Saturday, Mar 10, 2012 at 10:08
I very nearly met Jesus on the old Hume Highway near Wangaratta in the 1970's.
Here's how it nearly happened. Travelling south in a HD wagon, late afternoon, with trees on the roadside verge creating shadows, wife and kids on board. We came up behind a slow
ice cream delivery truck. Pulled out a little bit, road was clear and broken lines in the roadway, so I accelerated and commenced to overtake.
Suddenly, not far in front of me and coming straight at me was a light brown VW beetle. I can remember clearly my thoughts at the time, if I hit the VW we are gone, if I swerve into the truck I might stand a chance.
However, I braked and I'd say the VW also did, and I managed to slip back behind the truck. I smoked in those days and I stopped up the road and had about four durries in rapid succession to calm my nerves down.
What I reckoned occurred is this, the VW being a colour that could easily blend in with the background, did just that. The tree shadows across the road adding to camouflage. I find that when you overtake you give the ground in front of you a quick scan, then focus on the vehicle being overtaken and the near distance so as to pass and return to your side of the road with a margin of safety. In that momentary glance up the road I missed the VW.
I have long maintained that some vehicle paint colours should be prohibited, such as some shades of brown, green and even black, because they blend in with the background vegetation.
You will see A.D.F. vehicles that are painted in camouflage colours
on the road with their headlights on during the day, for this very reason.
Though I wear glasses now, at that time I didn't as my occupation required perfect vision, without spectacles.
I'm for lights on in rural areas during the day.
AnswerID:
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