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TX is known for high speed limits. Probably low traffic a lot of the time, and the locals are used to it. Better than dumbo 55 that is common in so much of Oregon.
Speaking of Oregon, saw an OR plated Sienna, plate read "YEN YEN" (so guess the driver), variable speed, weaving around going nowhere, being a typical idiot. Also honked at an Escalade that stopped in the middle of a turn for no reason - probably lost. I know when I'm lost, I just freeze and stop in the middle of a major arterial.
Lots of considerate drivers here in Las Cruces. I've seen the cops stop two people in just a day, but one may have been a welfare check on an adult tricycle (didn't see the rider). Also noticed that some intersections were signed for red light/speed cameras. Not sure what the reason is but most of the streets are 35 mph and most people are going about that.
Cameras = we need money.
Well, we are both coasting downhill to a 4-way stop.
He stops and has to wait his turn. I creep on his right, and carefully make a right turn.
He eventually turns right and starts SCREAMING at me about....I really don't know.....
Old guy---face red, temples bulging--weaving as he rants...
I still have no idea what his problem was, but it's disturbing that as we speak he's out there somewhere.
Regarding Shifty's raging truck driver, maybe there needs to be background checks for the purchases of some vehicles, along with license endorsements. Some of them do seem to attract an element.
Oh yeah, warm day here, have already seen numerous greybeards out on Harleys, no gear other than little brain bucket helmets - even the sportbike set here wears more. Skin grafts aren't cheap or fun.
I suspect older rider casualties will increase faster than younger over the next decade or two.
Sportster would be the only Harley I would even go near, and even still, no thanks, not my style, and I just don't care for the noise.
My friend turned a Sportster into a cafe racer, with modified suspension, exhaust and braking, and it was a lovely bike to ride. It was a considerable modification, however.
I still have a bike itch, but dumping a couple grand into the fintail over the past few months along with having a car payment again has me not wanting any more mouths to feed.
And I would probably be called inconsiderate as I noticed I rarely use turn signals when on a bike, but sometimes will use hand signals.
Had a decent drive both ways today, but when I was on foot, things devolved. Endless scores of phone-holders, at least 4 or 5 crosswalk crowders, just dumbed down nonsense.
And speaking of the damage to my car from earlier, I contacted the state DOT, and they gave me instructions on how to file a claim. Now that I notice a driving light has a crack that I am certain came from their negligent road works, I am going to pursue it. Hard to believe it is first world, but I guess I have the "freedom" to have a kid and name her Honey Boo Boo, so it all evens out :sick:
This morning, I was driving in the rightmost driving lane of a 3-lane freeway, with a long exit lane on the right. It's a long exit lane because the entrance to the interchange ahead frequently backs up at rush hour, resulting in a long line of vehicles. Most people are courteous and get into that line safely and wait their turn, so as not to impede traffic on the thru lanes. Ahead of me, an old Caravan pulls out of the line. OK, I thought, that often happens where someone decides to avoid the bottleneck by going to the next exit. Or, they decided, as did this fellow, to jump the line. He passes about 10 cars and then right before the exit, slams on his brakes and tries to duck back into the line. I have to slam on my brakes because I can't change lanes, there's a BMW cruising down that lane at probably 10-over. Fortunately, the new brakes on the new car are good and I avoid the van, and the driver behind me is alert and is able to duck in behind the BMW. One life down. One of those times I wished I drove a 1970s vintage Crown Vic instead of a new, small car.
Then tonight, driving home on another 3-lane freeway, again in the right lane, there's a tight cloverleaf interchange ahead. A poorly designed cloverleaf in that it empties directly into the right driving lane--no entrance lane at all. An older Camry comes barreling around the cloverleaf and decides to play chicken with the cars in the right lane. This time also, can't move left, a steady stream of cars there. If I maintain speed I estimate there's a good chance the idiot will sideswipe me, or worse. If I floor it, I might be able to avoid him... or might not, plus there's another car directly ahead of me I'd need to avoid. I decide to hit the brakes, the Camry darts in ahead of me, just missing me, and the driver behind me brakes in time. Two lives down, 7 to go.
You'll be happier.
I suppose if I won a lottery, I'd be happier too
Nearing the end of the construction zone there was a stoplight, and the pickup hit the brakes a little hard. You got it, brake check. The BMW driver failed the test. The only damage is where the hitch hit his bumper, and being a BMW probably costs a thousand bucks.
I explained to the responding officer that the pickup was driving sensibly and the BMW was driving erratically. I may have failed to mention the brake check.
If that had happened 15 years ago, it would have been me in the "older" Chevy. I always drive that way in stop/go traffic jams. I think I idled through Chicago (on I-90) for three hours without touching the brakes (or clutch) once, while the vehicles around me were hitting their brakes thousands of times alternating between zero and about 25mph.
I never had a very big gap in front of me because if it grew to more than about ten car lengths, someone would jump in there to fill it thinking they might actually get somewhere....
Granted, I didn't "have to stop" suddenly, but I did have a few folks behind me honk a time or two. Apparently, they didn't appreciate the lack of speed variation.
Americans Have Bad Attitude About Bad Behavior on Roads, Study Finds
It is pretty hilarious that driving while drinking or (and?) texting is seen as less of an issue than in the past. But with the low odds of facing real punishment...
I stopped and went at a red light this morning - no reason not to, as the streets were empty and the light shouldn't be activated to begin with.
I dunno about that study either. The AAA is all about more asphalt, so why care, unless they want to make sure all that asphalt if filled up with cars.
AAA isn't what I would say free from desires of influence, especially by scaredy cat types who think 60 is just fast enough, thank you, especially as they age. The data should be analyzed, but I bet it isn't avaliable.
This should happen to more phone yappers
No, it isn't the same at all! 'Running' a red light is failure to stop. Be careful about that stop/go business, though, Fin; that sort of action indicates prudent decision-making... something that is frowned upon in today's society!
Didn't see anything too bad on the drive home, but on foot I noticed traffic backed up in a turn lane, with a turn light that wouldn't change. This is because a woman I won't describe in an Odyssey at the head of the line was sitting too far back, so the sensor wouldn't detect her. The newbies around here do this all the time, and sometimes you have to honk or yell at them to move up and trip the light. Once I saw a guy actually get out of his car to explain it to the car in front of him. Maybe it works different on the other side of the world.
The kid driving the Camcord got his license 5 months ago. And he rushing because he was late for work. I think he rolled his stop sign, but I can't be sure of it.
I have a 5 hour drive tomorrow. We're taking my BIL's car, and he's got a dashcam. If the mayhem continues, I may be posting a video tomorrow. :P
And I saw something which I think won't end well. There's a guy in my building who has a smaller sportbike, I think a Honda F4 series, not a super fast model, but it makes noise and is flashy. Today I saw him setting off with a passenger. He is kind of small, and passenger (girl I assume) was even smaller, and they were both sitting kind of awkwardly and didn't look very comfortable. I have a bad feeling about that.
__________________
Wow, felony false report to Police.
Big risk to take if anyone had a video camera of the situation. Of course, you could commit perjury and state you "can't remember" the brake lights.
I just failed to add that information. And the cop didn't ask. :confuse:
The cop seemed really interested about how close the BMW was following, how many times he crossed over the yellow line at the edge of the road, and how many times he honked. I wonder if there was a "road rage" added to the "failure to stop"?
This morning, a woman with a phone to her ear in a Prius breezed through a green signaled crosswalk, with me and 2 other people in it. I reached out and slapped her car, would have hit harder but she was moving. No enforcement in the area, but I did see a hardworking revenue assurance officer speedtrapping at the top of a hill. End of month, quota time...oh yeah, no such thing as quotas. It's all about safety, Think of the children!
Arrow goes green, SUV creeps out....we hear sirens in the distance. SUV driver stops in middle of intersection, me stuck behind them.
I look around for emergency vehicles....nada...good view both ways...I tap the horn as the sirens obviously fade behind us (the old doppler effect) .
SUV sits there.
Light turns red again, they make their left turn, I'm stuck.
Nice.
:mad:
Big change coming in Illinois. The governor signed a law taking effect next Jan banning hand-held cell phones by drivers. Hands-free cell phones will be allowed. The Governor and legislators still don't get it. Phone device is not the problem. It is the concentration and distraction caused by the phone conversation.
Two hands don't help you brake or slow down unless you have a hand brake.
I see more people distracted by animated conversations with passengers than distracted by yelling at their integrated bluetooth setup - not to mention eaters, drinkers, etc.
I think the reason people prefer to stack in one lane is pretty obvious - there's always some misguided aggressive enforcer twit trying to block people from merging at the end. in normal traffic these people cruise in left or middle lane way below the prevailing speed, we call them LLCs or MLCs.
It may well be that california drivers are better at doing the 'zipper' merge , alternating one car per lane, nice and smooth. on east coast it may be more random - some cars let 2 or 3 cars from other lane go, others let 1 go, others let 0 from other lane merge, so merging is not steady&smooth.
Washington, D.C. ranks at the bottom of Allstate's list for the second year in a row.
Boise, Idaho, holds the number two spot, while Sioux Falls, South Dakota.; Brownsville, Texas and Madison, Wisconsin round out the top five."
Fort Collins, Colorado Named America's Safest Driving City
Hm, I've lived in two of the current top five cities and Ft. Collins has been on our maybe list for a while as a place to retire.
The driver allowing more than one car to merge in front of him determines how many may do so as he is in the position of command. You then will patiently wait for his decision to allow you to merge.
Just curious, how many calls have you made on "suspected drunks"?