Thankful
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Good to know your son is okay, Gary. Earlier this year, I hit a dog at about 120 Kmph at 2 AM on a city road (city speed limit 35 kmph) in Trivandrum. I had been drinking earlier that evening at a friend's place and waited till past midnight so I'd get sober. And I am sure I was sober, but I was also really tired, hungover and sleepy (so just as bad as being drunk) and I wanted to get home fast and must have been doing more than 130-140 - the roads were empty of traffic and people though - so it didn't feel that dangerous. Suddenly this dog jumps into the road and I hit the brakes (obviously my reflexes under those conditions were not all that good) and I remember this big loud sound of the dog hitting the front of my car (a Toyota Corolla) and well that was it. I just kept on driving - didn't think that I should stop and see if the dog was dead or not. But boy, the next day when I woke up, I felt so awful thinking about what happened. I am so glad it wasn't some homeless person that jumped in front of me. Still gives me the creeps - thinking of it. My car wasn't too damaged though - I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler) and also a fog lamp. Nish
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Glad to hear he made it out without serious injury.
Tech, life, family, faith: Give me a visit. I'm currently blogging about: Cops & Robbers Judah Himango
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Good to know your son is okay, Gary. Earlier this year, I hit a dog at about 120 Kmph at 2 AM on a city road (city speed limit 35 kmph) in Trivandrum. I had been drinking earlier that evening at a friend's place and waited till past midnight so I'd get sober. And I am sure I was sober, but I was also really tired, hungover and sleepy (so just as bad as being drunk) and I wanted to get home fast and must have been doing more than 130-140 - the roads were empty of traffic and people though - so it didn't feel that dangerous. Suddenly this dog jumps into the road and I hit the brakes (obviously my reflexes under those conditions were not all that good) and I remember this big loud sound of the dog hitting the front of my car (a Toyota Corolla) and well that was it. I just kept on driving - didn't think that I should stop and see if the dog was dead or not. But boy, the next day when I woke up, I felt so awful thinking about what happened. I am so glad it wasn't some homeless person that jumped in front of me. Still gives me the creeps - thinking of it. My car wasn't too damaged though - I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler) and also a fog lamp. Nish
I have yet to hit a dog...hopefully I never will. I have hit cats, possums, and turtles (due to inattention). I have relatives that have hit deer. Those will tear up a car rather well. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Interesting read. Back around 1987 I was coming home from a church dinner and I was going down the freeway in the rain doing the speed limit (55 MPH) when I rear-ended a highway patrol car that was stopped in the fast lane. The officer was out of the car setting up cones and flares to divert traffic away from a tipped semi trailer truck that had spilled large metal pipes all over the freeway up ahead. Now, if the officer had been in his car when I had hit it, he would have likely been killed. If I had hit the pipes up ahead, I would have likely been killed. As it was, his car was totalled and my nissan sentra was totalled. I had some sprained thumbs and a bruised nose - and this was before airbags were commonly in cars. Fairly miraculous, considering the more probably outcome had events unfoldered the same only moments earlier. Indeed, at the end of the day, I had to confess it is only two cars and not a single life lost nor any detectable permanent serious injury - except I became a Windows software engineer :~
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Good to know your son is okay, Gary. Earlier this year, I hit a dog at about 120 Kmph at 2 AM on a city road (city speed limit 35 kmph) in Trivandrum. I had been drinking earlier that evening at a friend's place and waited till past midnight so I'd get sober. And I am sure I was sober, but I was also really tired, hungover and sleepy (so just as bad as being drunk) and I wanted to get home fast and must have been doing more than 130-140 - the roads were empty of traffic and people though - so it didn't feel that dangerous. Suddenly this dog jumps into the road and I hit the brakes (obviously my reflexes under those conditions were not all that good) and I remember this big loud sound of the dog hitting the front of my car (a Toyota Corolla) and well that was it. I just kept on driving - didn't think that I should stop and see if the dog was dead or not. But boy, the next day when I woke up, I felt so awful thinking about what happened. I am so glad it wasn't some homeless person that jumped in front of me. Still gives me the creeps - thinking of it. My car wasn't too damaged though - I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler) and also a fog lamp. Nish
This reminds me of when I was driving along the Oxfordshire country lanes in England on my way home from work a couple of years ago. It was a dark and rainy October evening and I was doing about 80mph when a deer lept across the road in front of me. Due to the conditions, I braked as much as I could but held the steering wheel straight to avoid sliding in the wet. The bumper of my old Ford Escort clipped the hind legs of the deer. I just kept driving and when I got home checked the damage - barely a scratch. I had as good as forgotten about it by the next day, assuming the deer had got off ok. However.... My boss Emma came in the next day with a terrible story. She had been driving down that same road about five minutes after me, and saw a deer by the side of the road. She pulled over, saw it was in pain and called the RSPCA (an animal welfare charity). She waited in the pouring rain for 30 minutes for the vet to arrive, and then the vet said there was nothing he could do, and gave the poor deer a lethal injection right in front of animal-loving Emma. It broke her heart, she was upset just telling the story to us the following morning. I felt it wasn't the right time to break the news to her that it was me that hit the deer, and a few months later we both left the company. I still speak to Emma, and I keep meaning to tell her - I know I should.... but it never seems like the right time. Glad I got it off my chest now though - next step is surely to tell her! cheers pdaddy
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This reminds me of when I was driving along the Oxfordshire country lanes in England on my way home from work a couple of years ago. It was a dark and rainy October evening and I was doing about 80mph when a deer lept across the road in front of me. Due to the conditions, I braked as much as I could but held the steering wheel straight to avoid sliding in the wet. The bumper of my old Ford Escort clipped the hind legs of the deer. I just kept driving and when I got home checked the damage - barely a scratch. I had as good as forgotten about it by the next day, assuming the deer had got off ok. However.... My boss Emma came in the next day with a terrible story. She had been driving down that same road about five minutes after me, and saw a deer by the side of the road. She pulled over, saw it was in pain and called the RSPCA (an animal welfare charity). She waited in the pouring rain for 30 minutes for the vet to arrive, and then the vet said there was nothing he could do, and gave the poor deer a lethal injection right in front of animal-loving Emma. It broke her heart, she was upset just telling the story to us the following morning. I felt it wasn't the right time to break the news to her that it was me that hit the deer, and a few months later we both left the company. I still speak to Emma, and I keep meaning to tell her - I know I should.... but it never seems like the right time. Glad I got it off my chest now though - next step is surely to tell her! cheers pdaddy
It is sad and unfortunate that an accident occured, but it wasnt something that you intentionally did. I dont think anything good will come to her from you telling her. You will be relieving your guilty conscience, but there is not solace for her. You should do what you can for yourself if you feel guilty to help deal with the guilt and leave your friend out of it.
Build a man a fire, and he will be warm for a day
Light a man on fire, and he will be warm for the rest of his life! -
Good to know your son is okay, Gary. Earlier this year, I hit a dog at about 120 Kmph at 2 AM on a city road (city speed limit 35 kmph) in Trivandrum. I had been drinking earlier that evening at a friend's place and waited till past midnight so I'd get sober. And I am sure I was sober, but I was also really tired, hungover and sleepy (so just as bad as being drunk) and I wanted to get home fast and must have been doing more than 130-140 - the roads were empty of traffic and people though - so it didn't feel that dangerous. Suddenly this dog jumps into the road and I hit the brakes (obviously my reflexes under those conditions were not all that good) and I remember this big loud sound of the dog hitting the front of my car (a Toyota Corolla) and well that was it. I just kept on driving - didn't think that I should stop and see if the dog was dead or not. But boy, the next day when I woke up, I felt so awful thinking about what happened. I am so glad it wasn't some homeless person that jumped in front of me. Still gives me the creeps - thinking of it. My car wasn't too damaged though - I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler) and also a fog lamp. Nish
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler)...
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
"Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it." - Native American Proverb
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler)...
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
"Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it." - Native American Proverb
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I have yet to hit a dog...hopefully I never will. I have hit cats, possums, and turtles (due to inattention). I have relatives that have hit deer. Those will tear up a car rather well. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
I've hit many animals while driving. In the highlands it is almost impossible not to hit a few rabbits on a holiday up there. The two incidents I remember most are hitting a phesant in the Scottish Borders. It was a long straight road with nothing coming the other way and there was a phesant wandering into the road so I gently moved to the other side of the road, the damned phesant followed. I still had a couple of hundred metres to go so I moved back to my lane. It followed me again. My (now ex-)girlfriend was horror struck and put her hands over her eyes as the front of the car hit it and caused confusion for the car behind as an explosion of feathers was released from the back of the car. I was doing about 60MPH (~100KMH) The second incident was just outside Edinburgh. I was, again, with my (now ex-)girlfriend and it was dark. I was doing a recce for a job interview the next day (I always travel the route a day or two in advance so I ensure I know exactly where I am going). Anyway, I pull off the main road on to the slip-road and a rabbit jumps out in to the full glare of the head lights. Normally I would just keep going as I was taught* but she screamed. I guess I interpreted that has an exclamation that I was mistaken and it was actaully a small child and so I slammed on my breaks as hard as possible. By the time I had re-interpreted the situation and realised that there wasn't going to be a loss of human life I had to hit the accelerator again because the stupid eejit behind was travelling way too close for the speed was was centimetres off my back bumper and still closing. The fact that he then spent the next half a kilometer blaring his horn at me caused my ex to go into a rant about my driving!!! Huh!??! I was shaken a little after I'd realised how close we'd actually come to having a real accident caused by a non-driver screaming at me. * When I was learning to drive I spent a two week holiday up in the Highlands with my dad where I had the chance to run over lots of rabbits and so I am some what immune to the idea of the killing a soft furry fluffy bunny-wabbit.
My: Blog | Photos "Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in." -- Confucious
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Glad your son made it through. that is the most important thing. Reflex actions come from long before cars were around. It's important to recognize that reflex is a safety reaction, but often a safety reaction that does not take into account the environment. Sounds like you are doing well not badgering your son on the accident. The rest takes time and effort. I don't like running over animals, but I cannot avoid it when I drive at night. Too many, too often. So I try not to drive at night. But it takes an effort to learn to grip a wheel and push on through (something), for safety sake. The same instinct will get you on black ice too. Jeff _________________________ Asu no koto o ieba, tenjo de nezumi ga warau. Talk about things of tomorrow and the mice in the ceiling laugh. (Japanese Proverb)
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
I had to replace the plastic frame in the front (I think it's called the muffler)...
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
"Take only what you need and leave the land as you found it." - Native American Proverb
DavidCrow wrote:
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
Sorry - wrong word :-)
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DavidCrow wrote:
Unless you are driving one of those airport refueling trucks, the muffler should be located in the rear.
Sorry - wrong word :-)
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Sorry - wrong word
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Gary Kirkham wrote:
I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...
Together with all the people who worked on making driving safer over many years. There was a very good television program about passenger safety and it showed in the 30s cars usually serious survived accidents but the passengers usually died. Now it is the other way around. The tigress is here :-D
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I've hit many animals while driving. In the highlands it is almost impossible not to hit a few rabbits on a holiday up there. The two incidents I remember most are hitting a phesant in the Scottish Borders. It was a long straight road with nothing coming the other way and there was a phesant wandering into the road so I gently moved to the other side of the road, the damned phesant followed. I still had a couple of hundred metres to go so I moved back to my lane. It followed me again. My (now ex-)girlfriend was horror struck and put her hands over her eyes as the front of the car hit it and caused confusion for the car behind as an explosion of feathers was released from the back of the car. I was doing about 60MPH (~100KMH) The second incident was just outside Edinburgh. I was, again, with my (now ex-)girlfriend and it was dark. I was doing a recce for a job interview the next day (I always travel the route a day or two in advance so I ensure I know exactly where I am going). Anyway, I pull off the main road on to the slip-road and a rabbit jumps out in to the full glare of the head lights. Normally I would just keep going as I was taught* but she screamed. I guess I interpreted that has an exclamation that I was mistaken and it was actaully a small child and so I slammed on my breaks as hard as possible. By the time I had re-interpreted the situation and realised that there wasn't going to be a loss of human life I had to hit the accelerator again because the stupid eejit behind was travelling way too close for the speed was was centimetres off my back bumper and still closing. The fact that he then spent the next half a kilometer blaring his horn at me caused my ex to go into a rant about my driving!!! Huh!??! I was shaken a little after I'd realised how close we'd actually come to having a real accident caused by a non-driver screaming at me. * When I was learning to drive I spent a two week holiday up in the Highlands with my dad where I had the chance to run over lots of rabbits and so I am some what immune to the idea of the killing a soft furry fluffy bunny-wabbit.
My: Blog | Photos "Man who stand on hill with mouth open will wait long time for roast duck to drop in." -- Confucious
Colin Angus Mackay wrote:
so I am some what immune to the idea of the killing a soft furry fluffy bunny-wabbit.
:laugh: It isn't like they don't...well...breed like rabbits. There will be thousands more to take his place. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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Interesting read. Back around 1987 I was coming home from a church dinner and I was going down the freeway in the rain doing the speed limit (55 MPH) when I rear-ended a highway patrol car that was stopped in the fast lane. The officer was out of the car setting up cones and flares to divert traffic away from a tipped semi trailer truck that had spilled large metal pipes all over the freeway up ahead. Now, if the officer had been in his car when I had hit it, he would have likely been killed. If I had hit the pipes up ahead, I would have likely been killed. As it was, his car was totalled and my nissan sentra was totalled. I had some sprained thumbs and a bruised nose - and this was before airbags were commonly in cars. Fairly miraculous, considering the more probably outcome had events unfoldered the same only moments earlier. Indeed, at the end of the day, I had to confess it is only two cars and not a single life lost nor any detectable permanent serious injury - except I became a Windows software engineer :~
I can almost beat that. I was driving down a 4 lane highway in the right lane. There was a truck closing in the left lane about two car lengths behind me. We came around a curve that was partially shielded by trees. As I came out of the curve I noticed that a car was stopped in the right hand lane and the passenger side door was open. A young teenager was hanging out of the car trying to pick something up out of the road. It became quickly obvious that I wouldn't be able to stop in time. So, in one motion I checked the location of the truck and changed lanes just in time. It could have ended very badly. If the truck had closed the gap and pulled up beside me I would have been forced to hit the car and the teenager probably wouldn't have survived it. I wanted to go back and unload on them, but they were probably oblivious to the whole thing. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
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Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
Sorry - wrong word
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004
Michael Martin wrote:
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar.
No, it wasn't the bumper - this was the plastic grill just above and behind the bumper. The bumper was low enough to escape unscathed.
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Michael Martin wrote:
I would go for bumper as in bumper bar.
No, it wasn't the bumper - this was the plastic grill just above and behind the bumper. The bumper was low enough to escape unscathed.
Nishant Sivakumar wrote:
No, it wasn't the bumper - this was the plastic grill just above and behind the bumper. The bumper was low enough to escape unscathed.
Then that is called (funnily enough) the grill. Michael Martin Australia "I controlled my laughter and simple said "No,I am very busy,so I can't write any code for you". The moment they heard this all the smiling face turned into a sad looking face and one of them farted. So i had to leave the place as soon as possible." - Mr.Prakash 24/04/2004
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My oldest son was on his way home from church Sunday, when a small animal, possibly a rabbit, ran out in front of him. His reflexes took over and he took one of my cars on an off-road excursion through a loose dirt field and hit a rather large piece of equipment similar to this.[^] He hit it head on barely missing parts of the machine that could have taken off the top of the car and piles of gravel that could have caused the car to flip. He came out with some air bag rash and marks left by the seatbelt, but nothing serious. I believe that God was watching over him and protected him from serious harm...and I thank Him for it. The car is a total loss, but it's just a car. I told him when he first started driving that if a cat or a dog or similar animal ran out in front of him that he should go ahead and hit it unless he could avoid it safely. I told him to do everything possible avoid hitting a child. I guess that reflexive instinct comes to you first. I know that I have had to override my reflexes several times when it would have put me and my family at risk to avoid hitting an animal. It is a hard lesson to learn and it is something that you have to purpose in your mind before you are in that situation. Gary Kirkham Forever Forgiven and Alive in the Spirit He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose. - Jim Elliot Me blog, You read
Glad to hear he is OK. I subscribe to the view that you should be observant, anticipate what is ahead of you, if something or someone runs out in front of you stop in a straight line, don't swerve. If you swerve you risk killing not only the occupants of your car but anyone else you may hit, i.e. someone behind the hedge/wall or someone walking on the pavement (sidewalk) etc. Should you be unable to stop and hit the person/animal in front of you, it is their 'fault' for being there, assuming of course you are driving safely and correctly at the time I speak as someone who was hit by a car 30 odd years ago and I am still feeling the effects now. Although I was the innocent party it still hurts!
"An education isn't how much you have committed to memory, or even how much you know. It's being able to differentiate between what you do know and what you don't." - Anatole France
