[velocedoc]

I saw the article on this accident and it is not for the faint of heart.
A couple of months ago, I was first in line to cross an intersection. The light turned green and I started out. The truck in the left-hand turn lane started to honk its horn multiple times. I figured he was honking for a reason. I stopped, and just as I did, a truck coming from my left blew through the red light and missed my truck by a foot. He pulled over after he crossed through the intersection. Sitting behind me was a sheriff who pulled out and stopped behind the truck. I am sure that was an expensive ticket. I would not be here had he hit me broadside. Now I wait, then go.

 

[alfaloco]

I saw the article on this accident and it is not for the faint of heart.
A couple of months ago, I was first in line to cross an intersection. The light turned green and I started out. The truck in the left-hand turn lane started to honk its horn multiple times. I figured he was honking for a reason. I stopped, and just as I did, a truck coming from my left blew through the red light and missed my truck by a foot. He pulled over after he crossed through the intersection. Sitting behind me was a sheriff who pulled out and stopped behind the truck. I am sure that was an expensive ticket. I would not be here had he hit me broadside. Now I wait, then go.

That fellow probably saved your life by getting your attention.
As conedriver indicated in his post on this thread, traffic enforcement is so lacking in this city, if it had happened here I doubt if the police unit would have pursued the truck driver who blew the red light. I'm serious, I've seen it happen, or should I say not happen. And I am not anti-police either, my brother is retired LEO.
When there are no consequences, civilization breaks down. People suffer needlessly. I agree wholeheartedly with another poster who said this should be a wake-up call for all of us.

 

[Alfa74Tex]

From the fuse box I spliced into one of the fuse circuits that is powered only with the key on. That wire runs to the relay input. The relay is triggered, delays 10 to 15 seconds and then turns on Power to wires running to the driving lights. They turn off with the key. The delay is great as it waits to turn the lights on while you crank the starter and fire up. Here is the relay and a description of which wires to connect where: Amazon: Ahron Time Delay Relay 10 Seconds 5 pin 12V 30A $14.99 Pin 30 = constant 12v power (battery or alternator) Pin 85 = relay to ground Pin 86 = 12v trigger from key on wire to activate relay and timer Pin 87 = normally open (12v applied till after 10s) wire to driving lights. Pin 87a = normally closed (12v applied once trigger 12v applied) You will also need a really holder to plug the relay input and wire to/from— but those are really cheap. I mounted the really on the fender well l under the hood. Easy, cheap mod and worth every penny.

 

[Sergio105]

People should "just drive" when they are in their cars. The crime of road homicide has recently been introduced in Italy, albeit amidst a thousand controversies and penalties that are difficult to apply. I would first give fewer driving licenses and then I would measure the penalties...

 

[David O'D]

As conedriver indicated in his post on this thread, traffic enforcement is so lacking in this city, if it had happened here I doubt if the police unit would have pursued the truck driver who blew the red light. I'm serious, I've seen it happen, or should I say not happen. And I am not anti-police either, my brother is retired LEO.
When there are no consequences, civilization breaks down. People suffer needlessly. I agree wholeheartedly with another poster who said this should be a wake-up call for all of us.

I have a part-time job doing medical transportation for the elderly. The last couple years I see many, many, many, drivers simply ignore ambulance and fire truck sirens, and just go on their way as if they have no obligation to pull over. Disgusting! There should be strict enforcement and big fines for this. Typical of today's 'Eff everybody else, I do what I want' society.

David OD

 

[jkirshtein]

May his memory be a blessing, poor guy. The roadways today are a mess. I cycle miles with rear radar and led flashing, still I’m rightfully paranoid. I ride my Ducati 3x per year. My 2024 A5 Sportback was totaled by a semi trailer on May 1 when it failed to stay in its lane in a lane shift. By some miracle I kept the car mainly straight. The entire 500 mile round trip that day was riddled with horrible driving, culminating in the accident. Wishing a positive recovery to Mr. Clauss’ s passenger.

 

[DavidH]

.
I know it's it's a little off topic but I have had the habit, for many years, to never be the first one through an intersection after a red light turns to green.
Let the "jack rabbit" next to you take the hit...

A long time ago I told this to my daughter and sure enough a week later some guy took a hit she should have gotten.......
.

 

[DavidH]

Here where I live, a red light is too often just a suggestion to stop. So, if I am the first off the line when the light turns green, I wait and wait to be sure there is not a F150 barrelling through the intersection. I tought this to my kids when they began to drive.

 

[Tarps3]

May his memory be a blessing, poor guy. The roadways today are a mess. I cycle miles with rear radar and led flashing, still I’m rightfully paranoid. I ride my Ducati 3x per year. My 2024 A5 Sportback was totaled by a semi trailer on May 1 when it failed to stay in its lane in a lane shift. By some miracle I kept the car mainly straight. The entire 500 mile round trip that day was riddled with horrible driving, culminating in the accident. Wishing a positive recovery to Mr. Clauss’ s passenger.

I regularly drive from OKC to Houston.

Every trip feels like a scene from Road Warrior.
I call it "the odyssey" complete with tragedies, monsters, misadventures, (ship)wrecks, etc.

Every time I arrive I'm exhausted and frazzled and more gray.
I feel lucky and surprised to arrive unscathed (almost) every time. And I hate it every time.
The interstates are horrific now. "Professional" truck drivers aren't professionals anymore. They are on their phones as much as teenage girl and seem to delight in impeding the flow of traffic and camping out in the left lane. I used to respect the profession but not anymore.

 

[alfaloco]

Here where I live, a red light is too often just a suggestion to stop. So, if I am the first off the line when the light turns green, I wait and wait to be sure there is not a F150 barrelling through the intersection. I tought this to my kids when they began to drive.

And so did I. Look left, then right before taking off.

 

[jayhunt]

When I ride my motorcycle I always use the 2-second rule. Keeping my distance, allowing me reaction time. Because of this post I'm using it when I drive the Spider!

 

[southernstar]

Unfortunately, maintaining a safe distance on a highway has become virtually impossible as invariably some idiot will attempt to pass and squeeze into any space larger than a car length.

 

[peglegtom]

This just reiterates how much crash protection has increased in the last 30-40 years. Unfortunately, that gives most drivers a feeling of invincibility in that they will not be hurt. But when we drive our vintage Alfas (and I include my 94 Spider and 95 164, much less my Duetto), we are at a severe disadvantage. If there is a wreck, we're on the short end of the stick and get injured or killed. So we are the one's that have to drive even more defensively than normal. have to accept that when we drive any older car (not just Alfas, but anything before 2000 or 2010 or 2020). All we need to do is look at the size (and weight) of our cars versus the majority of cars on the road today.

I try to drive on secondary roads in my Alfas. I understand that this does increase the likelihood of crashes at intersections, etc, however, they may be at lower speeds and not fatal. Perhaps it would be better to drive on the interstates and other limited access roadways, however, there was an instance in my area where a TR driver was killed by a semi, so no guarantees.

 

[K-Jet]

In Australia and New Zealand a quick flash of headlights is taken to mean ’you go first’. Rapid flashing is what you describe. I’ve noticed however in the US though that the ‘quick flash’ is not generally recognized.

Same in Europe. Flashing lights means "go ahead." Means that to some around here as well. I'd use the horn to get attention, but I wouldn't flash the lights.

As for "you'd be wrong," it doesn't much matter. In a crash between a Spider and a Jeep, being right isn't of any value.

 

[Aggie57]

As far as running red lights is concerned, absolutely it’s way more of a problem in the US, or at least in California, than in NZ or Australia. Do it in either of those countries and soon enough you’d get ticketed via a red light camera, and do it more than a couple of times and you’ll likely be walking for a couple of months.

 

[Milanoguy]

You can add always on headlights or other things, but it's a warzone out there . My late lamented friend Maxx, was killed when an intoxicated driver blew through a red light and T-Boned him. Maxx had just acquired, after exstensive search a manual shift minivan. Thankfully his daughter was not with him the day of the collision. Last time I looked the intoxicated driver (he was under 21) was awaiting trial for intoxicated manslaughter. I'm not a fan of, nor do I have any faith in our police or criminal justice system.

Those of you looking for greater traffic enforcement, are I think, barking up the wrong tree. Traffic enforcement is strictly revenue generation, and the city government has made the decision that speed enforcement, has the best profit margin, and they are right in that assesment. Police officers are trained to, and do use all traffic stops as a chance to look for drugs. If there's no drugs they radidly lose interest.

Decades ago I took the motorcycle safety course, it changed the way I drive. I don't ride motorcycles any more. But I do apply all the tips from the course. I plan my commutes and frequent trips to avoid uncontolled intersections, I let other vehicles act as my shield when going through an intersection, and other stuff from the course.

That's my .02 cents

 

[Velocity]

This is a terrifying subject and one I've been thinking about a lot lately. Is it still worth it to take the Alfa out? Because nearly every 'car' now is not a car but a giant ballistic missile wrapped in protective bubble, padding the driver in electronic remove and distraction. We are not driving among 'cars' so much as small buildings on wheels. Buildings with residents watching tv instead of the road.

To that end I drive my 92 Spider like the motorcycles I used to ride. Never linger in blind spots and it's actually safer to go faster than everyone else because you're in and out of their range and keep a ruthless eye on what's happening front and back, and also the state of the pavement below your wheels.

I never dart out at a light, never clip a red light turning green. I'm THE most defensive driver there is. I call it 'psychic driving' because I try to pick up minuscule cues of the other cars on the road: is that subtle slowing indicating a turn coming up, is that slight drift to the right going to be a lane change? Driving a vintage Alfa is like being a water spider on the surface of a creek--it's a dance of all senses that could end quickly if you lapse for one second.

I put the lights on every time I drive. On the highway, when I can't find another route, the high beams, such as they are, are put on. I need to get a proper relay soon. But the thing I can't change is the color of the Spider. It's black. I used to be fundamentally against red ('give me a ticket red') because it was too visible (teenage street racing ethos). But now I'd only by a red or yellow Spider, specifically for visibility. I feel invisible in my black Spider, beautiful though it may be.

Sorry for the long post, I'm really shaken by this. That poor guy and his girl, just out to have a nice ride.

 

[doug s.]

I always drive with my headlights on, and I have for over 40 years.

This was a sad occurrence.

doug s.

 

[PSk]

This just reiterates how much crash protection has increased in the last 30-40 years. Unfortunately, that gives most drivers a feeling of invincibility in that they will not be hurt

While you are right, 99% of the time drivers have no idea how safe the crash protection in their car is. Instead it is the misconception that if they are in a taller car they are safe. I do not know why this is, but it is human nature and why ute/truck drivers typically follow closely.


But what you are talking about has happened with motorsport. Racing drivers nowadays use their cars as weapons and happily push other cars out of the way, etc. Do that in the 1950's and 60's and you might have killed yourself ...
Pete

 

[peglegtom]

While you are right, 99% of the time drivers have no idea how safe the crash protection in their car is. Instead it is the misconception that if they are in a taller car they are safe. I do not know why this is, but it is human nature and why ute/truck drivers typically follow closely.



Pete

Pete,

Initially, the idea that if you were in a taller car, you could see over the cars in front of you, giving you more time to react. " Now that almost everyone drives an "SUV" that idea has gone by the board. Now it's just everyone buying the manufacturer's hype regarding SUV"s even through the only reason they push them is that they are more profitable. When I was young (1950's and 60's) most families drove station wagons, some with a third row of seats in the back facing backward that us kid's loved. Modern "SUV's" (actually CUV's) are just an extension of that. A taller station wagon.

I agree with you regarding motorsports (especially F1). A modern F1 (or any other open or closed wheel car) driver has only a minimal concern regarding serious injury or death. Max would have lasted less than a season if he did what he now does in the 50's, 60's, or 70's. Not that I'm against safety improvements, however, it is human nature that as the consequences go down, the ability to take greater risks goes up. It's also unlikely that Stirling Moss, JMF, or Jimmy Clark could cope with today's "bumps and runs!"
,
But if we decide to drive our vintage Alfa's or any other vintage car, we have to accept that our risks have increased exponentially and need to drive accordingly.

Tom