BR Abandonment vs Force-outs

[Tim C]

I am not being thickheaded I just am confused:

For a player to run 18 feet in three seconds is pretty easy. Mickey Mantle ran the 90'to first in 3.2 seconds. I am asking a batter to cover approximately 1/4 that distance in basically the same time.

Sooooo,

I took a break and drove over to one of my local PIL (High School Fields) and used a highly accurate measuring system (I place one foot in from of the other, counted the steps and then came back here and measured my shoe):

The dugout is 17'9" from home plate.

Now back to my situation:

By reading this entire thread again,it appears that some of the people posting feel that if the batter-runner ran directly to the dugout that the force out would be eliminated and a tag would have to be made.

1) Have I nterpreted this part of the thread correctly?

2) Did the bases being occupied, as in my original situation, at the time of the pitch make a difference?

3) If it did (see #2) then we appear, at first glance, to have two conflicting views.

Help me, Mr Wizard!!!!

I am lost and confused.

T