Today as I was coming home I have a few stops signs I have to hit as I pull into my neighborhood. Well I stop at them because thats just the kind of person I am. This idiot kid decides Stop signs are just a hinderance and decides to pass me without bothering to stop for the sign and gives me a dirty look.

I can't believe people are so stupid. If he doesn't want to stop for the sign thats his choice but to go around someone who is obeying the law and have an attitude like I was the person being an idiot is just plain unbelievable.

Now that this has happened to me I have no problem whatsoever driving the speed limit or slightly under no mater how annoyed it makes people around me. I will no longer be courteous and pick up speed so they can drive 5+ mph faster than the posted limit.

</rant>

My hydroponics experiment

You ever notice how hard it is to lip read cartoon characters?
"Crazy is what the sane call Delta Flyer"

Why are there so many people that the act of driving makes them act like they are snorting crack? This red light runner is one of them.

My pet peeve is the lawn chair recliner see this. I see plenty daily without the phone but one-arm strech with just one wrist controling the steering wheel. This should be a ticketable offfense. I actually tried this in mockery, and found out how easy you can overturn the wheel and fly off the freeway! If they don't outlaw this they should abolish any other safety law.

The main thing is this one-armed lean is a dangerous lack of control. I'm convinced that this is behind a lot of SUV rollovers - more than Firestone tires. My personal reason is the posture looks so @#%$@$#% pompous. They probably would not dare tell a group of people they were the God's gift to humanity, yet they are just as public on the freeway.

Driving may be necessary, but it is also a privilege, not a right. It would not be a bad idea to remove licences for stuff like running red lights....

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
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"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

I know what you mean.
Last fall (I think it was) when the freeway was backed up.

Following the local work-around I took a side road, going where everyone else knew to go. I was climbing a hill at the 35 speed limit with a kid in an old Bronco closely behind. I had 4-5 car lengths of buffer ahead of me.

A very long Right turn lane opened up and he jumped right in and floored it.
I thought he was going to pass so I let off a little.
He did pass on that hill but didn't go into my lane, instead suddenly cranked it to make a Right turn into a subdivision.

Poor kid with such bad judgement slid all the way across the road he meant to turn on and I saw his front tire separate as the rim hit the curb on its flat side.
He jumped the curb, ran down a fire hydrant and went 1/2 way through someone's bushes.

I didn't see any water from the hydrant but was all askew.
Poor kid, I almost felt bad for him. Nah.

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT

Hot Georgia,

I hope he learned his lesson.

If not, I hope he loses his license soon.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

Yeah, those kids...
I do usually drive with one hand, but don't think I ought to apologize for it. I don't drive with my wrist and I have a very good amount of control. My pet peeve is not necessarily that people drive imperfectly -- many simply don't have the coordination. But rather that too many are oblivioius to their own hazardous nature and are too stubborn to admit the risks they take for themselves and others.

Read my new biweekly column, The Western Street 7.
Visit my political debate forum, Volconvo.

The problems I have had can be illustrated this way. I have a stop light on my way to work from a highway onto a main thoroughfare. The traffic usually backs up a couple of blocks' length here when the light is red. I was stopped here in line last week because the light had turned red. The folks in front of me began their usual "traffic light creep" until there was about a car length in front of me, but I was in auto-stop and I knew the light would be red for awhile, so I did not move.

I hear a loud horn honk behind me, and look in my rear-view. All I see is the gigantic front grill and bumper of a huge, black, RAM 2500 truck. He was so close to me I couldn't even see his headlights. Obviously, he was demanding that I move up to give him my spot on the road.

I thought about not moving, but then realized that "Hey, this is Texas and that guy could have a gun in his glove box, legal or not!". So I moved up.

We both turned the corner at the light and he got into the lane and paralled me for an entire block, to the next traffic light. I noticed out of the corner of my eye that his window was down, so I just kept looking forward and ignored him. He must have been even more furious because he had to travel under the speed limit for that block, and I paid him no attention. When that light changed, he returned to his normal driving habits and sped off, weaving in and out of traffic trying to get on down the road.

Either he was already having a bad day, or he saw my hybrid emblem and got ticked off, because I never saw him until he honked and demanded that I move. These are the type of drivers that I can't stand.

Fortunately the Prius has a creep mode so I don't run into that particular problem. I can only remember twice in 47k miles that I have ever been honked at. Usually the problem is on 4 lane roads when drivers get trapped behind me bacause there is traffic in the fast lane passing me. The problem is avoidable if drivers pay more attention and move to the left lane sooner instead of waiting until they are kissing my rear bumper. As soon as the left lane is clear they will blow by me at full throttle and cut back into the right lane less than a car length in front of me. I guess it is meant to scare me, but since I always expect such behavior, I anticipate and prepare to brake.

Just recently I have been able to eliminate such behavior by changing my route to a side road without much traffic. FE is greatly improved while my trip to work only increases by 5 minutes. Much less stress also.

It's a Wonderful Day for Science!

Sometimes it is not just the car drivers, truck drivers can be idiots when the weather turns slightly bad and they feel it doesn't affect them

During March, we had a late snow storm in NJ. Traffic was moving at about 50-55 mph in a 65 mph zone, and I was doing about 45-52, depending on what was in front of me. I tried to leave about 4 seconds between myself and the vehicle in front of me.

Traffic is passing me in the center and left lanes -- but not at excessive speeds, and I am being very lane courteous and travelling in the right lane.

This truck comes barrelling up behind me in the right lane, lightsaflashing hornablowing.

What am I supposed to do??? The shoulder is covered with a slushy mix of snow and ice with typically end of winter debris. I am not going there. I don't feel safe going any faster.

I prayed.

Luckily he didn't hit me, but he was even more furious because he was caught behind me for the next mile or so, as the center lane was now unenterable.

-Charlie...

I did not intend to step on too many toes with my driving posture comments rant. I generalized.

Common sense is a pretty good guide of who is alert and in control of their vehicle vs those that seem unattentive and too relaxed. The extreme laid-back drivers (litteraly) are who incense me (trying to avoid generalizations). Again, it's very easy to spin or flip out driving like that - I know first hand.

I read about the hypermilers paying attention to everything about their car and surroundings to do what they do. I realize they are only a small minority of the general public. Sadly, they are easily outnumbered by distracted drivers that almost seem to play the opposite game - how little attention can I give and avoid an accident?

Not enough people respect the fact they can kill themselves and others driving. I wish attitudes would change.

61.5mpg lifetime - 82mpg in recent months

Best Run >
www.cleanmpg.com

"fanatic" is what the lazy call the dedicated

Jimbob,
Your truck driver and the others are likely the first who'll complain whenever fuel increases by 2 cents/gallon. Never mind that they're paying almost twice as much because of thier own impatience and ignorance.
They're probably the type who goes home, kicks their dog and beats their spouse. Ugly too!

Efficient drivers do it better.
1003 miles a tank personal record. 74MPG calculated. HCH1 CVT