This was mentioned in a reposter awhile back and in a few comments, but I don't think it was ever...

This was mentioned in a reposter awhile back and in a few comments, but I don't think it was ever posted (if it has been, feel free to delete this). Jonny Gomes went on E:60 to talk about his 2002 heart attack and about one of his close friends dying when he was young. It also has some good shots of Jonny's tattoos. If you haven't seen it, it is well worth watching.

about 1 year ago pack_fan 27 comments 3 recs |

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this is fantastic.

Let's not kid ourselves. It's really, really, bad.

by Cy Schourek on May 14, 2011 2:35 PM EDT reply actions

This should be manditory reading for all RRs...

I love this guy.

MADS and ASH - Taking out the Trash - 2012

by Madville on May 15, 2011 7:56 AM EDT reply actions

What turrible tattoos

"Good luck, National League managers – I have no idea how you’re supposed to get this guy out." - Dave Cameron on Joey Votto

by Grahamophone on May 15, 2011 9:42 PM EDT reply actions

Makes me realize how lucky I was as in inexperience young driver

i didn’t do a whole lot of stupid stuff intentionally, but like most 16 and 17 year olds i had a few close calls where another drivers vigilance saved me.

Who are you people, where is my horse?

by Yossarian22 on May 15, 2011 10:06 PM EDT reply actions

I think the driving age should be older

probably one of my more extreme and not well backed up opinions, but I hold it nonetheless

by pack_fan on May 15, 2011 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions

18 would probably be more appropriate.

Ideally, you’d do it on a person by person basis based on maturity, but that’s not even in the least bit realistic.

"People don't kill people. Burning oreo packages kill people."

by crolfer on May 16, 2011 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions

A couple of problems with that

1, We don’t have a transportation infrastructure to support that. When I was 17, in the marching band, jazz band, orchestra, pit orchestra, chamber orchestra, concert band, taking some high school classes, and taking college courses, most of that would have been impossible in Hamilton, OH without a license. No city bus, too spread out to walk or bike. So for active high school students throughout most of the U.S. having a car is a must. (If I raise kids in a city with excellent public transportation I probably won’t let them get a license until the summer before they go to college, a 16 year old in Chicago probably shouldn’t and doesn’t need to drive).

2. I don’t think we spend enough hours in the car with a drivers ed instructor. In Ohio in order to get a license you need 50 hours with somebody over 21, 6 hours with an instructor, and 24 hours in the classroom. I know it would be significantly more expensive, but I think 24 hours with an instructor and 6 hours in the classroom makes more sense. You will go through a lot of scenarios with an instructor over the course of 24 hours.

I do think maturity is an issue for some, but that sucks for others, my problem as a young driver was just a lack of experience. I was always very aware of the power my car had to damage myself and others. Accidents I read about with teen drivers aren’t always the drunk kid driving 90 down a busy residential road, they are also the 17 year old who “didn’t look again” and made a left hand turn in front of a semi, or simply just drove to fast for the conditions.

I think that limiting the number of passengers in a car with a young driver is good, they can be distracting, and a driver who may be safe solo may decide to do something “cool” to impress his friends.

I did have a “friend” who I ended up letting drive me the day she got her license back after it was suspended, we were driving down a lightly traveled two lane hill, and she said “I got my license back and I haven’t squealed my tires yet”, so before I could even fully comprehend what she said, at about 40 MPH she slams on the parking break and makes a 90 degree left hand turn on to a cross street.

Who are you people, where is my horse?

by Yossarian22 on May 16, 2011 2:54 AM EDT up reply actions

I wholeheartedly agree on point one.

Trying to get back and forth from rugby with uncertain practice hours every night sucks. I understand that they’re not going to give you your license at 14 or 15 for obvious reasons, but man, it would sure be nice.

The immaturity thing can definitely be a big problem. There was a kid at my school who was proud of himself because he finally figured out how to burn out. Also, believe it or not, I’ve heard of multiple people who have died “hill jumping” on back roads.

"I bet that sex Bengals fan is really pissed now." -DT3428

by sexsalad on May 16, 2011 10:00 AM EDT up reply actions

I started driving on a farm permit at age 15

In those days we did not have no seat belts
No disc brakes
No crumple free cabins
The 1958 Studebaker Commander I started driving in weighed about 2 tons and could easily go through the side of a brick house unscathed.

Those were the days.

MADS and ASH - Taking out the Trash - 2012

by Madville on May 17, 2011 12:30 AM EDT up reply actions

Something similar to what Jonny did happened to my cousin when he was 16

He was in the backseat with his best friend, and the girls were up front. The driver misjudged a transition from pavement to gravel, and the car spun out, overturned and hit a cement culvert.

My cousin Heath was the only one wearing a seat belt, and he’s the only one who survived the accident. This was 15 years ago and he has permanent disabilities, and he told me that every day he wishes he had died with his friends.

I don’t have a clue what the right answer to the driving age is, but unfortunately there has to be a learning curve. Iowa has a decent way of doing driving-we could get our permits at 14, and you could drive with adults for 2 full years before getting your license to drive alone.

Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson

by Hawkeyegirl96 on May 16, 2011 9:55 AM EDT up reply actions

thats a sad story about your cousin

Really is too bad if he wishes he should have died in the crash, I would say he needs to figure out a way to do something good in whatever way is possible for him, somehow come to terms with the event, because it sounds like he hasn’t been able to do that yet. Thats a tough thing to get over mentally, similar to Jonny and his friend when they were sixteen, I mean a coin flip? really? that’ll mess with your head. I hope your cousin can find a way to cope with his event.

Question though on Iowa. I dont know much about the state, but the cities and towns there are smaller right? (obviously it depends where you live, Des Moines looks like its a decent size) That makes it a slight bit easier on learning drivers if the roads are a little more open. I’m only guessing though, you’d have to tell me. That said, I agree with you on the full two years thing, I think that extra time must be good for a young driver.

by pack_fan on May 16, 2011 3:01 PM EDT up reply actions

Do open roads really make it better though?

once you figure it out, driving on streets in cities and suburbs is frustrating but fairly easy, traffic is pretty regulated. Driving on a 2 lane high way is when you can get yourself into trouble,

Who are you people, where is my horse?

by Yossarian22 on May 16, 2011 3:13 PM EDT up reply actions

that a good point

plus driving where there aren’t many cars will not prepare you to drive where there are many cars.

by pack_fan on May 16, 2011 3:50 PM EDT up reply actions

actually, now that i think about it

i believe i remember being told in drivers ed most accidents happen on 2 lane roads (that could also be a stat trick because most roads are two lane roads).

Who are you people, where is my horse?

by Yossarian22 on May 16, 2011 6:28 PM EDT up reply actions

The best thing about it was that you learned to drive in stages

I drove around the family farm for several years, then learned to drive on highways and in our (very small) town, then tried out the interstate, then learned to drive in larger cities.

Yes, Des Moines is pretty big but I grew up two hours from there in the middle of nowhere. Open roads are great when you are young, because you can learn to control the car and if something happens, you aren’t taking out anyone else.

Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson

by Hawkeyegirl96 on May 17, 2011 8:27 AM EDT up reply actions

This probably comes as no surprise, but I've let my 10 year old "drive"

"I’ve learned to be upfront and honest with all you low-life yellow-bellied scum-sucking retarded pig fuckers." -- johnu1

by jch24 on May 17, 2011 12:05 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs

I started driving my dad's motorcycle around the farm when I was 7 or so

I drove tractors at age 9 or 10. No big deal-nothing to hit but corn.

Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get. ~Homer Simpson

by Hawkeyegirl96 on May 17, 2011 12:30 PM EDT up reply actions

Yep

I grew up on a farm and began driving tractors at round 10 -11 yrs. old…

MADS and ASH - Taking out the Trash - 2012

by Madville on May 18, 2011 2:16 AM EDT up reply actions

young jch?

The ends justify the means

by Highlifeman21 on May 18, 2011 11:08 PM EDT up reply actions

Ha!

This kid actually looks a like me at that age…except we never had no John Deere shit…Massey-Fergusion and Allis Chalmers!!!

Rick Santorum telling my father [he] doesn't know about torture is like Carrot Top telling Lebron James he doesn't know about basketball." Meghan McCain

by Madville on May 18, 2011 11:27 PM EDT up reply actions