Yesterday had an old woman yell at me with her window down that I was going the wrong way (in a grocery store parking lot). A wide two way parking area.
So, you didn't say. Was she correct? And, "old". You have to know that some people, teens, consider anyone over 30 as old. Are you old?
"Do bad drivers congregate towards bad insurance companies?"
Independent agents with low loss ratios place bad drivers with companies who welcome those drivers and higher than average premiums. Those companies bet that the bad drivers, having their wallets impacted by higher rates, will sober the rascals into more conservative driving techniques.
An on the ball agency will with low loss ratios among its companies reap a very rewarding bonus around March for the previous year's production.
One year my bonus from one company paid for a new Lincoln Town Car. another year it purchased a SeaRay. One year, it paid for my daughter's wedding. Profit Sharing Bonuses go to the agents who carefully place their customers where they belong.
Part of each premium dollar is dedicated to Claims and part goes to Investment Income. Without the Investment Income, the customer would be paying more than he is already.
As for the high incomes of company executives - we all know what they did to achieve their positions and likewise knowwhat we didn't do when we had the opportunity.
When you observe another person doing well, congratulate him. For having an attitude of mean spirited envy does not profit you at all.
When you buy insurance from a source other than an agency, who goes to bat for you when you need help and professional assistance?
Who woulda thunk it?! After all, I can't think of a place where more people just leave their shopping carts strewn all over the parking lot, unless I jump in a wayback machine to before stores put up "cart corrals." But I digress...
Our local WalMart has perpendicular parking spaces and wide driving lanes, so 2-way traffic is pretty much assumed. I was in one such lane headed away from the store, and saw a couple parked in about the 5th or 6th spot from the building, just BEGINNING to load their bags into the trunk. And after I went past, it was a tight fit for me to get by a Chevy S-10, sitting there with its signal on, waiting for these people to leave.
I went a good 10-12 spaces farther from the store, as my first apparent opportunity was blocked by an abandoned shopping cart (surprise!) and I chose to pass up the next two to get on the other side of an "island" so I'd have a curb on one side of me.
After I parked, and was already walking toward the store, the couple that was loading their bags exited their spot. I was practically already IN the store by the time the driver of the S-10 actually PARKED!
When it comes to lazy and inconsiderate, is there really any better place to find it than WalMart? And I mean the S-10 driver, who probably thinks the couple loading their bags were the inconsiderate ones.
Where I live, WalMart shoppers are a pretty broad cross-section of our population.....jerks, saints,wealthy, unemployed, everything in between. Lots of carts left to wander, lots "coralled". Bad driving behavior isn't at all common. My experience is that parking lot manners are worse at high end malls.
Morning: Driving through a parking lot (Irving, TX) down the main lane. Car approaches from ahead, youngish (20s) woman at the wheel. Suddenly turns left directly in front of me in order to get to the nearest exit. I wasn't going very fast (duh, it's a parking lot) so did not get whiplash from applying the brakes to avoid her. No signal of course. No concept of "right of way" either.
Mid-day: I hit the freeways to see a client near downtown Dallas. I am short of time so I'm in the left lane moving along nicely. (Yes, even though it's only a rental Corolla.) Suddenly a black F-150 that was tailgating the car ahead of him swerves out from the right lane, no signal, almost clips my front bumper. But it gets better! After he passes that one car, he darts back into the right lane so he can exit. Wow, he must have saved all of 1/2 second by that dangerous maneuver.
Afternoon: I'm walking along concourse A at DFW towards my gate. An AA pilot approaches from ahead, then cuts directly in front of me (no signal) so he can get to the nearby restaurant (or maybe it was the bar... no, hopefully it was a restaurant). I screech to a halt, almost tripping over his trailing bag. I think about saying something like, "Hope you don't fly like that", but decide to let it pass.
Drive from airport was uneventful. I only have to drive a couple more miles tonight, to pick up my daughter, so I hope that's all of the adventures I'll have for today.
Just one reason I don't like to go to Wally World is the parking - although the clientele can make for great people watching.
Around here, Costco is a nightmare, any of them, especially the weird parking lot in Kirkland. I've yelled at the cart abandoners there, and laughed at the lazy simps who cruise around and idle waiting for a close spot. I also like to bring my junk out to the car, then go back and have a nice cheap lunch - nope, not moving for a little while yet :shades:
This afternoon some VW Bus driver had something mirror-like taped to the inside of the back hatch glass. Could see the van a mile away reflecting the sunlight. It was worse than a misaligned one-eyed headlight on high beams shining in your face.
I was inconsiderate according to some I am sure, this morning - ran a red light (after stopping). Did it because the light was stuck and appeared like it was never going to change...this was maybe at 0545. Infrastructure, we has it. Sure would be something to work in a field where merit and quality are far down the list of concerns...
I'm walking along concourse A at DFW towards my gate. An AA pilot approaches from ahead, then cuts directly in front of me (no signal) so he can get to the nearby restaurant (or maybe it was the bar... no, hopefully it was a restaurant). I screech to a halt, almost tripping over his trailing bag.
Thank goodness there were no casualties. Were you departing the AA Admirals Club at DFW terminal A? You had to "screech" to a halt because the pilot on approach did not "signal" his turn and you nearly tripped over his "trailing bag." You and the pilot were both walking through this near miss, right? Texas is a tough country.
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
Inconsiderate pedestrains, too! Parking lots at Costco & Home Depot are the worst, at least around here. If they're not walking right smack down the middle of a lane, they're crossing right in front of you at the last moment, without so much as a glance left or right for traffic.
Situational awareness has degraded to situational cluelessness.
Yeah, I wish I were departing the Admirals Club. I am a nobody as far as AA is concerned. That must be why the pilot acted the way he did, I didn't have the special AA tags on my bag. :P
I suspect that as we walk, so do we drive. Or fly (?).
I got caught in a road construction traffic pile up, 45 minutes to go 1 mile. 3 lanes down to 1. I was in the right (open) lane. Some drivers behind me decided they would move up in the line by driving down the right shoulder. I thought at first they were doing this to make a quick exit, then I realized the next exit ramp was a mile away. Sure enough, as I moved up a little I saw them all ducking back into line, or trying to. I wasn't in any mood to let these folks back in ahead of me. Then this middle-aged woman in an old Explorer starts creeping to the left, to the point I have to decide if it's worth playing chicken with her or let her in. (I might have been more hospitable if she had the turn signal on and looked at me and "asked" to move in with a hand gesture and/or smile, but no, her gaze was fixed straight ahead.) I figured I had more to lose with my flawless 18-month-old leased car than she did with her beat up Explorer, so I gave way. Also gave her a few good blasts on the horn.
That's one of my pet peeves where someone thinks they are clever by using the shoulder as a passing or turning lane to by-pass 10 cars with all with their right binkers on. It angers me to think that these fools count on my good driving habits to exercise their bad ones. The only time I saw justice done was during a traffic accident back-up. Many people were using the shoulder to reach the exit ramp. When the trooper saw what they were doing he walked over and blocked the shoulder and started writing tickets to all of them.
Thursday while driving my school bus I saw the ultimate dumb shoulder cheater.
Because of the torential rains traffic was backed up a good mile on this secondary road leading to the main highway. We were creeping along when I see the car in front of me dart off into an apartment complex parking lot.
What I didn't know was that this clown thought he could by-pass traffic by racing through the lot and coming out farther down the road. The trouble was that the lots were not continous but rather a series of non-connected lots.
What does this nut do? He races across the grass between the lots skidding and bouncing as he goes. As he ran down berms I thought he was going to break a spring or roll his car over.
Finally after almost taking his nose off in a ditch he bounced back up onto the road with a gain of exactly ONE car.
He probably destroyed his suspension to gain 20 feet. :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Issaquah Costco is a mess. "Park Waiters" plug the isles because they are too lazy to walk another 50 feet. People leave their carts wherever they please.
Inside the store they will mow you down trying to grab a free sample of something.
Bingo! Although I hate putting it off until Saturdays, I had to do a bit of shopping today. Worst pedestrian spotted was a young black kid who saved himself a few precious minutes by crossing a 4 lane city street less than half a block away from a crosswalk. He had to pause at the center line before risking the last leg of his walk - which can't be easy to do when your jeans are belted down below your boxers.
Kids who dress like that and dart into traffic like that are probably just as inconsiderate behind the wheel.
A time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing.
Oh I know it indeed. And I agree with "and as we walk, we drive". There's more to it as well - "and as we push a shopping cart, we drive". I'll actually yell at people if they nearly run me down in a store, usually with "did you even look??!". I've never received a reply when I've asked it, but to protect the easily offended, I won't describe who I have asked that terrible question :shades:
I only go to Costco at opening on Sunday, or at dead weekday times when I am off. The idiots who crowd it on weekend afternoons aren't worth the hassle.
Early this morning, I was on my way home after an open-water swim on the sound side of one of our beach communities, and was maybe a half mile onto the mainland. I made the left turn onto a lightly-traveled, 45mph speed limit, through street. The road is one lane in each direction, with a shared center left-turn lane.
I was behind a white SUV that didn't quite get up to speed before it started slowing. The driver braked and moved far enough left that he/she was more than halfway into the left turn lane... and then proceeded to make a slow, lazy RIGHT turn into a convenience store parking lot!
When the trooper saw what they were doing he walked over and blocked the shoulder and started writing tickets to all of them.
What kind of ticket could that possibly be if they were really exiting the freeway? I know in CA there's a "thou shall not pass on the right shoulder" vehicle code. However, if they were truly exiting the freeway, in court, they could argue that they weren't passing anyone because they were headed in a different direction than those on the freeway, and you really can't "pass" anyone not going the same direction as you.
I was involved in a similar case (but in mine, it wasn't a shoulder) involving this VC and was found not guilty by the judge in a trial by mail/declaration. Of course, I was lucky I had my digital camera on me to take pictures immediately after receiving a boneheaded CHP officer's citation.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
What does this nut do? He races across the grass between the lots skidding and bouncing as he goes. As he ran down berms I thought he was going to break a spring or roll his car over.
I always thought that would be one good reason to own a truck in a big city. It would be one good use of the truck to make way where normal cars can't go to get ahead. Of course, soccer moms in big SUV's would never do such a thing, right? I've never owned a truck.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Surprised the LEO didn't threaten or arrest you for taking a pic as some are known to do when a member of the public actually tries to document their actions. What is this group of well paid unionized workers hiding?
I saw a considerate driver yesterday: I am in the fintail, heading up a hill, so the speed limit is all I am going to be able to hit without downshifting and making the car work, which I don't like to do on hills. Ahead, a RAV4 pulls out in front of me, a ways ahead, but really crawling - gently eased onto the road, and got up to about 15 in a 30. I am going about 30, and closing on it fast. The driver, who looked to be about 400 years old, actually pulled over and let me by, with no drama. Gave me a little faith in humanity.
Surprised the LEO didn't threaten or arrest you for taking a pic as some are known to do when a member of the public actually tries to document their actions. What is this group of well paid unionized workers hiding?
Yes, I was shocked the first time I learned what the starting and average salaries were for Police Officers and CHP. Shocked! They are extremely well paid.
I've also heard from people (and experienced a bit of it first hand) that LEO's tend to have short tempers and react negatively and harshly when one questions their judgment or dares to challenge their authority. One time, in an argument over getting the county seat for my court appearance location, the officer (Santee Sheriff) decided he'd add a second count/charge to my citation, AFTER I already signed the ticket! The second charge was for "bald tires" after he did a walk around of my vehicle to supposedly "teach me a lesson." The fact that he added it to the citation AFTER I signed the ticket struck me as 100% wrong, in addition to which the tires were in the same condition as before his walkaround. They were low on tread, but that's not the point, and it was summertime in San Diego where it never rains.
As to the other situation I mentioned previously, I didn't JUMP out of my car as soon as he gave me the ticket. I waited a minute, he was distracted by the other person he was giving a ticket too, (while he pulled 1 person over, while on foot he pulled me and another car over as well - guess he was killing 3 birds with one stone and meeting quota in a lazy way that day). So after that minute I quietly and subtely got out, took a bunch of photos, and then quietly left. I didn't go over to where he was and start taking pictures of him and his face! :P In Nevada, when I pulled out my digital camera the Nevada Highway Patrol did get pissed, and yelled "Are you taking pictures of me!" That time, I didn't even get out, I was taking pictures out my rearview mirror of his bike before he could leave. I just said I was documenting and he left me alone. That ticket was stupid cause my radar detector had it been ON would have saved me the wasted time. I was charging the Garmin and made the unwise decision to drive without the detector on. I went to Radio Shack and bought a Y adapter to make 2 plugs out of one immediately after that incident, and then realized for the first time my car already had 2 ports at that moment! DOH! :surprise: :sick:
He gave me a ticket for 70 on a 4 lane (2 each way) highway. If I get tickets for 70 on a perfect day weather wise with light traffic, well then I'll just get tickets. The speed limit is severely under posted; set for winter SNOW conditions near Tahoe, and it was labor day weekend years ago with the sun shining warm.
So the key is not to say anything. Wait a minute, and take the pictures in a low key (not in your face) manner. I've thought long and hard about mounting a video camera with mic in my back seat. I do have a digitial voice recorder in the armrest for the next Johnny Law that decides to get out of hand and pull me over.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
When you observe another person doing well, congratulate him. For having an attitude of mean spirited envy does not profit you at all.
When you buy insurance from a source other than an agency, who goes to bat for you when you need help and professional assistance?
That doesn't change the fact that CEO's tend to be severely overpaid. Yes, they should have the highest salary in the company, but it doesn't need to be hundreds and hundreds of multipliers over the average salary at the company.
As far as agencies, it depends. Eastwood Insurance was an agency, and they would look at you when you wanted them to go to bat for you and say "who the heck are you and why are you bugging us!?" That was the likely response because of extremely high turnover rates and general unethical and corrupt operation. They were of no help, and denied all of their mistakes rather than accept using their E&O insurance for all of the wrongdoing.
So, do your research when choosing an agent.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
I've seriously thought about putting a camera in my car, with cheap portable storage being so easily available today, any normal drive could be documented without a problem. When the LEO community protests these ideas, it should be obvious they are trying to cover something. If they've got nothing to hide, they've got nothing to fear, right? And if it makes the bad ones face attention for their ego/roid rage problems, then so be it - as in 2011 the good cops still refuse to call out the bad ones.
Some older people don't realize that "doing well" (in CEO terms anyway) these days is more of a component of where and to who you were born, ability to sycophant, and often plain old luck, than it is any kind of merit or hard work. The socio-economic gap is at pre-depression levels, but some haven't kept up. Some people are deathly afraid of questioning the rich, as they see themselves as the elite or close to it. Judging by how this group drives in my area, they are not more intelligent or responsible than anyone else.
I've always dealt with smaller local insurance agents, most of whom with a long time track record and community involvement. Some of them are very good.
The only exception is when told to by LEO or aloowed to due to construction.
I think some other type (any type) of emergency would also qualify to allow you to use the shoulder (say a flat tire you need to change; would you suggest blocking lanes of traffic to do so and not drive onto the shoulder?)
The reason I brought up the PASSING on the shoulder thing was because the CHP officer pulled that one out of where the son don't shine. He is the one that cited the Vehicle code, and the vehicle code said "passing on the right shoulder."
So the argument for my defense consisted of two points: 1) It wasn't a shoulder in my opinion. 2) I wasn't passing anyone (both by not going the same direction and by virtue of my speed be less than others).
I was basically saying the officer chose an inapplicable vehicle code to cite me with in every way possible.
I did ask about the judge that found me not guilty, and was told he retired shortly after his verdict (guess you can fight the powers that be when your close to retirement with a not guilty verdict).
I do wish they would indicate WHY they found me not guilty. I'll never know which part of my argument won the case (or which pictures sealed the deal).
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
more of a component of where and to who you were born,
And when - look at pro hockey player rosters sometimes. 80% are born between January and March. When starting out, because of the birth date cutoff, they are bigger and more mature than the "younger" kids their age, so get more coaching and play time. (Outliers: The Story of Success)
Inconsiderate drivers today were the two women blocking one of the dirt lanes at the U-Pick blueberry farm. The owner drove us around the corner to another good picking row (and even gave us a ride back to the office). Meanwhile the two women drove off after filling their buckets without paying.
Unless you are still driving your car as you change your tire changing a tire is not driving on the shoulder now is it?
It wasn't a shoulder in my opinion.
Were you at least partially past the solid white line? If so you were on the shoulder. Your opinion on this doesn't matter, what matters is what the law says.
I wasn't passing anyone
Then why were you on the shoulder?
But that doesn't matter you cannot use the shoulder as a lane.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I have a friend who got in a pretty bad accident in a situation like that some time ago. He was in a highway traffic jam in a 90s Corolla, creeping along, and took his exit when he finally got to it. As he moved right, he got rear ended at about 40mph by some idiot in an SUV who was using the shoulder as a lane. The SUV driver was found at fault.
Well, I was ranting about two and three comma CEO style success, which seems to me more of a matter of what part of the socio-economic spectrum you were born into and who and where you have kissed rather than any actual merit.
No inconsiderate drivers today - I didn't drive :shades: Didn't see anything while on foot either.
That book has its detractors, but it does touch on the born on third base crowd who think they were all self-made.
There was someone driving on the shoulder here today; was going to turn right and decided to move over a good quarter mile before the turn. Been better just to keep going until they got there; just confused the rest of us about their intentions.
Our particular Wal-mart is really bad sometimes. And I've noticed it more and more. The other night I walked out and had more stuff than I could carry in my arms (I usually take the stuff out of the cart when I leave and leave the cart at the door, either giving it to someone walking in, or placing it right where it can easily be grabbed by someone walking in) but this time I had more than I wanted to juggle while walking through the lot.
After I got done loading I glanced around and there must have been half a dozen carts littering my immediate vicinity. i just started grabbing and stacking them and pushed the ones I could easily get while on my way to the corral. While on the way, I was sort of, but not really because I stopped and waited, but she didn't take the chance so I kept pushing, inconsiderate as I made the lady wait for me to push on with my train of carts before she could park... (ya ya run on sentence I know... lol)
She kinda gave me this huh??? look like maybe I was a new employee or something, or like she couldn't really figure out what I was doing. But once I was done there was a slightly fewer number of rogue carts roaming the lots. But not that I did any good. The corral was overfull and I just added to the mess and the lot was still littered. No wonder I can never get a cart at the door. (hence why I leave my cart right next to the door for someone else)
Yeah, that's pretty much par for the course anywhere these days. It gets even worse here during the winter, as folks don't seem to have any problem pushing their carts to the car, but are completely unwilling to move them from that location over the snow/ice/gravel in the parking lot.
When I go to Sam's Club, I always grab a cart (or two or three) and push it inside with me, even if I have no intention of using it myself. Unless it is first thing in the the morning or before about 3pm on a weekday, I know, with certainty, that there will be no carts stacked and waiting inside.
Minimal impact, yes, but at least I am doing my part.
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
"...What kind of ticket could that possibly be if they were really exiting the freeway?..."
Using the right shoulder/break-down lane as a driving lane is illegal in NY. The ticket would be for that.
Not to mention that these entitled knuckleheads had no idea if some accident victim was laying on the shoulder injured. They thought that their wants and needs outweighed EVERYTHING. :mad:
I think they got what they deserved.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
In NY the law says you may pass on the right shoulder if the other car is making a left turn and there is sufficient room to safely do so.
In my example no one was making a left turn so people were getting nailed for using the shoulder as a driving lane. If your ticket was for simply passing a left turning vehicle on the shoulder you deserved to win--at least in NY.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Unless you are still driving your car as you change your tire changing a tire is not driving on the shoulder now is it?
It is driving on the shoulder! How did you get onto the shoulder? Unless you had a CRANE pick your car up and move it onto the shoulder, you drove on the shoulder to go change your tire (or pushed your car onto the shoulder I guess would be another end-around).
The Vehicle Code in question made no distinction about being limited to driving 10, 20, 30, or 3,000 feet or less. Sorry for you! :P If I decide I'd rather change my tire at the next exit rather then right on the freeway shoulder, that is my right the way I see it. I'm not aware of another VC that says you can't drive on the shoulder at all in any situation, but being that there is 40,000+ VC's, I'm sure you might find one for me.
Were you at least partially past the solid white line? If so you were on the shoulder. Your opinion on this doesn't matter, what matters is what the law says.
Here's the tricky part. It was an area of 805 that was under construction and reconfiguration at the time. The exit was a double lane exit. I was about 1/4 mile from the exit .
On the cops side was this evidence: 1) Your solid white line argument. I was to the right of a single solid white line.
However, on my side was this: 1) There was a black colored asphalt shoulder (as is the norm) with a light gray concrete "lane" next to it. I was on the concrete "lane." Not too many double or triple wide lane shoulders in CA. I was not on the asphalt shoulder.
2) I took a picture of the exit lane down ramp. There is INDEED a solid white line between the freeway and the TWO exit lanes. Therefore, a solid white line does not automatically mean it's a shoulder to the right. My picture proved that. My concrete lane goes straight into one of those two exit lanes, no merging or moving required.
3) Therefore my conclusion was that the evidence greatly outweighed the officer's assertion. The materials, the colors, the lanes were all laid out in such a way that a REASONABLE driver would assume that concrete was part of the exit lane.
4) I took rearward facing pictures and happened to notice in the background that yet another pickup came down that same "concrete" lane, and then another car, and then yet another, this time a big SEMI Truck. I pointed out to the judge that even a professional driver, one who drives for a living, figured that concrete lane was not a shoulder just because of a mistaken white line protruding too far out.
5) The judge sided with me, "Not Guilty" Case closed.
Then why were you on the shoulder?
As I said, I'm unwilling to concede it was a shoulder, it was a lane. That being said, I was on it because it was my exit lane and I was indeed exiting the freeway and going on my way in a different direction than the rest of traffic.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Inside the store they will mow you down trying to grab a free sample of something.
Yes. Inconsiderate cart drivers at Costco near the free food.
Also, consider many inconsiderates who when getting the free food, just stay at the free food cart and finish their food, blocking others, instead of just moving on and tasting. If you want to ask questions on the food, park your cart farther away, go back and ask your question.
Meanwhile the two women drove off after filling their buckets without paying.
The thing about U-pcik berries is that you can eat more berries, while picking, than you put in your bucket and pay for. Do it after a rain in case there is spray residue on berries.
consider many inconsiderates who when getting the free food, just stay at the free food cart and finish their food, blocking others, instead of just moving on and tasting.
I bet that they are the same ones who when they get to the bottom of the escalator just stand there trying to figure out where to go while bodies pile up behind them.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Driving on shoulder or outside of tire paths on concrete or asphalt one is more likely to pick up a nasty small piece of metal, nail, etc. Last inconsiderate I saw driving on shoulder on I90 in rush hour was a felon and his partner being chased by police cars (sometimes also on shoulder) and a chase helicopter. They were caught after a chase of about 60 miles.
Coming back from seeing a client, heading down the freeway in the #4/4 lane @ 85 mph. I pul into the #3 lane to pass a slow moving truck. I see/know that further back in the #1 lane is a FASTer moving black and white vehicle with the tell tale light bar with no lights (no code) . I pull back into the #4 slow lane. Not 3 seconds later, he BLOWS by. The black and white literally disappears in 10-15 seconds. :shades:
I cannot recall anywhere that I have been where the access to the exit lane from the main road has a solid white line across it.
Well normally there is a break in the white line for the exit lanes. Then it restarts where they want to tell you that you are too late to be getting over to the right. My problem is the white line was painted too soon so that you couldn't be early getting over into the exit lane.
The area was in a transitional period as I mentioned, and the construction crews had painted the white lines in an inconsiderate manner that did not follow the layout of the freeway, lanes, and road. A good driver will realize a mistake has been made and not stupidly follow painted lines when all other evidence points to the contrary. I can see you being the type of driver that would brake down to 0 MPH just because someone painted a perpendicular white line on the freeway to the direction of travel, but most won't do so! (thank goodness) The area in question has been corrected by the way. Inadequate signage and ill-advised paint trucks with stripers filled with white paint doing a poor layout no longer exists.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
"...you can eat more berries, while picking, than you put in you bucket and pay for..."
Yikes! And you wonder why all the farmers are going out of business. What you describe is called "stealing" and is generally frowned upon.
A friend of mine use to do a pick-your-own fruit operation. City folks would bring their snotty, bored kids and then not supervise them. The kids would get in "food fights" and destroy hundreds of dollars worth of product and then the parents would expect to pay for the pint they picked. People would steal so much that he would have to inspect in the trunk and under the hood of every car as they left. One guy got caught with several bushels of apples jammed into the engine compartment. The smell of apple sauce gave him away.
He finally knew it was time to quit when a husband and wife got into an argument and the wife hit the guy with a bucket. The guy then threatened to sue the farmer!
I bet the same people who think they are clever for stealing from a pick-your-own are the same ones who go to a car dealers and call the salesman a crook. :mad:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Comments
So, you didn't say. Was she correct? And, "old". You have to know that some people, teens, consider anyone over 30 as old. Are you old?
She was likely not a day under 75.
I am over 30, not getting any younger, that's for sure :shades:
Independent agents with low loss ratios place bad drivers with companies who welcome those drivers and higher than average premiums. Those companies bet that the bad drivers, having their wallets impacted by higher rates, will sober the rascals into more conservative driving techniques.
An on the ball agency will with low loss ratios among its companies reap a very rewarding bonus around March for the previous year's production.
One year my bonus from one company paid for a new Lincoln Town Car. another year it purchased a SeaRay. One year, it paid for my daughter's wedding. Profit Sharing Bonuses go to the agents who carefully place their customers where they belong.
Part of each premium dollar is dedicated to Claims and part goes to Investment Income. Without the Investment Income, the customer would be paying more than he is already.
As for the high incomes of company executives - we all know what they did to achieve their positions and likewise knowwhat we didn't do when we had the opportunity.
When you observe another person doing well, congratulate him. For having an attitude of mean spirited envy does not profit you at all.
When you buy insurance from a source other than an agency, who goes to bat for you when you need help and professional assistance?
Our local WalMart has perpendicular parking spaces and wide driving lanes, so 2-way traffic is pretty much assumed. I was in one such lane headed away from the store, and saw a couple parked in about the 5th or 6th spot from the building, just BEGINNING to load their bags into the trunk. And after I went past, it was a tight fit for me to get by a Chevy S-10, sitting there with its signal on, waiting for these people to leave.
I went a good 10-12 spaces farther from the store, as my first apparent opportunity was blocked by an abandoned shopping cart (surprise!) and I chose to pass up the next two to get on the other side of an "island" so I'd have a curb on one side of me.
After I parked, and was already walking toward the store, the couple that was loading their bags exited their spot. I was practically already IN the store by the time the driver of the S-10 actually PARKED!
When it comes to lazy and inconsiderate, is there really any better place to find it than WalMart? And I mean the S-10 driver, who probably thinks the couple loading their bags were the inconsiderate ones.
Yeah gyms and health clubs where those going in for a work out ironically search and wait for a close parking space.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Mid-day: I hit the freeways to see a client near downtown Dallas. I am short of time so I'm in the left lane moving along nicely. (Yes, even though it's only a rental Corolla.) Suddenly a black F-150 that was tailgating the car ahead of him swerves out from the right lane, no signal, almost clips my front bumper. But it gets better! After he passes that one car, he darts back into the right lane so he can exit. Wow, he must have saved all of 1/2 second by that dangerous maneuver.
Afternoon: I'm walking along concourse A at DFW towards my gate. An AA pilot approaches from ahead, then cuts directly in front of me (no signal) so he can get to the nearby restaurant (or maybe it was the bar... no, hopefully it was a restaurant). I screech to a halt, almost tripping over his trailing bag. I think about saying something like, "Hope you don't fly like that", but decide to let it pass.
Drive from airport was uneventful. I only have to drive a couple more miles tonight, to pick up my daughter, so I hope that's all of the adventures I'll have for today.
Around here, Costco is a nightmare, any of them, especially the weird parking lot in Kirkland. I've yelled at the cart abandoners there, and laughed at the lazy simps who cruise around and idle waiting for a close spot. I also like to bring my junk out to the car, then go back and have a nice cheap lunch - nope, not moving for a little while yet :shades:
Thank goodness there were no casualties. Were you departing the AA Admirals Club at DFW terminal A? You had to "screech" to a halt because the pilot on approach did not "signal" his turn and you nearly tripped over his "trailing bag." You and the pilot were both walking through this near miss, right? Texas is a tough country.
Parking lots at Costco & Home Depot are the worst, at least around here. If they're not walking right smack down the middle of a lane, they're crossing right in front of you at the last moment, without so much as a glance left or right for traffic.
Situational awareness has degraded to situational cluelessness.
I suspect that as we walk, so do we drive. Or fly (?).
That's one of my pet peeves where someone thinks they are clever by using the shoulder as a passing or turning lane to by-pass 10 cars with all with their right binkers on. It angers me to think that these fools count on my good driving habits to exercise their bad ones. The only time I saw justice done was during a traffic accident back-up. Many people were using the shoulder to reach the exit ramp. When the trooper saw what they were doing he walked over and blocked the shoulder and started writing tickets to all of them.
Thursday while driving my school bus I saw the ultimate dumb shoulder cheater.
Because of the torential rains traffic was backed up a good mile on this secondary road leading to the main highway. We were creeping along when I see the car in front of me dart off into an apartment complex parking lot.
What I didn't know was that this clown thought he could by-pass traffic by racing through the lot and coming out farther down the road. The trouble was that the lots were not continous but rather a series of non-connected lots.
What does this nut do? He races across the grass between the lots skidding and bouncing as he goes. As he ran down berms I thought he was going to break a spring or roll his car over.
Finally after almost taking his nose off in a ditch he bounced back up onto the road with a gain of exactly ONE car.
He probably destroyed his suspension to gain 20 feet. :confuse:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
Inside the store they will mow you down trying to grab a free sample of something.
Fintail knows what I'm talking about.
Bingo! Although I hate putting it off until Saturdays, I had to do a bit of shopping today. Worst pedestrian spotted was a young black kid who saved himself a few precious minutes by crossing a 4 lane city street less than half a block away from a crosswalk. He had to pause at the center line before risking the last leg of his walk - which can't be easy to do when your jeans are belted down below your boxers.
Kids who dress like that and dart into traffic like that are probably just as inconsiderate behind the wheel.
I only go to Costco at opening on Sunday, or at dead weekday times when I am off. The idiots who crowd it on weekend afternoons aren't worth the hassle.
I was behind a white SUV that didn't quite get up to speed before it started slowing. The driver braked and moved far enough left that he/she was more than halfway into the left turn lane... and then proceeded to make a slow, lazy RIGHT turn into a convenience store parking lot!
What kind of ticket could that possibly be if they were really exiting the freeway? I know in CA there's a "thou shall not pass on the right shoulder" vehicle code. However, if they were truly exiting the freeway, in court, they could argue that they weren't passing anyone because they were headed in a different direction than those on the freeway, and you really can't "pass" anyone not going the same direction as you.
I was involved in a similar case (but in mine, it wasn't a shoulder) involving this VC and was found not guilty by the judge in a trial by mail/declaration. Of course, I was lucky I had my digital camera on me to take pictures immediately after receiving a boneheaded CHP officer's citation.
I always thought that would be one good reason to own a truck in a big city. It would be one good use of the truck to make way where normal cars can't go to get ahead. Of course, soccer moms in big SUV's would never do such a thing, right? I've never owned a truck.
I saw a considerate driver yesterday: I am in the fintail, heading up a hill, so the speed limit is all I am going to be able to hit without downshifting and making the car work, which I don't like to do on hills. Ahead, a RAV4 pulls out in front of me, a ways ahead, but really crawling - gently eased onto the road, and got up to about 15 in a 30. I am going about 30, and closing on it fast. The driver, who looked to be about 400 years old, actually pulled over and let me by, with no drama. Gave me a little faith in humanity.
Yes, I was shocked the first time I learned what the starting and average salaries were for Police Officers and CHP. Shocked! They are extremely well paid.
I've also heard from people (and experienced a bit of it first hand) that LEO's tend to have short tempers and react negatively and harshly when one questions their judgment or dares to challenge their authority. One time, in an argument over getting the county seat for my court appearance location, the officer (Santee Sheriff) decided he'd add a second count/charge to my citation, AFTER I already signed the ticket! The second charge was for "bald tires" after he did a walk around of my vehicle to supposedly "teach me a lesson." The fact that he added it to the citation AFTER I signed the ticket struck me as 100% wrong, in addition to which the tires were in the same condition as before his walkaround. They were low on tread, but that's not the point, and it was summertime in San Diego where it never rains.
As to the other situation I mentioned previously, I didn't JUMP out of my car as soon as he gave me the ticket. I waited a minute, he was distracted by the other person he was giving a ticket too, (while he pulled 1 person over, while on foot he pulled me and another car over as well - guess he was killing 3 birds with one stone and meeting quota in a lazy way that day). So after that minute I quietly and subtely got out, took a bunch of photos, and then quietly left. I didn't go over to where he was and start taking pictures of him and his face! :P In Nevada, when I pulled out my digital camera the Nevada Highway Patrol did get pissed, and yelled "Are you taking pictures of me!" That time, I didn't even get out, I was taking pictures out my rearview mirror of his bike before he could leave. I just said I was documenting and he left me alone. That ticket was stupid cause my radar detector had it been ON would have saved me the wasted time. I was charging the Garmin and made the unwise decision to drive without the detector on. I went to Radio Shack and bought a Y adapter to make 2 plugs out of one immediately after that incident, and then realized for the first time my car already had 2 ports at that moment! DOH! :surprise: :sick:
He gave me a ticket for 70 on a 4 lane (2 each way) highway. If I get tickets for 70 on a perfect day weather wise with light traffic, well then I'll just get tickets. The speed limit is severely under posted; set for winter SNOW conditions near Tahoe, and it was labor day weekend years ago with the sun shining warm.
So the key is not to say anything. Wait a minute, and take the pictures in a low key (not in your face) manner. I've thought long and hard about mounting a video camera with mic in my back seat. I do have a digitial voice recorder in the armrest for the next Johnny Law that decides to get out of hand and pull me over.
When you buy insurance from a source other than an agency, who goes to bat for you when you need help and professional assistance?
That doesn't change the fact that CEO's tend to be severely overpaid. Yes, they should have the highest salary in the company, but it doesn't need to be hundreds and hundreds of multipliers over the average salary at the company.
As far as agencies, it depends. Eastwood Insurance was an agency, and they would look at you when you wanted them to go to bat for you and say "who the heck are you and why are you bugging us!?" That was the likely response because of extremely high turnover rates and general unethical and corrupt operation. They were of no help, and denied all of their mistakes rather than accept using their E&O insurance for all of the wrongdoing.
So, do your research when choosing an agent.
I've always dealt with smaller local insurance agents, most of whom with a long time track record and community involvement. Some of them are very good.
I believe in every state driving on the shoulder is illegal. Doesn't matter if you are going towards an exit you cannot use a shoulder as a lane.
The only exception is when told to by LEO or aloowed to due to construction.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I think some other type (any type) of emergency would also qualify to allow you to use the shoulder (say a flat tire you need to change; would you suggest blocking lanes of traffic to do so and not drive onto the shoulder?)
The reason I brought up the PASSING on the shoulder thing was because the CHP officer pulled that one out of where the son don't shine. He is the one that cited the Vehicle code, and the vehicle code said "passing on the right shoulder."
So the argument for my defense consisted of two points:
1) It wasn't a shoulder in my opinion.
2) I wasn't passing anyone (both by not going the same direction and by virtue of my speed be less than others).
I was basically saying the officer chose an inapplicable vehicle code to cite me with in every way possible.
I did ask about the judge that found me not guilty, and was told he retired shortly after his verdict (guess you can fight the powers that be when your close to retirement with a not guilty verdict).
I do wish they would indicate WHY they found me not guilty. I'll never know which part of my argument won the case (or which pictures sealed the deal).
And when - look at pro hockey player rosters sometimes. 80% are born between January and March. When starting out, because of the birth date cutoff, they are bigger and more mature than the "younger" kids their age, so get more coaching and play time. (Outliers: The Story of Success)
Inconsiderate drivers today were the two women blocking one of the dirt lanes at the U-Pick blueberry farm. The owner drove us around the corner to another good picking row (and even gave us a ride back to the office). Meanwhile the two women drove off after filling their buckets without paying.
Unless you are still driving your car as you change your tire changing a tire is not driving on the shoulder now is it?
It wasn't a shoulder in my opinion.
Were you at least partially past the solid white line? If so you were on the shoulder. Your opinion on this doesn't matter, what matters is what the law says.
I wasn't passing anyone
Then why were you on the shoulder?
But that doesn't matter you cannot use the shoulder as a lane.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
No inconsiderate drivers today - I didn't drive :shades: Didn't see anything while on foot either.
There was someone driving on the shoulder here today; was going to turn right and decided to move over a good quarter mile before the turn. Been better just to keep going until they got there; just confused the rest of us about their intentions.
After I got done loading I glanced around and there must have been half a dozen carts littering my immediate vicinity. i just started grabbing and stacking them and pushed the ones I could easily get while on my way to the corral. While on the way, I was sort of, but not really because I stopped and waited, but she didn't take the chance so I kept pushing, inconsiderate as I made the lady wait for me to push on with my train of carts before she could park... (ya ya run on sentence I know... lol)
She kinda gave me this huh??? look like maybe I was a new employee or something, or like she couldn't really figure out what I was doing. But once I was done there was a slightly fewer number of rogue carts roaming the lots. But not that I did any good. The corral was overfull and I just added to the mess and the lot was still littered. No wonder I can never get a cart at the door. (hence why I leave my cart right next to the door for someone else)
When I go to Sam's Club, I always grab a cart (or two or three) and push it inside with me, even if I have no intention of using it myself. Unless it is first thing in the the morning or before about 3pm on a weekday, I know, with certainty, that there will be no carts stacked and waiting inside.
Minimal impact, yes, but at least I am doing my part.
Using the right shoulder/break-down lane as a driving lane is illegal in NY. The ticket would be for that.
Not to mention that these entitled knuckleheads had no idea if some accident victim was laying on the shoulder injured. They thought that their wants and needs outweighed EVERYTHING. :mad:
I think they got what they deserved.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
In NY the law says you may pass on the right shoulder if the other car is making a left turn and there is sufficient room to safely do so.
In my example no one was making a left turn so people were getting nailed for using the shoulder as a driving lane. If your ticket was for simply passing a left turning vehicle on the shoulder you deserved to win--at least in NY.
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible
It is driving on the shoulder! How did you get onto the shoulder? Unless you had a CRANE pick your car up and move it onto the shoulder, you drove on the shoulder to go change your tire (or pushed your car onto the shoulder I guess would be another end-around).
The Vehicle Code in question made no distinction about being limited to driving 10, 20, 30, or 3,000 feet or less. Sorry for you! :P If I decide I'd rather change my tire at the next exit rather then right on the freeway shoulder, that is my right the way I see it.
Were you at least partially past the solid white line? If so you were on the shoulder. Your opinion on this doesn't matter, what matters is what the law says.
Here's the tricky part. It was an area of 805 that was under construction and reconfiguration at the time. The exit was a double lane exit. I was about 1/4 mile from the exit .
On the cops side was this evidence:
1) Your solid white line argument. I was to the right of a single solid white line.
However, on my side was this:
1) There was a black colored asphalt shoulder (as is the norm) with a light gray concrete "lane" next to it. I was on the concrete "lane." Not too many double or triple wide lane shoulders in CA. I was not on the asphalt shoulder.
2) I took a picture of the exit lane down ramp. There is INDEED a solid white line between the freeway and the TWO exit lanes. Therefore, a solid white line does not automatically mean it's a shoulder to the right. My picture proved that. My concrete lane goes straight into one of those two exit lanes, no merging or moving required.
3) Therefore my conclusion was that the evidence greatly outweighed the officer's assertion. The materials, the colors, the lanes were all laid out in such a way that a REASONABLE driver would assume that concrete was part of the exit lane.
4) I took rearward facing pictures and happened to notice in the background that yet another pickup came down that same "concrete" lane, and then another car, and then yet another, this time a big SEMI Truck. I pointed out to the judge that even a professional driver, one who drives for a living, figured that concrete lane was not a shoulder just because of a mistaken white line protruding too far out.
5) The judge sided with me, "Not Guilty" Case closed.
Then why were you on the shoulder?
As I said, I'm unwilling to concede it was a shoulder, it was a lane. That being said, I was on it because it was my exit lane and I was indeed exiting the freeway and going on my way in a different direction than the rest of traffic.
Yes. Inconsiderate cart drivers at Costco near the free food.
Also, consider many inconsiderates who when getting the free food, just stay at the free food cart and finish their food, blocking others, instead of just moving on and tasting. If you want to ask questions on the food, park your cart farther away, go back and ask your question.
The thing about U-pcik berries is that you can eat more berries, while picking, than you put in your bucket and pay for. Do it after a rain in case there is spray residue on berries.
ARe you just trying ri be difficult? No its not driving on the shoulder to pull over and stop.
If I decide I'd rather change my tire at the next exit rather then right on the freeway shoulder, that is my right the way I see it.
Yep it's your right to ruin the rim, however if you want to do it at the next exit stay in your lane until the exit.
Your solid white line argument. I was to the right of a single solid white line.
Then you were driving on the shoulder and deserve a ticket.
I'm unwilling to concede it was a shoulder,
Why am I not surprised?
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
I bet that they are the same ones who when they get to the bottom of the escalator just stand there trying to figure out where to go while bodies pile up behind them.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Absolutely not. A white line does not automatically mean a shoulder is to the right. Exit lane(s) are often to the right of a white line.
The judge already sided with me in this argument, It was not a shoulder.
I did not deserve the ticket. The officer was wasting taxpayer money and the courts and my time by making me get a not guilty verdict.
I cannot recall anywhere that I have been where the access to the exit lane from the main road has a solid white line across it.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Well normally there is a break in the white line for the exit lanes. Then it restarts where they want to tell you that you are too late to be getting over to the right. My problem is the white line was painted too soon so that you couldn't be early getting over into the exit lane.
The area was in a transitional period as I mentioned, and the construction crews had painted the white lines in an inconsiderate manner that did not follow the layout of the freeway, lanes, and road. A good driver will realize a mistake has been made and not stupidly follow painted lines when all other evidence points to the contrary. I can see you being the type of driver that would brake down to 0 MPH just because someone painted a perpendicular white line on the freeway to the direction of travel, but most won't do so! (thank goodness) The area in question has been corrected by the way. Inadequate signage and ill-advised paint trucks with stripers filled with white paint doing a poor layout no longer exists.
Yikes! And you wonder why all the farmers are going out of business. What you describe is called "stealing" and is generally frowned upon.
A friend of mine use to do a pick-your-own fruit operation. City folks would bring their snotty, bored kids and then not supervise them. The kids would get in "food fights" and destroy hundreds of dollars worth of product and then the parents would expect to pay for the pint they picked. People would steal so much that he would have to inspect in the trunk and under the hood of every car as they left. One guy got caught with several bushels of apples jammed into the engine compartment. The smell of apple sauce gave him away.
He finally knew it was time to quit when a husband and wife got into an argument and the wife hit the guy with a bucket. The guy then threatened to sue the farmer!
I bet the same people who think they are clever for stealing from a pick-your-own are the same ones who go to a car dealers and call the salesman a crook. :mad:
2019 Kia Soul+, 2015 Mustang GT, 2013 Ford F-150, 2000 Chrysler Sebring convertible