Should you "aim"...screw it, has turned into the cyclist and cager thread

[JWC]

Question arises from information from years ago that the safest thing to do if you see you're about to crash into a vehicle you should  "aim" your car so that the impact is full frontal. 

A cousin died when she tried to avoid a trailer that came loose from a farm truck (this was 1994) and the side of her car took the impact.  Her passengers were safe, but the state trooper stated she and everyone would have survived if she had kept the car straight.

We now have side-impact air bags, my Volvo does, but I still think keeping the car in the lane and not trying to turn away from a crash is the best thing to do.

Any other opinions?

[Eye of the Tiger]

I have done this sort of thing... as my car was unavoidably going into a ditch, rather than hit the brakes and slide in sideways and possibly roll over or worse, I kept my foot stead on the gas so I could straighten out in hopes of jumping across, or at least absorbing whatever impact with the front of the car... the front bumper caught the other side, leaving the front wheels hanging. No permanent damage to anything, just needed a tow truck. Heck, a cop even drove right by me and didn't bother to stop.

[JWC]

I have to admit, I plan for accidents as I'm driving.  If someone pulls up to an intersection, my mind begins thinking about what action I should prepare to take if he pulls out in front of me.  It has actually "saved" me a couple of times.

[Rupert]

I do that, too. It's a cycling thing.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I have to admit, I plan for accidents as I'm driving.  If someone pulls up to an intersection, my mind begins thinking about what action I should prepare to take if he pulls out in front of me.  It has actually "saved" me a couple of times.

Sometimes it saves you, sometimes it makes things worse if other drivers do things that are completely unexpected. Like when I was the left lane of a two-way four-lane road - a car pulls onto the road from the left side and heads directly into my path. I assume they don't see me, so I swerve into the right lane, but apparently their plan all along was to pull across my path and into the right lane, so I actually ended up swerving directly towards them, and had to swerve back to the left lane and in the process almost lost the rear end (probably would have flipped, being a Samurai going 45-50 mph). Sometimes it is useless trying to predict what other drivers will do.

[JWC]

I do that, too. It's a cycling thing.

True, that may explain why I do it.  If you bike regularly, you are always on the lookout and/or planning an evasive maneuver.

[ifcar]

Sometimes it saves you, sometimes it makes things worse if other drivers do things that are completely unexpected. Like when I was the left lane of a two-way four-lane road - a car pulls onto the road from the left side and heads directly into my path. I assume they don't see me, so I swerve into the right lane, but apparently their plan all along was to pull across my path and into the right lane, so I actually ended up swerving directly towards them, and had to swerve back to the left lane and in the process almost lost the rear end (probably would have flipped, being a Samurai going 45-50 mph). Sometimes it is useless trying to predict what other drivers will do.

I thought Consumer Reports invented the Samurai's rollover risk in back-and-forth lane changes?

[VTEC_Inside]

I do that, too. It's a cycling thing.

I'm sure that helps, but I'm not much of a bike rider and I do the same thing.

I'll admit there are times when I'm a more passive about it, but the majority of the time I'm quite active at scanning and planning.

I can say with 100% certainty that its kept me from being rear-ended hard at least once, and probably prevented a few other incidents as well.

[AutobahnSHO]

in the middle of the topgear clip here http://www.carspin.net/forums/index.php?topic=17738.0
There is footage of a Renault Megane hitting full frontal and a pole from the side.

It's obvious the front is better protected, plus seatbelts and seats are designed more for frontal than huge side hits..

[r0tor]

i swerve around accidents at all cost... i'd rather take the chance of hitting nothing

[Secret Chimp]

The one accident I don't know how to avoid is getting rear-ended. People follow too closely around here, and even if I leave enough space ahead for my own reaction, the dope behind me probably won't get on his brakes in time.

[FoMoJo]

The one accident I don't know how to avoid is getting rear-ended. People follow too closely around here, and even if I leave enough space ahead for my own reaction, the dope behind me probably won't get on his brakes in time.

If someone is tailgating me, I always check how much room is on each side.  In case I have to stop quick, I'd be looking to cut into the next lane or onto the shoulder.

[VTEC_Inside]

The one accident I don't know how to avoid is getting rear-ended. People follow too closely around here, and even if I leave enough space ahead for my own reaction, the dope behind me probably won't get on his brakes in time.

Sometimes there isn't much you can do. Other times plan an out.

The one time I almost got rear ended I had just had to brake pretty hard, I had room left, but just as I was about stopped I glanced up and saw that the Neon behind me hadn't even started to slow down yet.

I turned hard to the left into the center turning lane. I glanced over my shoulder and the Neon finally stopped with its front end right about where my seat back would have been.

What pissed me off more is that the son of a bitch wouldn't let me back into traffic when we got moving again. I'd just saved us all a lot of grief and this idiot pulls this shit?

[S204STi]

Sometimes there isn't much you can do. Other times plan an out.

The one time I almost got rear ended I had just had to brake pretty hard, I had room left, but just as I was about stopped I glanced up and saw that the Neon behind me hadn't even started to slow down yet.

I turned hard to the left into the center turning lane. I glanced over my shoulder and the Neon finally stopped with its front end right about where my seat back would have been.

What pissed me off more is that the son of a bitch wouldn't let me back into traffic when we got moving again. I'd just saved us all a lot of grief and this idiot pulls this shit?

That's when I just make like a big city taxi driver and stick my nose in front of him and butt in front.  It works pretty well at lower speeds.

[Cookie Monster]

True, that may explain why I do it.  If you bike regularly, you are always on the lookout and/or planning an evasive maneuver.

+1

I always assume that I'm going to get hit when I'm biking. The thing that scares me the most about biking is getting mowed over from behind, which has almost happened to me a few times.

[Raza]

I do that, too. It's a cycling thing.

If you idiots didn't keep running red lights and acting as if everyone on the road is there to serve you, you'd be fine. 

[Raza]

True, that may explain why I do it.  If you bike regularly, you are always on the lookout and/or planning an evasive maneuver.

No, it's part of being a good driver.  You should always be on the lookout for potential hazards, unsafe drivers, road anomalies, et al.  Devotion to an outdated form of transportation has nothing to do with safety.

[Cookie Monster]

No, it's part of being a good driver.  You should always be on the lookout for potential hazards, unsafe drivers, road anomalies, et al.  Devotion to an outdated form of transportation has nothing to do with safety.

Outdated?

[Raza]

Outdated?

What is not outdated about cycling? 

[Eye of the Tiger]

No, it's part of being a good driver.  You should always be on the lookout for potential hazards, unsafe drivers, road anomalies, et al.  Devotion to an outdated form of transportation has nothing to do with safety.

Unlike on a bike, the inside of a car can be quite isolated from reality, and that leads to people driving carelessly. People who bike regularly are more likely to be in the habit of operating a vehicle with due care, and therefore are less likely to drive carelessly. It's not very hard logic to follow, you anti-bicyclist jerk dickhead fuckface cocktard assbloodshit dickfistfuckerpenispumper bastard. Of course, there is no hard and fast rule, because there are careless bicyclists as well, but these people are very unlikely the ones who ride on a regular basis - unlike people in cars, because every idiot has a license.

[Raza]

Unlike on a bike, the inside of a car can be quite isolated from reality, and that leads to people driving carelessly. People who bike regularly are more likely to be in the habit of operating a vehicle with due care, and therefore are less likely to drive carelessly. It's not very hard logic to follow, you anti-bicyclist jerk dickhead fuckface cocktard assbloodshit dickfistfuckerpenispumper bastard. Of course, there is no hard and fast rule, because there are careless bicyclists as well, but these people are very unlikely the ones who ride on a regular basis - unlike people in cars, because every idiot has a license.

Most people are idiots.  Just because you ride a bicycle like a fucking six year old doesn't mean you're not. 

[ifcar]

What is not outdated about cycling? 

Even the Prius can't beat that gas mileage.

[Eye of the Tiger]

Most people are idiots.  Just because you ride a bicycle like a fucking six year old doesn't mean you're not. 

wat 

[Raza]

Even the Prius can't beat that gas mileage.

But it has it licked on weather protection.

[ifcar]

But it has it licked on weather protection.

No technology is perfect.

[Eye of the Tiger]

But it has it licked on weather protection.

[Rupert]

If you idiots didn't keep running red lights and acting as if everyone on the road is there to serve you, you'd be fine. 

Why is it that whenever I begin to respect you, you something as fucking stupid as this? Jeebus...

I agree with NACar's post.

[Raza]

Now where do you put the groceries?

[Eye of the Tiger]

Now where do you put the groceries?

Do you see that thing over the back tire that kinda looks like a rack? Well, it's a rack... and wouldn't you know, it even comes with a rubber strap to... oh, I don't know, strap down your groceries, perhaps?

[Cookie Monster]

Do you see that thing over the back tire that kinda looks like a rack? Well, it's a rack... and wouldn't you know, it even comes with a rubber strap to... oh, I don't know, strap down your groceries, perhaps?