Well, I've been thinking about putting a post in like the "insert ramble here" for a while now. I drive for a living, but we all are out on the roads some. Many of us are concerned about armed conflicts, but as Americans we are much more likly to come to harm on the roads by accidents then from a situation that needs firearms to control it. (just went to a balistics calculator, 2 ton car at 30mph = about 126000 ft/lbs of energy.) Ray's BMG is just plain wimpy next to a Vega at low speeds. I figured we could post things that we see and or thought about while on the road. The impetus for this was that I was driving along Lower Roswell Road in Marietta Ga. on Satureday. 35 mph, kinda small, narrow road that sees more traffic than it was designed for. Some guy is heading towards me in a brown Jeep G. Cherokee. I'm not sure what he was doing, but he just crossed the double yellow lines and had his left tire a full 18 inches in my lane before he decides to look up and swerve back in to his. keep in mind, I'm in a concrete mixer. About 28000 lbs empty. The crumple zones start at the bumpers and move out. If I swerve and take out a mailbox, he will keep going and I'll get fired for running off the road. I don't swerve. It sure is a neat way to perk up a driver though. : So, anyone else with stories from the road? Observations from the road? Funky pictures of goofy stuff? Be safe out there guys, Lop
Sound like the makings of a country song <I fought the Lop, and the Lop won...> Nothing to tell for me, but I hope to die peacefully in my sleep (probably while my passengers scream in terror) B.
well, most of the problems that i'll have are more animal related than people related. i drive the better part of an hour to work in VERY rural country at 4:30 am. deer are rampant, in the MONTH i've worked there i've had very near misses with two of them already in the same dang spot. i hit the better part of 2000lbs of beef about a year ago. same thing, they're in the middle of the road, couldn't see 'em til it was TOO LATE. black angus cattle, pitch black night. lol, i might almost be more of a hazard to myself sometimes. if you managed to get too dang tired then it can be a fun drive to work...
I am not so sure about that. Wasn't the Vega the GM sapmobile from the 1970's that actually started rusting on the showroom floors? When I was a kid, my dad bought one out of misguided loyalty to GM (he worked for GM) and I remember it had big rusted out holes within a short time. So, when doing the math, don't you have to figure out the effect of all the rust crumbling and blowing away on impact thereby shedding kinetic energy?
Coming home from a rig in August. * He was turning off a northbound 4 lane onto a side road westbound, I was headed south at the posted 65mph speed limit. He was focused on the train in the background of picture 2 (not moving), and was so intent on it he admitted he never saw me until the moment of impact. I got the truck slowed down to 35 or 40 before he hit and was steadily drifting to the right trying to give him room to see me and stop. He just never did. And I've got to tell you that was a helpless feeling in that truck, not knowing what was going through the driver's mind in that other car. *I distinctly remember thinking "Oh no he's not!" just before he went for it. *To give a clue how far right I had gone trying to avoid him he hit me with the right front corner of his car, meaning I crossed his nose at about a 30+ degree angle.
There is a trend amongst passengers that I've mixed feeling about. Mostly in summer time, these petite women will put thier feet up on the dash above the glove box. Me being a very married, but no way blind kind of guy, enjoy the display of pretty female legs. Every once in a while some dude will act like hed didn't get the memo that the legs are suposed to be attractive, but what can you do? The part where I'm conflicted is I can't help but picture what will happen when the passenger side airbag deploys. I asked a ladie driving a convertable Jag whose daughter was "in training" when we were stopped at a red light what happens when the airbag goes off. Boy, I got a nasty look. :
Many years ago- 1st wife and I traveling in a big tricked out van with her family, including very uptight mother-in-law. I was driving us home late one night, going through south Shreveport- heading home from a family function in East Texas. At a red light, a young man was enjoying the oral talents of his young female companion! My wife was in front passenger seat, and as the horns behind us urged me forward, she noticed what had my attention.
My daughter had a training session Saturday with her stepsons( 6&9). Motor cycle stopped at the intersection. The rider looked left, then right. He gunned the bike and took off. The pickup truck in front of him did not take off. The pickup won. Don't assume that the car in front of you will go just because there is no cross traffic. Steve
Cruzing up GA 400 yesterday. Posted speed is 65, I'm doing 64 in my governed mixer truck. Traffic is passing me going 70-75. Not and unreasonable speed. This ladie passed who was quite pregnant. She had that "prenate ladie hand on her tummy" thing going on. You know, giving love, comfort and security to her child. That's cool. What wasn't cool was that there was not 10 feet of space twixed her front bumper and the person in front of her. She was in a nice car. You know she wasn't smoking or drinking during the preg. She was seeing the best doctors. She was doing everything she could for her baby, except for the most dangerous thing you can do. Driving is far and away the most dangerous thing we do in a day, and tailgaiting is the worst you can do outside of the biggies (drinking, running red lights, racing trains...) Every day I'm amazed. Be safe guys, Lop
Drivers suck. I believe EVERYONE should have to retake their test every few years (everytime you have to renew your license maybe?) And what's the deal with people having ZERO respect for motorcycles and big rigs, the 2 vehicles if you happen to collide with are most certanly going to end in atleast 1 death..always see people cutting semis off, merging without looking infront of them, and riding motorcycles rear ends..its scary driving these days. Especially in big city areas with manu laned highways.. Washington d.c and Southern VA come to mind
On the opposite end, what is it with rigs and motor-cycles not having any respect for other drivers? If I had a dollar for every motorcycle driver I've seen, speed between two cars that are literally parallel, in side by side lanes, or speed up, come out of nowhere(doing 95-100) and suddenly swerve around people who had their blinker on and were already in the process of moving over(i.e. tires crossing the lines). Most danger we "get", is when we drive up to Northern Ontario. Only seen moose on the side of the road once..... However, if one of them hits my car, it'd be game over.
For the record, I don't drive motorcycles, but I will say I don't include those morons on crotch rockets doing 100mph inbetween 2 cars on a 2 lane road, weaving in and out of traffic,etc, they have a death wish and I don't feel bad when they get it. I mean the cruisers, and the respectful sport bike drivers.
I used to do the splitting lanes, running in excess of 100 mph, sometimes 130+ riding an ape hangered harley with drag motor. I finally wised up & caled down roughly 8 years ago. funny thing is I still have the Harley, but I ride a crotch rocket, but never tried to find out how fast it will go, dont even want to know, I just like enjoying the scenery & relaxing to really enjoy the ride. I am glad I didnt have a crotch rocket when I was young, I probably would not be here. I think of how much I missed when I was drinking, blasting across the USA, & never took a pic, & missed the whole experience. what I wouldn't give to relive my youth, but sober & try to take time to enjoy what is out there & not be in an alcoholic haze. I am not sure where all I have been. I have woke up places not knowing where I was or what states I traveled through. I refuse to drive with any alcohol anymore, if I want to drink I have wife drive, or I stay at home. I know of too many close calls, especially when I was in the shape I once was in, I value my privelage of driving too much to drink & get behind the wheel ever again. I consider myself lucky to not had a wreck, nor hurt anyone, nor to get caught. Randy
