Road Rage in China

In this first video, a driver in China finds themself in the middle of an intense confrontation between two men on foot and a person in a vehicle. The men on foot are holding baseball bats and threatening the person inside the vehicle. It is apparent that the men on foot are extremely upset with the person inside the vehicle because they are screaming and hitting the vehicle.

The person behind the camera realizes they are blocking the threatened driver’s exit route and they cautiously try to back their way out of the situation. The men continue to pound on the vehicle and taunt the driver while the driver behind the camera continues to back his way out of the situation.

For a brief 30 seconds, it seems as though things finally calmed down. Then one of the men jumps on the hood of the vehicle and the driver hits the gas. The man clings to the windshield as the driver barrels down the alley towards the camera man. At one point, the men do attack the vehicle with baseball bats.

Rear Windshield Punched In

In this video, the driver is slowly making their way through a busy intersection. There are many cars on the roadway; however, they are forced to drive very slow due to the number of civilians walking across the street. This is a rather short video, but it is quite funny.

A taxi turning left accidentally blocks an oncoming car when the vehicle in front of it stops. The man becomes infuriated at the taxi driver. Once the blocked driver gets around the taxi he exits his own vehicle to give the driver a piece of his mind. As he approaches. the taxi begins to drive away and the man punches in the rear windshield.

Intense Road Rage in Australia Leads to Shattered Windshield

This is a news clip from an Australian News Show called “TodayTonight”. They are interviewing the driver and road rage victim Ken Olsen on the event that took place.

Olsen caught the bizarre event on his dashboard camera when a man tried to run him off the road. The man tried to ram Olsen’s vehicle and then began flashing threatening hand gestures at him. Olsen comments “I thought if we just kept driving for a bit, you know, he would cool off”. 

However, the man did not cool and the situation actually intensified. The man pulled in front of Olsen’s vehicle and immediately hit his breaks. “He passed me on the verge, pulled in front of me and then immediately hit his breaks...and I had  nowhere to go I just ran straight into the back of him,” Olsen said. “He then jumped out of his vehicle and came running up to mine and I thought, ‘well he’s not just coming to talk’ I knew he meant business”. 

The man chased Olsen around the roadways and eventually rammed him off of the road. Olsen was forced to drive on the sidewalk in an attempt to escape the crazed driver. He eventually called “000” to alert the authorities.

Olsen narrated the event while the man chased him around. Eventually, the man pulled his vehicle in front of Olsen to block him in. He jumps out of the vehicle and jumps onto the hood of Olsen’s car and punches in his windshield. Olsen takes off and leaves the man lying in the middle of the road.

The 21-year-old eventually turned himself in to the police after this news story was shown on “TodayTonight”.

Man Riding Vehilce Kicks in Windshield

Our last video is another short but comical one. In Russia, a man is driving down the roadway when a car passes him with an unusual passenger. The driver watches in disbelief as a man riding the hood of a car violently kicks in the windshield in a fit of rage. The man pulls out and follows the car, hopefully to offer the frightened driver a helping hand.

Next Thursday, The Phoenix Auto Glass Blog will be taking a closer look at Road Rage. We will investigate the major causes of Road Rage, the repercussions, and how you should handle things if you ever find yourself caught in the middle of a heated confrontation.

Paul Ryans, Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “It is no coincidence that windshields are often the victim of road rage. When people are frustrated, they act out to demonstrate how upset they are. They want to expel their anger and the windshield and auto glass are the least likely to cause them personal injury. I truly believe that it is always possible to resolve any issue one might come across on the road in a calm and controlled manner. Hopefully our article next week will help us all to understand the causes of and help us find ways to avoid road rage. There would certainly be a lot less broken windshields”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

Safe driving requires complex coordination and many other skills. The physical and mental changes that come with aging can diminish these abilities in older drivers.

Factors that can impair driving abilities in Senior Citizens include:

• A decrease in response time
• Diminished clarity in vision through the windshield and hearing
• A loss of muscle strength and flexibility
• Drowsiness (due to medications)
• A decrease in the ability to focus or concentrate
• Lower tolerance for alcohol

Due to these diminished abilities, our society needs to keep watch for telltale signs of a senior citizen driver. One of the first signs to watch for is driving below or over the speed limit. Generally, elderly drivers are safe; however, when a driver is driving inappropriately slow, it can certainly be a safety hazard.

Diminished ability to see through the windshield, hearing and slowing reflexes degrade older drivers' performances on the road. The reason is that as people get older, they become less able to deal with all of the things going on around them while driving. They compensate for this by driving slower, hoping that they can better assimilate the data. The elderly driver tends to focus his or her attention directly in front of the vehicle because of an increasing inability to absorb and process rapidly changing information. The elderly driver remains attentive but it is less encompassing of their 360 degree environment than that of a younger driver.

Senior citizen drivers must also be vigilant of signs and traffic while entering and leaving the roadway from driveways and connecting roads. The result can be a complete overload of stimuli. "Failure to yield" violations are the leading contributing cause for accidents caused by elderly drivers. Senior citizen drivers are so focused on what is going on directly in front of them that they have a tendency to drive right into the paths of other cars.

Does slow driving cause more accidents?

One study out of the United Kingdom showed that slow drivers are one of the biggest dangers on the road and should be treated like speeders. Nearly a third of motorists have had a 'near miss' caused by someone traveling too slowly. These slow drivers create such frustration that six out of ten motorists feel stress rise and about half are tempted to 'overtake'. In the UK, it has led to a crackdown on slow drivers, including the setting of minimum limits or even ‘slow speed’ cameras. In the tradition of UK humor, they have come up with a few interesting names given for slow drivers.

• Turtle Chaser: A slow driver in the right lane on a motorway, being constantly overtaken – an action that is nevertheless illegal.
• Slow Charles: A person in front, driving extremely slowly under the speed limit when there is no other traffic.
• Lane Hanger: A driver that stays in the passing lane without moving over to let faster cars pass.
• Gramps Champ: An excessively slow and cautious driver, often elderly, who seems to stay in front of you in traffic. They turn where you want to turn, exit where you want to exit and pull into the same parking lot as you, etc.
• Feather Foot: Someone who takes forever to get up to speed.

A Demonstration of the Overtaking Manuever

In response to slow drivers, almost half of motorists risk overtaking, which greatly increases the chances of an accident. When a car traveling fast, approaches a car traveling slow, sometimes there is not enough space to change a lane or slow down. This generally results in an accident and the fast (or normal speed) driver hits the slow driver. If an accident does not happen and the fast driver manages to slow down, drivers behind him will also slow down and a chain reaction will begin. This is how those "unexplainable" traffic jams occur.

This does not excuse speeding…speed still kills more than slow driving! Again, it is driving too fast or too slow that forces the entire traffic flow to be altered. If you find yourself struggling to see through your windshield or slowing down below the speed limit to feel safe while driving you should seek medical opinion. They can determine if you should be driving a vehicle and what steps can be taken to help you be a safer driver.

Paul Ryans, Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass states, “If a driver cannot drive safely at or about a set speed limit, they increase the risk of an accident greatly. Just because a person is older, does not automatically mean they pose a greater threat on the road. However, many aging drivers do face difficulties in tasks that are much easier for younger drivers. If you have not read our article that covered the technologies that automobile manufacturers are implementing to help senior drivers, I highly recommend it. I am very thankful to see the industry stepping up to help resolve this serious issue”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

Part I of today's broken windshield blunders involved the Space Shuttle Endeavour's mission to the International space station. In February of 2010, NASA Astronauts informed ground crews of a ceramic insert protruding near one of the cockpit windows. This caused Astronauts to stay in space longer than scheduled to perform extensive inspections to the space craft.

However, this is not the first "Broken Windshield" mishap that has happened in space. In 1983, a small gauge appeared in one window of the space shuttle Challenger while it was in space. Once the shuttle returned to Earth, scientists were able to determine that the crack was caused by a tiny, orbiting fleck of paint!

To fully understand how lucky these astronauts are, you have to consider how much space junk and debris floats in Earth's atmosphere. Most space junk orbits the Earth 20,000 miles above the ground. NASA estimates that there are some tens of millions of pieces of rubbish orbiting the Planet. Some of the so called "rubbish" is debris from comets, but most of this is the remnants of man-made objects, this space junk is referred to as "Orbital Debris."

Scientists estimate that in total there are 11 million earth pounds of orbiting trash ranging from the size of a minivan to a tiny speck. NASA states, "Space junk races around the Earth at breakneck speeds. Most pieces fly through space at more than 20 times the speed that sound travels on Earth. Going that fast, even the smallest pieces mean big trouble for spacecraft. For example, a tiny marble in orbit around the Earth can have as much energy as a bowling ball going 500 miles per hour, or a car going 30 miles per hour."

Below is a comprehensive map of orbiting space junk surrounding our planet.

Part II of today's extreme broken windshield article involves the world record of a submarine that was strategically designed to reach the depths of the Mariana Trench. The sub is known as, "Trieste." The department of navy described the craft as, "The underwater equivalent of a lighter-than-air craft, much like a blimp operating in reverse."

Actual Image of the Trieste

The pressure the sub experienced on the deepest man dive in history was astounding. The nearly 7 mile descent to the known deepest point on earth took around 5 hours. The pressure exceeded 16,883 pounds per square inch.

During the dive (which earned the divers on board their place in the World Record Books), an outer Plexiglass window cracked. Fortunately this did not cause any problems other than some anxiety for the divers!

Actual Image of the Trieste

Part III of today's broken windshield zero gravity experience involves the final voyage of a famous glass bottomed boat. The famous 100-foot glass bottomed paddle boat named, "Phoenix" had its last voyage in the summer of 2006. Commissioned in 1929, Phoenix, made its famous debut in the 1966 film "Doris Day!".

An Image of a Glass Bottom Boat

The 77-year old vessel was out of commission until a famous restaurateur in the San Francisco Bay area purchased the glass bottomed boat. The entrepreneur hoped to transform the vessel into a floating Cajun restaurant. However, as the owner and three crew members were motoring the vessel from LA to the Bay area disaster struck! One of the glass bottomed boats glass panels sprung a leak. Coast Guard Authorities received a distress call saying that the boats pumps could not keep up with the amount of water flooding the vessel.  The Phoenix filled with water as the crew scrambled to safety.

Actual Image of The Pheonix Sinking

“The Phoenix sank in about 600 feet of water, two miles off Zuma Beach,” said Los Angeles County Fire Inspector Edward Osorio.

“It was just a beautiful boat," said restaurateur Gallagher. “Our crews were sick watching it go down".

Paul Ryan's, The Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “Many people do not think about the fact that our automobiles are not the only vehicles with windshields. One also has to assume that every windshield will break, eventually. It is difficult to imagine the glass of a space shuttle or a submarine cracking or breaking and the idea can be quite terrifying. However, the windshield in any type of vehicle is strategically designed to keep the passengers safe, whether on the roads, waterways or in space”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

Multiple Windows and Windshields Smashed in Provo Parking Lot

Provo police are searching for the person responsible for a large amount of damage caused in an apartment complex parking lot. The windshields and windows of at least a half dozen vehicles were smashed out overnight. 

Police say that someone broke into the trunk of a vehicle in the parking lot and stole a set of golf clubs. The individual then used the golf clubs to smash the front windshields, rear windshields, windows and bodies of many of the cars parked in the lot. 

It is not believed that burglary was the primary objective in this case. Typically, burglars will take the quietest route possible, so as not to be seen or heard. This crime would have been very loud and police are hoping that someone heard or saw something. Police stated that a burglar would have never chosen to break the windshields, as they are much harder to break than the rest of the glass. The damage is so significant that the person responsible could be facing felony charges.

To watch a news clip on the story click here:

http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_4889.shtml

Deer Crashes Through Bus Windshield

A bus driver in Pennsylvania had an unexpected passenger last Thursday. The security camera on the bus captured the footage of a deer crashing through the bus windshield. The only people on board at the time were the driver John Porter and a single woman passenger riding in the back of the bus.

The deer stands up and frantically tried to find a way out of the bus; the confused deer tried to jump back out through the windshield, to no avail. The bus driver opened the front doors to the bus; however, the deer had already made her way to the back of the bus. 

The video shows the deer frantically trying to figure out how to exit the bus, running into walls and windows and seats. The video does not show that the deer did make it safely out of the side door to the bus. Neither the driver nor the passengers were injured by the incident, although the condition of the deer is unknown.

Arsonist Sets 6 Police Cruisers Ablaze

May 14, St Croix, Police officers throughout the area were preparing to celebrate National Police Week. Brand new police cruiser units were sitting on the lot at Metro Motors Car Dealership, waiting to be turned over to the officers for National Police Week.

Dispatchers received a call at 1:47am Monday morning about an explosion in the area of the Metro Motors Car Dealership. Dispatchers received a second call moments later confirming that there was a fire at that location.

Fire Marshal Clifford Joseph stated that the Richmond Fire Station used more than 600 gallons of water to put out the fires. He said the arsonist attempted to light up 7 vehicles but fire only caught to 6. 

Joseph Stated, "When we got there, you could smell the strong odor of gasoline in the area...That, and the manner in which the cars were burnt and how the fire spread, were all clear indications that it was arson...It's certainly unfortunate that this occurred, but I still see it as fortunate that more vehicles were not damaged and those that were damaged can still be salvaged...The fire did not go through and through the interior, so they can be repaired."

Police believe the arsonists started with the center vehicles, in hopes that the fire would spread each direction to the surrounding vehicles.

Metro Motors Sales Manager Keith Cornelius said, "We are certainly saddened by this, and we are cooperating however we can...Police are the ones who protect and serve the community. I just hope that they catch whoever is responsible."

Of the 27 vehicles on the ‘secured’ lot, only 6 were damaged. Police are continuing the investigation.

Paul Ryans, The Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “While we enjoy bringing you fun and entertaining articles to read, it is also important to keep up on current news and understand the events taking place in the world around us. Fortunately, no one was injured in any of today’s stories, although many windshields were broken. Hopefully, all of these were replaced by a reputable and NGA certified windshield replacement shop”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

1. The "Gym Rat"

We had to laugh at this first note that an over zealous fitness buff left on a car windshield at a gym. 

2. The Frightened Feline Owner

This next note left by a very concerned owner of a frightened feline must have been a surprise. We hope the receiver of that note took the time to read the note before starting their car. 

3. The Grumpy Cat 

Tracking with our theme of cat related windshield notes; number three on our list is a note with Internet star, Grumpy Cat offering fair warning to a motorist to park in his/her own spot or risk being towed.

4. Not so Politically Correct

This note takes a political approach in addressing a parking job that obviously crossed party lines. 

5. Passive Aggressive with Peanut Butter

Out of all the windshield notes we came across, this one takes the gold for being the most passive aggressive. 

6. Reasons Not To Steal This Truck

The car owner left this note, in an attempt to ward of possible thieves. 

7. The Meteorologist  

8. The Curse

Apparently, they did not know whom they were messing with

9. The Honest Gasoline Thief

This note was left from a very resourceful "Random Stranger"

10. The Good Samaritan

This note was left from a random person just "trying to be a better person".

Paul Ryans, Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, "It is always a good laugh to read the windshield notes people write to one another. This is only the first installment of these as I am sure we will find many more funny and interesting windshield notes to share with you in the future. At least these people found a non-aggressive way to deliver their messages; unlike some of the people you will see in our article later this week on Road Rage". 

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

The "Barrow" Gang (from the 1967 Bonnie and Clyde Film)

The Barrow Gang traveled the central United States during the “public enemy period” of 1931 – 1934 as robbers and murderers. Barrow was nineteen years old when he was introduced to Parker and Parker was only eighteen at the time. The two met at a mutual friend’s house and they were smitten with each other immediately. Parker followed Barrow and his gang because of her love for him; she was even willing to accept the inevitable violent lifestyle. The couple loved to pose for photos; in one photograph in particular, Parker stuck a cigar in her mouth, which became known as the photo that branded her as a cigar-smoking murderer; in reality, she smoked unfiltered Camel cigarettes.

Bonnie Parker's Infamious "Cigar" Photo

Barrow and Parker were both natives of Texas. After Barrow served a short stint in prison in 1932, he assembled a core group and began to carry out small robberies in Texas. The gang’s first murder was a storeowner in April of 1932. 

The first officer they killed was a sheriff deputy. Barrow and two of his associates were in Oklahoma drinking alcohol outside of a country-dance while Parker was visiting her mother. A sheriff and deputy approached and the first shoot-out with police took place. The deputy was killed and the sheriff was gravely wounded. It was the first of nine police officers to be killed by Bonnie & Clyde’s gang.

Real Image of Bonnie and Clyde

The gang traversed as far north as Minnesota, west as far as Colorado and southeast as far as Mississippi, committing robberies and evading police in many lengthy shoot-outs. However, it was in 1934 that Barrow made his long contemplated move that ultimately lead to the unraveling of his gang and his excessive and violent death.

Bonnie and Clyde (from the 1967 film)

Barrow orchestrated the brazen raid against the Texas Department of Corrections in what became known as the infamous “Eastham Breakout.” Barrow helped a handful of prisoners escape and a prison officer was shot; this resulted in a full manhunt for the gang by the State of Texas as well as federal authorities. 

Frank Hamer (The man that "got" Bonnie and Clyde)

Barrow had found a new and very dangerous enemy, the famous Texas Ranger, Frank Hamer. Hamer fought in over 100 gunfights and killed at least 53 men during his career in law enforcement. Hamer was chosen to head the manhunt, which escalated the intensity of the situation.

As the Barrow gang stayed a town or two ahead of Hamer and his posse, two more police officers and a constable were shot and killed by the gang. Hamer quickly determined Barrow’s pattern of a circular pattern of skirting along the state lines of five states. Unlike John Dillinger, another notorious criminal of the same era, Barrow’s pattern was consistent and predictable.

Bonnie and Clyde's Stolen Ford V8

Hamer obtained a quantity of civilian Browning Automatic Rifles (manufactured by Colt as the "Monitor") and 20 round magazines with armor piercing rounds. Barrow and Parker were ambushed and killed on the 23^rd of May, 1934 on a rural road in Bienville Parish, Louisiana. The couple were shot by a posse of four Texas officers (Frank Hamer, B.M. "Manny" Gault, Bob Alcorn and Ted Hinton) and two Louisiana officers (Henderson Jordan and Prentiss Morel Oakley).

At approximately 9:15 am on May 23, the posse, concealed in the bushes heard Barrow's stolen Ford V-8 approaching at a high speed. The posse's official report had Barrow stopping to speak with gang member Henry Methvin's father, planted there with his truck that morning to distract him and force him into the lane closer to the posse. The lawmen then opened fire, killing Barrow and Parker while shooting a combined total of approximately 130 rounds.

The possed fired over 130 rounds into the vehicle, windshield and windows

As you can see from a few of the photos posted, the car metal, windshield, and windows were peppered with these shots. Some today say Bonnie and Clyde were shot more than 50 times; others claim that it was closer to 25 wounds per corpse, or 50 wounds total. 

Officially, the tally in Parish coroner Dr. J. L. Wade's 1934 report listed 17 separate entrance wounds on Barrow's body and 26 on Parker's, including several headshots on each, and one that had snapped Barrow's spinal column. So numerous were the bullet holes that undertaker C. F. "Boots" Bailey would have difficulty embalming the bodies because they wouldn't contain the embalming fluid.

Some of the rounds even penetrated the rear windshield

The gang had become so famous that it was estimated that the northwest Louisiana town swelled in population from 2,000 to 12,000 within hours; the curious throngs arrived by train, horseback, buggy, and plane. The town of Arcadia where the bodies were taken now has a historical museum of Bonnie & Clyde artifacts; the car can be seen at the National Museum of Crime & Punishment located in Washington, D.C.

The Death Scene

The Death Scene from the 1967 film "Bonnie and Clyde"

(Excessive Violence in this scene)

Paul Ryans, Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “The Bonnie & Clyde story has captured a public attitude of a romantic criminal couple. The reality is that they and their gang were a group of very disturbed and violent beings who seemed to kill without any remorse whatsoever. As is evident from the images of their vehicle, they died a very violent and excessive death. It is easy to spot the 130+ bullet holes throughout the sides, windows and windshield of the vehicle”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

When playing any game it is absolutely vital that you know the rules to the game. Therefore, in case you do not remember, here are the step-by-step instructions to playing Duck, Duck, Goose.

1. Sit everybody down in a circle
2. Choose one person to walk around the circle
3. As that person walks around the circle they tap each persons head and say "Duck"
4. When the person chooses the "Goose", he/she must run around the circle and sit in the gooses seat before the goose tags that person

Now that you clearly understand the rules to the game, let us take a closer look at what happens when real duck, duck, goose is played with windshields.

Duck...

Gomez says he did not see the duck until it was too late

The first "Duck" story involves school bus driver Christian Gomez in Fayettville, North Carolina. Gomez was driving a school bus of children at 7:30 a.m. when a duck flew through the school bus windshield. "I did not have any chance to stop or do [anything]," said Gomez, who was not badly hurt. The 36-year-old said he noticed the approaching duck barely a second before it hit the glass.

The Duck in question smashed through the windshield, hit the steering wheel, hitting Mr. Gomez in the chest before falling to the floor. Luckily, no children aboard the school bus were injured and bus driver Christian Gomez was also fortunate to walk away from this bizarre incident without any injuries.

Gomez recalls that after he pulled the bus over a man came running up to the bus yelling, "It’s my duck!"

Duck...

No one was badly injured from the ducks crashing through the Helicopter windshield

The Second "Duck" story of our three-part game involves a Duck that crashed through a Helicopter Windshield. The Crew of a medical helicopter traveling from Sioux Falls to Chamberlain, South Dakota had quite the surprise. They picked up two unexpected passengers, mid flight! The ducks smashed through the helicopter windshield but the occupants were not seriously injured.

Without a windshield, the helicopter was forced to make an emergency landing in a nearby field. When the ducks collided with the windshield, the helicopter was flying at 1200 feet traveling at 155 MPH. The ducks came through the windshield and hit the pilot in the leg and in the shoulder.

Terry Willis recalls the event, "[we were] cruising along and all the sudden there's a loud thud, followed by a pretty good rush of fresh, cool air, and an immediate painful sensation in my left knee."

The experienced pilot was able to get his bearings and place night vision goggles on and land the helicopter safely.

GOOSE!

Now that we have played, "Duck" "Duck"...you know what comes next. GOOSE! This goose story gave one very lucky man quite the scare. Tony Deakin was driving down the freeway, obeying the 70 MPH speed limit with co-worker Martyn Ranyard when an unexpected and terrifying event happened. A 25-pound Canadian Goose came barreling through Mr. Deakin's windshield and hit him directly in the face!

Analysts figure that the combined speed of the bird with the speed of the vehicle traveling on the freeway was well over 100 MPH, as the freak accident left Tony covered in blood and glass.

"I just froze as I saw it hurtling towards me. It came at me in slow motion like it had been projected straight at me. I didn't shout out or put my hands up to protect my face. I just closed my eyes and braced myself," Said Tony.

Luckily, both of the men walked away from the game of Duck, Duck, Goose with only minor cuts and bruises.

Paul Ryans, The Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “I'm very glad that all of the participants of our Duck, Duck, Goose game were unharmed. It just goes to show the vital role that a windshield plays in your safety and the safety of everyone in your vehicle. I truly hope you never play this type of Duck, Duck, Goose; however, in the case that your windshield is damaged or broken you should bring it to your nearest NGA certified windshield replacement and auto glass repair shop".

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at mailto:teamrr@q.com.

Working as a civil servant is never an easy job, especially when you work as a police officer. Back in 2009, Pc Mike Baillon was making routine traffic stops in Monmouthshire, South Wales when he pulled over Robert Whatley (who was 74 at the time) for failure to wear a seat belt. The dash cam from his patrol car showed Pc Baillon go crazy as he runs up and smashes the driver side window; his partner repeatedly kicks Mr. Whatley’s windshield. After the two officers destroyed the window, they pulled Mr. Whatley out of the vehicle and out of sight. Soon after the video went viral (over 30 million views on YouTube) Pc Baillon was forced to quit his job due to “bullying and harassment” from fellow officers who viewed the behavior as unbecoming.

What the video fails to show is the initial contact that was made with Mr. Whatley when he was pulled over for the minor traffic incident, but drove away before the police officers had finished dealing with him. He continued to drive for 17 minutes before finally coming to a stop. The video then shows Pc Baillon running up to the vehicle and using his baton to strike the window several times. Pc Baillon has never publicly given a reason why he used such force against the vehicle and its windshield.

Mr. Whatley claims he thought that the officers were giving him an escort home; Whatley was found guilty for not wearing a seat belt, failure to stop for an officer, using a vehicle with defective registration plates and having non-standard tinted windows. Mr. Whatley was fined $305 for the infractions. However, he received $58,570 in compensation for the damage caused to his windshield and the window of his Range Rover.

PC Mike Baillon

The video of Baillon bashing the window of the Range Rover was viewed over 30 million times on YouTube. This led Baillon to walk out of his job after being ridiculed every day by his fellow coppers.

Whatley

A tribunal ruled he was unfairly dismissed from the traffic squad after writing a letter to the force raising a number of concerns at how his case was handled.

The panel has yet to decide how much compensation the PC should receive, but it is likely to run into the six-figure range because of lost earnings and pension entitlements.

“The ridicule from colleagues was getting to me – it was every single day...They thought I had done wrong and I was lucky to have got away with it. I just wanted my closure." 

Baillon also told the tribunal that his work locker had been defaced and that he eventually had to take sick leave due to stress. He wrote letters of complaint to his superiors; however, they stated that he was removed from front line duties because his mental state could have impaired his ability to respond to high-speed chases.

Paul Ryans, The Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “Technologies such as FaceBook and YouTube have opened new doors and possibilities in human communication. These technologies are helping people connect all around the world and share a common conversation, thought or even share a moment. However, cyber bullying has become a serious issue, in the United States and in every corner of the world. The video of this police officer smashing the windows and the windshield should have remained in police custody for the man’s superiors to analyze and decide the correct actions to take”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

A report released by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 78 percent of drivers over the age of fifty-five use one or more medications; however, just over one in four were aware of the possible dangers of driving while on those medications. Only 18 percent of those surveyed said they had received warning about medications that could impair their driving abilities, such as ACE inhibitors, sedatives and beta blockers.

In addition, the study found that as people aged, awareness decreased, despite the fact that the number of prescription medicines increased. The problem is likely to increase as the population of aging drivers is growing rapidly and the number of older adults using multiple medications has increased. The study also found that as medication use has increased, awareness of the dangers of these medications has not. The use of a single medication, as well as the use of multiple medications, can increase the risk of a driving accident.

"Health care professionals need to educate patients about their potentially driver impairing medications to help them make safe driving decisions," said AAA Foundation President and CEO Peter Kissinger in a statement for the press. "One of our goals is to help older drivers stay mobile as long as safely possible; so, it is imperative that we do a better job of educating drivers on known risks, such as the side-effects of medications."

Specific medications adversely affect the safety of senior citizen drivers. What types of medications and for what conditions do aging drivers need to be aware of taking while driving? The first two types of medications commonly prescribed to Senior patients with major impairment concerns are benzodiazepines and tricyclic anti-depressants. Benzodiazepines include many common sedatives such as Valium (diazepam), Ativan (lorazepam), Klonopin (clonazepam), and Xanax (alprazolam). These medications, as well as others in this class, are usually used for anxiety and sleep disturbances and disorders.

Tricyclic anti-depressants are still used for depression but also are used in the senior population to help with sleep and for nerve pain seen in diseases like Diabetes Mellitus, peripheral neuropathies, and neuritis pain seen in disorders such as shingles. The most common are Elavil (amitriptyline), Pamelor (nortriptyline), and imipramine.

ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers are widely used for hypertension and heart disease and are therefore quite prevalent in the senior population. There are over a half dozen different drugs in each of these medication classes. Luckily, most of these drug classes are less likely to cause impairment, as opposed to the first two drug classes.

Finally, medications and treatment of Diabetes Mellitus must be taken into strong consideration with regards to driver safety. Low blood sugar levels or hypoglycemia, can cause decreased mental alertness and in extreme cases, unconsciousness. In addition, some of the medications used to treat this common disorder can hasten hypoglycemia so blood sugar levels must be closely monitored.

There is now substantial evidence that commonly used medications can interfere with driver safety; however, many questions still remain unanswered. There is a pressing need for more research that further elucidates how patient characteristics, disease and drugs interact and affect driving safety. There is sufficient data to reinforce an underlying theme in Senior medicine that is not yet fully practiced: the need for caution in pharmacotherapy, concerning the selection of a drug, dose and a regimen suitable for the unique characteristics and needs of this demographic.

Paul Ryans, The Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass Stated, “Although our focus is generally on windshield and auto glass safety, we strongly felt the need to share this article today. This information is extremely important for our American population because diseases such as diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease appear to be more prevalent every year and in younger adults as well as in Senior Citizens. Impaired ability to think, see and hear is one of the number one causes of vehicle accidents and as these diseases increase in the population, the consumption of these drugs that could impair driving ability will also increase”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.

Wrong time to jump of a bridge. - Watch More Funny Videos

In the video clip above, a drunken Australian man flirts with death while emergency services try to save him; witnesses watch from below as the man dangles from a bridge. Local police are on the scene saying, “Bruce don’t, it’s too far to jump and the boys are here to grab you".

Finally, a fire truck arrives on the scene to rescue Bruce from the top of the bridge. However, as the truck drives underneath the bridge, the man falls from the bridge and hits the windshield of the oncoming fire truck before hitting the ground. A local Police Officer stated, “Unfortunately, during the negotiations with the man [he fell] from the bridge. As a result of [his] injuries sustained from the fall, he’s been taken to a nearby hospital.”

The fall could have potentially killed the man, however; the fire truck windshield that broke his fall probably saved his life and as a result, he only suffered minor injuries from the incident.

This is not the first story we have covered on The Phoenix Auto Glass Blog of this nature. You may remember the story we covered back in January; New York City local, Thomas McGill, 22, jumped from the top of a 39-story building and amazingly lived to tell the tale. McGill plunged 39 stories from the rooftop of an apartment building and survived after landing on a parked car.

Car owner, Guy McCormick, says he believes it was fate that saved the man’s life. McCormick typically carpools to work, but on the day of the incident, he had taken his wife’s red Dodge to work. Furthermore, he had received special permission to park in a “no parking” zone that day.

When McGill jumped from the top of the apartment building in an attempt to end his life, he had no idea that the red Dodge parked below would break his fall. Witnesses who saw McGill after he jumped say that McGill was screaming out in pain. He suffered two broken legs from the fall and had to be taken to a local hospital in critical condition.

In addition to McGill’s story, we recently covered a story of an Argentina woman who fell 23 stories from the Crown Plaza Pan Americano in Buenos Aires. The woman was seen ordering a cup of coffee from the Coffee Shop on the top floor of the hotel. Shortly after placing her order, she removed her shoes, climbed over the balcony and leapt from the side.

The woman fell over 330 feet and landed on top of a Taxi Cab. The taxi cab driver saw police and people standing and staring up at the building, his curiosity got the best of him and he stepped out of the vehicle to see what the commotion was.

As the Taxi Cab driver, Miguel, stepped out of the Taxi, the woman came crashing down on his vehicle. Her body hit the car with such force that the windshield exploded. Authorities say that if MIguel had not stepped out of the vehicle, the force of the woman’s body would have most likely killed them both. 

Paul Ryans, The Operations Manager at SunTec Auto Glass stated, “We tend to think of our windshields as only protecting the occupants inside the vehicle; however, these stories prove that a windshield can also protect those outside of a vehicle. If your windshield has been broken or damaged, it is crucial that you only allow an NGA certified windshield replacement and auto glass repair shop to repair or replace your windshield. An improperly installed windshield loses its structural integrity and poses a safety risk to the occupants of a vehicle, as well as those outside of the vehicle”.

If you live in the greater Phoenix, Arizona area and require a windshield replacement or auto glass repair, contact SunTec Auto Glass today. Our windshield replacement and auto glass repair technicians are NGA (National Glass Association) certified and service all vehicle makes and models. We use OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) auto glass and OEM parts, because you and your family's safety matters. We work with all auto insurance companies and we accept all forms of payment. We offer free mobile service to Maricopa and Pinal Counties for your convenience. To schedule your windshield replacement, auto glass repair, auto glass tinting or auto glass etching, please contact us at (602) 753-6050 or by email at teamrr@q.com.