Damn, sorry to hear that your Camry got whacked. November must be the month for stuff like that! :sick: Did your son get a police report? My 2000 Intrepid's hit-and-run is being covered by the uninsured motorist clause. I did get a police report, though. Maybe that's the difference? Also, I guess they might handle things differently in Cali, versus Maryland?
I must have omitted the fact that this occurred back in Dec. 2005! It happened the week before we were to fly out to meet him and drive all the way back to Virginia.
We had the car appraised there after my wife and I arrived in L.A. I had told my son to gather up all the broken taillight fragments so it could be taped back together, and he bought a new set of bulbs. Luckily the frame, suspension, wheels, and even the trunk lid weren't damaged, so we drove it cross-country with its nasty-looking quarter panel to VA where I know the body shops. No cops ever stopped us for the cobbled-together taillight.
It was fixed quite nicely here, only to get pummeled by a bad hailstorm in June 2008, so back to 2 body shops it went (the first one botched some of the paint work).
So it looks fine right now; hope you can either get your Intrepid fixed without too much ado, or if not, find another car -- I'd recommend a large sedan for you! I don't think you'd like an econobox.
I've never seen any really bad school bus drivers.
Come on out to my neck of the woods, and you'll see plenty of them. Heck, I even remember my freshman year in highschool, 1984-85, our bus driver would regularly blast up the shoulder to get around all the stopped traffic. At that point, our turn was coming up anyway, but it was a good quarter mile away, and if anyone decided to make that right turn where you're supposed to, there's a good chance our bus would have nailed them. There's also a metro bus stop along there, where people would just wait on the shoulder. More than a few times, she would scatter them as she blasted through. It's probably a miracle that nobody called the cops on her.
I also remember, as a kid, this one bus used to regularly pull into our yard, so it could turn around and save a few minutes rather than go to the end of the road or find a safe place to do it. I put a big branch in the yard at that spot so it wouldn't do it anymore, and the driver tried to turn around in the neighboring driveway, which was a really tight squeeze, and almost ended up in the creek along the road. She did end up bending one of the reflectors that lined the road.
Well, my stepdad got on me for putting that tree branch there, and made me move it. And sure enough, the next day, that bus turned around again in that spot. I got the number of the bus, and saw it at my own school (we were on a later schedule) and told the driver to knock it off. She wasn't the least bit apologetic, and seemed more annoyed that it messed with her schedule. Sorry, but those bus schedules aren't supposed to be based on the driver's turning around in people's yards! Plus, the ground is soft down there, so it's a good thing she didn't do it after a good rain!
In more recent times, I've had school buses tailgate me, when I do the speed limit through a residential neighborhood. And one time, I had a driver get mouthy with me. I think I was bringing in the trash cans or something like that, when this bus comes flying up over the hill. I motioned the driver to slow down. She didn't.
Well, a few days later, I happened to be out there again, when she came flying through. Motioned her to slow down. She actually stopped. opened her door, and wanted to know what MY problem was! And when I told her to slow it down, no apology or anything. She just told me that I need to stop every bus that goes through there and tell them all the same thing. I just told her that no, I saw HER going too fast through there, she needs to cut it out, and I spend too damn much in property taxes to be disrespected by a county employee hotrodding in a bus that MY tax dollars are paying for.
Needless to say, the next day she did it again. I ended up figuring out her route, and a few days later, got in front of her and went a little extra slow, probably for about two miles. Did it a few more times, and eventually she got the message and started going another route. Turns out she was just using our road for a shortcut, and didn't actually drop any kids off on it.
Now that I think about it, there was one that rolled through a little extra fast, around 7:15 this morning. I might have to do something about that. :shades:
Maybe because everyone here drives so bloody slow to begin with, the bus drivers are more calm. I had to ride the bus off and on as a kid, and I don't recall any issues.
Except in icy weather, that is...a few times I was certain we were going to end up in a very deep ditch, but the driver kept it on the road. The problem there was bad road maintenance and school districts who didn't close school when they should have, though. The driver must have been in hell. Nowadays, some schools close at the mere discussion of icy weather - where the forecasts are often wrong.
The metro bus drivers, and sometimes garbage truck drivers, can be pretty insane here. I have seen garbage trucks going a good 15-20 over the limit, and just insane stuff by metro bus drivers.
I do remember once a school bus engine decided to commit suicide, spewing oil everywhere and stranding us. That was fun.
We were stranded once with our school bus. Eventually, a second bus made it on the scene, loaded us all up, and took us home. We had a "substitute" bus for a couple weeks before ours was finally put back on the route. I don't know what happened to it, but it must have been a fairly major problem. I remember that we were sitting on the bus for about 45 minutes before the backup arrived.
Aside from that, most of my bus experiences (which were daily) involved insane drivers, but not insane driving. We used to go through some rather harrowing weather during basketball season in eastern and central Oregon. They might cancel school, but they were not going to cancel any games!
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
I spent a bit of my childhood in a smaller town, and I remember what we'd get for a substitute bus - something ancient. I remember the registration was displayed near the front door, so I would look at it when I was entering. One of them was from 1963! (this was around 1990).
From my time east of the mountains, I remember it took a lot to close school...but people also knew how to drive in it. Here, a good snowfall is an excuse to not go to work. I tried to be a trooper and come in last year...and I was rewarded with a stuck car.
Here, a good snowfall is an excuse to not go to work. I tried to be a trooper and come in last year...and I was rewarded with a stuck car.
Heck, out here they'll often close down the schools if there's even a THREAT of snow! It also doesn't take much for my job to shut down. I think if it's more than 4-5 inches of snow, they close down so the crews can clear the parking lots and sidewalks without interruption. I remember last year, we got one snowstorm, somewhat late in the season (late Feb). Maybe 6 inches at best. At first we were on a 2-hour delay. But as luck would have it, as soon as I got the car shoveled out, and it quit snowing, and the sun was even shining, they closed us down! Good thing I called the automated line before actually venturing to work.
Ours was the other way around. The regular bus was the older one, but not ancient at the time, and the sub was a gem. It was the bus the high school normally used for sporting events, so it did not see much use and was rotated regularly into the fleet (i.e., when the district acquired a new bus, it became the sports bus and the prior bus used for that purpose was moved down the line). It was a fairly small district; I don't think we had more than a dozen of them. After I moved, my new school only had three... two used daily and a third, larger bus, for back up and sporting events.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
They've done that here lately - snowstorm in the forecast, just shut the schools down. The weather here is hard to forecast, and they often blow it and people get mad. Then a day or two later, the storm does hit. Always good for a laugh.
My workplace wants like a foot of snow to shut down, where 6" absolutely paralyzes this place. Luckily the inclement weather policy is pretty easy and nobody gets whined at too much.
Last year I got stuck literally less than 50 yards from work. I got myself out, with cat litter and a few helpers to push.
I guess that strategy makes sense, in a sports-addicted district especially.
I remember right before I stopped riding the bus, my route got a brand new one, and the driver constantly told us to be gentle, as she'd be driving the thing for the next 20 years.
I remember the registration was displayed near the front door, so I would look at it when I was entering. One of them was from 1963! (this was around 1990).
Around here school buses have to be retired after they hit either a certain age or mileage (whichever comes first). You would never see a 27 year old bus hauling kids around.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Heck, out here they'll often close down the schools if there's even a THREAT of snow! It also doesn't take much for my job to shut down.
I can't remember when my school closed down due to snow. I do remember days when half the class couldn't make it, but the school stayed open. I know that in 4 years of high school there wasn't one day we closed for weather.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
"The Web site TMZ.com on Monday posted photographs of Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger getting into a silver convertible Porsche in a red zone, where no stopping, standing or parking is allowed. The celebrity site says the violation occurred Saturday in Beverly Hills."
It sounds like one of those "priveliged encounters" many CA politicians including Arnie, have if stopped. One CA big shot (long time ago, won't name) in the CA House was literally stopped nearly 100 times for speeds close to 100 mph. No citations.
I stopped a legislature and gave him a pass. Nice man and a retired law enforcement. The 100 timer above retired from legislature.
But then our President got a bird's eye view tour flying around NY about one year ago in Prez one. I.e. power has privildges.
Good luck to all and stay safe. Enjoy a peaceful Thanksgiving too!
Got to drive a bit on I5 and 405 today. Light rain both times, but not hazardous at all...people here should be used to it. First trip averaged about 30mph...a couple fender benders, but generally volume and slowpokes. I expected it though. The second drive was worse. A lot less volume, but even slower drivers, and dozens of LLCs. I passed a good half dozen cars on the right, in maybe 10 miles, and I don't even think I hit the speed limit. PT Cruisers and useless bloated SUVs were always the offender. I think maybe 3 cars passed me the whole trip, and that was when I was getting into an exit lane. More fun was trying to maintain a 3 second following distance in the rain...it never failed that a paragon of oblivion in a Lexus RX or some anxious suburbanite in an Expedition would cut in and then slow down. I sure miss driving in Europe.
I didn't know that the school bus would be such a source of posts. here's a few more stories from my last 20 years which might explain some of the erratic driving:
Kids---You have no idea how your children behave when they get on the bus. Your sweet little darling sometimes turns into a character out of a horror movie while riding. I"ve had kids lie, cheat, steal and assault each other on the bus. I even had one child smear feces all over the windows while riding. Another stuck a gun in my ribs and threatened to "blow me away" if I didn't get moving. I've been hit in the head by batteries and coins on a regular basis. I've had kindergardeners swear at me in language that would make a sailor blush. I once had a cheerleader drop her panties in full view of the entire bus so she could "moon" a car that was following the bus. Our buses have been the scene of almost every imaginable sex act.
RV mirror--One of the biggest problems for new drivers is being distracted by what is going on behind you and not paying attention to the road. We've had a number of accidents over the years because there is so much commotion on the bus that the driver is looking in the mirror trying to calm everyone down and crashes. We had one driver who ran a red light and hit the wife of the police chief because of distraction. If you want to get a feel what this is like, take your car out for a drive, release some angry bees and turn your radio up full blast. Stare into the review mirror for 3 seconds out of 5. You'll see your driving performance start to slide too.
Parents--I love my kids and will do anything to protect them so I understand where a parent is coming from. Some just go off the rails and cause problems which range from annoying to dangerous. Parents complain if you're too early, if you're too late, if the bus stop isn't right at their house, if the driver isn't friendly, if the driver is too friendly, if their kid doesn't get the right seat, if some other kid picks on their kid, if the other kids don't "respect" their kid etc., etc., all the while holding up the bus and making sure the next parent will complain. Many times, yelling at the bus driver isn't enough and your supervisor gets called and told "stories" which could be best seller fiction novels. In my career I've been accused of being drunk, speeding, swearing (almost always the parent is the one swearing) and kidnapping. I even had one woman insist that I should be fired because I didn't bring in her garbage cans. Another parent wanted me fired because his son wanted to call me up at home and continue cursing at me and I wouldn't tell him my name. I've had parents want to fight me or get on the bus and fight the students. I'm not worried about defending myself but I would probably be fired because policy says I can't touch any one even if they are punching me.
Lawmakers--May times the fear of a lawsuit leads to some bizarre policies like preventing someone from entering the bus without touching them. Other times we see new regulations passed so that politicians can garner votes. All our buses are require to be equipt with seat belts. Sounds good but studies have shown that lap belts on buses can actually INCREASE injuries. The political solution: put the seat belts in but DON"T LET THE KIDS WEAR THEM. Millions spent for nothing. It gets better. Because the is no purpose for the belts, the kids use them as weapons, smacking each other with the buckles and tying them together across the isle. I'm required to re-buckle all 66 belts 6 times a day knowing that after each run they will all be unbuckled again, and again and again.
I'm sorry to run on so long with this pity party but I thought you should know why some drivers make mistakes sometimes. :sick:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
RV mirror--One of the biggest problems for new drivers is being distracted by what is going on behind you and not paying attention to the road.
I remember when I took the school bus (back when the earth was cooling) we always had someone with the driver to watch the kids so the driver wouldn't be distracted.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I wouldn't want to drive a school bus, and I give them the benefit of the doubt in any situation. Seems like a hellish job.
When I rode the bus, I don't think we were too bad...I don't remember anything too rowdy, but it could get kind of loud with 50 kids talking at once. Still not an environment that makes good driving.
That's pretty enlightened for back then. My district just started doing that recently and only on runs where the driver had actually been assaulted. Even then only female drivers get that. :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I hate to sound like an old guy (well, sometimes), but I don't think kids were half as insane or rude as they are now. Granted, video cameras on school busses didn't exist, but we at least had the fear of an [non-permissible content removed]-kicking, or at least being grounded, if we acted up on the school bus and our parents heard about it. I really don't understand this notion of 'I'll defend my kid no matter what', at least in the case of child being a jackass. I mean, we were loud and obnoxious on the bus, but I don't recall any 'real' fights, nor did any of us have the gall to assault (verbally or physically) the driver. :confuse:
I really don't understand this notion of 'I'll defend my kid no matter what'
Neither do I, You have parents that will not believe that their kids did anything wrong even if you had a thousand witness's, a video tape of them doing it and a signed confession. Back when I was a kid parents had a "guilty until proven innocent" view towards their kids. I mean if I denied any accusation against me my parents would ask "why would they lie about it?".
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
You're probably right. Not that there weren't terrible kids (and parents) back in the old days (and I am only talking about the 80s), but there does seem to be something different today. I can't imagine the kids I knew even throwing something like a battery at a bus driver. We may have been loud and rowdy sometimes, but nobody was every hurt.
Driving last night...maybe people were mentally exhausted from running around to the sales.
First...35mph 4 lane suburban arterial. I get behind a current style Passat with local plates but a Sacramento license plate frame. It's going about 28, in the left lane. So I pass on the right, and of course it speeds up. I only get up to about 40 when passing, and then when I am back over, the driver lays on the horn :confuse: ...which makes me panic, and my foot accidentally slips off the accelerator and taps the brake. I don't know how that happened :shades: ...then it stays some distance behind me.
Later in a strip mall parking lot, a large and organized one with "roads" and stop signs. An H2 runs one of the stop signs right in front of me, and I intentionally miss it by a couple inches. I then use the horn, and the driver looks at me like I am some kind of space alien. My bad, I didn't yield to a vehicular representation of everything that is wrong with America.
In the same lot, an old conversion van which was backed into a spot pulls right in front of me, forcing me to stop, then goes 2mph. I was pretty sure by then my car had some kind of stealth cloak over it, and nobody could actually see it.
In the same lot, a driver of an Odyssey (who I won't stereotype) apparently got missed the brake pedal and hit a pillar of the building. The van lost the fight, it was mangled, damage had to be at least 5-7K.
So I pass on the right, and of course it speeds up.
Did the speed limit increase any? I did just that thing yesterday, but I was the car speeding up. What happened is I was on a two lane (one each direction) winding road that went through a residential area that was heavily wooded that had a 35 MPH SL. Then this road leaves the residential area and is straight and flat and wide open prairie on either side and the SL turns to 55 MPH.
Well as I am traveling on the winding 35 MPH stretch someone in a van runs up behind me and tailgates me through the residential area. Well when I hit that straight away I hit the gas (simply because the SL increases by 20 MPH) and I had seen that the van had started to move into the oncoming lane to pass.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nope, this road is 35mph for almost its entire 5 mile length. I actually feel lucky it is so high, as there is often a bit of traffic in the area, and people here are scaredy-cats about that kind of thing. In Germany I'd wager it would be an 80kmh zone and people would be left to fend for themselves, heaven forbid.
I think it's kind of a WA state thing, accelerating while being passed...I have seen it more times than I care to remember.
I think that there is a natural tendency for people to speed up a bit while being passed. Not out of spite or anything but simply unconsciously we feel we maybe slowing down and we try to correct that. I think that 1-2 MPH speed change wouldn't be uncommon, no completely noticeable but still an increase. However 5 MPH is deliberate.
This reminds me of something that happened not to long ago. I was on I-80 65 MPH with my cruise control set at around 70 or so. A van passed me and merged back into my lane a few hundred yards in front of me. Then I noticed I was slowly gaining on the van, couldn't have been me since I was on cruise control and we were on a flat stretch of road. Finally I merged into the left lane and went for the pass. Well the van started to pace me, so to clear the left lane I speed up a bit and the van did the same. Every time I gave it a bit more gas so did the van. Finally I just floored it got back in front of the van and vacated the left lane. The van just stayed behind me after that getting further and further away.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I think it's kind of a WA state thing, accelerating while being passed...
Nah... happens all the time here in NJ. Just on Thanksgiving the very thing you explain happened to me on the way to dinner. Hyundai SUV 10 under in left, I pull over to right pass all of a sudden SUV is right next to me at 5 over :confuse:
In NJ I bet you see some jerky stuff that would blow my mind. :shades:
It's one reason I like driving a more powerful than average car...if I am annoyed enough to make the car downshift, the game will end there, as there's no way a 4cyl Passat or lame-o SUV will be able to keep up.
I can see a couple mph out of some weird feeling of slowing down, or because being passed on the left makes the driver wake up from their oblivious stupor...but it seems these guys wake up and add 10mph on to their speed when being passed.
I think your van incident might have been a road hog who just couldn't stand having someone in front of him, until you put some distance between you and him.
That reminds me of something else from Thanksgiving day....had a Ram pickup camp out in my right side blind spot for a few miles. I finally just punched it and got a ways ahead, then changed lanes. It then slowed down and I never saw it again. Do no other cars but mine have speedometers, so they have to pace other vehicles to drive at a normal speed? :confuse:
I tend to agree with you, but let's put that theory to the test. You and I both likely rode school buses within the span of Old Farmer's career. Old Farmer... do you tend to agree that children (and parents) are generally more obnoxious and/or belligerent today than twenty years ago?
My local school district also has "bus monitors" that accompany all drivers. There is never a situation in which there is only one adult on a school bus, both for reduced distraction and to reduce the bus company's liability with regard to alleged incidents of assault, sexual discrimination/misconduct, etc on the part of the bus driver.
We never had that when I was a child (eastern Oregon), but then I also do not recall buses being that rowdy. There were occasional acts of indecency, fighting, etc., but our drivers would pull over and set us straight in a heartbeat so that would generally keep us in line or at least keep us discreet. There was a certain default respect for adults that seems to be missing nowadays.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
We never had a "bus monitor" either. I do remember one instance where a driver pulled over to get everyone to behave...well, he pulled up to a stop and wouldn't leave until the horseplay stopped...but that's about as bad as it ever got. Ah, the good old days
Today's winners - a Jetta with lefty bumper stickers, and a previous generation LS430 driven by a disheveled looking older boomer...both going about 28 in a 35, side by side, with 12-15 cars stuck behind them. My faith in humanity falls a little more.
Your comment on "lefty" bumper stickers reminded me of anti-lefty one that I saw in the employee parking lot back when I worked for Roseburg Forest Products. It read:
Reminds me of when I was in school, and some of the greenie types would drive vehicles plastered with the real versions of those stickers...almost always on a smoky 80s Subaru or equivalent. I am sure mama Earth loved that.
Yes I also remember the smoking (more now but enjoying it less?) old school buses with the anti (fill in here) crusing IS 580/680/17 at about 25 mpg. Loved to stop smoker cars/buses always found something to give "fix it tickets". I.e. no court, just fix the problem tickets.
We live in the SF bay area near Mt. Diablo. Wow you can see the snow on the mountain and in several adjacent hills that will stay for several more days. I got a good number of photos yesterday as this much snow is unusual as were (where we live) the night time temp fell to about 28 degress.
I hope all is well with all of us here on this really neat web site.
Just remember, some old Euro cars are well within specs when they leave a little blue vapor trail behind them :P
Quite chilly up here, which seems to have slightly reduced traffic volumes, at least in my neighborhood. I'm not complainnig...less cars = less idiots.
We live close to Rossmoor as we live adjacent to the Weapons Station open space. Indeed that was the big reason to move to Concord due to the open space that has some much beauty and so many diverse animals/birds to view.
I am grateful that our home is paid off and we have no more payments.
Good luck to all and especially to the posters that are getting snowed in, (like our son and family) and I hope stay safe.
at first i'm thinking is there something wrong with my car? i saw a pickup truck ahead and thought maybe it's a diesel not running well. passed it, it was a gas version, but still smelled the fumes. then i started seeing some wisps of something. next thing to catch my attention was a new honda insight. it was still dark, so i thought it could have been a prius, at first. anyways the wisps had turned into a smelly cloud by then and there it was; a big diesel box truck making a great smoke show. the exhaust pointed toward the pavement, so the cloud hung low. the funny thing was, the honda was drafting the truck, probably practicing hypermiling 101. i figured soon after that they would overcome by the fumes and crash. :confuse:
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Diesel's and their exhaust - especially on cold days is one of the most aggravating things. The black unburnt plume rising into the air is enough for me to even want to regulate it. And I am totally against the fact that car exhaust is contributing to global warming. But that black cloud cannot be good for you.
However, just yesterday I was next to a garbage truck while at a stoplight. I looked over and on the side it had in big word's WE'VE CUT THIS TRUCK'S EMISSION'S BY 50%. Interesting I thought. And the the light turned green. The truck accelerated and I couldn't smell nor see any trace of diesel exhaust anywhere... It sure did sound like your typical diesel powered large truck, but I wouldn't have known it by it's exhaust. It was kind of refreshing actually.
one of my BIL's is in the trucking business(repair and resales). there is a new generation of diesels being sold due to new government regulations. he is making some good money selling the older ones because they are a known quantity. he told me the newer ones shut the truck down if an emissions problem is detected.
2024 Ford F-150 STX, 2023 Ford Explorer ST, 91 Mustang GT vert
Just about nailed a guy today because he turned in front of me.
I was coming up to an intersection that is typically a very busy one. The streets that intersect have 1 lane in each direction with a turn lane that allows you to turn, but doesn't have a dedicated turn arrow. So when turning you must yield to oncoming traffic.
So as approach this particular intersection, I typically slow down to about 35 MPH from the SL of 45. It just feels too fast to go barreling through at that speed. As I was approaching today, I did my typical slow down and watch. I noticed a older Ford Ranger in the turn lane directly in front of me getting ready to turn. I watch him begin his turn. If I hadn't slowed down, it would have already been an unsafe turn and it would have forced me to brake. As it was I was watching and preparing my self for something like that and so it would have only been mildly unsafe.
What made it totally unsafe is that he wasn't paying attention and there happened to be a pedestrian crossing the road at the time he was trying to make his turn. In order to keep from plowing the pedestrian over, who had every right to be where he was at because she was in a crosswalk with what was a walk sign, but now a blinking hand, he had to slam on his brakes, putting him directly in my path. I hit my brakes to avoid hitting him, but I wouldn't have been able to go left or right since to the left were cars in the turn lane and to the right were a couple of cars getting ready to turn right.
Luckily the pedestrian was paying attention and she was only at the half way mark when this guy tried to go through. She stopped and he went plowed through just as I was about to panic hit my brakes to keep from plowing him.... Also lucky that I had already reduced my speed before even getting to the intersection. I would almost bet that had I been going 45 MPH instead of 35, I would have plowed right into the guy and it could have been ugly.
Yikes! It sure reinforces/justifies the habit, though! I am glad everyone was able to squeak through that one unscathed....
I had a mildly interesting one this morning. I was headed into town on a four-lane feeder road (two in each direction with no median or turn lanes), driving in the far right lane a ways (15 car lengths?) behind a string of other vehicles, also in the right lane. To the left, a vehicle makes a left turn into the left (2nd from right) lane a little ahead of me. As I am only perhaps two seconds behind this car (which is only going about 30 and accelerating on a semi-icy uphill versus my sustained 60), its right blinker comes on and the car starts to jut into the right lane.
I hit my brakes and flashed my lights, but it kept coming, so I hit my left blinker and started to swap lanes. As I am about 50% in the left lane and the other car nearly completely in the right, the driver sharply veers back into the left lane. At this point, I was probably at 50 and the other car at 35, so we have a little more time, but I felt like I was closing pretty fast. I whipped right and missed the other car by about a car length (so not too close), wondering if it was a human or a deer driving that thing. :P
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Comments
101-Year-Old Man Buys a 426-Horsepower Camaro (NY Times)
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
LOL I love that 101. And I thought I was too old to buy a sporty car.
I wonder if that guy was the ex-boxer that snake duked it out with a while back. Got to watch those 101 year-olds, they can cane you pretty bad. :P
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
We had the car appraised there after my wife and I arrived in L.A. I had told my son to gather up all the broken taillight fragments so it could be taped back together, and he bought a new set of bulbs. Luckily the frame, suspension, wheels, and even the trunk lid weren't damaged, so we drove it cross-country with its nasty-looking quarter panel to VA where I know the body shops. No cops ever stopped us for the cobbled-together taillight.
It was fixed quite nicely here, only to get pummeled by a bad hailstorm in June 2008, so back to 2 body shops it went (the first one botched some of the paint work).
So it looks fine right now; hope you can either get your Intrepid fixed without too much ado, or if not, find another car -- I'd recommend a large sedan for you! I don't think you'd like an econobox.
Come on out to my neck of the woods, and you'll see plenty of them. Heck, I even remember my freshman year in highschool, 1984-85, our bus driver would regularly blast up the shoulder to get around all the stopped traffic. At that point, our turn was coming up anyway, but it was a good quarter mile away, and if anyone decided to make that right turn where you're supposed to, there's a good chance our bus would have nailed them. There's also a metro bus stop along there, where people would just wait on the shoulder. More than a few times, she would scatter them as she blasted through. It's probably a miracle that nobody called the cops on her.
I also remember, as a kid, this one bus used to regularly pull into our yard, so it could turn around and save a few minutes rather than go to the end of the road or find a safe place to do it. I put a big branch in the yard at that spot so it wouldn't do it anymore, and the driver tried to turn around in the neighboring driveway, which was a really tight squeeze, and almost ended up in the creek along the road. She did end up bending one of the reflectors that lined the road.
Well, my stepdad got on me for putting that tree branch there, and made me move it. And sure enough, the next day, that bus turned around again in that spot. I got the number of the bus, and saw it at my own school (we were on a later schedule) and told the driver to knock it off. She wasn't the least bit apologetic, and seemed more annoyed that it messed with her schedule. Sorry, but those bus schedules aren't supposed to be based on the driver's turning around in people's yards! Plus, the ground is soft down there, so it's a good thing she didn't do it after a good rain!
In more recent times, I've had school buses tailgate me, when I do the speed limit through a residential neighborhood. And one time, I had a driver get mouthy with me. I think I was bringing in the trash cans or something like that, when this bus comes flying up over the hill. I motioned the driver to slow down. She didn't.
Well, a few days later, I happened to be out there again, when she came flying through. Motioned her to slow down. She actually stopped. opened her door, and wanted to know what MY problem was! And when I told her to slow it down, no apology or anything. She just told me that I need to stop every bus that goes through there and tell them all the same thing. I just told her that no, I saw HER going too fast through there, she needs to cut it out, and I spend too damn much in property taxes to be disrespected by a county employee hotrodding in a bus that MY tax dollars are paying for.
Needless to say, the next day she did it again. I ended up figuring out her route, and a few days later, got in front of her and went a little extra slow, probably for about two miles. Did it a few more times, and eventually she got the message and started going another route. Turns out she was just using our road for a shortcut, and didn't actually drop any kids off on it.
Now that I think about it, there was one that rolled through a little extra fast, around 7:15 this morning. I might have to do something about that. :shades:
Except in icy weather, that is...a few times I was certain we were going to end up in a very deep ditch, but the driver kept it on the road. The problem there was bad road maintenance and school districts who didn't close school when they should have, though. The driver must have been in hell. Nowadays, some schools close at the mere discussion of icy weather - where the forecasts are often wrong.
The metro bus drivers, and sometimes garbage truck drivers, can be pretty insane here. I have seen garbage trucks going a good 15-20 over the limit, and just insane stuff by metro bus drivers.
I do remember once a school bus engine decided to commit suicide, spewing oil everywhere and stranding us. That was fun.
Aside from that, most of my bus experiences (which were daily) involved insane drivers, but not insane driving.
From my time east of the mountains, I remember it took a lot to close school...but people also knew how to drive in it. Here, a good snowfall is an excuse to not go to work. I tried to be a trooper and come in last year...and I was rewarded with a stuck car.
Heck, out here they'll often close down the schools if there's even a THREAT of snow! It also doesn't take much for my job to shut down. I think if it's more than 4-5 inches of snow, they close down so the crews can clear the parking lots and sidewalks without interruption. I remember last year, we got one snowstorm, somewhat late in the season (late Feb). Maybe 6 inches at best. At first we were on a 2-hour delay. But as luck would have it, as soon as I got the car shoveled out, and it quit snowing, and the sun was even shining, they closed us down! Good thing I called the automated line before actually venturing to work.
My workplace wants like a foot of snow to shut down, where 6" absolutely paralyzes this place. Luckily the inclement weather policy is pretty easy and nobody gets whined at too much.
Last year I got stuck literally less than 50 yards from work. I got myself out, with cat litter and a few helpers to push.
I remember right before I stopped riding the bus, my route got a brand new one, and the driver constantly told us to be gentle, as she'd be driving the thing for the next 20 years.
Around here school buses have to be retired after they hit either a certain age or mileage (whichever comes first). You would never see a 27 year old bus hauling kids around.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I can't remember when my school closed down due to snow. I do remember days when half the class couldn't make it, but the school stayed open. I know that in 4 years of high school there wasn't one day we closed for weather.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Schwarzenegger caught parking Porsche in red zone (Idaho Statesman)
I stopped a legislature and gave him a pass. Nice man and a retired law enforcement. The 100 timer above retired from legislature.
But then our President got a bird's eye view tour flying around NY about one year ago in Prez one. I.e. power has privildges.
Good luck to all and stay safe. Enjoy a peaceful Thanksgiving too!
jensad
Kids---You have no idea how your children behave when they get on the bus. Your sweet little darling sometimes turns into a character out of a horror movie while riding. I"ve had kids lie, cheat, steal and assault each other on the bus. I even had one child smear feces all over the windows while riding. Another stuck a gun in my ribs and threatened to "blow me away" if I didn't get moving. I've been hit in the head by batteries and coins on a regular basis. I've had kindergardeners swear at me in language that would make a sailor blush. I once had a cheerleader drop her panties in full view of the entire bus so she could "moon" a car that was following the bus. Our buses have been the scene of almost every imaginable sex act.
RV mirror--One of the biggest problems for new drivers is being distracted by what is going on behind you and not paying attention to the road. We've had a number of accidents over the years because there is so much commotion on the bus that the driver is looking in the mirror trying to calm everyone down and crashes. We had one driver who ran a red light and hit the wife of the police chief because of distraction. If you want to get a feel what this is like, take your car out for a drive, release some angry bees and turn your radio up full blast. Stare into the review mirror for 3 seconds out of 5. You'll see your driving performance start to slide too.
Parents--I love my kids and will do anything to protect them so I understand where a parent is coming from. Some just go off the rails and cause problems which range from annoying to dangerous. Parents complain if you're too early, if you're too late, if the bus stop isn't right at their house, if the driver isn't friendly, if the driver is too friendly, if their kid doesn't get the right seat, if some other kid picks on their kid, if the other kids don't "respect" their kid etc., etc., all the while holding up the bus and making sure the next parent will complain. Many times, yelling at the bus driver isn't enough and your supervisor gets called and told "stories" which could be best seller fiction novels. In my career I've been accused of being drunk, speeding, swearing (almost always the parent is the one swearing) and kidnapping. I even had one woman insist that I should be fired because I didn't bring in her garbage cans. Another parent wanted me fired because his son wanted to call me up at home and continue cursing at me and I wouldn't tell him my name. I've had parents want to fight me or get on the bus and fight the students. I'm not worried about defending myself but I would probably be fired because policy says I can't touch any one even if they are punching me.
Lawmakers--May times the fear of a lawsuit leads to some bizarre policies like preventing someone from entering the bus without touching them. Other times we see new regulations passed so that politicians can garner votes. All our buses are require to be equipt with seat belts. Sounds good but studies have shown that lap belts on buses can actually INCREASE injuries. The political solution: put the seat belts in but DON"T LET THE KIDS WEAR THEM. Millions spent for nothing. It gets better. Because the is no purpose for the belts, the kids use them as weapons, smacking each other with the buckles and tying them together across the isle. I'm required to re-buckle all 66 belts 6 times a day knowing that after each run they will all be unbuckled again, and again and again.
I'm sorry to run on so long with this pity party but I thought you should know why some drivers make mistakes sometimes. :sick:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
I remember when I took the school bus (back when the earth was cooling) we always had someone with the driver to watch the kids so the driver wouldn't be distracted.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
When I rode the bus, I don't think we were too bad...I don't remember anything too rowdy, but it could get kind of loud with 50 kids talking at once. Still not an environment that makes good driving.
That's pretty enlightened for back then. My district just started doing that recently and only on runs where the driver had actually been assaulted. Even then only female drivers get that. :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Neither do I, You have parents that will not believe that their kids did anything wrong even if you had a thousand witness's, a video tape of them doing it and a signed confession. Back when I was a kid parents had a "guilty until proven innocent" view towards their kids. I mean if I denied any accusation against me my parents would ask "why would they lie about it?".
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
First...35mph 4 lane suburban arterial. I get behind a current style Passat with local plates but a Sacramento license plate frame. It's going about 28, in the left lane. So I pass on the right, and of course it speeds up. I only get up to about 40 when passing, and then when I am back over, the driver lays on the horn :confuse: ...which makes me panic, and my foot accidentally slips off the accelerator and taps the brake. I don't know how that happened :shades: ...then it stays some distance behind me.
Later in a strip mall parking lot, a large and organized one with "roads" and stop signs. An H2 runs one of the stop signs right in front of me, and I intentionally miss it by a couple inches. I then use the horn, and the driver looks at me like I am some kind of space alien. My bad, I didn't yield to a vehicular representation of everything that is wrong with America.
In the same lot, an old conversion van which was backed into a spot pulls right in front of me, forcing me to stop, then goes 2mph. I was pretty sure by then my car had some kind of stealth cloak over it, and nobody could actually see it.
In the same lot, a driver of an Odyssey (who I won't stereotype) apparently got missed the brake pedal and hit a pillar of the building. The van lost the fight, it was mangled, damage had to be at least 5-7K.
Did the speed limit increase any? I did just that thing yesterday, but I was the car speeding up. What happened is I was on a two lane (one each direction) winding road that went through a residential area that was heavily wooded that had a 35 MPH SL. Then this road leaves the residential area and is straight and flat and wide open prairie on either side and the SL turns to 55 MPH.
Well as I am traveling on the winding 35 MPH stretch someone in a van runs up behind me and tailgates me through the residential area. Well when I hit that straight away I hit the gas (simply because the SL increases by 20 MPH) and I had seen that the van had started to move into the oncoming lane to pass.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I think it's kind of a WA state thing, accelerating while being passed...I have seen it more times than I care to remember.
This reminds me of something that happened not to long ago. I was on I-80 65 MPH with my cruise control set at around 70 or so. A van passed me and merged back into my lane a few hundred yards in front of me. Then I noticed I was slowly gaining on the van, couldn't have been me since I was on cruise control and we were on a flat stretch of road. Finally I merged into the left lane and went for the pass. Well the van started to pace me, so to clear the left lane I speed up a bit and the van did the same. Every time I gave it a bit more gas so did the van. Finally I just floored it got back in front of the van and vacated the left lane. The van just stayed behind me after that getting further and further away.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Nah... happens all the time here in NJ. Just on Thanksgiving the very thing you explain happened to me on the way to dinner. Hyundai SUV 10 under in left, I pull over to right pass all of a sudden SUV is right next to me at 5 over :confuse:
2025 Ram 1500 Laramie 4x4 / 2023 Mercedes EQE 350 4Matic
It's one reason I like driving a more powerful than average car...if I am annoyed enough to make the car downshift, the game will end there, as there's no way a 4cyl Passat or lame-o SUV will be able to keep up.
I think your van incident might have been a road hog who just couldn't stand having someone in front of him, until you put some distance between you and him.
That reminds me of something else from Thanksgiving day....had a Ram pickup camp out in my right side blind spot for a few miles. I finally just punched it and got a ways ahead, then changed lanes. It then slowed down and I never saw it again. Do no other cars but mine have speedometers, so they have to pace other vehicles to drive at a normal speed? :confuse:
My local school district also has "bus monitors" that accompany all drivers. There is never a situation in which there is only one adult on a school bus, both for reduced distraction and to reduce the bus company's liability with regard to alleged incidents of assault, sexual discrimination/misconduct, etc on the part of the bus driver.
We never had that when I was a child (eastern Oregon), but then I also do not recall buses being that rowdy. There were occasional acts of indecency, fighting, etc., but our drivers would pull over and set us straight in a heartbeat so that would generally keep us in line or at least keep us discreet. There was a certain default respect for adults that seems to be missing nowadays.
In those days the parents would have beat their kid for being a fool on the bus in a wrong way.
Today the parents threaten to sue and get the bus driver fired for "picking on their kid."
It's the parenting that has changed.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
EARTH FIRST!
(we'll log the other planets later)
:P
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Reminds me of when I was in school, and some of the greenie types would drive vehicles plastered with the real versions of those stickers...almost always on a smoky 80s Subaru or equivalent. I am sure mama Earth loved that.
We live in the SF bay area near Mt. Diablo. Wow you can see the snow on the mountain and in several adjacent hills that will stay for several more days. I got a good number of photos yesterday as this much snow is unusual as were (where we live) the night time temp fell to about 28 degress.
I hope all is well with all of us here on this really neat web site.
Good luck to all and stay safe.
jensad
Quite chilly up here, which seems to have slightly reduced traffic volumes, at least in my neighborhood. I'm not complainnig...less cars = less idiots.
We live close to Rossmoor as we live adjacent to the Weapons Station open space. Indeed that was the big reason to move to Concord due to the open space that has some much beauty and so many diverse animals/birds to view.
I am grateful that our home is paid off and we have no more payments.
Good luck to all and especially to the posters that are getting snowed in, (like our son and family) and I hope stay safe.
jensad
i saw a pickup truck ahead and thought maybe it's a diesel not running well.
passed it, it was a gas version, but still smelled the fumes.
then i started seeing some wisps of something.
next thing to catch my attention was a new honda insight.
it was still dark, so i thought it could have been a prius, at first.
anyways the wisps had turned into a smelly cloud by then and there it was;
a big diesel box truck making a great smoke show.
the exhaust pointed toward the pavement, so the cloud hung low.
the funny thing was, the honda was drafting the truck, probably practicing hypermiling 101. i figured soon after that they would overcome by the fumes and crash. :confuse:
However, just yesterday I was next to a garbage truck while at a stoplight. I looked over and on the side it had in big word's WE'VE CUT THIS TRUCK'S EMISSION'S BY 50%. Interesting I thought. And the the light turned green. The truck accelerated and I couldn't smell nor see any trace of diesel exhaust anywhere... It sure did sound like your typical diesel powered large truck, but I wouldn't have known it by it's exhaust. It was kind of refreshing actually.
there is a new generation of diesels being sold due to new government regulations.
he is making some good money selling the older ones because they are a known quantity.
he told me the newer ones shut the truck down if an emissions problem is detected.
I was coming up to an intersection that is typically a very busy one. The streets that intersect have 1 lane in each direction with a turn lane that allows you to turn, but doesn't have a dedicated turn arrow. So when turning you must yield to oncoming traffic.
So as approach this particular intersection, I typically slow down to about 35 MPH from the SL of 45. It just feels too fast to go barreling through at that speed. As I was approaching today, I did my typical slow down and watch. I noticed a older Ford Ranger in the turn lane directly in front of me getting ready to turn. I watch him begin his turn. If I hadn't slowed down, it would have already been an unsafe turn and it would have forced me to brake. As it was I was watching and preparing my self for something like that and so it would have only been mildly unsafe.
What made it totally unsafe is that he wasn't paying attention and there happened to be a pedestrian crossing the road at the time he was trying to make his turn. In order to keep from plowing the pedestrian over, who had every right to be where he was at because she was in a crosswalk with what was a walk sign, but now a blinking hand, he had to slam on his brakes, putting him directly in my path. I hit my brakes to avoid hitting him, but I wouldn't have been able to go left or right since to the left were cars in the turn lane and to the right were a couple of cars getting ready to turn right.
Luckily the pedestrian was paying attention and she was only at the half way mark when this guy tried to go through. She stopped and he went plowed through just as I was about to panic hit my brakes to keep from plowing him.... Also lucky that I had already reduced my speed before even getting to the intersection. I would almost bet that had I been going 45 MPH instead of 35, I would have plowed right into the guy and it could have been ugly.
I had a mildly interesting one this morning. I was headed into town on a four-lane feeder road (two in each direction with no median or turn lanes), driving in the far right lane a ways (15 car lengths?) behind a string of other vehicles, also in the right lane. To the left, a vehicle makes a left turn into the left (2nd from right) lane a little ahead of me. As I am only perhaps two seconds behind this car (which is only going about 30 and accelerating on a semi-icy uphill versus my sustained 60), its right blinker comes on and the car starts to jut into the right lane.
I hit my brakes and flashed my lights, but it kept coming, so I hit my left blinker and started to swap lanes. As I am about 50% in the left lane and the other car nearly completely in the right, the driver sharply veers back into the left lane. At this point, I was probably at 50 and the other car at 35, so we have a little more time, but I felt like I was closing pretty fast. I whipped right and missed the other car by about a car length (so not too close), wondering if it was a human or a deer driving that thing. :P
Be of Christmas cheer by letting in those leaving parking lots on busy streets.
If you don't have a Crippled parking card, stay out of their stalls.
Grant the Right of Way to those who need it.
Drive with lights on lower beam & nix the fogs.
Stay behind the slower vehicle, you're not that important to be ahead of him.