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Old 05-24-2009, 09:33 PM   #19 (permalink)
Bicycle Bob
EcoModding Apprentice
 
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Join Date: May 2008
Location: N. Saskatchewan, CA
Posts: 1,805

Appliance White - '93 Geo Metro 4-Dr. Auto
Last 3: 42.35 mpg (US)

Stealth RV - '91 Chevy Sprint Base
Thanks: 91
Thanked 459 Times in 327 Posts
There are lots of accident stats and stories available that are not eco-mod specific. Rarer are the avoided-accident stories. Twice, my sporty driving practice has paid off when I have slid through corners on unexpected ice, when loss of control would have been very bad. One night, I was droning along a minor highway when I flashed by a car upside down in the next lane. I was lucky - the reflectors had mostly fallen off. Other times, I've been dancing around the potholes and generally having fun, and found myself with plenty of time to react to surprises on the road, one of which was a friend and her bicycle in a heap. Over 60% of the drivers on their way to an accident just freeze up and don't even brake, let alone steer creatively. I saw two dogs run into heavy traffic from a highly visible side road, and nobody even honked.
As with eco-driving, the biggest factor is behind the wheel, looking for options. Know how your car handles at the limit, by pushing it when you can see that it is safe. One friend looked up from changing her radio, and swerved to stay in her lane. Then she overcorrected twice and totalled the car.

If a man has been born to be hanged, he needn't be afeared of the water.
- Texas Aphorism

If you see one deer, don't stare - spot the others.
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