Topic: Driving Can Be Frustrating (Read 33772 times)

TA · « **Reply #40 on:** May 22, 2008, 12:45:12 PM »

Quote from: Iron_Mongrel on May 19, 2008, 08:22:46 PM

Wait... you live in Baltimore?

That's where my wife is trapped. And if you're disdainful of cyclists, you've probably tried to run her over a couple of times.

Nice to assume that I default to vigilantism, but ... why would you think that? Does your wife make a habit of endangering everyone around her when she's on her bike?

Mongrel · « **Reply #41 on:** May 22, 2008, 08:36:16 PM »

Vigilantism? Nothing so noble as that...

No. She's doesn't troll the road or start fights with drivers. She's a small woman who tries to stay the fuck out of the way.

Seeing as the rednecks in that town still spit on her, throw bricks and beer bottles at her, and deliberately try to run her down just for riding a goddamn bicycle* in what amounts to a southern car town**, well... you'll have to pardon my cynicism. Hell, she's almost been flung off the hanover street bridge by the physical force of semis hitting that shit-bucket metal grate bridge with utter abandon. Though at least THAT is simply on account of ignorance rather than maliciousness.

*I've lived there for a total of three months in my various past visits. Don't even think of trying to tell me that shit doesn't happen. I've seen it with my own eyes.

**Don't try to pretend that Baltimore is part of the north either. Spiritually it's well south of Mason-Dixon.

Royal☭ · « **Reply #42 on:** May 22, 2008, 08:38:43 PM »

I don't know what the deal is, but the favorite past time of moron drivers is yelling and throwing things at any kind of pedestrian.

Guild · « **Reply #43 on:** May 22, 2008, 11:01:58 PM »

Some kind of moral line exists between drivers and non-drivers. When I'm in a car I absolutely HATE slow crosswalkers, but as soon as I'm walking it's like I take pride in my right to lollygag on crosswalks.

Thad · « **Reply #44 on:** May 23, 2008, 02:30:38 AM »

In other words, you're always right, even at opposite ends of the same situation.

Yeah, that's kinda what I figured.

Kazz · « **Reply #45 on:** May 23, 2008, 02:40:06 AM »

I wait patiently for people crossing the street normally, but I hate it when people jump out in front of me and force me to slam on the brakes for them.

On the other side, I usually rush across the road, because I have absolutely zero faith in total strangers wielding two-ton death machines.

Cthulhu-chan · « **Reply #46 on:** May 23, 2008, 11:37:28 AM »

Considering that I grew up in Phoenix, I sometimes wonder that I don't become a retard behind the wheel, like most folks in this state...

Doubly so when it rains.

Thad · « **Reply #47 on:** June 06, 2008, 11:59:04 AM »

I got my rear window replaced back in November, and now the glass company keeps robo-calling me to ask if I need a new windshield.

Windshield replacement doesn't really seem like the kind of thing best helped by reminding me every other week that you're around just in case I've managed to break my windshield since the last time you called. If my windshield breaks, I will call a glass company, and chances are good I will call the same one I called last time. Now leave me the hell alone.

Mongrel · « **Reply #48 on:** June 06, 2008, 02:41:29 PM »

Yeah, it seems like they're doing everything they can to ensure you DON'T call the same company you called last time.

Brentai · « **Reply #49 on:** June 06, 2008, 02:58:00 PM »

Would be a shame if something HAPPENED to your windshield, eh? Would be TERRIBLE if an ACCIDENT were to occur. Maybe you better give us a call just to be SAFE, eh?

Rico · « **Reply #50 on:** June 06, 2008, 03:51:34 PM »

So, the other day, I've got a green light when about 8 bicyclists run their red and turn directly in front of me. Now, I'm driving a Civic hatchback with good brakes at a little under the speed limit, and I have to lay down a little rubber to keep from hitting the last one, so I honk a little. Not laying on the horn for thirty seconds or anything, just a little tap. Most of the bicyclists look a little sheepish, but one guy flips me off, starts yelling, and slows down and starts weaving back and forth in front of me.

So I pull into the oncoming lane and speed up to start passing him and he tries to get back in front of me. So I look over, make eye contact with him, smile, and make a quick right-then-back-left jerk on the steering wheel to warn him I have no real moral qualms with leaving him with a few broken bones and a trashed bike, at which point he looks absolutely petrified and runs himself off the road.

I guess what I'm saying is that a sense of entitlement to break traffic rules on a vehicle that can be taken out by a pedestrian is funny.

Mongrel · « **Reply #51 on:** June 06, 2008, 04:03:29 PM »

Well, as much as I break the law on my bike quite regularly, I can recognise there's a difference between acknowledging that you've been caught out fair and square (i.e. the sheepish fellows), and playing Entitlement Queen.

Actually, on that subject, this morning was quite entertaining. For the last 6-7 kilometers or so of my ride I kept passing and being passed by a fellow with about $2000 worth of bicycle and about the same in spandex (I have what was once about $400 worth of the former and none of the latter - thank god). And Che Guavera socks. This pretentious motherfucker had the gall to be wearing Che-fucking-Guavera socks with a singlesuit that probably cost four figures.

Anyway. He'd pull ahead and I'd catch him at the lights. Back-and-forth, back-and-forth. Him stop-and-starting and me just cruising along. I'm quite certain that his complete and total inability to escape the jerk on the shitbox bike for 20 minutes straight must have been quite frustrating. Especially after he thought he'd lost me in the last five minutes. Only to have me pass him again and actually reach my destination first. City biking motherfucker!

Thad · « **Reply #52 on:** July 13, 2008, 06:09:35 PM »

Why are you driving a fucking Mercedes if you can't afford its upkeep?

Wound up behind some motherfucker at a light last night who had smoke pouring out of his tailpipe. I could smell the gas fumes even with my AC set to recirculated air.

I changed lanes and passed him, and then got to deal with his fucking brights in my sideview for the next two miles.

Mongrel · « **Reply #53 on:** July 13, 2008, 07:32:11 PM »

People who own Mercedes typically are either too wealthy to know (or care about) anything worth a damn when it comes to auto maintenance or are white trash idiots who've bought the ancient rusting corpse of a formerly expensive car just for the supposed bragging rights .

Büge · « **Reply #54 on:** July 13, 2008, 07:44:25 PM »

That reminds me. The other day I was riding my bike and I got passed by a De Lorean. I couldn't catch up to it, but I did scream "EIGHTY-EIGHT MILES PER HOUR"

Brentai · « **Reply #55 on:** July 13, 2008, 08:00:00 PM »

I'm sure that guy hears that every 15 minutes.

I'm sure he still thinks it's awesome.

I would.

Mongrel · « **Reply #56 on:** July 13, 2008, 08:40:53 PM »

Why else own one?

Brentai · « **Reply #57 on:** July 13, 2008, 08:54:20 PM »

The comfort of knowing that you could tear right through any other car on the road with only minor body damage?

Mongrel · « **Reply #58 on:** July 13, 2008, 09:37:22 PM »

Yeah, but just try getting those body panels fixed...

Alex · « **Reply #59 on:** July 20, 2008, 10:15:44 PM »

I can safely say that making a two and a half hour drive on maybe three hours of sleep (after being up all day even!) is not awesome. I would even go so far as saying that it's the anti-awesome.

But goddammit, I wanted to get home.

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Author Topic: Driving Can Be Frustrating (Read 33772 times)