docmirror

Driving home from the airport northwest of Fort Worth about 9pm. I'm cruising along in the #2 lane of four lanes. Plenty dark, not much traffic on a rural freeway. I'm doing ~75, not really paying attention, traffic was light and I was actually looking to the left trying to spot any F-16s coming out of the NAS airfield. They do night training and stuff out of there often.

I look back to the right, and see a dark motion dart from the far right side up ahead. I thought it was a deer but my lights didn't pick up enough detail to make it out. Just motion without a lot of outline. I'm off the gas, and it's moving fast from right to left, and I get on the brakes. Then half a second later I can tell it's a human in dark clothing. They are running across the fwy at night! Now, the really stupid part, After getting almost to the fwy median where there is a barrier, the jackazz stops, and goes back to the right, and I had already been turning to the right, assuming this shyte-wit would keep going to the median.

Now, I'm in a world of hurt. I'm slowing and turning right and the target of opportunity is also going right again, into my path. I had no idea if it was going to keep going right, or stop, or go left so I hit the brakes HARD. Both feet in, there were a few cars behind me, and I think they started to slow as they saw me jacking around but I was focused on the kid in the road. He/it, kind of stopped, started, and then turned away from me so all I could see was their back, and then sprinted to the right again and over the fence into the brush.

Now, I'm sitting completely stopped in the #3 lane, facing kind of to the right, and all I can do is get it in gear, dump the clutch and go. I guess the kid saw some kind of opening ahead of me enough to try to cross, and headed out to realize there wasn't enough room, then decided to go back the other way.

Lucky as hell I was in the Porsche, if it had been my truck, I would be in jail for hitting a ped. Also lucky I didn't have a lot of Dr Pepper that evening or I would be cleaning the driver seat for a while. Later, I kept thinking about the aftermath if I had hit him. I had a glass of wine with my dinner that evening and I would have refused a breathalizer even though I'm sure I wasn't over the .08 limit. I can see the headline now; 'Drinking driver in a red Porsche runs over 15 year old _______(insert minority) boy'. First I was scared, now I'm just angry. Thank you 996...

5CHN3LL

1) Good job not killing the guy.
2) That's exactly why I don't drink a drop if I'll be driving - I'm no "holier than thou" guy, but I know there are still a few LEO's out there who have a hard-on for busting anyone in a sports car. If my wife hit a pedestrian in her SUV, they'd have her sitting on the curb with a blanket and a hot chocolate; if I hit a pedestrian in the 996, I'd be sitting in the back of a cruiser. If I had any alcohol on my breath, I'd probably be tased as well.

docmirror

Well, in my lame defense, it was one 6oz glass of cheap white Zinfandel, one of the lowest alcohol content wines made. I ate the meal at about 6, so I was a good +2 hours before heading out. But, you are correct that an LEO investigating a ped death is going to ask those dreaded words; 'Have you had anything to drink TONIGHT?'. Which leaves three alternatives; say yes and get the **** probe, or say no and if they get a warrant for a alky test be proven a liar under investigation, or refuse to answer questions which leads to the same result.

5CHN3LL

If you'd been impaired, you probably would have hit the guy - that wasn't my point, but I think you understand where I was going. It would be significantly harder to defend yourself if a prosecutor or plaintiff's attorney is able to suggest that alcohol might have been a factor...

I'm amazed the other drivers didn't plow into you - here in CA, if I have to hit the brakes hard I also have to be glued to the rear view so I can try to avoid being rear-ended by the texting moron in the car behind me.

sweet victory

You've given stupidity a chance to reproduce. Shame on you.

wyovino

In NY, refusing a breathalyzer or blood test after suspicion of DWI is an automatic 1 year suspension of your license and a $500 fine. If an injury is involved they will very quickly get a court order. Basically one call and it's rubber stamped.

Sneaky Pete

So back on topic.....yes the 996 brakes are phenomenal.

sweet victory

Phenomenal is a bit of a stretch, in my opinion

FRUNKenstein

Tires have a little something to do with it also.
My wife ran over a pedestrian on the highway in San Diego (Highway 5 just north of the Coronado Bay Bridge exit - not a great crossing point) back in the early 1990's when we lived there. Shook her up pretty bad. The guy ran off, so presumably lived.

Imo000

Nice manoeuvring, job well done but why do you think you would go to jail for this? Aren't you over reacting by alot? Also, a glass of wine after 2 hours probably won't even register on a breathalyzer. And why would you refuse a breathalyzer if you only had a glass of wine? You would be doing all the wrong things.

DTMiller

White man detected.

dporto

I guess he didn't have a green card...

FRUNKenstein

sweet victory

FTFY Mr. Attorney

docmirror

I'm gonna go with phenomenal. One rarely has to panic brake in a real life, or non-sim situation. From the time I put both feet in, to the time I was completely stopped seemed like mere meters, of course it was further than that, but I certainly jerked forward against the restraint, and it was right-bloody-now to a complete stop.

And yes, I was as much scared of getting plowed from behind as from hitting the dipstick. Once he was no longer a factor, I mashed the gas and moved off smartly.