On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:50:13 -0500, Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca>
wrote:

>Hoodoo wrote:
>> Bypassing the switch is easy to do and I've done it in the past,
>> however, I also had the experience of standing next to a friend when
>> someone hurriedly started up a vehicle (not mine) which had the switch
>> bypassed and I saw my friend's leg bent around and beneath the wide
>> rear tire (causing severe breakage of leg bones) when the vehicle
>> lurched in gear as soon as the engine started. That taught me the
>> value of being cautious instead of carefree when it comes to this
>> safety feature.

>Very good point. I have seen too many vehicles jump when someone goes
>to start them that I always stand off to the side. My shin has been
>hit. An old friend and current tenant of mine is just recovering from
>his second replacement hip. He wore out the first one. He needed the
>first one because he used a remote starter on his car and it fired up in
>gear and ran him over...

On the other hand, and I shouldn't mention this but I was young and
foolish at the time, I used to occasionally enjoy freaking out
unsuspecting passengers in my truck when they got in it the first
time. I'd put the gear selector in 'drive' without their knowledge and
then I would somehow get their complete visual attention. While they
were watching me out of curiosity, I'd turn the ignition key and as
soon as the engine lit I'd stomp on the throttle and immediately take
off without touching the gear selector. Done right, even though its
wrong, it really gets their attention.

I do not recommend anyone try this themselves.

It was years later when I saw my friend's leg bent under and around an
open-wheel vehicle that started in gear (accidentally, not on purpose
or violently as I used to do), and if I were standing to his right
instead of left, it very well could have been my leg all screwed up
for a long, long time.

 

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:50:13 -0500, Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca>
wrote:

>Hoodoo wrote:
>> Bypassing the switch is easy to do and I've done it in the past,
>> however, I also had the experience of standing next to a friend when
>> someone hurriedly started up a vehicle (not mine) which had the switch
>> bypassed and I saw my friend's leg bent around and beneath the wide
>> rear tire (causing severe breakage of leg bones) when the vehicle
>> lurched in gear as soon as the engine started. That taught me the
>> value of being cautious instead of carefree when it comes to this
>> safety feature.

>Very good point. I have seen too many vehicles jump when someone goes
>to start them that I always stand off to the side. My shin has been
>hit. An old friend and current tenant of mine is just recovering from
>his second replacement hip. He wore out the first one. He needed the
>first one because he used a remote starter on his car and it fired up in
>gear and ran him over...

On the other hand, and I shouldn't mention this but I was young and
foolish at the time, I used to occasionally enjoy freaking out
unsuspecting passengers in my truck when they got in it the first
time. I'd put the gear selector in 'drive' without their knowledge and
then I would somehow get their complete visual attention. While they
were watching me out of curiosity, I'd turn the ignition key and as
soon as the engine lit I'd stomp on the throttle and immediately take
off without touching the gear selector. Done right, even though its
wrong, it really gets their attention.

I do not recommend anyone try this themselves.

It was years later when I saw my friend's leg bent under and around an
open-wheel vehicle that started in gear (accidentally, not on purpose
or violently as I used to do), and if I were standing to his right
instead of left, it very well could have been my leg all screwed up
for a long, long time.

 

On Sat, 20 Nov 2004 09:50:13 -0500, Mike Romain <romainm@sympatico.ca>
wrote:

>Hoodoo wrote:
>> Bypassing the switch is easy to do and I've done it in the past,
>> however, I also had the experience of standing next to a friend when
>> someone hurriedly started up a vehicle (not mine) which had the switch
>> bypassed and I saw my friend's leg bent around and beneath the wide
>> rear tire (causing severe breakage of leg bones) when the vehicle
>> lurched in gear as soon as the engine started. That taught me the
>> value of being cautious instead of carefree when it comes to this
>> safety feature.

>Very good point. I have seen too many vehicles jump when someone goes
>to start them that I always stand off to the side. My shin has been
>hit. An old friend and current tenant of mine is just recovering from
>his second replacement hip. He wore out the first one. He needed the
>first one because he used a remote starter on his car and it fired up in
>gear and ran him over...

On the other hand, and I shouldn't mention this but I was young and
foolish at the time, I used to occasionally enjoy freaking out
unsuspecting passengers in my truck when they got in it the first
time. I'd put the gear selector in 'drive' without their knowledge and
then I would somehow get their complete visual attention. While they
were watching me out of curiosity, I'd turn the ignition key and as
soon as the engine lit I'd stomp on the throttle and immediately take
off without touching the gear selector. Done right, even though its
wrong, it really gets their attention.

I do not recommend anyone try this themselves.

It was years later when I saw my friend's leg bent under and around an
open-wheel vehicle that started in gear (accidentally, not on purpose
or violently as I used to do), and if I were standing to his right
instead of left, it very well could have been my leg all screwed up
for a long, long time.