These are the people you share a road with: Let's play "drunk or hyper-miler?"

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > These are the people you share a road with: Let's play "drunk or hyper-miler?"

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Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Sep 9, 2013 05:56

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 08:48

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:31 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Sep 12, 2013 01:31

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Nov 18, 2013 21:52

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:36 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Nov 18, 2013 21:55

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Nov 18, 2013 22:33

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Nov 22, 2013 08:20

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:35 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Nov 26, 2013 18:30

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:43 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Nov 30, 2013 05:04

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:37 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 1, 2013 20:52

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:38 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 2, 2013 20:47

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Fucknag posted:

...

He didn't say this was happening at night, or that he was trying to preserve his night vision, or that they had their high beams on :confused:

He literally said he does it to "... try to do so in such a manner that it's obvious I don't want to look at the person behind me."

And then further clarified that he was specifically reducing his ability to see necessary segments of the road safely.

StormDrain posted:

I've found the only way I can truly relax while being tailgated is to 'turn off' my mirror by pointing it toward the sky. I try to do so in such a manner that it's obvious I don't want to look at the person behind me. When I need to change lanes later I'll aim it and hopefully the troubles have passed, or crane my head around to check blind spots.

# ¿ Dec 2, 2013 22:33

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

IOwnCalculus posted:

Like this. I drive the HOV lane of that freeway on a regular basis and that type of thing (people pulling into it from stopped traffic without looking) happens all the loving time, and it's scary enough driving a car. At least in a car, that accident would be more of an annoyance; riding a motorcycle you're looking at serious injury.

When I had my motorcycle, I was injured in a similarish incident - I was in the #1 lane (wasn't actually HOV at that point, 110S leaving Pasadena, for anyone who knows the area), the car in the #2 lane dipped into my lane and tapped my front wheel. Did the whole superman thing.

I was wearing (nearly - jeans, instead of proper pants) full gear, so I walked away from it with an aching shoulder (still gets bad in cold weather, 3 years later) and some really minor abrasions.

I'm still tempted to get another bike, but it is rather terrifying just how little other people pay attention. To this day, I don't think the other driver even knew they did it - they never even slowed down. I was lucky there wasn't more traffic behind me.

# ¿ Dec 3, 2013 00:56

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:39 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 3, 2013 04:32

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:40 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 6, 2013 23:26

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

QuarkMartial posted:

Can I ask something that may reveal my own stupidity?

We've had a lot of rain around here and there's some minor flooding in areas. If there's a significant amount of water covering an area of the road (say, a depth of 6 inches or more. A sizeable puddle if you will), I obviously slow down to keep from hydroplaning. But when I come across a couple of inches of water, instead of slowing down I just let off the gas. The logic here being that hydroplaning is caused by tires losing traction, and they lose traction when there is power applied to them and something separates them from the road (i.e. the water). If I let off the accelerator, then power's not being applied to them, and when they encounter the water, the resulting force causes me to slow down instead of my tires and drivetrain trying to maintain speed and losing traction. Well, I hope that makes some sense, at least. I'm also not going to be doing 70mph on a flooded highway because I'm not a total moron; I just want to know if I'm being sorta intelligent or just even more dumb.

Not at all stupid - better to admit you don't know, ask, and be able to learn

Hydroplaning is caused by a surface of water building up and separating the tire from the road - basically, those channels in the tire that are supposed to move the water out from under it? At speed, they eventually reach the point where they can't move it, and the vehicle starts riding on a film of water, rather than on the road.

I'm curious what you mean by "slow down" versus "let off the gas". I would go so far as to say that letting off the gas is *always* the right response, and braking is likely not a good idea - if the car is already in a slide, and does not have ABS, you may find that your wheels are locked and you're crossed up rather quickly.

# ¿ Dec 7, 2013 04:22

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

QuarkMartial posted:

In that sentence, "slow down" just meant "I'm not traveling as fast as I normally would". I let off the gas and coast through any big puddles figuring that I'd just get slowed down by the water instead of spinning out of control.

Here's why this was making me wonder:

QuarkMartial posted:

instead of slowing down I just let off the gas

As long as you mean you're letting off the gas to slow down, you're doing exactly what you should. If you're doing anything else, we need to keep talking

# ¿ Dec 7, 2013 05:11

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:41 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 12, 2013 21:59

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Kilersquirrel posted:

And then there's the assholes who unload cars off their transports for the dealership at the bottom of the hill during rush hour and block off a lane for an hour or more doing so. It's a massive AutoNation lot and they have gobs of open pavement there, why the gently caress is the middle of a public road at the busiest time of the day the most appropriate place to unload? Hell half the time they don't even put up cones or flares or anything, just stop the truck about 50 feet past the driveway and roll the fuckers out backwards in neutral. I'm pretty sympathetic to truckers in general but gently caress the ones who are doing this so hard.

There's a "dealership" near me (really, it seems to deal in movie cars, but I'm not sure if they're actually selling them or just shuffling them and displaying them) that frequently has trucks parked in the turn lane in the middle of the street to do this. During the day, it's just an annoyance, but the other night, I'm driving home, and happen to click over to my high beams as I'm coming up on the truck (which was quite visible). The driver standing in my lane, wearing dark clothing, was not at ALL visible, and frankly, he's extraordinarily lucky that I did that.

Normally I consider my actions as purposeful when driving, but I don't know why I flipped the highs on. I just happened to at JUST the right moment in time to have JUST enough time to swerve around him and not kill him.

# ¿ Dec 16, 2013 10:51

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 18, 2013 21:06

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

kastein posted:

There is. An SPDT toggle switch will do for 87-96 XJs and there's a Montana Fabrication kit to add it to 97 and later XJs.

The toggle switch works on 97+ vehicles as well but WILL trigger a DTC.

Got a link for that? I found https://www.montanafab.com but their website doesn't work and I'm not even sure if it's the right company.

Edit: Looks like it is: http://montanafab.com/2011/07/awa-transmission-override/

Christ that website is terrible.

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 22:05 on Dec 18, 2013

# ¿ Dec 18, 2013 22:02

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Astonishing Wang posted:

Like the axle wanted to duel? Is that what your joke was?

I hope I just don't get it.

No, you got it.

# ¿ Dec 19, 2013 23:48

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:42 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Dec 24, 2013 22:02

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Yeah, it's the kind of thing I wouldn't chance. Even if you don't get assigned fault or failure to avoid (which you easily could), you run a serious risk of injury. It's not worth it.

# ¿ Dec 25, 2013 01:15

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

I did basically the exact same thing, except it was at college, during finals. I finished my exam early, came back to her in her car, keying mine. She runs when I flash the unlock lights, I get her plate, the cops run them, and help me get the dad to pay for repairs.

... and then everyone in the theater gave me a standing ovation, of course.

# ¿ Jan 3, 2014 22:44

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Snowdens Secret posted:

Down this path lies sportbike ownership

Hell, pretty much anything 400cc+ that's true, it doesn't even have to be a sportbike.

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:46 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Jan 5, 2014 06:10

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

nigga crab pollock posted:

I was driving to chicago a couple weeks ago, and when i drive across the country i try to stay behind a dozen or so meters behind cars that are going the same speed i am cause, y'know, drafting. I'll take any extra mpg i can get.

Except one dude in a mustang decided that no, it's HIS slipstream. Nobody gets to slipstream his mustang. And so he switched lanes and pegged it hard. Mustangs

Don't tailgate, dickweed.

# ¿ Jan 9, 2014 23:04

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

BraveUlysses posted:

"dozen or so meters" is over 30 feet away

... And you think that's a safe following distance at speeds where drafting could conceivably net a few mpg?

So I used a colloquialism rather than saying "don't follow too close". :rolleyes:

# ¿ Jan 9, 2014 23:09

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Dead Cow posted:

I wonder if GPS navigation has anything to do with it.

Most GPS devices try pretty hard to prevent it - it's "in 1 mile, turn left" "in 3/4 mile, turn left" "in 1/2 mile, turn left" "in 1/4 mile turn left" "in 500 feet, turn left" "TURN LEFT"

(My record that I've counted so far is 6 voice notifications from a Garmin. Personally, I pay enough attention that the first and the last would be ample.)

I tend to think people as a whole are becoming more selfish and self-centered. I blame the "if we teach our kids to have self-esteem, they'll be more successful!" routine that was popular for awhile (and still is, I guess?).

# ¿ Jan 13, 2014 17:56

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

kastein posted:

Yes, I've beaten sportscars out of entrance ramps in a beat up jeep with 230k miles on it and a blown stock suspension before. Learn to drive, fuckers

Never fails to make me smile

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:44 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Jan 17, 2014 19:17

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

The Midniter posted:

But it has absolutely nothing to do with the kids - it was solely a measure to allow their parents to bypass rush hour traffic and exit the school. gently caress that, I say.

The argument you'll run into is "well if we can't get parents out of there faster, the kids in cars behind will get out in traffic".

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:46 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Jan 22, 2014 21:24

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

I tend to drive around with my headlights on.

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Jan 23, 2014 04:40

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

He didn't miss it, he's just trolling.

# ¿ Jan 23, 2014 18:42

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

That alone isn't anything wrong.

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 18:47 on Feb 22, 2018

# ¿ Jan 23, 2014 21:32

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Zamboni Apocalypse posted:

I gotta stop posting-without-rereading when I get interrupted.

Edit to add useful info:

"This morning, got to watch an SUV bomb along doing 30+ mph along a residential side street, slow down (but not down to 25, even) to blow through a stop sign while making a right turn onto a busy through street (right through the crosswalk I was about to enter) and then hammer down up the road again."

I see rolling stops (IE, slow waaay down but not stop, then continue) all the time, but "gently caress you" stops like that are rare.

Oh, well yeah, that's different.

# ¿ Jan 24, 2014 18:29

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Beach Bum posted:

Yeah, that's a shooting offense. I only do that when I'm out delivering papers 2AM-4AM. After 4AM I slow down a bit because you jogger fuckers are weird and like to get up at the asscrack of dawn to punish yourself. Stopsigns don't really exist before 5AM if I have good visibility on the intersection.

Basically what I'm saying is that newspaper delivery folks are loving insane

"People should be shot for doing this."
"I do this!"

Really?

# ¿ Jan 24, 2014 20:15

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

When you guys say "Fords", do you mean "Focus(es)"?

# ¿ Jan 26, 2014 20:50

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Das Volk posted:

Or it's someplace called Germany, where in the right place and time somehow it's no longer OMG THINK OF THE CHILDREN INSANITY and just another day on the highway. The British press have perfected the art of masturbating to turning the slightest, victimless infraction into a catastrophe only equalled by the Bay of Pigs or the Eastern Front.

I just want to say, I see what you did, and I like it.

# ¿ Jan 29, 2014 07:53

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

MrYenko posted:

Related: at some point in the past, parents stopped telling their children that you don't walk down the middle of lanes in the parking lot. It's rampant down here, you'll be trying to move through a parking lot, and some mom-beast with three screaming kids will be slowly creeping towards the store, down the center of the parking lot movement lane. If I had done that as a child, my mother would have, and did several times, slap the living poo poo out of me.

This is one of many reasons I find loud horns to be utterly invaluable. People always get angry when they hear honking, but if it's loud enough to make them piss themselves a bit, they tend to move anyway.

# ¿ Feb 5, 2014 18:30

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

Fucknag posted:

Train horns require a compressor, but getting the horns for a big old Cadillac would have the same effect.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B3e5BCE9zFI

Those are the stock horns.

And the older you go, the louder they are. I have the triple tones from a '72 cadillac sedan and they're the loudest non-air-horns I've ever heard.

Most cars, you can just throw them on in place of the stockers. You *may* have to reverse some wiring, but I believe a Civic has the same setup as the Caddys.

And I'm going to add the dual tones from a '63ish Chrysler 300. And maybe some supertones, too, I haven't decided yet.

Krakkles fucked around with this message at 20:02 on Feb 5, 2014

# ¿ Feb 5, 2014 19:58

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# ¿ Apr 24, 2024 08:48

Krakkles: May 5, 2003

If that ever happens to you, you're either a terrible driver and shouldn't be driving, or under the influence of something that means you shouldn't be driving. There is NO excuse for that.

# ¿ Feb 6, 2014 14:00

The Something Awful Forums > Discussion > Automotive Insanity > These are the people you share a road with: Let's play "drunk or hyper-miler?"

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