I'm bringing this up about a year too late. |
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Grant
Honor Roll Joined: 25 Apr 2008 Status: Offline Points: 1711 |
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Posted: 03 Dec 2008 at 7:15pm |
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I harp on this subject on these boards, but this is about the only place I have to do so (I'm a stereotyped Internet user, the kind who knows of almost no other way to give out opinions). I can never help dividing up drivers into neat little categories, mainly the common courtesy kind, that uses cars as a way to get from Point A to Point B, and the cars are EVERYTHING, "I own the road" kind. Especially where I live, where any other kind of getting around is treated as something just plain abnormal. That's dreary old news in my case, but there's one thing I've wanted to say for ages now, and that's that, when it comes to the "nice guy" kind of driver, I feel bad about all the high gas prices, but when it comes to that other kind, I often think it's just plain hilarious. Because when it comes to that kind vs. the oil companies, I do not see any good guys at all. In fact, you'd just about have to be a saint not to gouge people like that (just being less awful than an oil exec wouldn't cut it). So when it comes to them, I don't really care if they ever go down. If only it were that simple, and only one kind had to pay that much.
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Skerlnik
Honor Roll Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Tucson Status: Offline Points: 4045 |
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If you're going to bring that up, don't do it on the carpet. Nathan just had this place cleaned....
But, I know what you mean about the drivers. Conventional wisdom says that if gas prices get too high, then alternatives and creative thinking will increase, but I am not sure I buy that entirely. We already went through a big gas crunch in the 70s, and overall gas mileage didn't decrease for squat.
Gas prices hurt everybody. And your "nice guy A to B' drivers are just as culpable for consuming gas as anyone else.
I am inclined to believe what Gregg Easterbrook, who writes Tuesday Morning QB for ESPN.com, says in that one of the biggest things we hurt ourselves with is our obsession with massive horsepower. Your average sedan today has more hp than the famously wasteful muscle cars of the 1970s, and we just don't need or even come close to tapping into it just toodling around in the minivan getting groceries.
If we had required a mere 1% mpg/year overall increase in engine efficiency in 1973.....
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"Oh, bother", said Pooh, as he chambered another round...
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musicman
Revolutionary Formerly 0000 Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Greater Boston Status: Offline Points: 7539 |
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For some reason that statement strikes me as illogical.
True, the nice guys going a-b are using gas as well as others use gas. In that sense they are both equal.
To say that non a-b drivers that are driving around aimlessly using gas for no good purpose are only as responsible for wasting gas as a-b drivers just sounds false to me.
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shebazz
Commercial Hater Joined: 08 Aug 2008 Location: NM Status: Offline Points: 257 |
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I always wonder where the hell everyone's going in such a damn hurry. What's so important? Especially in my small town; you can get anywhere in about five minutes, yet some feel the need to go 50-60 in a 25 (a little disconcerting when I'm riding my bike on a road with no shoulder). But, much less annoying dealing with a town of less than 9,000 than the city of almost a million I moved here from.
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Hootman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 8151 |
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Don't you love it when some jerk whips around you in heavy traffic, proceeds to do the same thing to a few other cars, only to be right next to you at the stop light?
I turn and try to give him my biggest grin. |
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Offline Points: 63906 |
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Yeah, Hoot---that is definitely satisfying. But I sometimes wonder if people who drive like that are really trying to get to their destination faster than the rest of us. Sometimes, I think it's just their attempt to dominate the road.
When I spot such people in my rearview mirror, I always try to box them in. I speed up to the car in the next lane, and more or less, drive right alongside---forcing the weaving speeder to drive in a normal manner while stuck behind us. This prevents the speeding weaver from continuing on in his silly endeavor. Plus, it's fun to look in the rearview and see his petulant little teenage facial expression. It's usually a teenager. Usually driving a tricked-out CRX. Usually wearing a baseball cap cocked slightly to the side.
They're also likely to be poised behind the steering wheel in the latest cool manner. Where I live, it used to be seated way back and low. Over the past few years, it seems to be leaned forward into the steering wheel with the left forearm draped over the wheel.
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PaWolf
Revolutionary Hoary Ol' Chestnut... doncha know.... Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: GreatWhiteNorth Status: Offline Points: 40769 |
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I'm not quite the same, Thor - but I really love f'n with them, too! I usually start by repeatedly *testing* my brake lights (just a tap/tap/tap) while very gradually slowing down and leaning more to the center line, so it is as hard as it can be - to pass me. Granted - it is a great way to create 'Road Rage' issues.
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Offline Points: 63906 |
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Us old folks sure do like to live on the edge, don't we, Pa?
I have a great driving record, but I do enjoy playing games on the road occasionally. I don't start them, though. Still...who better to do so than someone who's been driving nearly spotlessly for 36 years? I know what I can do...and when and where I can do it. To me, it's just fun.
Judge People's Court Marilyn Milian the hottest judge on television would probably call this game "Quien es mas macho?".
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Hootman
Revolutionary Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Ohio Status: Offline Points: 8151 |
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A former brother-in-law drove a big fn buick years ago. One day he was driving along on a snow covered country road when a VW Beetle sped right around him. Not only did it startle him, but the bug almost clipped his car.
Anyway, a few miles later, the bug was stopped at a traffic light. My brother-in-law calmly pulled up behind the bug and "shoved" it into a snow bank. As he went around, he smiled to the young kid driver. |
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Offline Points: 63906 |
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That's why God created big f'n Buicks!
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Skippy
Honor Roll Formerly Skibibbles Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: Smalltown in PA Status: Offline Points: 1453 |
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The only times I intentionally piss people off is if they are sitting in the left lane not passing anybody. Our state law says "Keep right, Pass left." If you are sitting in the left lane too long, it will set me off. When I get around you, watch out!
Same goes for those people who like to pull a quick left in front of oncoming straight traffic as soon as the light turns green. When I think they are going to pull this one (and you can usually tell when they will), I will one up them by cutting them off, then driving slowly enough so that there is a nice line of cars going past them, meaning they are stuck in the middle of the intersection like a dumbass.
As for letting people in front of me, here is my rule:
-If you are driving American, I will almost always let you in.
-If you are driving jap, Tough!
-If you are driving European, I will probably let you in, depends on my mood.
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musicman
Revolutionary Formerly 0000 Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Greater Boston Status: Offline Points: 7539 |
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Hey Skip, maybe you want to throw a couple of bucks at your favorite American car companies. I hear they are looking for some money because they make junk and no one wants to buy it.
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Skippy
Honor Roll Formerly Skibibbles Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: Smalltown in PA Status: Offline Points: 1453 |
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No one? Then why do I have 3 of them?
As for them being junk, your image of them, like too many others, is still stuck in 1985. The quality gap has officially closed. The real issue is the leftover 1985 image that people still have stuck in their heads. Quality on many models has EXCEEDED the imports. |
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Jimbo
Honor Roll Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 56960 |
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That must be why they're begging for money from the taxpayers.
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...the ads take aim and lay their claim to the heart and the soul of the spender
Jackson Browne - The Pretender C'mon, man! Joe Biden - 46th President of the United States |
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shebazz
Commercial Hater Joined: 08 Aug 2008 Location: NM Status: Offline Points: 257 |
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What's with the slightly sideways hat, anyway? It's not comfortable when worn that way, you damn youngins! What are you trying to prove, that you just don't care about anything? That you're a rebel against traditional hat values? |
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Skippy
Honor Roll Formerly Skibibbles Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: Smalltown in PA Status: Offline Points: 1453 |
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No, not really. Their well paid retirees are the biggest problem, along with a greedy union.
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Irishman
Guest Group Account Deleted Joined: 08 Oct 2008 Status: Offline Points: 1177 |
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There's only one thing worse than not having unions...and that's having unions.
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Thor
Revolutionary Joined: 16 Apr 2008 Location: Rockaway, NJ Status: Offline Points: 63906 |
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Same with onions.
Onions are good, but if they're too powerful, they can destroy the dish. The only exception would be a dish that's centered around onions. And the only one I can think of is batter-fried onion rings. So maybe the UAW needs to be fried in batter.
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Tiz
Revolutionary I donated! Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 15588 |
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You have serious issues, Skip. You need a "I brake for American cars only" bumpersticker.
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Jimbo
Honor Roll Joined: 19 Apr 2008 Location: Florida Status: Offline Points: 56960 |
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Unions are a two-edged sword. With them, they over reach & demand too much. Without them, big corporations would run roughshod over their employees & take advantage of them in every way they could get away with.
I used to work for Piper Aircraft Corp. many years ago. The UAW tried to get voted into that company every year. They never did succeed because Piper took pretty good care of it's employees, offering good pay & benefits compared to any other local industries. But had it not been for the constant threat of the union getting a foothold in their plant, they likely wouldn't have been so generous. So in this case it was just the possibility of a union taking over that forced them to be a bit more generous than they otherwise might have.
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...the ads take aim and lay their claim to the heart and the soul of the spender
Jackson Browne - The Pretender C'mon, man! Joe Biden - 46th President of the United States |
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musicman
Revolutionary Formerly 0000 Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Greater Boston Status: Offline Points: 7539 |
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Not quite. My image is stuck from when I had a 1988 Chevy Celebrity that the water pump pulley fell off.
I had a 1992 Dodge Caravan that had so many problems with it my company made me trade it for a 1994 Dodge Caravan.
My image is from when I had the 1994 Dodge Caravan that the tie rod fell off while I was driving through a rotary (traffic circle to you).
Then less than a year later the tranny broke down on a crowded expressway. With just over 100,000 miles on it. Cost me $2,600 to fix. The mechanic showed me the tranny with one of the main gears cracked in half.
Lets just talk about the greedy American union auto workers that want so much money to assemble a vehicle that the company scrimps on quality so that they can make ends meet.
I'm glad you some how have had vehicles that run. Don't know how much you've thrown into them to keep them alive.
The point still stands. Why do they need a bail out? Partly because of their rep, partly because they lose money on every vehicle they sell due to greedy auto unions.
Why should I give my taxes to bail out a company that pays their workers 3 times the average salary to their emplyees?
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Skippy
Honor Roll Formerly Skibibbles Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: Smalltown in PA Status: Offline Points: 1453 |
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Skippy
Honor Roll Formerly Skibibbles Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: Smalltown in PA Status: Offline Points: 1453 |
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Everybody has issues, this one is mine.
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Skippy
Honor Roll Formerly Skibibbles Joined: 23 Apr 2008 Location: Smalltown in PA Status: Offline Points: 1453 |
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Market forces have rendered unions obsolete in many sectors, especially retail. There is kind of a reverse "Law of supply and demand" where people have a wider range of job options that if their pay sucks, they can easily go somewhere else. If a company wants to keep good employees, they know that they are going to have to pay for them. Otherwise, they will wind up paying more to continuously hire and train new employees, and getting stuck with unproductive bums.
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Tiz
Revolutionary I donated! Joined: 15 Apr 2008 Location: Virginia Status: Offline Points: 15588 |
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I really have no beef with American quality. I'm just not biased against Japanese made vehicles.
But if American made cars are equal in quality to "jap-crap", aren't american cars still crap? Just askin'?
Toyota, Honda, etc. employ american workers. Just don't understand the beef against them.
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