Jump to content

Boat Versus Boat


TSNBDSC

Recommended Posts

More to the thread title than the article, but back in my banking days on Hilton Head Island, I made a car loan to a lady in her 80’s. Sweet little old thing got a brand new car. Not 2 days later I got to see the car again - it was in the front page photo in the local newspaper. Why, you might ask? It had gone through the plate glass window of a gift shop with only the back half sticking out on the side walk. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The driver education system in America is appalling.  We don't teach people how to drive cars, we teach sort of "basic traffic regulations."

 

The whole thing needs to be rethought and that includes stricter standards for elderly people.

 

This is one of my favorite pet peeves, but I doubt any of this will ever change.  It's just one of those American things that ain't gonna change, because, America.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Fadingpain said:

The driver education system in America is appalling.  We don't teach people how to drive cars, we teach sort of "basic traffic regulations."

 

The whole thing needs to be rethought and that includes stricter standards for elderly people.

 

This is one of my favorite pet peeves, but I doubt any of this will ever change.  It's just one of those American things that ain't gonna change, because, America.

 

 

I feel this isn't even a driving issue. It's just common sense like you pay attention when you are in control of a speeding multi ton object. Just like I pay close attention when I'm straining hot water from my pasta. I really hate getting scolded so I'm locked into that colander. Some things shouldn't have to be taught. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 hours ago, Augie said:

More to the thread title than the article, but back in my banking days on Hilton Head Island, I made a car loan to a lady in her 80’s. Sweet little old thing got a brand new car. Not 2 days later I got to see the car again - it was in the front page photo in the local newspaper. Why, you might ask? It had gone through the plate glass window of a gift shop with only the back half sticking out on the side walk. 

 

When were you in HH?  Did my externship from CIA there in 1981.  Fun times. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

29 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

When were you in HH?  Did my externship from CIA there in 1981.  Fun times. 

 

First, the thread title got changed from something about old people driving. I’m not crazy (as far as you can prove).

 

Next, we started vacationing there about 1976, in the early days. I moved there after graduation in 1982 and met my wife there. We were married in ‘85 and our kids were born in HHI. People asked them where were you born, and they’d say “South Carolina”.  NO, dammit, say HHI, it’s much cooler, and maybe it means you learned to count before third grade. The rallying cry was always “Thank God for Mississippi!”. You hate to come in dead last in education. 

 

We later moved from Sea Pines to HH Plantation, which was more family oriented. 

 

We moved away in ‘93, but get back maybe every other year. I just today booked a rental house and a condo (for the priest) in Harbor Town for May (for my son’s final service and internment - sorry for the morbid note).  Seriously looking forward to the trip. 

 

I’m really curious to know where you were working. Those were fabulous days in our lives! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

   The people on the fishing boat are so lucky the boat didn't go over the top of them after they jumped into the water.   The thought of that prop on the power boat gives me the shivers.

 

  In the 60's I was racing in a sailboat on the upper Niagara when a power boat that size passed 10 to 15 feet in front of us.  I think he had the cruiser wide open.  The wake ran over the top of our bow and the boat stopped dead.  I don't think the guy ever saw us.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Augie said:

 

First, the thread title got changed from something about old people driving. I’m not crazy (as far as you can prove).

 

Next, we started vacationing there about 1976, in the early days. I moved there after graduation in 1982 and met my wife there. We were married in ‘85 and our kids were born in HHI. People asked them where were you born, and they’d say “South Carolina”.  NO, dammit, say HHI, it’s much cooler, and maybe it means you learned to count before third grade. The rallying cry was always “Thank God for Mississippi!”. You hate to come in dead last in education. 

 

We later moved from Sea Pines to HH Plantation, which was more family oriented. 

 

We moved away in ‘93, but get back maybe every other year. I just today booked a rental house and a condo (for the priest) in Harbor Town for May (for my son’s final service and internment - sorry for the morbid note).  Seriously looking forward to the trip. 

 

I’m really curious to know where you were working. Those were fabulous days in our lives! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cool worked Sea Pines Plantation spring 1981. Incredible experience. Love HIlton Head. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Greybeard said:

   The people on the fishing boat are so lucky the boat didn't go over the top of them after they jumped into the water.   The thought of that prop on the power boat gives me the shivers.

 

  In the 60's I was racing in a sailboat on the upper Niagara when a power boat that size passed 10 to 15 feet in front of us.  I think he had the cruiser wide open.  The wake ran over the top of our bow and the boat stopped dead.  I don't think the guy ever saw us.

One of my first drownings that I witnessed at the lock was in the the mid-1990s.  After the divers yanked him from the bottom, I surmise that is exactly what happen... He was hit by the prop.  The prop of his own vessel.

 

It happened late... Around 1am in the morning.  Lock was open on the lake side and a downbound oil tow was approaching.  A small runabout pleasure craft (PC) shows up and is waiting for the tow.  The people on the boat are pretty tore up.  One dude decides to "go for a swim."  In his jeans, shoes, everything... Well, he must have been horsing around and the people on boat lost sight of him... Or maybe he bit it right there.  Who knows, drunk people get disoriented and swim to the bottom, panic and buy the farm. Well anyway, the people on the boat swung around in a panic and came full plane towards the open lock... I thought they were going to get run over by the 600' towboat.  They were screaming that somebody was lost in the water.  I called the tow off, closed the dam to restrict flow of water in the river... USCG was called and they landed a helo on site... Divers went in... They swept the bottom of the murky river by feel.  They pulled him out around 5 in the morning or so.  The body was all twisted up and had a huge gash on his forehead...

 

 

...He was no doubt hit by the prop when his boat swung around in a panic.

 

Still remember the look of the body... Boat, little PC by sunrise had a dead battery... Blower was left on all night... Name of the boat: "Heaven Sent"... How freaky... Empty whiskey bottle on floor of boat, smell of booze...

 

When it first happened, the mother was freaking out.  Swimmer nowhere in sight.  The mother wanted to jump in and look for him (before USCG arrived)... I did everything in my power to not have two drownings that night.  He was gone, I knew he was at the bottom.  I did everything in my power to convince her not to jump in too... Told her: "Maybe he swam to shore"  no way was he getting up onto the 8' upper guidewall at the lock where we were at.

 

People do stupid things on the water... It's mostly booze to blame. Lot more close calls on the weekends through the summer. All kinds of crazy stories, surprised more haven't died... Being drunk, high, stupid, etc...

 

 

Edited by ExiledInIllinois
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Fadingpain said:

The driver education system in America is appalling.  We don't teach people how to drive cars, we teach sort of "basic traffic regulations."

 

The whole thing needs to be rethought and that includes stricter standards for elderly people.

 

This is one of my favorite pet peeves, but I doubt any of this will ever change.  It's just one of those American things that ain't gonna change, because, America.

 

 

 

When I was growing up, probably early teens at best, me and my bud went to the store with his grandmother and it scared the bejesus out of us. We ratted her out and it took her off the road. Sucked telling my buds Mom what was what.

 

A few years back my mother got into an accident that she is lucky to have survived. I know because it was caught on tape. One of the hardest things I ever had to do was tell her that her driving days were over. Sucked then, still makes things difficult now, but better than where it was heading,

 

So yeah, I agree whole-heartedly.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, Chef Jim said:

 

Cool worked Sea Pines Plantation spring 1981. Incredible experience. Love HIlton Head. 

 

Where exactly did you work? It had to beat my summer construction job!  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...