Youngin_07, (10/24/2009 9:31:29 AM)

Only 33 years old.. How sad, I wish the best for his family and friends. Too bad he didn't have his seat belt on.. Although, I never wear mine.. I know it's dumb but the fact that the law says, "I have to" do something that is only effecting myself irritates me and makes me chose not to. Oh the comments I'm gonna get on this.

Youngin_07, (10/24/2009 9:32:22 AM)

I hate that we can't edit our comments!!

Few Clothes, America (10/24/2009 10:07:05 AM)

Condolences to the family of Jerry West.

Wishes for a complete recovery for Rowdy Hartley.

AnimalFarm, (10/24/2009 10:11:52 AM)

Which driver was driving south in the northbound lanes?
Is it in the article? Did I miss it?

jestergrl1, Mannford (10/24/2009 10:20:16 AM)

Animalfarm, I agree. It is confusing as to which one was going in the wrong direction. It seems it might be West that was going the wrong direction. KOTV??

Jt4OU, mohnton (10/24/2009 10:23:04 AM)

I believe it was the West vehicle that was driving in the wrong lane, what a shame, prayers to the families of these two, and hope for a full recovery of Mr. Hartley

b-town girl, tahlequah (10/24/2009 10:24:22 AM)

i had to read it a few times. but it looks like west was driving in the wrong direction.

*Around 10:44 p.m., deputies from Tulsa, Creek and Okmulgee counties and officers from Beggs responded after the Oklahoma Highway Patrol was alerted by multiple calls of a vehicle driving southbound in the northbound lanes of U.S. Highway 75 near 201st Street South, according to the OHP.

Before law enforcement could reach the vehicle, a 2003 Chevrolet pickup driven by West, it struck a 2008 GMC pickup driven by Rowdy R. Hartley, 24, of Weatherford, head-on near 241st Street South, troopers said.*

i took out "however" which made it a lil confusing to me. the sentence makes more sense without it.

jestergrl1, Mannford (10/24/2009 10:26:53 AM)

Well, Well, I must need more coffee...As stated in my comment above for KOTV to clarify who was in the wrong lane, I met to wrote TW to clarify. Geezzz!!!

Tulsa World Staff Writer Clifton Adcock, Tulsa (10/24/2009 10:27:26 AM)

True, b-town girl. I took "however" out of the story, as it was a bit confusing. See how it reads now. And yes, West was the one drivng the wrong way. Thanks.

CWG, Tulsa (10/24/2009 10:40:50 AM)

Youngin_07: it appears that none of us care if you don't wear a seatbelt.

yorkie_dude, Tulsa (10/24/2009 10:51:59 AM)

youngin 07 sounds real intelligent not wearing a seatbelt because the law says you have to. I'm sure you will really stick it to the law when you're dead from a crash that could have easily been survivable if you had worn a seatbelt.

okie ridgerunner, Small Country Town State Line (10/24/2009 11:12:56 AM)

youngin07 you can be stupid and stuburn if you want. life is your choice.and it is your money you will be giving away to the pepole you resent if you get caught.

okie ridgerunner, Small Country Town State Line (10/24/2009 11:14:19 AM)

condolences and prayers.

Blueoxe, (10/24/2009 11:24:32 AM)

youngin07 I respond to emergencies. Do me a favor, I do not want to see your intestines wrapped around a tree, I do not want to see the top of your skull missing and your brain ground into the pavement over 100 ft. I prefer to sleep at night instead of being haunted by images I have seen through the course of my job. As I write this, images beyond the horrible description previously come to mind. It is possible that you have family that like you, by your admission you do not like them. You are selfish and suck.

Youngin_07, (10/24/2009 11:49:07 AM)

Blueoxe if you can't deal with the images than find a new career. Is it stupid that I do not wear a seat belt.. Maybe so. Is it my choice? Yes it is. I may be stubborn Okie ride but believe it or not people have lost lives wearing a seat belt as well. I have a friend who lost a son because the seat belt wrapped around his neck and choked him to death.. Also, I read about a man who lost his life because he couldn't get his seat belt off in time after being hit and another car hit him from the side. I'm not saying it's smart to not wear a seat belt I'm just saying I choose not to. And it that means you find me stubborn and ignorant. Than so be it because you are entitled to your opinion.

Okieandjew, Unknown (10/24/2009 12:21:22 PM)

Youngin, I hate to admit it but you are ignorant. Ignorant is better than stupid. Ignorant means you don't know but are capable of learning. If you don't wear your seatbelt because you have to, you are not ignorant. You're an idiot.

tfromtulsa, Tulsa (10/24/2009 12:23:23 PM)

Blueoxe - Yikes! That's truly horrible. Sorry you have to clean up other people's bad decisions. I always wear my seatbelt and don't even move the car until everyone in it is buckled up. All the car wrecks I've ever been in were caused by the other driver, and in my opinion a person would have to be a special kind of stupid to intentionally not buckle their seat belt.

People who choose not to buckle up will eventually win the Darwin Award. The odds are in their favor.

Wren, Tulsa (10/24/2009 12:47:23 PM)

I was wearing seatbelts before wearing seatbelts were cool, or a law. Long before it was a law my Mom had us strapped in. I too have had a friend that was in a wreck and had she been wearing a seatbelt she would have been trapped (side collision) and could have died or at a minimum been seriously injured. However, statistics prove out, you're more likely to survive a wreck with a seat belt on than without. The idea of my face going through a windshield just isn't appealing to me.

Thunder196, Tulsa (10/24/2009 1:56:29 PM)

Youngin_07
People don't like being told they have to wear seat belts. Look at it differently, is it just you who would suffer if something happened. Would you want your family to grieve over the death of a loved one. Just another way of looking at it. Not trying to put a guilt trip on anyone.

Thunder196, Tulsa (10/24/2009 2:02:45 PM)

Like Wren, I have used my seal belt since mid 70's and all my kids were always buckled in.
.
I worked in a hospital, I have seen too much to do other wise.

BeingTheChange, (10/24/2009 4:24:14 PM)

I do feel for the families and their loss.

I also feel the need to add to the seatbelt comments: 1.How many auto races do you watch where the drivers have no seatbelts on? ZERO. Even drivers in demolition derbys that crash cars on purpose have their seatbelts on for pete's sake. If these drivers, who a professionals trained to handle cars at high speeds, feel the need to buckle up, what makes you think you could do a better job? 2. I was told by a friend of mine who is a psychologist that wearing a seatbelt is a form of self-love and those that chose not to, lack enough respect for themselves to care enough to ensure their safety.

There are plenty of other worthy causes out there that need people to protest for them that will not cause permanent damage to their families if they are hurt or killed. If you feel you must feed your need to rebel I might suggest pouring your efforts into one of them instead.

flattop1269, Tulsa (10/24/2009 4:27:32 PM)

Ok, how's this one. In 1993, I had just got my car reaffirmed. I filled it up with gas, went to my parents' house to get some stuff and thought about taking my dog with me to my apartment, but I desided not to. I got onto Highway 169 southbound from 41st. I headed southbound NOT wearing my seatbelt. On the radio I heard the announcer say that the highway patrol was doing stops for seatbelt checks and I thought, "Highway Patrol? Probably on the turnpike." Anyway, right past the 51st street exit, there was a cop car that had pulled someone over. I decided to get my belt on. Exactly 1 mile later, I started exiting off onto 71st street when I truck made a last minute two-lane exit and I swerved to the right to miss him. I lost control of my car and rolled it. I ended up in the ditch on the left side of the 71st street exit ramp...UPSIDE DOWN!!. My car had rolled 3-4 times. Everything in my back seat was in my front seat, everything in my front was the back. Nothing hit me. My roof was caved in, except right above my head. All glass shattered, except next to my head. Now, why is all this important, GOD! He told me to put my belt on 1 mile before..when he had that cop there. The announcer made me aware, possibly God speaking thru him. Sorry this is so long! God be with the families of this tragic event.

flattop1269, Tulsa (10/24/2009 4:29:21 PM)

BTW, I walked away from the wreck with a sore back the next day.

The Sarge, Okmulgee (10/24/2009 5:54:58 PM)

When some one is killed in a motorcycle acceident it is almost never mentioned if the person was wearing a helmet even after the report will say the person died from head injuries. Every time some one dies in a car wreck they will say the person was not wearing a seat belt.

Ron B, (10/24/2009 7:59:13 PM)

Driving the wrong direction for miles makes me wonder if alcohol or drugs was a factor. Most people would realize very soon they were headed the wrong direction unless they were impaired.