Death

Off-topic
1

Is anyone else experiencing an increase in accidental deaths and suicides lately?

This year Tasmania has seen 40+ road deaths and i have known at least 6 of those people. in the last three weeks we have had about 5 fatalities, two nineteen year olds where killed in seperate car crashes a few days apart (one of whom i knew), caused by drink driving and the other was someone else being silly on the road. There has been two suicides and i knew one of them quite well and the other guy was a few years older than me but i had met him. There was another fatality down the east coast somewhere.

We have lost about 10 youths from my local area due to car accidents this year. and more than that around the state. there was a incident where 3 where killed in one accident, all the ‘teenage’ passenger perished because the driving was using her mobile. One of those people actually lost his head in the course of the crash (which dad and many other volunteer firefighters had to witness when arriving at the scene). We have pregnant mothers, girlfriends and boyfriends, husbands and Wifes, little children and more left alone in the world due people being stupid and/or careless in cars.

and just to top it off, dad just got a fire call on his pager and i checked it because he is away for the day and it said something about a crash just outside of where i live and there is people stuck in the car, possible a fatality.

So please if you read this be careful driving around, it is just to easy for it to happen and i dont think i can stand to hear about another friend being scraped off the road or pulled from a totalled vehicle.

Just slow down a little and maybe turn off the mobile whilst driving, if youve had something to drink well just dont drive at all.
and as for suicide, is anything ever that bad?

2

Kinda, yeah…my sister’s friend’s friend’s boyfriend’s friend killed himself not that long ago. And my friend’s sister was hit by a car last spring. And my friend’s dad died of cancer last month, but cancer isn’t technically accidental. And some others I can’t really remember…OH, my sister’s best friend was in a really really bad car accident and broke both her legs, but she didn’t die.

3

Sometimes I consider myself a ‘professional drunk driver’, even though I know there is no such thing - any drunk person is just as likely to hit another person as any other drunk driver. I’ve just been incredibly lucky so far. I’m scared as sh*t of dying because I’m completely unsure of “God” and what he may have in store for me, but I do it all the time anyway…I know it isn’t safe, but I’m convinced that I’m about as good a driver sober as I am intoxicated (unless I’m completely wasted, but luckily enough I have great friends who insist upon driving me home when I’m in that incomprehensible state).

PS: I’m going to thank those friends again.

4

Perhaps I missed the point of this thread… I thought it was to raise awareness of recents fatalities and urge people to be more safe. I couldn’t think of a worse place for you to post this slightly disturbing information. I’m sure you’re a great person, just like everybody else, but what the hell is wrong with you? If you’re afraid of death, why increase your chances by being irresponsible. You’re not only gambling on your fate, but the fate of the people that you hit while you’re driving drunk.

A teacher of mine’s son was driving with some friends, while intoxicated, and was speeding, lost control, and totaled the car, and killed his 2 best friends. That’s called vehicular manslaughter, and he’s serving time right now for killing his friends. It only takes once.

If you do this, it’s entirely your decision, until someone else gets involved. I don’t know why you would post this on a public forum, or in such a thread. It’s not something to advertise, and it certainly isn’t something to be proud of.

I’m sorry for this harsh post, but this is absurd.

5

I just called 4 people and IM’ed 3 others (who weren’t able to be contacted via phone) and thanked (re-thanked in most cases) the people whoe have driven me home while I was drunk. My friend Tiffany gave me a keychain that says “If I’m drunk and cannot drive, take these keys and keep me alive”. I rarely heed this daily reminder but I have so many people that care for me enough to drive me home that there really isn’t any reason for me not to…

If you know what I mean…

6

I agree with the sugarloaf.
Infactually, there was this guy like eight years ago very near where I live who hit a car while driving drunk and killed two people in the other car, so he was going to be on trial or something, but he ran away and disappeared for like eight years but recently some people somehow found out through the grapevine that he moved to Ireland and changed his name, so the government wants to bring him back and put him in jail but Ireland is doing that thing where the country protects you or whatever…yeah…

7

That’s great, and I’m glad that you have friends who care about you… It’s a good feeling… I guess the statement that really threw me off was “Sometimes I consider myself a ‘professional drunk driver’”

8

Yeah, I know…:frowning:

But sometimes it’s more the feeling than the thought that overcomes me…

9

I guess I feel that way sometimes because I, unfortunately for other people, have so much experience.

10

Why? If you’re going to drink and get drunk, do it somewhere you can spend the night, or somewhere that doesn’t put you in the situation of having to drive drunk.

I understand where you’re coming from, and I have no problem with someone being a DD, but you’ve gotta be safe… it’s not just your life on the line.

I’m sure you’ve heard this 1000 times before now, and this wont make any difference… I mean, who am I? some random person on a public unicycling forum… asking you not to drive when you’re drunk. Don’t be a statistic.

11

I know I should only drink places where I can spend the night, but most of times I can’t. I’m on domething that’s called “drug court”, so I have a 9pm curfew. I know I’m an alcoholic (I was genetically predisposed), and my mom despises my drinking, so I don’t have much of a choice other than to drink at other people
s houses and then drive home. I mean, yeah, I drink alone sometimes, but it really isn’t nearly as much fun, but, as I’ve said, I’m an alcoholic. I’ve been going to AA meetings, hell, I was even in a 28-day intensive residential rehab program, but it’s incredibly difficult being addicted to a substance that is so readily available.

PS: Time to tell the masses :roll_eyes: .

12

i dont know how many, but there has been heaps and heaps of deaths on queensland roads lately. Last holidays pretty much every day there was a different road accident on the front page of the paper. EVERY SINGLE DAY!

13

CORRECTION: Everyone who has ever been on the same road with you has been incredibly lucky. So far. Are you being fair to them?

You already know the answer to that. Burjzyntski, I appreciate your being open and honest about your problems, that’s a positive thing. Admitting a problem exists is the first step toward fixing it. But all of your posts suggest you are driving drunk on a regular basis. This cannot, and should not be tolerated. Not by you, not by your friends and family, and not by anyone else.

And don’t get technical. “Drunk” is defined by your state as the .08 or .10 blood alcohol content that they define as too much for driving. I think it’s .08 in most states these days.

It’s not what happens to you, it’s what happens to the car you might broadside in a moment of inattention. Cars aren’t very well protected in a broadside accident. You’ll be fine. It’s about my dad and stepmom, who live about 30 miles from you. Not cool. My dad’s dad died in a car accident as a passenger. They were broadsided. He was too old to survive the various traumas he sustained (he was in his nineties). My dad is 73, and fragile too.

Maybe you think you’re a “better” drunk driver because you have lots of experience. Maybe you think a long streak of luck means you’re going to stay lucky. Maybe you think because you’re a unicyclist you can handle it.

YOU’VE GOT TO STOP DOING THIS. NOW. Fifteen years ago, the average cost for getting a DUI/DWI in New York was around $4000, mostly in court costs. That’s if nobody got hurt. And doesn’t count your higher insurance premiums afterward. Maybe you already know this.

Rationalizing bullshit. Medical science says otherwise. If you want to test yourself, there are (safe) ways of doing it. Not test you BAC, but test your skills sober vs. drunk. Besides, it doesn’t matter. If someone gets hurt or if you get caught, the alcohol will be a big factor in what happens to you.

Bullshit again. Then don’t. You know that’s the right thing to do anyway. I know it’s not easy. But if you can ride a unicycle, you also know you can do things that are hard.

Effing walk. Take a unicycle. Use a skateboard. You don’t have to effing drive!

It’s great to have friends like that. They will probably help you even more if you ask. You could try asking them to watch out for you by not letting you drive after any drinking. That’s the easiest way to “estimate” whether you’re good to go. Or only driving after one hour x number of drinks you’ve had. Simple stuff. They can help, just ask.

Do you think you can do this? Because you have to stop. The best way is for you to do it yourself, and with the help of your friends. The second-best way is for someone else to help you stop, by getting you caught. Sounds like that would not be difficult in your current situation. Then the worser ways are for you to get into accidents or otherwise get caught by virtue of bad driving, with all the other nasties that come with that.

Sorry if I’m coming across harsh. Most people don’t admit that they are regular drunk drivers, so their friends can’t help them. Being a drunk driver is like being a pre-murderer. If not to someone else, than to your own future as a driver. For my parents’ sake, and all of their friends in Florida, I’ll be looking out for you. Sorry about the threadjack, if any.

14

I did a lot of walking when I was in college. I’d walk to the parties or to the bars. Never drove unless there was someone who was going to be responsible for staying sober. Around many college campuses it is easy to get to parties and bars by walking. Very convenient that. Though to get to the downtown bars was a little more than a mile each way. Such is what you do when you want to go to the downtown pub and have mucho beer. There was also a nice pizza and beer restaurant and bar just two blocks from where I lived that had over 20 taps of good beer and many many bottles of beers from around the world.

I was also in a fraternity in college so yes, there was lots of drinking going on (there is also lots of drinking going on in dorms and off campus housing). We’d do road trips and games and other activities that were focused on drinking. But we also always had a plan for how we were going to get from here to there safely without having someone drive drunk. You gotta plan ahead.

15

You sound like a bit of an idiot to me! Jesus, drink driving? I didn’t think that a unicyclist would be so stupid!

Not only are you putting yourself in danger, but everyone anywhere near you!

My uncle died in a car accident. It was probably some jackass like you that hit the car he was in!

You should take on some responsibility and think before you have a drink next time!

[EDIT] Wow, this is a happy thread![/EDIT]

16

I know that it is incredibly stupid to drink a drive, but when I said that “I am convinced that I’m as good a driver sober as intoxicated” I was referring to when I was already drunk - When you’re inebriated you see/perceive things much differently. I am aware of the dangers associated with drinking and driving, hell, the roads down here are covered in skidmarks where you can tell drunken drivers have been sliding accross them (and often the median, too).

I cannot walk the 9 miles from certain friends’ houses back to my house, and I know that this is no excuse, but my town is small and other nearby towns are still out of reasonable walking distance (JC - yes, I’m in college, but just at a community college at the moment; there aren’t any dorms or frats or other things like what a larger college have. When I go away at the end of next semester, after getting my AA, I’ll be at a much larger campus in either Orlando or Gainesville, so I’ll be able to walk…But hopefully by then I will have moved on with the steps [12 steps]).

EDIT: Sorry this post didn’t have much of anything to do with Death, but please know that I am taking the (12) steps to avoid killing/being killed.

17

I have walked more than 9 miles when wasted! In fact its fun to walk long distances when drunk! :slight_smile:

Its very stupid to drink drive, you are very lucky you havent injured or killed youself or anyone already!

Try and take it easy man, and be safe!

Rock on!
Edd

[EDIT] Sorry if I came across as a total w*nker before, but im just worried about yours and other peoples safety. And drink driving is reallly dangerous![/EDIT]

18

<rant>
I consider you a walking timebomb… scum of a lower variety than the suicide bombers plaguing Iraq and elsewhere around the world… at least they know when they’ll explode… like them, however, you’ll likely kill a few people and hurt many, many more in the process.

All it takes is one split second of inattention to affect the lives of dozens of people. When you maim, disable or murder someone on the roads, you also hurt their families, friends and coworkers. The damage you do cannot be undone. That damage will stay with those affected for the rest of their lives.

Think of the many permutations of destruction you may cause. You could take a mother or father away from their family, or even both. You could maim the unborn child of an expectant mother. You could handicap a great athlete, taking away their life’s hopes and dreams. You could kill a teacher who brought inspiration to dozens or hundreds of children’s lives. You could take out a community activist who helped to house homeless, curb gang violence or otherwise. Heck, you could do all of this in one “whoops”.

You’re being incredibly selfish, on the verge of psychopathic, by choosing to turn your vehicle into a cruise missile of sorts all for the purpose of carting your drunk ass from one flop house to another. What the f*ck makes you so important that everyone else has to surrender their personal safety just for your own convenience?
</rant>

shouts at the sky HEY, DARWIN, DO US A FAVOR HERE! BURN-OUT-SKI NEEDS YOUR HELP!

19

You could also kill the next Hitler. Or a child molester. Or a rapist on the prowl. Or you could run over a bunch of gangsters that are terrorising innocent neigbhbourhoods, freeing simple people from evil and oppression. You could give a concussion to some mediocre man that will result in him becoming a genius and solving most of the humanity’s acute problems. You could go off a ramp and make google register another flying car. Heck, you could do all this one “Ooooooof!”

But seriously, don’t drink and drive.

20

Dude, serious issue. Not cool.

Driving drunk is one of the stupidest things you can possibly do. The numbers I’ve heard for getting arrested while driving drunk are over $7,000. That’s the amount of money you waste (throw down the drain) for just one moment of being a dumbass. Not to mention injuring/killing other people. I honestly can’t believe you would be so stupid as to do this after realising how bad an idea it is and talking about it with other people. Your friends are looking out for you: LISTEN TO THEM!