Man sneezes... drives into the Charles River this afternoon

[rbgarr]

"Yeah honey, I was driving, then I was sneezing, then I was swimming. Now I'm freezing."

:D

[mmd]

A (now former) friend was involved in a car accident a few years ago - he drifted across the centreline on a backroad outside of town and collided with a pickup truck coming the opposite direction. The friend injured his leg somewhat badly and the driver of the truck suffered a broken arm and minor lacerations. When asked how the accident occurred, the acquaintence said, "I sneezed." In the subsequent investigation, the police concluded that a sneeze temporarily incapacitates a person and therefore they cannot be held responsible for the temporary loss of control of their vehicle. No charges, no liability. The insurance companies involved abided by the police report, and both parties received full compensation for their vehicles (both write-offs), reimbursement of non-covered medical expenses, and payment for lost income.

I was astounded.

I sometime later mentioned to a mutual friend that if ever I am involved in an accident I shall be mightily tempted to use the "sneeze defense" myself. The mutual friend told the friend of my comment. That evening I received a call from his wife who proceeded to call me everything but handsome, and they haven't spoken to me since.

Apparently, sneezes are terribly dangerous whilst driving, and the "sneeze defense" is equally powerful, able to absolve liability and dissolve frienships. Strong stuff, them sneezes.

[Ian McColgin]

Depends on the sneeze, of course. The 'tickle sneeze' which is sometimes a tickle and sometimes a reaction to sunlight is spasmatic and causes me to involuntarily close my eyes for a moment. Like most people, I feel it coming ahead of time. And like anyone who has raced a little, I pretty much constantly am driving a little ahead of myself, so to speak. So, if nothing happens that I'd not foreseen during the sneeze, I'll stay on track, even in a changing radius curve. A dangerous moment that most people just get away with by luck and not enough people train for.

[Thorne]

Interesting! One theory says that in the Middle Ages people had a similar defense for demonic possesion whilst sneezing -- hence the traditional "Bless You!" directed at anyone sneezing. Don't want that sneezer to spin their head around and spew green goo, do ya?

[Dave Gray]

When you sneeze everything shuts down. Your eyes close and muscles involuntarily contract. Imagine doing this three times in a row while you are driving. My sneezes usually come in threes.

I have worried for a long time about having a sneeze fit while driving in a tight spot.

[David Tabor (sailordave)]

I always wondered what the NASCAR drivers (and F1, IRL) do if they have to sneeze approaching a curve!:eek:

[JimConlin]

RBGarr- The incident was on Soldiers Field Rd. near North Harvard St. That bend isn't just hard on coxswains.

[elf]

RBGarr- The incident was on Soldiers Field Rd. near North Harvard St. That bend isn't just hard on coxswains.

Boy, of all the places in metro Boston I'd rather not lose control of my car, that one takes the prize.

For the benefit of those who haven't ever driven there:

http://www.mapquest.com/maps?city=Allston&state=MA&address=%5B1001-1199%5D+Soldiers+Field+Rd&zipcode=02134&country=US&latitude=42.3682&longitude=-71.13225&geocode=STREET

[goodbasil]

I never sneeze while driving, just fart. No accidents so far.

[skuthorp]

A man was found guilty here of drowning his sons by driving into a dam. He claimed a coughing fit caused it.
http://www.news.com.au/adelaidenow/story/0,22606,22535809-5006301,00.html

[Mrleft8]

I've heard (But can't confirm) that your heart stops beating during a sneeze.

[Tom Robb]

Our hearts are stopped most of the time. They (the muscles) contract intermittantly and are in a relaxed state longer than in a contracted state. Or so I'm told. It's not like a rotary pump in constant motion.

[rbgarr]

RBGarr- The incident was on Soldiers Field Rd. near North Harvard St. That bend isn't just hard on coxswains.

Must've been before the bridge or after Newell Boathouse (if outbound). There are guardrails everywhere else.

[Tylerdurden]

Musta been cold!

In Florida they have a problem with Blue hairs driving into canals. I witnessed four of them doing the high speed launch out of a Publix parking lot across six lanes of boulevard and into a canal. I think if they put guardrails up all around they would start heading for swimming pools.:rolleyes:

[Rapelapente]

and what about sneezing in a full helmet, driving a bike in a curve...
should have the internal helmet wiper option....

[Tom Robb]

Just finished watching a series of DVDs called Rocket Science about the race to the Moon. On one flight an astronaught who was to do an EVA was violently motion sick - common in space I'm told. The idea of barfing in a space helmet doesn't sound like fun. In good space cowboy form he managed to get a grip and pressed on.

[Ron Williamson]

Aren't photic(caused by bright light) sneezes enough to get you washed out of fighter school?
R