Clubhouse Grille (*** NO LIV DISCUSSIONS ***) (*** NO POLITICS/RELIGION ***)

[Double Mocha Man]

5 minutes ago, RoverTiger said:

Thanks to people going 40 MPH through the parking lot? If so, same.

 

Yes, and being parked next to a jacked up pickup truck. One backs out at his/her her own peril. You would think your backup lights would send a clue to either give me a little honk or give me more clearance. That's what I do for others and they are always surprised I don't pull into that space. I'm just building up karma for when I drive through the pearly gates. 

[RoverTiger]

1 minute ago, Double Mocha Man said:

 

Yes, and being parked next to a jacked up pickup truck. One backs out at his/her her own peril. You would think your backup lights would send a clue to either give me a little honk or give me more clearance. That's what I do for others and they are always surprised I don't pull into that space. I'm just building up karma for when I drive through the pearly gates. 

Man, I know this feeling as someone who drives a smaller car (2002 Mercedes C 230 coupe, aka ongoing project car that I love way too much). The visibility game is tilting evermore in the favor of big vehicles that likewise instill too much of that aforementioned false sense of security.

[Nard_S]

Thing about modern driving, no one knows how to coast. Gas. brake, gas, brake. In older days, brakes stunk and manual box was more normal, you learned how to coast. My brakes last forever, my wife's, not so much. Hate her driving, gets me nauseous, lunging to and fro.

[bladehunter]

42 minutes ago, bscinstnct said:

Curse at your lady?!

 

blade be like

 

 

It’s not a good long  term survival  strategy.  🤣

 

This clip from lonesome dove sums it up.  But you have to watch till the end for the lesson.  
 

 

[Soloman1]

4 hours ago, huskydawg said:

Hmm, must be a locality thing because that never happened to me. I think in a medium to large city it seems impractical.

 

maybe a kanto thing? had it happen in all 3 places i lived - hayama, yokohama and moriya, ibaraki ken.

 

edit: maybe because i was in houses and not an apartment or “mansion?”

Edited May 28 by Soloman1

[aenemated]

1 hour ago, Double Mocha Man said:

being parked next to a jacked up pickup truck

 

Those stupid brodozers are on the shortlist of things I hate the very most in this world. And they're goddamn everywhere here. 

[Petethreeput]

32 minutes ago, aenemated said:

being parked next to a jacked up pickup truck

Or when you are in the right hand turn lane and there is a truck in the other lane waiting at the red light and you have to pull out super slow to see if there is anyone in the crosswalk.  Every morning for me in my Prius.  Drives me batty.  And invariably it's one person who has stopped halfway through the crosswalk.  Why they drove those massive things I don't get it.

 

32 minutes ago, aenemated said:

Those stupid brodozers are on the shortlist of things I hate the very most in this world. And they're goddamn everywhere here.

Your aesthetic is different with the low profile tires, running lights, etc. but we have the same jacked up trucks but with the "mudders" on 'em just in case they have to drive on a gravel driveway or something and the paint is older because they want the work aesthetic not the pimp look.  The young ones are also the one's apt to roll coal on the hybrid driver.

Edited May 28 by Petethreeput

[braincramp52]

1 hour ago, Nard_S said:

Thing about modern driving, no one knows how to coast. Gas. brake, gas, brake. In older days, brakes stunk and manual box was more normal, you learned how to coast. My brakes last forever, my wife's, not so much. Hate her driving, gets me nauseous, lunging to and fro.

So true. I've got 130,000 miles on my original brake pads. I'm good at coasting. 😅

Edited May 28 by braincramp52

[aenemated]

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

[RoverTiger]

4 minutes ago, aenemated said:

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

Pains me that they're becoming less and less prevalent. Another reason for me to keep my C 230 running at all costs.

[BIG STU]

4 hours ago, Nard_S said:

Everything is too incubated. Cars are way safer than 40 years ago, so 60 in a 30 feels okay. SM has veneer of screen and anonymity, business uses maze of vmail traps to isolate and avoid interaction. It numbs awareness skills of social interaction and day to day considerate behavior.

I can remember back when we were working yet another rainy wreck on I-85 one day. One of the SHP guys said he blamed it on lack of common sense, vehicle and tire manufacturers. He said people think with brand X tires and brand X cars with brand X suspension they think they can drive 85 MPH in the rain with absolutely no driving skills to begin with.  

Edited May 28 by BIG STU

[BIG STU]

3 hours ago, RoverTiger said:

My wife and I have this conversation about cars all the time. I'm obviously all for every safety advancement we can make, but I do worry about the false sense of security that more and more people have behind the wheel. Driving, i.e. piloting two tons of metal at a decent clip, is a big ****ing deal. You should feel a certain sense of danger that makes you act a bit more responsibly.

 

 

That is why I do a pull through every chance I get. People these days are always in a hurry and have no consideration or attention span. A high percentage of low speed accidents are caused by backing. I am trained on the Smith System of driving and at one time certified to teach it. That system works whether one is in a street car on a racetrack to some extent and especially riding a motorcycle on the street. When I was on the VFD I did all the in house training and emergency vehicle certifications. 

Recently had an old transplant fart make a crack in the Kroger parking lot about pulling through. Said people that could not drive did that. I told him well maybe not but I drove a truck on and off for 41 years including emergency vehicles had over 1 million accident free ATA verified miles. I told him I had also driven race cars at over 150 MPH. I told him further on I bet him $1000 that I could park a 53 foot trailer with less effort than he could driving that Korean Beer can he was driving. He sulked away as most of those type hats do

[BIG STU]

2 hours ago, Nard_S said:

Thing about modern driving, no one knows how to coast. Gas. brake, gas, brake. In older days, brakes stunk and manual box was more normal, you learned how to coast. My brakes last forever, my wife's, not so much. Hate her driving, gets me nauseous, lunging to and fro.

Here if you do that people will run up on you and tail gate. I know how to toe heel brake from the dirt track days. It is super easy with an automatic. When they do that I heel brake slightly to let the brake lights come on then gas it if I have room. In SC 9 out of 10 times a rear end collision is the car in the rear's fault. I also have go pro cameras on the Caddy front and rear to CYA. If someone rear ends me I will make a public example of them in court. 

[BIG STU]

1 hour ago, aenemated said:

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

I agree. Right now I do drive an automatic. But I figure I have shifted more gears than most in 3 lifetimes unless they were like @Conrad1953 and myself and drove a big truck. I figure I deserve an automatic in my golden years.

Now days most big trucks are auto trans equipped. At the scrapyard I was the lead driver and in charge of training drivers. I had a guy one day that they hired that absolutely could not shift gears. Now I had to calm myself down some and check my tongue because my truck was a Mack 10 speed and those are a little difficult compared to say a Road Ranger 9 or 10 if one is not used to it. I can remember the next day I parked my Mack because it was new with only 20 K miles and got the old spare for him to drive which had the Eaton Road Ranger 10 speed. When we came in my boss the owner asked if something was wrong with my new truck? I told him no and I wanted to keep it that way. Now he had drove trucks himself and had a CDL. I said this "driver" cannot even shift a 10 speed Road Ranger. Come to find out he had went to driving school and trained and qualified on an automatic trans unit. He had drove for a local beer company. He admitted he had never driven a manual shift car. Now days on CDLs they have an endorsement of "Automatic Transmission Only". After I retired they had trouble finding drivers that could drive a straight shift. He had to go to an all automatic fleet. I can remember the owner right before I retired said the next new trucks would be automatic. I told him fine I was retiring in 6 months and if something happened to mine I would drive on of the old manual shift trucks until I retired

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, aenemated said:

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

Amen and hallelujah! And I mean it literally.  They literally silent be able to get a license without being proficient with a manual.  But hey. They don’t even make them pass the test at the dmv anymore. Now you pay for a drivers education service. And the service gives the test. And the state certifies it.  No lie. Cost $450 forking dollars. I have a soon to be 16 year old who will have to do this. 

[Duct Tape]

2 hours ago, aenemated said:

 

Those stupid brodozers are on the shortlist of things I hate the very most in this world. And they're goddamn everywhere here. 

I am an unabashed pickup guy. Driven them since high school (where watching the stars, nod, nod, wink, wink, with the local hotties was the thing to do, along with bench seats). I’ve had a series of Chevy Silverado’s until the GM government bailout when I switched to Ford F150’s. 
 

Can’t imagine getting by without a truck, and my current Crew Cab is the best highway travel car I’ve ever had. Up nice and high in traffic and good size if in a wreck. 
 

But I’ve never needed to jack them up, or add double wide wheels, open mufflers, etc.  I agree with @aenemated on this. 

[Duct Tape]

1 hour ago, aenemated said:

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

Agree 100%.  Plus I like the Tom Waits song playing right now 😀

[BIG STU]

2 minutes ago, bladehunter said:

Amen and hallelujah! And I mean it literally.  They literally silent be able to get a license without being proficient with a manual.  But hey. They don’t even make them pass the test at the dmv anymore. Now you pay for a drivers education service. And the service gives the test. And the state certifies it.  No lie. Cost $450 forking dollars. I have a soon to be 16 year old who will have to do this. 

Oh yes I forgot South Carolina has never had Drivers ED in school like we did growing up in NC

[Duct Tape]

41 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

That is why I do a pull through every chance I get. People these days are always in a hurry and have no consideration or attention span. A high percentage of low speed accidents are caused by backing. I am trained on the Smith System of driving and at one time certified to teach it. That system works whether one is in a street car on a racetrack to some extent and especially riding a motorcycle on the street. When I was on the VFD I did all the in house training and emergency vehicle certifications. 

Recently had an old transplant fart make a crack in the Kroger parking lot about pulling through. Said people that could not drive did that. I told him well maybe not but I drove a truck on and off for 41 years including emergency vehicles had over 1 million accident free ATA verified miles. I told him I had also driven race cars at over 150 MPH. I told him further on I bet him $1000 that I could park a 53 foot trailer with less effort than he could driving that Korean Beer can he was driving. He sulked away as most of those type hats do

Stu,  is it true, as I’ve been told, that a trucker could get into serious trouble at work, maybe even losing his license, for an accident where he was completely not at fault?  Say maybe even while parked in a truck stop?

 

 

Edited May 28 by Duct Tape
Loading > losing

[scotee]

On 5/27/2024 at 8:24 AM, Conrad1953 said:

 

The FDA has not evaluated the following statement. The following statement should

not be used to diagnose, prevent, treat or cure any disease or illness. 

 

M3 also = the entire economy’s money supply.

 

 

[BIG STU]

1 minute ago, Duct Tape said:

Stu,  is it true, as I’ve been told, that a trucker could get into serious trouble at work, maybe even loading his license, for an accident where he was completely not at fault?  Say maybe even while parked in a truck stop?

Well with some companies depending on insurance and company policy. Now on private property it does not go against your CDL (unless the laws have changed). I could see where one would get into trouble on private property by say improper parking or speeding through a truck stop etc

[Duct Tape]

1 hour ago, aenemated said:

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

I learned on my mom’s Olds 442. It had IIRC a Hurst 4 on the floor, and the stiffest clutch pedal I’ve ever experienced. Your left leg would hypertrophy and become larger than your right!  There was nothing easy about driving that car with the ridiculous engine power. I stalled it twice in a row at the Sonic, driving the loop  b/w Sonic and Minuteman. My GF was in a car there filled with HS friends. You could hear the laughter a block away when I finally pulled out. 
 

I have no idea why mom chose it. She is a unique character, from a long line of stubborn independent northeast Oklahoma women.  Every time we took that car down to Ken’s Esso, on Rogers Avenue in Ft Smith, the guys there would try to get her to sell it. Wasn’t interested. 

[Nard_S]

30 minutes ago, BIG STU said:

Here if you do that people will run up on you and tail gate. I know how to toe heel brake from the dirt track days. It is super easy with an automatic. When they do that I heel brake slightly to let the brake lights come on then gas it if I have room. In SC 9 out of 10 times a rear end collision is the car in the rear's fault. I also have go pro cameras on the Caddy front and rear to CYA. If someone rear ends me I will make a public example of them in court. 

Most all here are on bumpers all the time, I make sure there's room, I never tailgate, in CT 100% your fault if you hit from behind, no exceptions. One time, I was hit from behind, then skateboarded into car in front. Insurance tried to blame me, told them,"my neck is hurting", they dropped that nonsense fast.

 

[bscinstnct]

1 hour ago, aenemated said:

Frankly, the ability to drive a manual should be a requirement for obtaining a driver's license. 

 

 

👍🏻

 

My first brand new car was a 95 Mitsubishi Gallant. I just needed a car to commute to the train and back and drive around a bit so I saw an ad for a 2 year lease for like $149/month for a 5-speed manual. 
 

Im like, cool, I did the lease on the phone, didn’t even see it til I picked it up, salesman said he didn’t think I’d show up to get it lol

 

I looked at it like a rental car and beat it like a rented mule! And ya know, it seemed to enjoy it!

 

I once drove from downtown NYC to Scarsdale in like 16 minutes!

 

Thats a land, sea, and air record 🤣
 

 

.

Edited May 28 by bscinstnct

[BIG STU]

4 hours ago, bscinstnct said:

Curse at your lady?!

 

blade be like

 

 

Or as we say down South Letting your Bull Dog mouth over ride your Chiwawa Butt. Or letting one's mouth writing a check their body can not cash

[scotee]

I think this is at Solo's  Whole Foods lot in Scottsdale.

 

 

[Double Mocha Man]

2 hours ago, braincramp52 said:

So true. I've got 130,000 miles on my original brake pads. I'm good at coasting. 😅

 

That's insane! Do you just gently roll through stop signs and stop lights?

[bladehunter]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

Oh yes I forgot South Carolina has never had Drivers ED in school like we did growing up in NC

They offer it. But on a limited number , so maybe 1/4 can take it. Not a requirement of course.  
 

the issue with this is that if you’re under 17 you have to have one of these paid courses. They won’t let you take the test.  Then at 17 the law won’t allow them to force the class.  So you can just take the test.  I got my license at 15 on the first try , in a Fleetwood Cadillac. Only Marks off were “ you never once touched the steering wheel with both hands “.   Still don’t lady.  🤣. 
 

so my kid can drive now.  Has a permit at 15.  Drives good.  But they don’t let him just go take the road test.  He has to pay the $450 for a class he doesn’t need , then the class instructor gives the test. This is an independent company.  Not the state.  How many you think he’s failing at $450 a pop ?  If he were failing many he’d be eaten alive with smalls claims lawsuits wanting refunds .  So it’s essentially pay$450 for your license.  Makes me mad. Dumbing it down for the suburbanites.  

Edited May 28 by bladehunter

[aenemated]

1 hour ago, BIG STU said:

Oh yes I forgot South Carolina has never had Drivers ED in school like we did growing up in NC

 

I remember our driver's ed being pretty extensive in good ol Harnett County. Think it was like 6 weeks in class then quite a bit on the road. Did it the summer before I turned 15.

 

Of course, I'd already been driving for a couple years thanks to working on dad's construction crew. SOMETIMES something would be needed from the lumber yard and the foreman would throw me the keys to the truck and be all "Get on down to Womble's, boy - they're waiting for you."

 

13 years old rolling up to a lumber yard in a flat bed that looked just like this ...

 

 

4 speed manual! What I learned to drive in to begin with! 

[scotee]

One of my pet peeves is drivers that ride their brakes. It can be 65+ mph highway but if there are any curves the brakes come on. Any downhill at all and it's brake lights.  I am also easy on breaks and even more so with standard shift cars that you can downshift.  My 2002 F350 Superduty still has original brakes.