# Ax the person who's never going to ride in a car again
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [August 1, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557 "2014-08-01T04:55:55Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/1 "2014-08-01T04:55:55Z")
When they say, “Live each day as if it might be your last,” [this](http://www.wtop.com/681/3672762/Ax-crashes-through-car-windshield-on-highway) is the sort of thing they’re referring to.
Flying ax, I-95 – oh, just go look at the picture.
That poor passenger. Of all days, to be wearing white pants.
---
### Author:  [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/2 "2014-08-01T05:01:20Z")
Just my humble opinion but I don’t think $200 is enough.
---
### Author:  [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/3 "2014-08-01T05:09:58Z")
From the linked article.
> [@](#):
>
> Police say it could have been worse if the car’s driver hadn’t been obeying the 65 mph speed limit.
But if the driver had been doing some other speed, _he wouldn’t have been in that exact spot_.
---
### Author:  [@GusNSpot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GusNSpot)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 5:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/4 "2014-08-01T05:26:20Z")
That’s not an ax, it is a hatchet, just over being a toy by a little bit.
If that came out of a bouncing truck and the car was that close to the truck that the hatchet got the car that high up & without hitting the road first, he was following way to close for 65 MPH. IMO
If it had hit the ground a couple of times and bouncing & spinning in that plane to come through the windshield in a manner to end up like that. Could be… But … I see no indication of that on the hatchet in the picture.
I would probably squeaked a bit myself but I would be mad when I saw the extreme inaccuracy in the reporting.
Life is all about inches & seconds.
YMMV
---
### Author:  [@Locrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Locrian)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/5 "2014-08-01T05:43:27Z")
You kidding? If that happened to me, I’d feel a lot safer in driving. Not much of a chance of that happening again. Kinda like when Garp bought the house after the plane flew into it.
---
### Author:  [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/6 "2014-08-01T06:29:26Z")
Alternatively, the passenger in that car will experience a series of increasingly bizarre and terrifying accidents until Death finally catches up with 'em.
---
### Author:  [@stui\_magpie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stui_magpie)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/7 "2014-08-01T06:32:23Z")
> [@Tom\_Tildrum](#):
>
> When they say, “Live each day as if it might be your last,” [this](http://www.wtop.com/681/3672762/Ax-crashes-through-car-windshield-on-highway) is the sort of thing they’re referring to.
>
> Flying ax, I-95 – oh, just go look at the picture.
>
> That poor passenger. **Of all days, to be wearing white pants.**
I’m betting they weren’t all white anymore.
---
### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 12:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/8 "2014-08-01T12:36:29Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#):
>
> That’s not an ax, it is a hatchet, just over being a toy by a little bit.
>
> If that came out of a bouncing truck and the car was that close to the truck that the hatchet got the car that high up & without hitting the road first, he was following way to close for 65 MPH. IMO
>
> If it had hit the ground a couple of times and bouncing & spinning in that plane to come through the windshield in a manner to end up like that. Could be… But … I see no indication of that on the hatchet in the picture.
That’s an awfully lethal toy. 😉
It seems unquestionable to me that it bounced on the ground first. Even if the two vehicles had been literally hitched together, there’s almost no height difference between takeoff and landing.
---
### Author:  [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/9 "2014-08-01T13:37:38Z")
[Slightly off-topic rant] I used to work with a guy who would use that word. He spoke well except for that one word; as in, “Can I ax you a question?” I _really_ wanted to ax (as in hatchet) him for being so @$!#&ing stoopit!!!
That’s what I thought of when I saw the thread title. [/slightly off-topic rant]
---
### Author:  [@jtur88](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jtur88)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/10 "2014-08-01T13:43:38Z")
You mean, it’s against the law to fail to secure an ax? I’d love to have heard the debate on that bill in the state house.
---
### Author:  [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 1:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/11 "2014-08-01T13:44:20Z")
It’s things like this that allow be to dispatch with suspension of disbelief and go straight to belief when I see this sort of thing in movies.
Too bad the airbag didn’t go off in a delayed reaction, launching a twirling hatchet into the relieved passengers face… WHAT A TWIST!
---
### Author:  [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/12 "2014-08-01T13:56:42Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#):
>
> That’s not an ax, it is a hatchet, just over being a toy by a little bit…
>
> …I would probably squeaked a bit myself but I would be mad when I saw the extreme inaccuracy in the reporting.
>
> Life is all about inches & seconds.
>
> YMMV
Dang, I thought you were tougher than that. I would have caught it in my teeth, slowed down to spit it out on the shoulder and kept on going.
---
### Author:  [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/13 "2014-08-01T14:08:31Z")
Hope he bought a lottery ticket, it was clearly his lucky day!🙂
---
### Author:  [@Tom\_Tildrum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tom_Tildrum)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/14 "2014-08-01T14:32:16Z")
There’s also this from the linked article:
> [@](#):
>
> Police aren’t identifying the motorists.
Apparently, though, their names have now become known: “Itchy” and “Scratchy.”
> [@elbows](#):
>
> Hope he bought a lottery ticket, it was clearly his lucky day!🙂
I had the same thought, but then I wondered if it works the opposite way – maybe she’s used up all her luck for a while and should just lay low. So to speak.
---
### Author:  [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/15 "2014-08-01T14:33:12Z")
AX you? YE!!!
---
### Author:  [@Ranger\_Jeff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranger_Jeff)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/16 "2014-08-01T14:58:02Z")
This is the time of year when I see a LOT of people sitting in the front passenger seat with their bare feet up on the dash. I guess they want to get a tan on the soles of their feet or something. I don’t know why, but this really irritates me.
The point is, I’d hope the passenger in that photo keeps her feet on the floorboards.
---
### Author:  [@Crotalus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crotalus)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/17 "2014-08-01T15:12:56Z")
> [@GusNSpot](#):
>
> That’s not an ax, it is a hatchet, just over being a toy by a little bit.
>
> If that came out of a bouncing truck and the car was that close to the truck that the hatchet got the car that high up & without hitting the road first, he was following way to close for 65 MPH. IMO
>
> If it had hit the ground a couple of times and bouncing & spinning in that plane to come through the windshield in a manner to end up like that. Could be… But … I see no indication of that on the hatchet in the picture.
>
> I would probably squeaked a bit myself but I would be mad when I saw the extreme inaccuracy in the reporting.
>
> Life is all about inches & seconds.
>
> YMMV
It’s a hand axe, [not a hatchet](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hatchet). And you’re quite a CSI kind of guy based on one small picture.
I’m fairly certain I would have soiled my armor.
---
### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/18 "2014-08-01T15:48:45Z")
> [@cmyk](#):
>
> Too bad the airbag didn’t go off in a delayed reaction, launching a twirling hatchet into the relieved passengers face… WHAT A TWIST!
_Makes note for future movie script._
---
### Author:  [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/19 "2014-08-01T16:04:58Z")
A few weeks ago, a highway worker in this area was hit in the head with a shovel that fell off a passing truck. Fortunately he only needed nine (!) stitches. Last I heard, they were still looking for the truck.
---
### Author:  [@TimeWinder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TimeWinder)
#### Post date: [August 1, 2014, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557/20 "2014-08-01T16:31:25Z")
> [@jtur88](#):
>
> You mean, it’s against the law to fail to secure an ax? I’d love to have heard the debate on that bill in the state house.
Not sure if this is a whoosh or not, but it’s against the law in most places not to secure any load that can create a danger for other drivers. They didn’t pass a law just for axes.
[Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ax-the-person-whos-never-going-to-ride-in-a-car-again/694557.md?page=2)