Oh boy, here we are again. The most celebrated time of the year - and also the time of the year in the northern hemisphere when the worst weather of all happens.

- Also the worst traffic. Everyone visits everyone all the way through new years day. Some of the worst driving happens each year at this time. The classic accidents almost always occur around a holiday, especially if "Yuletide Cheer" is involved.

It will happen in town, and on the Interstate Highways as well.

people will go to "Uncle Ned's" to be with relatives, and somehow that almost always involves alcohol. But no one seems to want to stay at Uncle Ned's (or Aunt Polly's, or wherever...) after the food is put up, the gifts are given, the drinks are drunk, and the kids are falling asleep in their shoes.

And even if the drivers are not themselves drunk (which is too often the case) there are other drivers out there who are...

Whole families out on the road, more so than at any other time of the year.

With drunks on the road...

This is the season, more so than most of the year, when it is most possible for entire families to get wiped out at a stroke, through no fault of their own. Think about it.

And do you insist on safety belts? Do you allow children to fall asleep on the back seat without any restraints? Is the road frozen anywhere along the way? Are you up to driving? Do you "hope" you are sober enough to drive? Are you in a high traffic area? Are the roads in general in good condition? Is your vehicle itself questionable? And so on....

Odds are if the worst is going to happen - it will over the next three weeks. The statistical likelyhood of becoming a statistic is higher through the "Holy Days" than at any other time.

Halleluyah...

Silent Night.


Beware - MILLIONS of people have died during periods of "Good Cheer", try very hard not to be among them. Look all through these posts -

I assure you that the odds are that someone posting here over the next three weeks will be involved in or witness a fatal accident. Someone we know, perhaps. Someone we think well of, or disagree with. Some of us may be dead at the turn of the year... You don't have to be a bad risk to die at Christmas time. Bad risks are already out there, and will find plenty of innocent people to harm and kill.

This isn't news - just a reminder.

This isn't a scare tactic, it is reality.

EVERY year at this time, people die seemingly for no reason.

Lets all try very hard not to get in harms way. Think about the risks involved, and how to reduce those risks. Decide on a way to reduce or eliminate holiday risk. Most importantly -

ACT ON THOSE DECISIONS. If you do nothing - you may very well sail on down the road to highway statistic history.

Lets all try to be safe out there!



~Wolf sends

 

Well said Greywolf.

 

Slow down
Pay attention
Merry Christmas
Happy New Year
Peace On Earth
Goodwill To Men

and do try to drive safe

 

Try to stay off the highway. Of course this isn't always possible. I have to work on Christmas Eve and Christmas evening which means being on the highway.

 

I'm working until midnight of Christmas Eve and driving down right after work to my parents house. 1am-7am on the 25th. Hardly a soul on the road. Did it one year and seen only a handful of cars. I like it that way.

 

"Tighten Fence" Mike - I hope you get through it without having to experience anything grisly....

I look around at people on the net - and it's like that: "People on the NET". Some of us only see webnames, and stuff. A message board to become outrageous on, or inflammatory, or somewhere else to become popular.

It's old for me - the web is just people talking to eachother. It's a good thing, but that's what it is.

Some of them may die if they don't take holiday traffic seriously - it's far more dangerous than at other times.

I know that. But a suprising number of people take it for granted every year, and I hate reading about it. I can't do anything about something that has already happened somewhere....

So before I have to read and wonder, I have made a habit of making these "Prior to the Holiday" posts.

I hope it keeps someone and their family alive.

 

Another good reason to only drive when there are very few on the road. Less chance of someone taking me out. I prefer to do road trips late at night. Just me and the professional drivers for the most part.

 

Deer - Drunks - Daydreamers
Frequent breaks for those driveing long distances.
Stay off the cell phones while moving.
Survival/safety kit in vehicle.
Situational Awareness - Watch what's happening around you!!

 

Heres a few lessons learned...

1. Just because you dont feel drunk your reaction time is slower..

2. Black ice is real and real dangerous (those in the midwest know what that is)

3. Just because I am sober while driving, Joe Blow comming down the highway towards me might not be.

4. Aunt Edna likes the gift you gave her think about driving NOTHING ELSE!!!!

5. Big trucks on the road dont want to be there either on Christmas night so be kind and considerate to them and they will return the favor (in most cases )

I dont want to preach but I have seen many families who didnt make it home for no fault of their own so please my friends becarefull out there this holiday season. Altho there are some heated discussions on this board I for one would love for them to continue and nobody on these pages become a statistic

 

Preaching to the choir here. I suggest that people here do a search on FTE, I remember a thread where a member or two HERE was defending drinking and driving....

 

Well, I will be on the road chistmas eve, as I have no otehr choice, and a 400 mile drive, it is typicaly not TOO busy the roads I hafta travel. But in the event that yall do not see me on the boards New Years week. You may assume the worst. If possible I wold like to leave a number with someone who can call and see what has happened to me in the event I do not turn up. So as it may be posted and people will not be wondering where I am. Sounds grim and morbid, but I would rather know what happened to someone than be wonderin why Greywolf has not posted in 3 months. See what I am sayin, and I hope it goes the other way also.

 

This year May parents and I are going to Austin Tx to visit my brother for a few days. We are actually going to be leaving on Christmas night. It is just a hair over a 1000 miles and about a 15-17 hour drive from Jacksonville to Austin. Every time that we have went where we mostly travel during the day, there were always an accident somewhere along the way or road construction that would cause an accident. We started leaving during the evening hours around 7-9 pm and we get there sometimes early the next morning. Not much traffic, but many trucks along I 10. We always take turns driving. Every time we stop and get gas we will switch drivers or if one of us can't drive anymore we will pull off to the side of the road and switch drivers. We have had to do that several times. We always take our time and at least twice we will get out and stretch rest for awhile. The last time we went, we had to stop at the rest stop at the Texas border and go to sleep for about an hour and a half because we were too tire and it was about 1 in the morning.

Bottom line is if we are all too tired, we WILL stop for a while. We do not want to risk our lives to try and get there faster than what we should be getting there.

 

Hey paul, what dates are yall leaving for Tx and what dates you coming back?

 

At this time, I am 2300 miles from home...I think I will stay here, till February!!

Theo, on dial up..yuk

 

Lets not forget Fire Safety! Live Christmas trees burning produce lots of heat and fire, and can quickly engulf a room in flames.

Check the water level each day. Keep the tree away from heat sources such as hot air ducts, radiators, fireplaces and television sets. Remember, heat will dry your tree out.

Only use UL approved lighting accessories.

Avoid combustible decorations.

Keep metal foil and tinsel away from electrical sockets.

ALWAYS turn off your decorations before going to bed or leaving home.

Make sure your smoke detector is in good working order.

Make sure your fire extinguisher is in good working order.

Never place candles or other open flame sources on or near your tree.

Test your light cords before you put them on your tree. They should be in good working order and in good condition.

After the Christmas season, check your decorations and dispose of any electrical items that are showing wear. Pack your decorations carefully and store them in a cool dry place. Storing decorations in a hot attic may cause electrical components to develop problems.

Just a few tips to keep the family and house safe.. Happy Holidays!