To the girl who spun her car out in front of me on hwy 95 near thurbers Ave tonight:

Submitted by ParkyMalarkey t3_zqd2f6 in providence

I think it was around 9ish o clock. You were in a mid 90s grayish color Oldsmobile aurora. You turned late into the corner, worried about departing your lane and possibly hitting another car, your initial turn was too sharp and quick. This is where your car began to lose control. You then overcorrected, and applied the brakes causing your car to spin out.

I just wanted to say that I am very proud of how you handled the entire situation. I could tell you were having a panic attack, and it took a lot of courage to get back in that car, and drive it home.

I hope you made it home safe, don’t beat yourself up too bad about the whole situation, just remember you are safe now and you got through it.

It’s winter time people.

Check your tires and tire pressure regularly. Check the weather before you leave, try to keep any distractions away from you.

Also when you’re going around the thurbers ave corner: focus, listen to your car, feel your car, and soak in everything around you. Even if you drove it twice a day for 10 years, it’s still as dangerous each time you drive by that corner.

Also if you feel your car swapping left to right like it’s about to lose control, don’t hit the brakes. Try to keep the wheel steady without over correcting and coast or accelerate out of it.

We are all human, nobody is a perfect driver. Once we accept that and try to improve our driving, traffic safety improves.

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Comments

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DonnyBomeneddy t1_j0xpnr5 wrote

I'm more impressed that a mid 90's aurora is still running. 🤣

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0xsep7 wrote

Lol an oldie but a goodie. Just glad it didn’t have to live up to its safety crash rating tonight.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_j0z4vfn wrote

Easy way to tell OP is a transplant

  1. "Hwy 95"

  2. They're being nice.

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DobbyDoesDallas t1_j10aur4 wrote

As a transplant I feel this. I’ve been here almost 15 years and still people can tell when I give directions. I don’t use enough former landmarks.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j10b90o wrote

Have you tried adding cumbys or bennys into the directions?

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DobbyDoesDallas t1_j10bxvw wrote

Lmao! I have been able to use Bennys as a waypoint before.

It’s also boggling to me how little people here travel within their own state. If I have to hear “pack a lunch” when I make the 30 minute drive to providence one more time I’m in danger of going blind from my eyes rolling back.

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Proof-Variation7005 t1_j10ld98 wrote

I had a dream where I moved to Los Angeles and got so mad at highways being "the 10", "the 101", "the 405" etc that I started getting really fucking snide about it and using "the" in front of every street name with this disgusted tone.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0znmdk wrote

My girlfriend who isn’t a transplant is probably gonna die laughing and give you a high five when she reads this comment 😂

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XJadaxBaby69X t1_j0y1ww3 wrote

I was next to this car. Almost got hit. Very happy I sped up.

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jeffscomplec t1_j0xlocm wrote

What a kind post. :-)

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BiggerDamnederHeroer t1_j0xqktj wrote

Seriously. I grew up driving in RI . Thurbers ave curve is responsible for so much driving anxiety in my life. Thankfully, everything else seems easier now that I don't live in RI anymore.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0xvhjo wrote

Yeah I don’t think people from other places understand the level of attention required to drive through providence vs where they are from

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5XTEEM t1_j0yddv4 wrote

I don't think people should ever change the level of attention they commit to driving, unless they're increasing it to an appropriate level obviously.

I also see just as many drivers with RI plates acting foolishly as other states, if not more because the majority of cars in Providence have RI plates.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0ziv6x wrote

I was more making the point that driving in a place like the Midwest, where roads are flat, not much traffic, not as many corners, Requires less attention than driving in a place like providence on 95. Yes you should always pay attention while driving. But you can’t learn to drive in providence traffic until you get exposed to providence traffic.

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5XTEEM t1_j12mn3x wrote

Yeah I'm just being pedantic

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sandsonik t1_j11o5yo wrote

Lifelong Rhode Islander and I've never thought the Thurbers curve was very hard. The S curves in Pawtucket though? White knuckle time for me. I slow down for that one.

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Oct92018 t1_j0yxr1m wrote

Yeah. I thought it was going a different direction and complaining about something. OP gives me hope in humanity, for as little as this gesture was.

I went to a Phish concert in Mansfield last summer and bought a ticket on secondary market and was by myself but meeting friends inside venue. Waited in line for awhile and was still trying to bring up ticket on my phone and couldn't get it to work.

I wasn't high or drunk or anything, but started to have a panic attack. Like BAD. Shaking and shit. The woman at gate was so sweet and tried to help me with my ticket but it wasn't working. A woman behind me knew what I was going through and started rubbing my back and told me it was going to be okay. I ended up going back to my car and getting another ticket from a different reseller.

I have no idea who these two women are but it reminds me there are really good people in this world.

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Human-Mechanic-3818 t1_j0yksho wrote

Y’all acting like it’s a hairpin corner on the Nurburgring. It’s an extremely gradual long sweeping turn. The amount of scared drivers in this post is concerning.

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captainastryd t1_j0yqxuj wrote

Stats are stats bud. It’s one of the most dangerous stretches of highway in the state.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0zkivv wrote

Can’t argue statistics lol. Doesn’t matter what it was like the times you drove through. If it wasn’t a dangerous stretch of road and it was so easy everybody could do it no problem, I wouldn’t be here making this post about this corner.

Seems easy

Can still be easy

Can still get you killed on your way to or from your house.

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degggendorf t1_j0yv3qe wrote

Oh is that published somewhere? That would be interesting to read.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0zo0sy wrote

It’s not that sharp I agree. In the right car you could easily go through that whole stretch of road averaging 130mph.

People are still totaling their cars and dying at 60mph on it though.

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brick1972 t1_j0zp6us wrote

It's not the grade of the turn, it's that it is blind to the traffic that forms as a result of the Thurbers exit and then the Thurbers/195 mixer. In this particular case that sounds like it wasn't the case but generally speaking this is the bigger problem.

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bungocheese t1_j11y7dw wrote

Oof I remember being young and dumb seeing how fast I could get through on my Subaru at 18y/o. 115 or so was the highest I was stupid enough to try.

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Proper_Boss523 t1_j11vd48 wrote

i drive it every day to and from work. i don't find it scary at all.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j136a4f wrote

I look forward to driving through it because I find it engaging and fun. But I’ve also seen some crazy shit happen on that highway that can raise your heart bpm pretty quickly.

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Distinct-Ad5751 t1_j0yyqr4 wrote

If I had any awards to give, I’d give them. Thank you for having compassion for the driver, I hope she made it home okay.

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BarRegular2684 t1_j0y9cqy wrote

This is so wholesome and supportive!

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coffeemaker3 t1_j18ssdg wrote

"If you get to where the Ann & Hope used to be, you've gone too far...."

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[deleted] t1_j11xa2y wrote

[deleted]

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j135sne wrote

Nah. I have a girlfriend who was with me when this happened. After it happened the female who spun out told me “idk what happened my car just spun out that was so scary.”

I made this post to maybe try to help explain how she lost control and spun her car out. I have been behind the wheel of a vehicle that was out of control many times, and seen out of control vehicles from an outside point of view many times.

Also I made this post to say that we are all humans. And driving is dangerous, we don’t realize it because we do it every day and get used to it. It’s okay if we make driving mistakes as long as we put our egos aside and learn from them. I am just thankful nobody’s physical health, or vehicle was damaged.

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Fit_Ad3136 t1_j0ymivh wrote

Turning late , maybe she was distracted maybe on the phone…

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j0z7hwy wrote

People in Rhode Island are the worst fucking drivers hands-down. You all should be ashamed of yourselves give up your fucking license and go move to a state. That’ll actually teach you how to fucking drive.

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[deleted] t1_j0ziu9x wrote

eeesh someone hasn’t gotten laid in a while huh guy

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j10c9nk wrote

Either hasn’t gotten laid in a while energy, or I’m a cuck for my wife even though it bothers me energy. Can’t quite put my finger on it 🤔

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[deleted] t1_j10cdnl wrote

i don’t think i want to put my finger on it 😮‍💨

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j10d4kg wrote

I want him to put his finger on a map and point to the state Rhode Islanders are supposed to move to so they can retake their driving exam and move back home without being a danger to society in his eyes

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j0zm5pt wrote

That’s far from the truth stop trying to deflect a serious problem in Rhode Island that needs to be addressed

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[deleted] t1_j0zmp8m wrote

the post wasn’t about reflecting on this “serious problem”, therefor your opinion on this “serious problem “ is not valid for this post. we’re all aware that new england drivers are terrible, it’s literally old common news. the post was about showing a little compassion for someone that almost had a really bad experience. grow up

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0zly8t wrote

Is it the drivers, or the roads the drivers have to work with here, and the heavy traffic that is on it every day.

I have driven all over the US, almost every state. Grew up getting to drive pretty often before the age of 10 years old in the rural Midwest.

No amount of previous driving experience will ever help me with being safe in north eastern city traffic.

Leaving the state to “learn to drive” isn’t gonna do anything. You wanna “learn to drive” then do yourself a favor and turn your radio off, put your phone away, pay attention and go drive on every highway near providence. That’s the best practice you can get.

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j0zm1i1 wrote

It’s the driver the roads have nothing to do with it it’s all excuses people need to learn how to drive plain and simple

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0zmm8q wrote

You don’t just learn how to drive one day and you’re good for the rest of your life in any scenario. You’re constantly learning, seeing more scenarios, making more decisions quickly etc. I don’t think you realize you have the biggest handicap when it comes to driving. Which is a big ego. 🥴

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j0zrbh7 wrote

So you’re telling me it’s a learning curve to know that your fucking lights are not on and that you should probably put them on when it’s nighttime? And you’re telling me that driving school doesn’t teach you how to lane merge?

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0zz4s3 wrote

Drivers Ed a long time ago when you first started driving, isn’t gonna remind you to turn on your lights when you’ve had an insane work day. And it’s not gonna be the reason you’re paying attention and zipper through a lane drop without slowing down the people behind you.

Everyone is over worked, stressed out, distracted, and it shows in our driving.

Nobody “learns” how to drive

The best drivers in the world are still learning and practicing every day.

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j106hed wrote

Then, why is it only Rhode Island has this issue? Sounds like a bunch a cockamamie excuses to me. i’m stressed out from the stupidity in this world but I still have a fucking common sense brain to know what to turn my lights on and how to merge in lanes. There’s no excuse for stupidity like that. I’m sorry people are going to get killed from idiots like this I seriously injured. And here’s the best part. This has been going on for many years. Now Rhode Island is rated the shittiest drivers for years, even before the pandemic and social media.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j10b0fc wrote

Alright then how do you propose this issue gets fixed? Putting your ego in the way isn’t gonna help.

It’s not like the Rhode Island gene pool is permanently cursed as far as driving goes.

There’s a lot of outside factors and variables that play into this.

I would love to hear your opinion on how you would solve this very fixable problem.

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j10oarq wrote

Enforce the law of the Road!????revamp the Rmv??Start making examples out of people? Fines? No slaps on the wrists??like the tv show providence judge ?being nice isn’t always the answer kinda like parenting…. Should I continue or should I stop here because it’s very easy ways to get the message across the Broadways what is running for state obviously has no fucking balls and wants to be everybody’s best friend doesn’t work that way

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j10qt0n wrote

What is a fair punishment for being at fault for a motor vehicle accident?

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Independent-Area-552 t1_j10tlhv wrote

Was it because of a DUI? Was it because of texting and driving? Was it because you had no lights on? Was it because of miss use of lanes? You got to be a little more specific obviously different scenarios a different penalties it shouldn’t even have to come to the point of somebody getting into an accident. People should be reprimanded before accidents happen routine traffic stops And heavy fines that will take care of a lot of bullshit on the road just like Massachusetts does if it was me the first offense for DUI would be a heavy find of at least $2000 and loss of license for three months first offense second offense suspended license indefinitely that’s the kind of penalties that should be out there texting and driving should be exactly the same way as DUI first offense a couple of thousand dollars second offense you lose your license indefinitely. That way the message gets across quickly and you’ll see how fast people put their phones down. It’s that simple. Also, the police officer should not be allowed to give out written warnings, unless it is an absolute legitimate excuse, which is very rare. When it comes to livelihood and paying out-of-pocket, it’s amazing how fast people straighten out and all of a sudden have common sense and use their brains.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j110wbq wrote

What should we do about statistically dangerous roads with high traffic where minor mistakes can lead to big wrecks?

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stan_milgram t1_j0yrh75 wrote

"Girl"?

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j0zjmgx wrote

Yes. She appeared to be a female who was between the age of 16-21. If I am unsure if somebody is a minor or an adult, that to me classifies as boy/girl

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stan_milgram t1_j117ijy wrote

Usually if it's a female driving, it's a woman.

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ParkyMalarkey OP t1_j119wzx wrote

My apologies for calling a female who looked like a teenager and was having a panic attack a girl.

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stan_milgram t1_j11spzl wrote

Just be mindful of it. A lot of young women find it demeaning and patriarchal.

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