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CarSpace Driving Miss CrazyAdventures, observations and never short of an automotive opinion. Feb 11, 2008 - Spring weather brings out all types of driversIn some parts of the country spring is starting to fling meaning Sunday afternoon sun, dry pavement and people ready to shed cabin fever. This past weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area was no different. Stupid Test Drives Dude, buy a toupee, get liposuction or go to the gym if you want to feel/look young and powerful. What's even worse is the stooge salesperson in the seat next to him. Grrr. My only moment of glee was to find the CHP officer staked out behind a cluster of bushes by the exit ramp with the radar gun in hand. For that gesture I'm adding the CHP to my list of donations this year. Thanks CHP! Go Motorcycles! Watch for Bicyclists Oh, yeah - happy spring.
Aug 1, 2007 - You can't outrun the law, so stop tryingWith all the gadgetry and cameras these days it never ceases to amaze me the amount of stupidity running wild on the streets. From time to time while in Los Angeles I'll wake up in the morning to the 5am news only to see the top story of some idiot taking the police on a wild car chase. Up exit ramps, on ramps, through intersections (thanks for slowing while you make that illegal left) the car speeds, slows and swerves taking at least six patrol cars on a tour. And don't forget the news helicopters overhead. Hey, as long as we're buring gas, might as well burn it on land and air! I certainly don't mean to single out LA, although it does seem since the OJ chase, LA does seem to be the capitol of car chases. Sometimes the chase is over in under 15 minutes. Most of the time it's half-hour or more ordeal. Heck, there's even enough of them to have an entire TV series about car chases (advertisers and producers should be ashamed). And for what purpose? To try and get away? Ummm, the law of averages would tell the offender that they won't get away. Then again, we are talking about individuals with less than average intelligence. Albeit, at some point you have to think that they've seen the Slow-OJ chase and the countless they simply don't learn. There have been numerous debates around the country as to how the police should handle these situations. Persue and endanger more people? Let the perp go? Radio tag team and cut 'em off at the pass? Other tactics such as spike strips? I'm for what is most effective in catching the offender with the least danger to the public. Sometimes this isn't possible and endangering some (listen for the sirens) while in pursuit is better than the criminal continuing to drive recklessly until crashing and injuring or killing others including law enforcement officers. There are too many sad parts about these situations. The obvious is the gut-wrenching loss of life by those who are in the line of duty. It saddened me to hear yesterday that a CHP officer was killed in a high-speed chase in the Sacramento area after he put out a spike strip and the driver swerved to avoid it, hitting the officer who sustained fatal injuries. I don't know what the driver will ultimately be charged with but I would hope it's the max the law will allow and even then it likely won't be enough.
Jul 23, 2007 - Top Gear Visits the American Deep SouthNot only is this video scary, it's downright shocking and yet sadly amusing.
Jul 14, 2007 - Handicap Parking - Is your disability that you can't read?I had the rather unpleasant experience last week while at the bank. Our local branch has an ATM with one green curb (10 minute parking) and one handicap parking space right next to it. The other parking alternative is about 20 yards away where the bank's main parking lot is. Mid-morning I decided to head over to the bank to make a deposit and get some cash. I pulled into the green curb spot and turned the car off when I noticed a coiffed woman in her fifties zip in behind me and into the handicap parking spot. She dashed out of the car looking at me as if to say "I simply couldn't be bothered standing in line behind you... I'm important, I'm busy." Can I add that she was in a new Jaguar S-Type sports sedan. I took my time getting out of the car, had my deposit slip in hand and patiently stood the customary spacing behind her. As she left she turned and smiled - one of those snitty smiles, you know the ones. As she got into her car I was still looking at her and she asked "What?" as if she had dropped something. "Do you have a handicap placard or permit?" I asked Her face immediately went stone cold and she became quite defensive in her body language before mustering a rather emphatic "No, I do not." "Interesting" was all I could say before turning to use the cash machine. The next thing I know this woman is screaming all sorts of obscenities at me about how I should mind my own business and that where she parks is her business and if I hadn't been parked in the short-term parking spot she would have parked there. Afterall what was she supposed to do "park all the way up there and WALK to the ATM?" I completely ignored her rants which probably made her even more upset as I completed my transaction. I didn't want to remind her that the bank has a sign about staying so many feet back for privacy to allow others to do their banking business and that she was well within my banking space. As I turned to walk back to my car she slammed her door and revved the engine, jabbing the car into reverse before lurching into drive and speeding out of the parking lot causing a car to slam on the brakes so that she could get into the flow of traffic on the main street. Somehow, somewhere, social justice was served. Would I have done this if she were in an old rust-bucket car like mine? Probably if the same mad dash had been made to "get ahead in line". Perhaps I needed more coffee, or less that morning. We'll never know. Just remember... if the parking space says Handicap Parking Only, have a little compassion for the person who may just need that spot. Someday it might be you.
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