Our youth certainly have different forms of "common sense" than they will as
they continue to mature.  Heck, I recall a high school beach party when
several of us decided to dive off the ferry dock in Burlington and swim
across Lake Champlain.  We had indulged a "fair" amount of Carlings Black
Label that night.

After swimming what seemed like a long time we went ashore with relief,
climbed the rocks feeling successful about our prowess and realized we had
managed to hit the breakwater about 500 yards off the beach.  10-15 more
miles to go.  A fellow fishing from his boat came and gave us a ride back to
shore, shared a beer with the crowd and laughed heartily as he went back to
his fishing.

SamC

----- Original Message -----
From: "Kim Brennan" <kimbrennan@mac.com>
To: "Sam Conant" <samcvt@COMCAST.NET>
Cc: <vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM>
Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 12:52 PM
Subject: Re: don't use cruise control in the rain?

> Many years ago (as a young driver) I was traveling at night on the
> Maryland eastern shore (heading to the beach). I was traveling in my
> Super Beetle on US 50. Maintaining speed and having no troubles at  all
> driving in the rain.
>
> I glancd down at the speedometer (infrequently enough) and suddenly  saw
> that it was reading 30 mph, instead of the 60 mph I thought I was
> traveling at. A short time later the front left wheel got back on the
> pavement (instead of hydroplaning) and the speedometer jumped back up  to
> 60 mph. That was my first experience with hydroplaning and I  thought it
> pretty cool. Did I slow down? Heck, no, I watched it  happen multiple
> times on that trip.
>
> I was young and invulnerable.
>
> Common sense is something that folks acquire with age. The young  (mostly)
> don't have it.
>
>
> On Nov 3, 2007, at 11:41 AM, Sam Conant wrote:
>
>> Hydro-planing can occur with Cruise Control on or off ... It is the  wear
>> on
>> the tread and the driver's level of common-sensical driving which
>> determines
>> the risk and, often, the outcome.
>