is just not fair imo, i mean in this guys opinion he was ready. and did he or did he not do it right? (im not talking about what couldve, wouldve or shouldve happened) the point is.. he says he could do it. and he was adament.. and at the end of the day he did do it.
if he has faith in his abilities he shouldnt be chastised for it
How the hell can someone be allowed a license with only 10 hours driving experience? That is purely reckless on behalf of the government or whoever's in control of giving licenses.
Personally, i spent 2 years as a learner. This is for a mixture of being lazy about booking my driving test, and also failing my theory test twice and failing the actual driving test once. Before i even got my license i had more than 100 hours of driving experience at LEAST. Now i've had my license for over 2 years, never had an accident, never so much as even put a scratch on any of my cars.
I consider myself a confident and fast driver. I don't have the horsepower to race (My poor little car), but i try, because yes, it's fun and it gives me an adrenaline rush. But i'm not stupid, i know going in the wrong lane around a blind corner is a retarded idea, i would never do it. The sole reason i DO drive fast is because i'm entirely confident in my ability to keep my car under full control. Hell, i get my friends and g/f complaining about me going to fast (60 in a 30 zone? Oops!), but they tell me while they don't like it, they can trust my driving so they know i won't crash.
But yeah, some kid with 10 hours experience shouldn't be on the road on their own, let alone hold a license of their own, that's just dumb.