California Commuter Confessions

Only 1 in 3?

2009-10-29T18:53:00.000-07:00

Is There a 'Bad Driver' Gene?

THURSDAY, Oct. 29 (HealthDay News) -- Are you a bad driver? Maybe you can blame it on your genes.

In a small study, researchers found that people with a gene variation performed 20 percent worse on simulated driving tests and did as poorly a few days later. Almost one in three Americans have the variation, the team said.

"These people make more errors from the get-go, and they forget more of what they learned after time away," said Dr. Steven Cramer, neurology associate professor at the University of California at Irvine and senior author of a study published recently in the journal Cerebral Cortex, in a statement.

The study authors say the gene variation lowers available levels of a protein that boosts memory by helping brain cells talk to one another and work properly.

Earlier research has suggested people with the variation engage smaller areas of the brain when they take on tasks.

"We wanted to study motor behavior, something more complex than finger-tapping," said Stephanie McHughen, a graduate student and lead author of the study in a statement. "Driving seemed like a good choice because it has a learning curve, and it's something most people know how to do."

Twenty-nine people took a driving test on a simulator, including seven with the gene variation. They had to learn to "drive" on a track that included tough-to-navigate curves and turns. They came back four days later to retake the test.

Those with the variant did worse and failed to remember as much the second time around as the others. "Behavior derives from dozens and dozens of neurophysiologic events, so it's somewhat surprising this exercise bore fruit," Cramer said.

But don't be alarmed if you think you have this gene variation -- it has it's good side. The researcher say the gene also slows mental decline for people with conditions such as Parkinson's disease, Huntington's disease or multiple sclerosis.

"It's as if nature is trying to determine the best approach," Cramer said. "If you want to learn a new skill or have had a stroke and need to regenerate brain cells, there's evidence that having the variant is not good. But if you've got a disease that affects cognitive function, there's evidence it can act in your favor. The variant brings a different balance between flexibility and stability."

http://www.ajc.com/health/content/shared-auto/healthnews/gent/632551.html

Move *, Get Out The Way

2009-10-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

Okay, so I don't hide my road rage. I embrace my frustration and anger. People who know me are shocked (at first) by the anger and vengeance that I am capable of while on the road. Later, they become accustomed to my ranting and raving. I am not proud of my language or temper...

but...

I still think my anger is justified. Seriously, what is going on?! Every day that I'm on the road, I have some ridiculous near accident or notice some idiocy while on the road. The freeways are the worst, but surface streets aren't much better. I figure it's time for people to get reaquainted with the California Driver Handbook. We all learned the rules to pass our written exams years ago, but I think people should be tested annually. Seriously, LEARN TO DRIVE or GET OFF THE ROAD. (Yes, I'm sure that some people are thinking that I should get off the road, but I disagree.)

Anyway, here are some things that many of you drivers seem to have forgotten.

Here is a link to the Driver's Handbook: http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/dl600.pdf

In case you are too lazy, here are some important points directly from the document:

I must admit that I thought some of these were unofficial rules, so I'm glad to know my frustration is justified.

If you choose to drive slower than other traffic, do not drive in the “No. 1” (fast) lane.
Always move to the right when another driver is close behind you and wishes to drive faster.

When you tow a vehicle or trailer, or drive a three- or more-axle truck, you must drive in the right-hand lane or in a lane specially marked for slower vehicles. If no lanes are marked and there are four lanes or more in your direction, you may only drive in either of the two lanes closest to the right edge of the road.

Hear that morons?! MOVE!!! You can't cruise at 45, 55, or even 60. MOVE. MOVE. MOOOOVVVVEEEEE!!!!!!
I shouldn't have to pass you on the right because you don't have the decency to move and allow someone to get to their destination.

---

Another common occurrence on freeways is the moron who is speeding in the far right lane. If you want to go fast and don't want to allow traffic to merge from the on-ramp, you should move. You don't ride someone who is trying to enter the freeway. Luckily, my car can speed up pretty fast, but you still piss me off. Speeding just to prevent my entry into the freeway is ridiculous. I will either hit you or kill myself because the lane forces me to merge. If you have half a brain and a shred of human decency, you will respect the people trying to enter the freeway.

Here's the official language:
Drive in the lane with the smoothest flow of traffic. If you can choose among three lanes, pick the middle lane for the smoothest driving. To drive faster, pass, or turn left, use the left lane. When you choose to drive slowly or enter or turn off the road, use the right lane.

Driving slower than other cars or stopping all of a sudden can be just as bad as speeding. It tends to make cars bunch up behind you, and it could cause a rear-end crash. If many cars are passing you, move into the right lane and let them pass.

---

Passing: Before you pass, look ahead for road conditions and traffic that may cause other vehicles to move into your lane.

I'd like to see anyone in a compact, normal sized car be able to do this. Surrounded by hummers, semis, and big ass SUVs makes it IMPOSSIBLE to see what traffic is like up ahead, if there is debris on the road, etc. BAN all cars that make it impossible for other drivers to operate safely.

---

And, since rain is coming soon, and we all know how brilliant people are when it sprinkles:

Slow down when there is a lot of water on the road. In a heavy rain at about 50 mph, your tires can lose all contact with the road and then your vehicle will be riding on water or “hydroplaning.” A slight change of direction or a gust of wind could throw your vehicle into a skid. If your vehicle starts to hydroplane, slow down gradually—don’t apply the brakes.

You must turn on your headlights if snow, rain, fog, or low-visibility (1,000 feet or less) require the use of windshield wipers.

Scenery

2009-10-03T13:28:00.000-07:00

I may hate driving, but I still think the city is beautiful.

Red Means Stop?

2009-09-14T14:55:00.001-07:00

The Worst Drivers

2009-06-05T07:28:00.000-07:00

http://www.dailynews.com/news/ci_12504084

California drivers ranked 4th worst in the nation

By Tony Castro, Staff Writer
Updated: 06/02/2009 07:25:55 PM PDT

BACK OF THE PACK

48.California
49. Hawaii
50. New Jersey
51. New York

Leaving the Department of Motor Vehicles office in Canoga Park Tuesday, 20-year-old Alex Martinez was ecstatic, having just passed the written portion of the state's driving test.

On his seventh attempt.

"I'm not good with tests," says Martinez, a dog groomer from Winnetka who arrived at the DMV on his bicycle. "When I take tests, it all all seems like gobbledygook.

"That's why I have to ride my bike until I get my license."

Is it any wonder, then, that California motorists ranked as the fourth worst in the country in a recent national drivers test, behind only those in New York, New Jersey and Hawaii.

Martinez personifies what that test conducted by GMAC Insurance found: That 20.1 percent of licensed Americans - roughly 41 million drivers on the road - would not pass a written drivers exam if taken today.

"It's hard to get most drivers to take the written test seriously," says Saeid Rafiei, owner of the Union Driving School of Reseda. "They take it for granted. They think that if they can drive a car, they know enough."

But an alarming number of licensed Americans lack knowledge of basic rules of the road, according to the survey of more than 5,000 drivers.

The survey also found that drivers have difficulty on questions about yellow lights and safe following distances.

More than eight out of 10 drivers could not identify the correct action to take when approaching a steady yellow traffic light, and almost three-fourths could not properly identify a typical safe following distance from the car in front of them.
Officials for GMAC, which has been conducting the national survey for five years, said it is ironic that drivers in the states with the biggest number of motorists drive so badly.

"Their drivers, for whatever reason, are less familiar with the rules of the road," Wade Bontrager, a senior vice president for GMAC Insurance, said in a statement.

"People need to understand that they need to be educated. They need to remember the rules of the road and that educated drivers are safer drivers."

According to GMAC, the record among California drivers taking the test has worsened considerably in the past year. In 2008, California ranked No. 33 in the insurance company's listing of best drivers. This year's list puts the Golden State at No. 48 (out of 51, including the District of Columbia).

The rankings of best and worst drivers are made on the basis of test results on a 20-question exam similar to written DMV tests in most states. A copy of the test can be found here.

Idaho, Wisconsin, Montana, Kansas and South Dakota were found to have the best drivers.

Overall, men were more likely to pass the test than women, but the gap narrowed considerably in the past two years of testing. In 2008, 87 percent of men passed compared to 80 percent of women. In 2009, the difference was 81 percent for men versus 80 percent of women.

Men over 45 years of age posted the highest scores on the test, and drivers over 35 were more likely to pass than those under 35.

The worst scores were posted by drivers 18 to 24 years of age.

Maria Velarde, 43, a Reseda housewife who was renewing her license at the DMV Tuesday, agreed with the survey findings except she believes women drivers are considerably better drivers than men.

"All the bad drivers I see are men," she said.

Santa Clarita aerospace engineer Josh Berrean, 30, a transplant to California from Oregon - which ranked among the 10 states with the best drivers - said he had found local motorists worse than those in his home state.

"There's so many more drivers in California than in other states," he said, "and then there's all the traffic that makes driving that much more difficult."

CHP

2009-01-11T12:18:00.001-08:00

So, a while back I got a ticket from a CHP officer. Now, I will admit freely that I speed a bit. I won't deny that I was definitely going above the speed limit; however, I still believe that I ended up speeding up (over 80mph) because he started speeding up on me. Last night I was driving home at 2:30 on the 60 freeway, and I saw this freakin CHP officer ahead of me. I started going 65 exactly (instead of the 75 I was going). Anyways, he starts flashing his flashlight at a car that was going really slow to my right. Okay, that makes sense. That car merged into the 71 fwy. Then, a car in front of the CHP car starts going 60.. if that. I keep going 65 in the far left lane. I pass them up. Well, as soon as I pass them up, the CHP car starts following my car. The car on my right speeds up and the CHP starts going crazy fast behind me! What the heck? Did he think I would speed when I knew he was behind me? I try to get into the right lane to get out of his way.. which I would not do for a regular car.
1. He didn't have his lights on or anything so I didn't HAVE TO move.
2. The car on the right speeds up so I can't go right.
3. I can't go left because of the car pool lane.
4. And the CHP guy is pressuring me from behind?!
CHP jerk gets into the carpool lane and flashes his light in on my car and then speeds away. I saw him a few miles ahead. He had pulled over a truck.. Anyways, I just love the CHP. If you see a drunk driver, they are no where to be found. If you wanna be harassed on the freeway at night, they are more than happy to oblige. I still think that CHP office sped up last year. Freakin jerks.

yuck...

2008-09-30T20:50:00.001-07:00

Your Car Is Crawling With Bacteria: Study
Monday September 15, 2008
CityNews.ca Staff
If you're a germaphobe who takes your car to work every morning, you may just want to skip this story - or you could be doing more spraying than steering.

A British study has come to some shocking conclusions about what you're driving around with in your car on your way to and from work every day - and it's not those carpoolers beside you.

The research from Aston University in Birmingham shows the average vehicle has about 283 different types of bacteria inside of it in every square centimetre. And that's not all. One of the worst offenders is the place you touch the most often - the gear shift. That was found to be home to about 356 different germs.

Even more alarming is your trunk, where some 850 bacteria were found to be happily going along for the ride. In one case, scientists also discovered traces of excrement there, noting it's the same place where many people put their groceries after coming home from a shopping trip.

Not surprisingly, microbiologists determined those who transport kids and pets had the most germ filled cars.

"Whilst most of the bacteria we've found are unlikely to cause serious health problems, some cars, particularly those which regularly carry children and animals, play host to potentially harmful germs," notes Anthony Hilton, the University's director of Biology and Biomedical Science.

Another big problem: the dashboard, where many people put their food, as they eat on the run. Researchers found old hamburger wrappers, empty drink bottles, and even uneaten morsels in many of the cars, while their survey of more than 1,300 owners found most admitted their vehicles were littered with such debris.

That has Hilton worried. "People would be horrified at the thought of eating off their toilet seat," he warns. "But few realize eating off their car dashboard is just as likely to make them sick."

If that still hasn't made you paranoid about getting behind the wheel, consider this as winter approaches - turning on the heat could be blowing more microscopic beasties your way.

Older cars were found to harbour larger amounts of airborne bacteria and fungi whenever a driver turns on the fan. Scientists believe that's because few people bother to replace their air filters as their vehicles age.

The study was conducted for a U.K. insurance comparison website in a bid to remind motorists to take better care of their cars.

And it shows the majority of those asked admit to being something of a slob when it comes to their automobiles. Fully half agreed they'd never allow their homes to reach the condition their cars are in.

Think about that as you head back and forth to work this week.

If you haven't decided to walk.

http://www.citynews.ca/news/news_26857.aspx

On The Road (to Vegas)

2008-09-08T15:36:00.001-07:00

My favorite street name! It seems like they ran out of numbers, names and "normal" words out here ;)

I have always been interested in the ten commandment signs which are posted on the 15 North. I didn't get a picture of all of them, but I am amused by the two I did capture on my camera. Check it out:

Hilarious!

2008-08-28T11:28:00.001-07:00

nice quote

2008-07-22T22:39:00.000-07:00

"a rhetorical bermuda triangle where everything drowns into a sea of empty posturing"

http://www.illdoctrine.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0Ti-gkJiXc

"HandsFree"

2008-07-17T14:33:00.000-07:00

Okay, I am using a bluetooth headset, which I hate. I almost got into an accident the first day trying to get the freakin thing to work. Anyways, according to this article, I can check my text messages and text while driving?! THAT'S RIDICULOUS!!! So, I can't talk on my phone, which I CAN DO safely, but I can text... what the heck...

http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_9895845?source=most_viewed

Roadshow: The fine points of 'hands-free'

By Gary Richards
Mercury News
Article Launched: 07/16/2008 01:31:25 AM PDT

Q: I was pulled over by a CHP officer who saw that I had a cell phone in one hand, although I still had both hands on the steering wheel. I explained that I was using the speaker phone, which I had determined was legal. He said the law says the device must be completely hands-free and that I would have to use a Bluetooth headset. Not knowing much about Bluetooth headsets, I asked how one would dial the phone even with Bluetooth. He said he didn't own one and didn't know. I believe I was operating my phone legally under the new law.
David Kuspa
San Jose
A: And then what happened?
Q: The officer gave me a warning, saying that if he had the more current vehicle code with him, he would have read it to me and written a citation, leaving it for the judge to rule on the case. When I got home, I Googled the hands-free law and found a release from the CHP which specifically says you can dial your cell phone and use the speaker phone function. Can you clear up what you can do with a wireless phone while driving?
David Kuspa
A: It's legal for drivers 18 and over to dial their phones and send text messages, as long as it's done safely. But you can't hold your phone when using a speaker phone. If a cop sees a motorist with phone in hand and deems it unsafe, a ticket can be issued. And if the phone is near your ear, game over.
Adds Todd-the-CHP-Man: When using a speaker phone, the phone cannot be held in the hand and must be set down. The easiest way to explain it is you can only hold the phone long enough to dial it or send or read a text message. Regardless of how the law is written, the CHP discourages dialing or texting while driving and can take enforcement action if this is causing the driver to be distracted.
Q: Could we get more specifics on where it's legal to pull over to make a cell call? Along the mountain section of Highway 17, some of Caltrans' emergency phone sites are indicated with "Turnout" signs, so is it OK to stop and use a cell phone at these places?
Gary Garnier
Los Gatos
A: Sure is. Motorists may not stop on freeways to make phone calls unless it's an emergency. Highway 17 is not a freeway but a highway - a road where left turns can be made - between Los Gatos and Scotts Valley. Drivers may stop in those turnouts to make cell calls.

Silver Lining

2008-07-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

i thought it would be because people driver slower to waste less gas...

Study: As gas prices go up, auto deaths decline

By JOAN LOWY, Associated Press, July 11, 2008

Today's high gas prices could reduce auto deaths by nearly a third as driving decreases, with the effect particularly dramatic among price-sensitive teenage drivers, the authors of a new study said.

Professors Michael Morrisey of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and David Grabowski of Harvard Medical School found that for every 10 percent increase in gas prices there was a 2.3 percent decline in auto deaths. For drivers ages 15 to 17, the decline was 6 percent, and for ages 18 to 21, it was 3.2 percent.

The study looked at fatalities from 1985 to 2006, when gas prices reached about $2.50 a gallon. With gas now averaging over $4 a gallon, Morrisey said he expects to see a drop of about 1,000 deaths a month.

With annual auto deaths typically ranging from about 38,000 to 40,000 a year, a drop of 12,000 deaths would cut the total by nearly a third, Morrisey said.

"I think there is some silver lining here in higher gas taxes in that we will see a public health gain," Grabowski said. But he cautioned that their estimate of a decline of 1,000 deaths a month could be offset somewhat by the shift under way to smaller, lighter, more fuel-efficient cars and the increase in motorcycle and scooter driving.

Morrisey said the study also found the "same kind of symmetry" between gas prices and auto deaths when prices go down.

"When that happens we drive more, we drive bigger cars, we drive faster and fatalities are higher," he said.

Morrisey and Grabowski presented their findings to a meeting of the American Society of Health Economists in Raleigh-Durham, N.C., last month. The study was funded by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080711/ap_on_he_me/auto_deaths_gas_prices

Gas Prices: Cash vs. Credit

2008-07-10T15:47:00.000-07:00

Although I always knew that certain stations charged a fee for debit or credit transactions, I never noticed a difference that wasn't clearly outlined before making the purchase. I haven't noticed anything at my station, but I might have simply overlooked the difference.

Regardless, I thought I'd give fellow commuters a heads up.

http://abcnews.go.com/video/playerIndex?id=5338151
(VIDEO)

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=5338007
Credit Card Fees Up Gas Prices
AAA Expert Calls Practice 'Typical Bait and Switch'
By BIANNA GOLODRYGA and LEE FERRAN

July 9, 2008 —

Many Americans have taken up a new hobby -- hunting for the g
as station with the lowest prices. But the hunt has gotten exponentially harder as the price of oil has skyrocketed and the posted price may not even be advertised, especially if the consumer wants to pay with a credit card.

To combat the hefty fees that card companies are charging gas stations, many owners have passed the costs on to the consumer by charging more per gallon if the payment is made with plastic instead of cash.

The card giant Visa, for instance, typically charges a 2 percent fee for each credit card transaction to the station owner. If the price of a gallon of gas is $4.11, that translates to about 8 cents a gallon, which is then passed on to the consumer who pays with a credit card.

But sometimes, as ABC's New York affiliate found, some gas stations take the opportunity to charge even more exorbitant increases -- as much as 50 cents per gallon.

"It's a typical bait and switch," AAA spokeswoman Michele Mount told ABC News. "You lure them in with an attractive price that could be lower than their competitors, and then you hit them up with harder credit card fees."

But increased profit from credit card customers is not the only reason to raise prices for those who pay with plastic. As more people use cash to save at the pump, they are forced to come inside the store to pay, which creates another opportunity for the gas station owner.

"Because while you're in there, you're going to also pick up a coffee, a soda, maybe even a sandwich," Mount said.

Faced with a hefty fine for taking advantage of credit card customers, one gas station owner was forced to either display both prices or charge a flat fee. He reluctantly chose the later, and now he says there is "no benefit to cash customers anymore."

Consumers can take some basic precautions to make sure they are not being charged too much at the pump by going to gas stations that display both prices and by asking whether credit cards pay more, then checking the receipt against the pump meter.

Are you people high?

2008-07-06T17:54:00.000-07:00

Who the heck drives a car which gets 8 miles a gallon?! I know I'm being judgmental, but I really don't have any sympathy for this excessive extravagance. (I also hate the drivers of SUVs and other such cars because they are menaces on the road.)

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/06/business/06tank.html?_r=1&th&emc=th&oref=slogin

At $100 for Tank of Gas, Some Choke on ‘Fill It’
By CHRISTOPHER MAAG
Published: July 6, 2008

With gasoline prices high and rising, a new financial milestone has arrived: the $100 tank of gas.

Bryan Carisone, a heating and air-conditioning contractor in Raritan, N.J., “absolutely loves” his new GMC Denali XL, an extra-large sport utility vehicle with televisions built into the leather seats. But in June, one week after he bought it, he pulled into a station on a near-empty tank and watched the total climb higher and higher — to $109.

“It just about killed me,” Mr. Carisone said.

For decades, the $100 barrel stood as a hypothetical outlier in doom-and-gloom conversations about future oil prices. And nobody could even imagine an American family paying $100 to fill the tank.

But the future is here. Oil passed $100 a barrel in January and now seems headed toward $150 a barrel. Gasoline prices surpassed $4 a gallon on June 8, stalled for a while, and have been rising again in recent days, setting a record Saturday.

By late spring, owners of pickups and sport utility vehicles with 30-gallon tanks, like the Cadillac Escalade ESV and Chevrolet Suburban, started paying $100 or more to fill a near-empty tank. As gas prices continue to rise — the national average stood at about $4.10 a gallon Saturday — membership in the triple-digit club is growing. Now, even not-so-gargantuan Toyota Land Cruisers and GMC Yukons can cost $100 to fill up.

Data on exactly how often people pay $100 for a tank of gas are scarce, given price variations from market to market and day to day. But during the first five months of 2008, about 11 percent of American drivers said they bought 24 gallons or more at their last fill-up, according to a survey of 81,000 drivers by the NPD Group, a market research firm — which at today’s prices would place many of them at or around $100.

For people who love their big vehicles, the pain is acute.

Members of the Chevy Avalanche Fan Club of North America prize the Avalanche, a large sport utility vehicle, for its versatility, including a rear cab wall that slides forward for a larger pickup bed or backward for more passenger room.

But the Avalanche also has a 31-gallon tank, which would cost $127 to fill at Saturday’s national average price. Even the truck’s most dedicated fans find that galling. David H. Obelcz, who founded the club in 2002 and is still a member of the board, sold his Avalanche because he could not afford gasoline for it.

Thirty members of the fan club’s Arizona chapter used to attend off-roading and other events three times a month. But now that Avalanche owners pay more than $100 per tank, the club is lucky to attract 10 members once every two months, said Eric Tolliver, a chapter leader.

“Everybody’s trying to save money on gas, so now we mostly chat online instead of driving,” Mr. Tolliver said.

Eric Laugen, a firefighter in Seattle, is administrator of the Chevy Avalanche Fan Club of North America. For a trip to Prudhoe Bay in Alaska, he wanted to drive his truck because it has enough room for his fishing and camera gear, as well as space in the back to sleep. But he rode his motorcycle instead. That means pitching a tent every night, and no fishing.

“Motorcycle touring is a pain,” said Mr. Laugen, talking on his cellphone from a park in Alaska. “But then I looked at how much gas would cost in the Avalanche. It just doesn’t make sense anymore.”

Hummer clubs are hurting, too. In Nebraska, Ric Hines of the Omaha Hummer Owner Group — known as Omahog — stopped doing off-road trips this summer and started riding his recumbent bicycle instead.

“I get to camp either way, and biking pushes me to save a few hundred dollars on gas,” Mr. Hines said.

Mark R. Price, founder of the Illiana Hummer Club in the Chicago area, owns three Hummer H1s, which get about eight miles per gallon. “A lot of our members won’t travel 70 miles just to support a parade anymore,” Mr. Price said. “People wait for something a little closer.”

Families that were accustomed to the convenience of sport utility vehicles are having to cut back as well. Colleen Hammond of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, loves packing her three kids and all their soccer gear into her 2000 GMC Yukon XL. But she hates paying $160 to fill the 38.5-gallon tank. Last month, she parked the Yukon in her driveway and borrowed her friend’s Toyota Land Cruiser.

“I don’t know if it gets better gas mileage, but I like her car because it costs $100 to fill it,” said Ms. Hammond, 40. “I think $100 for a tank of gas is cheap now.”

Steve Burtch bought a Dodge Ram truck last year, when gas cost $3.75, because he thought gas prices had peaked and would start coming down. Instead, he pumped his first $100 tank in June. “I don’t know how much longer I’m going to be able to keep this up,” said Mr. Burtch, 43, who lives in Marion, Ohio.

It seems that plenty of other drivers are sharing his dismay. An automotive information Web site and market research firm, Edmunds.com, compiled sales data showing that in the last seven model years, Americans have bought 25.4 million vehicles with tanks 24 gallons or larger — the point at which three figures is now a real possibility. A few big trucks and sport utility vehicles have tanks exceeding 30 gallons.

But people who try to pump $100 worth of gas often find that they cannot, since most pumps that take credit cards shut off at $75 to prevent someone with insufficient funds or a stolen credit card from running off with gas. In addition, some older pumps still are not capable of registering triple-digit bills.

“It’s a huge inconvenience,” said Dr. Walter Bahr, a chiropractor in Cape Coral, Fla., who drives a Dodge Ram 2500 pickup and pays $130 per tank.

Many consumers whose tanks would easily swallow $100 worth of gas refuse to pump that much at once, just to avoid the trauma.

“Usually I don’t let it get real empty so that I don’t have to see that $100 on the pump,” said Bob Hammond, 61, of Chesterland, Ohio, who drives an Avalanche. “It’s a mental thing.”

Gary Chamberlain always pays cash for gasoline, so the pump kept right on spinning two weeks ago when he made his first triple-digit fill-up of his Ford conversion van.

“The bill was $104.98, which was a real shock,” said Mr. Chamberlain, 71, of Marion, Ohio. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

CA Driving Fines

2008-06-26T14:57:00.000-07:00

http://www.tomvoli.com/california-traffic-fines-increase-in-2007/

1. Carpool lane - 1st time offense: $1068.50 starting 1/1/07 (NOT the
$271 as currently posted on highways - this is old). Don’t do it again because 2nd time is going to be double, 3rd time triple, and 4th time your license is suspended.

Fact: It is highly unlikely that a single code section violation would result in a $1068 fine for a first offense. Generally, a first offense violation + court costs and fees could run as high as $590 (depending on what jurisdiction the offender was cited). If the jurisdiction has HOV lanes with double white lines, then you could potentially be cited for crossing a double-white + driving in the car pool lane — two violations. In this case, the total bail amount (fine + court costs and fees) could approach $1000. But again, a lot of variables would have to come into play.

2. Incorrect lane change $380. Don’t cross lane on solid lanes or any intersection.
Fact: following is a list of vehicle code sections under which violators are typically cited and the concurrent fines:
21100.3 Failure to obey traffic directions $130
21460(a,b) Improper turns over double lines/solid lines to right prohibited $130
21655(b) Failure to use designated lanes $130
21655.5(b) Improper use of preferential lanes $340
21655.8(a) Driving over double lines of preferential lanes $340
21658(a,b) Lane straddling/failure to use specified lanes $130
22107 Unsafe turn or lane change prohibited $130
22108 Signal required before turning or changing lanes $130

3. Block intersection - $485
Fact: Following is a list of vehicle code sections under which violators are typically cited and the concurrent fines:
21970(a) Vehicle stopped unnecessarily and blocking crosswalk or sidewalk $130
23333 Vehicular crossing-unauthorized stopping or standing $130

4. Driving on the shoulder - $450
Fact: Following is a list of vehicle code sections under which violators are typically cited and the concurrent fines:
21100.3 Failure to obey traffic directions $130
21460(a,b) Improper turns over double lines/solid lines to right prohibited $130
21655(b) Failure to use designated lanes $130
21754 Improper passing on right prohibited $130
21755 Unsafe passing on right shoulder $130

5. Cell phone on the construction zone - Double fine
Fact: There is currently no law against using a cell phone while driving. The law passed recently by the register requiring the use of hands-free headsets does not take effect until July 1, 2008. Otherwise, fines for traffic violations committed in constructions zones are higher than those committed elsewhere, but not quite double.

6. If passengers, over 18, do not have their seatbelts on, then both driver and passenger(s) get ticketed. Correct.
Fact:
23116(a) Transportation of persons without restraints restricted $130
(Note: total bail for first-time offenders for not wearing a seat belt in California ranges from $80 to $91).

7. Speeders can drive only 3 miles above the limit.
Fact: The California Highway Patrol and other law enforcement agencies can legally ticket drivers for going even 1 mile over a posted speed limit.

8. DUI = Jail.
Correct.

Gas Efficiency/Hypermiling

2008-06-24T18:14:00.000-07:00

Heard a bunch of this stuff on the news last night. Some of it is commonsense, but I thought it would be useful to look into.

Pump up your tires. Fueleconomy.gov states that keeping tires inflated to the recommended pressure can improve fuel economy by up to 5%.

No need for speed. Speeding, cutting in and out of lanes, tailgating, and other smartass maneuvers save you very little time and end up costing you at the gas station. Driving at an even speed is much more efficient than always accelerating and stopping. Don’t smash your gas pedal when you start moving and if you see a red light up ahead, just take your foot off the gas and coast until you need to brake. Chances are it’ll turn green before you even get there. By anticipating stops and accelerating moderately, Edmunds.com found that you can get up to 37% in gas savings. This also saves you from having to replace your brake pads too often. By far, this has increased my mileage the most. I've explained more why speed has such an impact in How to save $0.54 per gallon on gas.

The speed limit is for your gas mileage’s good. Going above 60mph significantly decreases your fuel efficiency. According to fueleconomy.gov, each 5mph you drive over 60mph reduces your fuel economy by 10%.

The windows vs. air conditioning debate. It’s been hotly debated as to whether it’s more fuel efficient to have your windows down or the air conditioning on. The answer is both. At low speeds, having the windows down is a better option. But as the speed increases, having the windows down creates higher air resistance, which decreases fuel economy. According to brainfoodpodcast.com (episode 2), the exact speed where the windows down option crosses over to be less efficient than having the air conditioner on is 50mph.

Stop idling. You use up gas when your car is on idle. This doesn’t mean turning off your car in the middle of the road when you’re in traffic or at a red light, but keep in mind it’s better to turn off your car and restart than to leave it on idle. Also, many short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as one multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warmed up and efficient. You would save on mileage too by not having to cover the same area twice if you plan your errands ahead of time.

The weight in your rear. If you’re carrying excess pounds in your trunk (no pun intended), get rid of it. Weight contributes to your gas mileage too, you know.

SOURCES:

http://www.wisebread.com/gas-efficient-driving

http://www.stumbleupon.com/demo/?review=1#url=http://www.philly.com/inquirer/home_top_left_story/20080424_Tips_for_improving_gas_mileage_30__or_more.html

You gotta love politics.......

2008-06-24T18:11:00.001-07:00

House fails to move gas pump price gouging bill

By H. JOSEF HEBERT, Associated Press Writer1 hour, 5 minutes ago

House Democrats failed Tuesday to resurrect a bill to punish price gouging at the gas pump, while maneuvering to block Republican attempts to expand offshore drilling, an idea gaining in popularity amid $4-a-gallon gas prices.

Action on legislation that would assure continuation of the ban on oil and natural gas drilling in most of the country's coastal waters was put off until later this summer after it became increasingly clear that Republican lawmakers may have the votes to lift the drilling moratorium.

As Democrats prepared a string of energy proposals before lawmakers depart for the July 4 holiday recess, Republicans charged that they were being blocked from getting a vote on whether to end the ban on offshore oil and gas drilling.

Last week GOP presidential candidate John McCain as well as President Bush called for ending the blanket prohibition on energy development over 80 percent of the country's offshore waters. Republicans contend that the offshore bans should be ended to allow for more domestic oil and gas production, an argument that has gained support with $130-a-barrel oil raising the cost of everything from food to air travel.

The House Appropriations Committee has postponed consideration of an Interior Department spending bill that included continuation of the offshore drilling ban. Republicans had prepared a proposal that would have ended the ban and allowed oil and gas development 50 miles from shore in all U.S. coastal waters.

"Somebody's afraid that we'll send a message" and lift the drilling ban, Rep. Jerry Lewis of California, the ranking Republican on the Appropriations panel, said Tuesday as the panel focused on other legislation.

The similar Interior spending bill, which also included the offshore drilling ban, was put off in the Senate as well.

Meanwhile, House Democratic leaders failed to get the two-thirds vote needed to push through a measure that would have made gasoline and diesel fuel price gouging a federal crime, with penalties of up to $2 million for individuals and possible jail time. The vote was 276-146.

The House has passed similar gouging legislation previously, as has the Senate, only to be abandoned. Supporters of the bill argued that gouging is widespread, while opponents said it is not and would be difficult to prove even if it occurred.

Democratic congressional leaders remain strongly opposed to lifting the drilling moratorium, arguing that oil companies already hold leases to 40 million acres of federal waters that they have not moved to develop.

"One way you deal with this problem of supply ... is to force oil companies and gas companies that own permits to drill them," said Illinois Rep. Rahm Emanuel, a senior member of the Democratic leadership.

House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said that legislation to lift the ban has significant support and might pass the House, but he told reporters, "If we allow drilling everywhere tomorrow, there would be no additional supply available."

Energy experts and oil geologists acknowledge it would take five to 10 years for any oil or natural gas to be produced if the ban were ended today.

"We have the votes," maintained Rep. John Peterson, R-Pa., sponsor of the pro-drilling measure that would open waters 50 miles offshore to oil companies. But he said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of California "will do everything she can do to stalemate it."

Emanuel, at a news conference, sidestepped questions on whether Democrats are concerned the GOP drilling measure was gaining support and that Democratic leaders were refusing to allow it to come up for a vote.

Instead, Emanuel emphasized that Democrats soon will push legislation that would require oil and gas companies to explore and develop the waters on which they already have obtained federal leases. If they don't, they will lose the leases.

Oil companies and their GOP supporters in Congress "are using this crisis as an excuse" for a grab for additional federal land and waters, said Emanuel.

Other Democratic proposals range from giving the federal government new tools to curtail speculation in oil trading markets by imposing new requirements on the amount of collateral traders must have in oil purchases and requiring a reduction in mass transit fares.

Fantastic Four

2008-06-21T18:11:00.000-07:00

Watching the movie, so I took an online quiz. The result is funny because I'm perceived as being very confident by my friends and a friend back in the day said I would be The Thing... not sure.

The computer says:

You are the Invisible Woman!
You are kind and compassionate to everyone. But what you want most is one person to help you through everything. You want to find that one special person. The only problem is that you're a little shy. But while you are waiting for that one person, you are out making sure all is well.

You gotta love online personality quizzes..

Take it yourself:

Race & Religion in Politics

2008-06-19T23:14:00.000-07:00

License Plate Holders & Stickers

2008-06-19T20:35:00.000-07:00

So, I was a bit cranky today. (Shocking, I know.) Anyways, so I'm sitting there trying to get over the heatstroke from the previous day while running errands.
I forgot how a simple gesture can make you feel pretty good about the world. I was in a parking lot and I let a truck driver turn in front of me. (I realize that I don't do this often enough because I'm always trying to make sure that I won't be stuck behind some slowpoke. Yeah, I continually have to remind myself that there is nothing to rush to. <-- Partially cynical comment... Anyways, I "know" that everything will happen when/if it does. God's time, not yours. I can't control most of my life any more than I can control the traffic.)
Anyways, the driver was so thankful and smiled at me, and I felt good. It reminded me that people are basically good. They have struggles and bad days and flaws, but that doesn't mean that I need to punish them with my driving. (Ah, as I write this I sigh because I know that I will be angry again within the week at some driver... but I will try...)

Anyways, as I turned out of the parking lot and into the street, I saw a cool license plate holder.
Are you closer to this
#***###
than to Jesus?

Every time I see stickers or other signs of faith on a car, I am reminded of a comment by a grad student. He and I were talking and he was telling me that there is nothing that he hates more than people who feel a need to proclaim religious sentiments with bumper stickers. (Yeah, religious sentiments are the only ones he hated... that's another issue..)

As I read blogs, I find that many people have the same feeling though. People don't like others to proclaim their spiritual and/or political beliefs. I personally find them very interesting in a number of ways.

1) It tells you something about the driver. Well, perhaps it does. Maybe the car is being driven by another member of the family? You never know.
2) It affects other drivers like me. I am kinder to people I agree with. I like religious stickers. I like stickers that criticize the government. I don't like crass and disgusting stickers. The list can go on and on. Anyways, I can't help but smile and be kinder to those I agree with. What does that say about me? ;)
3) It can reveal a crazy contradiction about the driver or you. Too often I have been very agitated with a driver and actually liked the message espoused by one or more of the stickers on their cars. It's really a weird phenomenon because I feel like I know the people. I hate it when I get mad at a person in a car with a religious sticker, as if God didn't notice when I cut off the guy without the sticker?! Yeah, I'm weird.

cool sites

2008-06-16T02:18:00.000-07:00

http://yousuckatparking.com/

--------

NICE!!!!!

http://www.portlandmercury.com/portland/Content?oid=753233&category=22101

Turning the Tables
Citizen Issues Parking Ticket to Cop
BY MATT DAVIS
A CITIZEN who watched a cop illegally park, then walk into a Chinese restaurant to wait for his food, has issued the officer a series of citizen-initiated parking violations.

Eric Bryant says he was sitting in the SanSai Japanese Grill on NW 21st and Hoyt on March 7 when he witnessed Officer Chad Stensgaard pull up and park his patrol car illegally, next to a "No Parking" sign.

Stensgaard walked into the restaurant wearing his police uniform, but did not make any arrests or citations. Instead, he turned his attention to the basketball game on television, according to Bryant. When Bryant asked Stensgaard about his vehicle, Stensgaard allegedly acknowledged being in a no-parking zone but asked Bryant, "If someone broke into your house, would you rather have the police be able to park in front of your house or have to park three blocks away and walk there?"

Bryant returned to his seat, and says shortly afterward he watched a restaurant employee hand the officer a plastic bag before he left. Unfortunately for Officer Stensgaard, Bryant had recently passed the Oregon bar exam, and decided to pursue the matter further.

"If he had acknowledged and corrected his error, we could have avoided this whole thing," says Bryant. "But instead, he kept watching basketball and told me he wasn't doing anything wrong."

Now, using ORS 153.058, Bryant—as a private citizen—has initiated violation proceedings against Officer Stensgaard. Bryant alleges Stensgaard was in violation of state statutes on illegal parking, illegal stopping, obeying parking restrictions on state highways, and illegal operation of an emergency vehicle or ambulance—the violations carry fines totaling $540.

Officer Stensgaard has received a Multnomah County summons to appear in traffic court on May 23. Meanwhile Bryant denies he is just stirring up trouble.

"Citizens should be concerned that he used his status as an officer of the law as justification for breaking the law," he says.

Stensgaard declined comment through the cops' office of public information.

thinking about genre

2008-06-10T23:16:00.001-07:00

so my friend jack was playing this song a couple nights ago. i really like the lyrics, but we were both wondering if the "all you need is love" line was ultimately not the proper "solution" to the issues that the spoken word portion brings up. i think this is because the reggae stuff is a lot more mellow while spoken word is far more political and urgent medium. again, i base this on my EXTREMELY limited knowledge about reggae, but i do appreciate spoken word which is politically potent and socially conscious.

Tellin' It How It Is: Hip-Hop

2008-06-07T17:22:00.001-07:00

Tellin' It How It Is: Hip-Hop Stands Up For Sean Bell

Jun 07, 2008 By Alexander Billet

Alexander Billet's ZSpace Page / ZSpace
"With the Sean Bell situation, New York is basically saying 'fuck niggas.'" Who in their right minds can honestly disagree with these words, bluntly stated by rapper/producer/activist David Banner? The April 25th aquittal of three New York City cops, who killed Bell after pumping fifty rounds into his car, sends a clear message to the African-American community: If the police can get away with gunning down one unarmed black man, they can get away with it again. Indeed, it happened several times over well before Bell. It's no wonder that the verdict has provoked outrage and frustration from religious leaders, local politicians and community activists.
Banner is certainly not alone as a rapper, either. The frustration, sadness and outrage provoked by the verdict has radiated through the entire hip-hop community, reaching even the upper echelons of the industry. Russell Simmons has spoke about the need for the police to be more accountable. His heir-apparent Jay-Z has set up a charity for Bell's fiancee, Nicole Paultre Bell. As always, though, the most meaningful solidarity hip-hop has to offer is that of the artists themselves.
This solidarity has, notably, not just been limited to the sector of "conscious hip-hop," that artificial category created by the music industry in order to cheapen the genre; a diverse array of artists have verbally trounced the verdict, ranging from Ice Cube to Immortal Technique to Chamillionaire. By now, it's become something of a cliche to repeat Chuck D's line about rap being "CNN for black people," but the staggering hypocrisy and gutter racism of the case has once again pushed artists into that role.
In the month since the verdict, there have been enough recordings dedicated to Bell to fill a compilation album. Posted on YouTube, Brooklyn MC Papoose (who also penned a song directly following the original shooting in November 2006) calls for a new civil rights movement in "We Shall Overcome." Though lyrically awkward at times, the track almost serves as a blow-by-blow of the entire trial, highlighting the arrogance of Judge Arthur Cooperman, the flimsy defence of the officers, and the complete dismissal of all witness testimony. As the song progresses, Pap lays into the past racist brutalities of the NYPD, bringing up the shooting of Amadou Diallo and the police torture of Abner Louima, and broadens the story even further to immigrants' rights and the shipping of poor black kids to fight in Iraq: "How can they find find freedom in south Iraq? Please! / They can't even find freedom in south-side Queens."
Papoose is only the tip of the iceberg. The web has been swarmed by tracks dedicated to Bell, sometimes released withing mere hours of the verdict. Major-label artists like The Game and Joell Ortiz have released songs on the web. Unsigned artists have been able to chime in too. Pittsburgh rapper Jasiri X (whose song about the Jena Six was named by hip-hop journalist Davey D as the best political rap of 2007), posted not one but two tracks about Bell on his MySpace page the very next day. A simple Google search for "Sean Bell" and "hip-hop" will yield literally thousands of results.
Artists who haven't necessarily had the chance to hit the studio in recent weeks have nonetheless done what they can to protest the verdict. The Roots, performing on the David Letterman Show three days afterwards, wore all black in mourning for Bell as well as pins with Bell's face on it. And then, of course, there is dead prez, whose first show after the verdict in Amhearst, Massachusetts was performed in the memory of Bell. Stic.man, speaking from the event on "Breakdown FM," radio show of hip-hop activist Davey D, summed up the all-encompassing question "what now?": "That verdict's been cast down on us since slavery. We've been denied justice way before April 26th, 2008... But it's not a time to be demoralized... it's a time to organize."
It's been two and a half years since Kanye West appeared on an NBC-televised Katrina benefit to tell the world the obvious: "George Bush doesn't care about black people." Last year, after the news that a group of black teenagers were being unjustly thrown in jail in Jena, Louisiana, many in hip-hop also protested the town's style of Jim Crow justice. Now, with the killers of Sean Bell getting off the hook, artists and MCs are once again raising their voices. The sentiments coming from artists like dead prez--that more organizing, more activism, is needed--are for obvious reasons finding resonance not only in the studios, but in the streets and communities. Hip-hop, born out of the deliberate neglect of black America, is finding itself pushed into the political arena more and more. Its message is simple: Enough is enough. Maybe this is the reason politicians find are so threatened by the mere presence of hip-hop.

Alexander Billet is a music journalist and socialist activist living in Washington, DC. He is a regular contributor to Znet, Dissident Voice, and SleptOn.com. His blog, Rebel Frequencies, can be viewed at http://rebelfrequencies.blogspot.com, and he can be reached at rebelfrequencies@gmail.com.

UTTERLY SAD!

2008-06-05T23:30:00.000-07:00

http://www.wkrg.com/news/article/man_hit_by_car_no_one_stops_to_help/14587/

Man Hit By Car, No One Stops To Help'

A surveillance camera captures disturbing footage of a hit and run in Hartford, Connecticut, that left a man paralyzed. But what it shows after
the accident is what really has the police chief outraged.

"The guy landed on the ground, blood everywhere, his head was cracked."

Angel Torres was crossing the street on Friday (May 30) when a car swerved over the center line, hit him and kept going. Torres landed in the middle of the road. Ten cars passed by Torres. Two others turned around and went the opposite way. Witnesses who stopped to gawk never called 911.

A police officer, on his way to another call, saw Torres in the street and called dispatch for an ambulance.

"It's a clear indication of what we have become," said Hartford Police Chief Daryl Roberts. "We see a man laying in the
street who has been hit by a car and people are just driving by, and people around him walk by him. People always say 'what are the police doing'. That is
not a police problem."

Police are now asking witnesses who kept driving to contact detectives and do the right thing.

"At the end of the day, we have to look at ourselves and understand that our moral values have changed and we have no regard for ourselves," said Chief Roberts.

Hmmmm

2008-05-24T10:55:00.001-07:00

strangers

2008-05-14T20:24:00.000-07:00

seriously, this commercial freaks me out. i can't even imagine how freakin scary the movie is gonna be!

Cherry Pop @ Ultra Suede

2008-05-11T13:18:00.000-07:00

Had lots of fun last night in West Hollywood with my friends. Seriously, the most gorgeous men are found at gay bars. It was actually a little strange at first because we ended up going to the same bar I went to with a friend that passed away recently. That was a little awkward at times.. Met a lot of really sweet (and gorgeous) gay men, watched some hot dancers, and danced the night away with a big group of friends.

On the drive home had a run in with this little ghetto Asian boy. He was in the car in front of me and he was driving really slowly because he was talking to the people in the car next to him. I'm assuming the car next to him included a group of girls or other loser friends. Anyways, I manage to pass these idiots and he proceeds, of course, to remember where the gas pedal was. We end up getting stuck behind him at a light and the little jack a-- starts to reverse towards my car. I honestly wasn't very worried about it, although I probably should have been... Anyways, I ended up taking a different route to my friends house, but I totally freaked out my 3 friends. lol

WILSON!!!

2008-05-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

TBS is going to play Castaway this weekend. I loved the film and even cried at the final scene between Tom Hanks and Wilson...

I was just talking with a friend about Tom Hanks in that movie, and I remembered that I Am Legend also featured one main character (Will Smith) for a large part of the film. I cried in the scene with the dog almost as much as I cried for Wilson! That was also an amazing movie in terms of the emotional impact.

It's crazy that Castaway didn't have a musical soundtrack though.
An old friend used to talk about the effect that music has in horror movies, and I'm sure the same applies to all types of movies in different ways. Music is supposed to evoke emotion, but Hanks was out there with just his talent. Amazing.

found this interesting piece about the film and Wilson's role in the movie:

http://www.slate.com/id/103194/

Wilson the Volleyball, Reconsidered
By James Surowiecki
Posted Friday, March 23, 2001, at 11:57 PM ET

If Tom Hanks walks away with the Oscar for Best Actor on Sunday night, he will of course be the first actor in Hollywood history to win the award for a film in which his chief co-star was a volleyball. Hanks has been predictably acclaimed for his portrait of a man in extremis, coming to grips with a kind of profound solitude that stands in sharp contrast to his frenzied life as a manager for FedEx. Now, Hanks' performance is certainly impressive. But what's really important about Cast Away is not what it has to say about the individual. It's what it has to say about the social.

At first glance, Wilson seems to be merely a kind of foil for Hanks. He needs something to break the silence, some illusion that he isn't truly alone, so he paints a face on the volleyball and suddenly has a ready-made audience for his ramblings. Hanks needs Wilson, in this reading, because he simply needs someone to listen.

In fact, though, something far more interesting is going on, but it's hard to see until the last scene between Hanks and Wilson when Hanks falls asleep while on a raft at sea and Wilson is carried off by the waves. Hanks dives into the water and tries to swim after his friend but doesn't have the strength to save him. As Hanks watches the volleyball drift out of sight, he yells, "I'm sorry, Wilson! I'm sorry!" Now, that's a pretty curious thing to yell (even by the admittedly weird standards of conversations with volleyballs). It suggests that Hanks is not anguished by the fact that he's alone again, as you'd think he would be if Wilson was just his solitude-shattering companion. Instead, Hanks is anguished by the fact that he's let Wilson down, that he hasn't been able to help Wilson when Wilson needed him.

The point, I think, is that Wilson is important to Hanks not as someone who will listen to him or pay attention to him (however silently). Wilson is important to Hanks as someone who relies on him, who, in some sense, needs him. The crucial thing you lose when you fall out of society, Cast Away seems to say, is not conversation or attention. The crucial thing you lose is the chance to be needed. Hanks has to create Wilson out of that volleyball not because he needs someone to talk to but because he has to be of use to someone else. The abyss that yawns in front of him when he lands on that island--and that Wilson helps him avoid--is not the abyss of existential despair, exactly. It's something much simpler but much darker: the abyss of irrelevance.

A cool forward :)

2008-05-04T19:50:00.001-07:00

Heavenly Father,
Help us remember that the jerk who cut us off in traffic last night is a single mother who worked nine hours that day and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious moments with her children.
Help us to remember that the pierced, tattooed, disinterested young man who can't make change correctly is a worried 19-year-old college student, balancing his apprehension over final exams with his fear of not getting his student loans for next semester.
Remind us, Lord, that the scary looking bum, begging for money in the same spot every day (who really ought to geta job!) is a slave to addictions that we can only imagine in our worst nightmares.
Help us to remember that the old couple walking annoyingly slow through the store aisles and blocking our shopping progress are savoring this moment, knowing that, based on the biopsy report she got back last week, this will be the last year that they go shopping together.

Heavenly Father,
Remind us each day that, of all the gifts you give us, the greatest gift is love. It is not enough to share that love with those we hold dear. Open our hearts not to just those who are close to us, but to all humanity. Let us be slow to judge and quick to forgive, show patience, empathy and love.

Bumper Stickers & Stereotypes, Part II

2008-05-04T10:36:00.000-07:00

I saw another car with a sticker I talked about a few months back.

Interestingly enough, the driver was a man ;)

Iron Man

2008-05-02T08:25:00.000-07:00

I've got a feeling I'm gonna hate this movie....

Finally, someone's found a surefire way to make money with a modern Middle East war movie: Just send a Marvel superhero into the fray to kick some insurgent butt. The powerhouse comic-book-inspired action film "Iron Man" isn't principally about this fantasy, but it won't hurt at least American audiences' enjoyment of this expansively entertaining special effects extravaganza. Having an actor as supercharged as Robert Downey Jr. at the center of such a tech-oriented enterprise represents a huge plus, and Paramount should reap big box-office rewards by getting out ahead of the summer tent-pole pack with such a classy refitting of an overworked format.
http://movies.msn.com/movies/movie.aspx?m=2076905&mp=r

We'll see... gonna see Made of Honor tonight, but I'll see Ironman at some point...

Road Rage @ the Drive Thru

2008-05-01T20:30:00.000-07:00

this is absolutely hilarious!

yeah, yeah, I know I shouldn't laugh at violence... but it's funny!!!

Drowsy Driving

2008-04-29T10:52:00.000-07:00

So, Mondays are really busy for me. I work from 10 a.m.-9 p.m., which means that I am awake from 6am-10pm minimum. I was supposed to hang out at a friend's house in Pasadena in the evening so I was beyond tired from driving from OC/LA to the Inland Empire to Pasadena and back to the OC/LA. I have had a few scary driving moments where I find myself moving from one lane to another without realizing it because I am sleepy, and I also have a hard time negotiating the lane size and any obstacles in the road when I'm tired (or upset- lol).
Last night I was coming home around 2 a.m. and I heard a scratching sound on the driver's side of the car, and I noticed that there was a large branch or branches on the street divider... Now, I don't know if it was in the lane or if I was just too close to the divider but I forgot about it and continued driving... Yeah, just saw my car. oops...

Cultural Practice

2008-04-24T18:04:00.000-07:00

I totally forgot to post this a few weeks ago but I figure better late than never!

Anyways, I met a really nice Mexican guy at jury duty a couple weeks ago. While hoping that we weren't gonna be picked for jury service, we were discussing our respective cultures, histories, etc. It's strange how chatty and close people become at jury duty!
Anyways, he told me something really interesting about an older man living in Los Angeles. It seems that this retired, older man sets up different warning signs for drivers in the LA region when there are check points set up. Although I can't remember the exact symbols and signs that he used, I was surprised that this took place at all here in the US. Being an ignorant person, I was confused about why someone would want to warn drunk drivers and my jury duty friend explained that the signals were to warn "illegal" residents of the community. That is so cool!
I was telling him about the "warning system" used by Greek drivers to warn fellow commuters of checkpoints and cops with radar guns. The drivers will flicker the lights on and off quickly to opposing lanes of traffic warning them of trouble up ahead. While I realize that people should obey the speed limits, there is something really cool about a sense of community with your fellow drivers against the cops.

interpreting license plates

2008-04-23T09:56:00.001-07:00

Just saw this on a license plate holder:

Too close for missiles
+++++++
Switching to guns

Not sure what it means?
Referring to other drivers?
Neighboring countries?

Trusting Your Instincts

2008-03-20T12:24:00.000-07:00

I knew I should have hit him with my car! I had a bad feeling the moment that jerk on the motorcycle was driving 5 mph down my street and slowed down to give me a dirty look...

I woke up yesterday morning and saw a police car outside of my neighbor's home. Someone had broken her car window to steal her suitcase. The police assumed that the robber thought there might have been a computer in the car, but he or she was obviously disappointed. The event made everyone uneasy because there have been a number of "suspicious" vehicles parking and driving through our neighborhood the last couple of weeks late at night and early in the morning without their lights on. (Living in a culdesac, you notice cars that don't belong to neighbors or neighbors' friends.) Anyways, as I was driving home last night I was struck by this strange, old white man on a motorcycle. He cut me off while driving about 5mph. I was polite. I didn't cut him off or honk the horn, but there was something strange about his behavior. He cut me off, yet he stared at me when he moved to make a left hand turn. I didn't think anything of it until my father came in a few minutes after me and told me that he followed the guy to write down his license plate number because he had seen him around the neighborhood the last week or so. Today (the next morning) we see the same guy on the motorcycle speed past our house and then a cop car comes racing as well. According to the mailman, they are pretty sure that he has robbed a few people up the hill so they are setting up a perimeter to catch him. Crazy!

I'll be the first to admit that I have road rage issues, but don't you think I would have done a public service two nights ago? I suppose I might be rationalizing my aggression! ;)

Gracious Driving

2008-03-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

Yet again, The Bad Driver's Handbook is revealing the truth about my driving.

Should a crash take place when you're tailgating, really it's you who's going to go crashing through the windshield. The guy in front will probably be all right, in spite of his phony claims of "whiplash" injuries. By tailgating, you show you're willing to sacrifice your own body for what you believe in, for what is right, for what is good.

I agree.

I am willing to risk my life to agitate you for driving slowly, for talking on your phone, or weaving on the road. I have good brakes! I'm so selfless...

Bad Driver's Handbook

2008-01-19T18:44:00.000-08:00

I purchased the Bad Driver's Handbook daily calendar for 2008 because I thought it would make fun of "bad" drivers, aka people who get in my way. Turns out the calendar is actually mocking drivers who tailgate, use the car horn, etc. Come on!!! Who doesn't do agree with the following?!

Where does the "good" driver pick up bad habits which can be so dangerous to good old regular "bad" drivers? The DMV Driver's Handbook, where you will find misleading guidelines, like:
"You must always travel within the posted speed limit."
Which fails to account for the universally accepted concept of "the flow of traffic" and ignores necessary situational adjustments based on how much of a hurry you happen to be in.
"
Bad driver's famous last words: "Why don't you get out of your car, come over here and tell me that to my face?"

You're late for your yoga class and you know your yoga power is only supposed to be used for good, but you're about two seconds away from strangling this jerk with your yoga mat. And maybe if this woman who is stopped at the light would look up from putting on her make-up she'd see the LIGHT HAS TURNED GREEN. How do you cope? Verbal abuse: "You can GO now, lady!"

movie time

2007-12-22T03:39:00.000-08:00

So, you have probably seen a commercial over the last few months encouraging safe driving by recreating "road rage" conditions and reactions in daily life. For example, a man starts yelling at some old lady in the supermarket for cutting him off or walking too slowly. The commercial asks the driver to think about why they act with such aggression in their cars, but not in their daily face-to-face interactions. It's a good commercial since it points out the fact that a lot of aggression probably creeps into our lives because we feel that our automobiles provide some barrier which allows us to push better judgment and civility to the periphery.

Last night at the movies a young guy behind me kept kicking my seat. I let it go the first time that it happened, but the guy kept doing it. After about a half hour of consistently being kicked, I turned around and gave the guy a dirty look. I would have understood if the seats were somehow lacking leg room, but there was ample room for even the tallest individual to sit comfortably. While watching the movie, I kept thinking that I should get up out of my seat and move to the row behind the guy and keep kicking him in the head throughout the movie. (I didn't do it, but it would have been funny. It was interesting watching the movie and plotting my attack.) It's strange because I would have had no problem reacting in my car, but I actually am able to control my aggression in other daily situations; however, this incident proved (to me) that I actually have a lot of latent aggression. (Justified aggression in my eyes, but still not a good quality.)

The question: Do I alter my behavior on the road, or outside my car? Do I become more civil and compassionate as a driver, forgiving ridiculous drivers, or do I become more aggressive in my daily life?

Dirty Cars

2007-12-17T00:37:00.000-08:00

Best line ever found on a FILTHY car parked in an LAX parking lot:

"I wish my wife was this dirty"

(of course I didn't have my camera with me!)

Aggressive Driving

2007-11-16T00:19:00.000-08:00

So, after receiving a speeding ticket a few months ago, my driving has become a lot tamer (for the most part). I was checking out a number of websites which discussed the issue of aggressive driving and I realized that the ticket was probably a blessing.

Mind you, I still think a majority of California drivers need their licenses revoked but I am better about avoiding conflict. Breathe in, breathe out..

Let's see, what do I still do...

Aggressive Driving

Speeding (yeah, not as much. but late at night, I will speed a little..)
Running red lights and stop signs (never done it and never will)
Tailgating (yeah, i've gotten better about this since my brakes suck)
Passing on the shoulder of the road (never done this either)
Cutting off another vehicle (don't really do this. try to pass with plenty of space)
Slamming on brakes in front of a tailgater (hmm.. not too often.. and I always speed right back up)
Improper hand or facial gestures at other drivers (hahahaha... how do you define this?)
Yelling (i have outbursts but I do these little zen moves and breathe in and out for a few deep breathes to calm down)
Repeatedly honking the horn (not really. i don't think people ever hear the horn anyways)
Repeatedly flashing of headlights (never)

Bumper Stickers & Stereotypes...

2007-11-15T23:59:00.001-08:00

Bumper stickers often catch my attention during my long commutes on freeways and on surface streets. I saw a very interesting sticker on an SUV today.

"I'm not bad. I just drive that way."
The sticker had the outline of a woman and the aforementioned phrase.

Now, I was already annoyed because it was extremely hot, but this sticker caught my attention since the driver was obviously unable to stay within their own lane. They kept weaving left and right... (Mind you, it is 2:00 in the afternoon, so drunkenness cannot be blamed for poor driving abilities.)

I thought, "this better not be a female driver! Please, please don't fulfill the stereotype!"

As I moved to the left lane, this driver almost hit me so I turned to give them a dirty look. While talking on her phone, this moron in her SUV couldn't be bothered to respect the other drivers on the road. Seriously, if you can't talk on your phone and drive safely, hang up, idiot!

I suppose one could applaud her for her honesty, but I think the SUV-driving, cell phone-using, distracted white female needs to be stopped. Ugh!

This reminds me of a driving experience a couple of days ago. I was in the Target parking lot in La Puente when this...

okay, must add my disclaimer at this point. "I'm not racist, but..."

anyways, I am trying to exit the parking lot when this minivan starts backing up as I am making a left turn. A young driver had accidentally miscalculated the turn and was going the wrong way in the parking lot so she proceeded to back up without a care in the world. Now, I honk the horn and yell like a lunatic since I can't back up into the car behind me. This dumb little Asian girl waves and apologizes WHILE SHE CONTINUES TO BACK UP! What the hell is wrong with people?!
First, how do you miscalculate a parking lot exit? It's clearly marked.
Second, how do you back up into a car? My Chevy is not invisible!
Third, how do you continue backing up into another car?! Ugh!
When I finally exited the parking lot and continued my commute I thought to myself, "How can I even talk about this moment? Why do people fulfill stereotypes..."

Luckily, I was then cut off by a stupid white man on the freeway...

Patriotic Displays of Power

2007-10-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

Driving home tonight on the westbound 60 freeway I was met with a peculiar sight in the far right lane. I noticed that some of the cars on my right were going exceptionally slow. Although I attributed this cautious driving to the intense winds, I soon realized that these were no ordinary vehicles. A caravan of army tanks was heading towards the Los Angeles area.
(I suppose there might be a military base somewhere between LA, the OC, and the Inland Empire that I am unaware of, but the entire spectacle reminded me of similar displays on the 605 near my house a few months back. Anyone who knows me recognizes my intense dislike of the army, regardless of the arguments in favor of such an institution.)
What was strange about this caravan wasn't the sheer numbers of tanks, but the fact that there were soldiers sitting and standing in the same exact positions in each of the vehicles. Two soldiers were standing upright with their guns, while the other soldiers were sitting with their elbows pointing out of the lowered windows. At first I thought that the upright soldiers were mannequins meant to distract our elusive enemies, but then I realized that this was an absurd possibility in the middle of southern California. I tried to catch a better glimpse and see the soldiers move, but to no avail. I quickly passed up the caravan although I wanted to exit the freeway and re-enter to get a closer look. I'm now left wondering...

California Dust Bowl

2007-10-22T13:09:00.000-07:00

A few years back…
I was driving home on the westbound 60 one afternoon when the freeway suddenly became empty. A brown haze permetated the air and a lone tumbleweed swept across the lanes. I was confused at first because the entire scene reminded me of the Twilight Zone. The sky was an unnatural brown. My car was rattling. I couldn’t see another car in front of me or behind me. I slowed down while my mind started racing.
As I continued driving, the haze lifted and other automobiles came into sight. I felt at peace since I was surrounded by other people…

Anyone who is familiar with southern California knows that we are not blessed with four seasons. It’s basically hot all year long with a few scattered storms and flash floods every couple of years. (Mind you we consistently have “storm watch” segments in the daily news shows which consists of reporters videotaping small “streams” of water near clogged storm drains caused by a light shower or sprinkles. It is quite the spectacle.)

When I first moved back to California I was intrigued by my daily drive into the Inland Empire. The Wooly Mammoth that graced the westbound side of the 60, the numerous freeway onramps and interchanges that caused ridiculous amounts of traffic. The drive is pretty calm, except when the winds kick up in the Inland Empire. It is amusing (and petrifying) to see California drivers attempt to navigate the severe Santa Ana winds which cause big rigs to turn on their sides and smaller vehicles to be jerked around.

Rubber-necking caused massive pits of slowing on the eastbound 10 freeway this morning. One big rig had caved in on itself. Another had crashed into the freeway divider. Yet another had flipped on its side. At the same time, the center divider of the freeway was lined with dry tumbleweeds which are obviously dry enough to spark yet another California fire with the intense heat, dry winds, and absentminded drivers who flick cigarettes out of their car windows. (If you think I am exaggerating, you should have driven along the 60 freeway last night. Intense winds caused rocks, dirt, tumbleweeds to fly at cars, while drivers attempted to stay within their own lanes. I think to myself, “no one is stupid enough to throw a cigarette out the window,” when a faint red object flies out of the driver’s side window in front of me. Genius.)

I knew it!

2006-03-05T12:30:00.000-08:00

I knew there were a bunch of morons who cause traffic jams every morning!

Seriously though, this is an interesting student film which reveals the flaws with the freeway system in the US.

A Meditation on the Speed Limit
http://www.campusmoviefest.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/IdeaFlow.woa/wa/showAMovie?movieID=978

When Life Flashes Before Your Eyes

2006-02-14T23:25:00.000-08:00

Attention all idiots: The far right lane is not for speeding and prohibiting others from entering the freeway.

You might remember a post from a few weeks ago where I discussed the inherent unfairness and aggression created by the carpool lane on freeway on-ramps. Well, today I was reminded that the freeway holds quite a few more obstacles. Although I have been managing my road rage (to varying degrees) over the last few weeks, today I was pushed OVER THE EDGE... LITERALLY!

While entering the freeway, I noticed that the idiot in the neighboring lane was a safe distance away from my car. Since I was entering the freeway at around 50 mph, I made sure to use my left turn signal in order to merge safely into the adjacent lane. Lo and behold this *&$#*$#* teenager decides to speed up. Shocking, I know! His friend, who is driving in the car behind him, begins flicking the lights to warn him that there is NO WHERE for me to go except to crash into the yellow containers which are directly in front of my quickly vanishing lane. Luckily, I notice the neon cans and I slam the breaks and swerve into the lane right behind his car. I wasn't particularly calm since I literally felt my heart stop. I sped up and drove next to his car as closely as possible without endangering either of us. I didn’t yell and I didn’t flip him off. I calmly gave him the look of death. He exited the freeway less than a minute later.

Tachophobic? I think not!

2006-02-11T02:19:00.000-08:00

I honestly believe that we need to have an autobahn system on southern California freeways. We should be allowed to hit speeds around 90 mph after midnight without the fear of being pulled over. Yes, I realize that there are numerous drunken idiots on the road, but I figure I am already watching out for them... I want to get to my destination as soon as possible and I don't want to be looking out for the CHP whenever I see car lights near me! That's really the only reason I have for desiring this...

Cop Logic (ZMag)

2006-02-01T23:58:00.000-08:00

Chino Cops: "Respect My Authority!"

2006-02-01T21:16:00.000-08:00

I'm cruising at about 80 mph on the freeway when I notice the flashing lights in my rear view mirror. I instinctively slow down to 65 mph even though the CHP car is quite a few cars behind me. My heart literally sinks since I am certain that the lights are meant for me... Luckily the cop was speeding off somewhere else so I was off the hook this time.

I often wonder what drives people to run from the police, especially in California where the CHP, cops and the police choppers are always there... Is it the adrenaline? Is it that people have something to hide? Are they on the edge and can't think clearly? To me, running from the cops is like pulling a fire alarm... I want to do it just for the rush of challenging authority, but I know that I will never do so. I will probably react as I did before. But what if I did run? What if I was a passenger during a police pursuit? Does my presence mean that a police officer has a right to shoot me, especially when I am unarmed? When did I tacitly consent to this?

Civil Rights. What Civil Rights?

Cops cannot use their power to intimidate, harass, and kill. If I remember correctly, their purpose is to protect and serve the people in this country. Police officers need to have stricter restrictions and far more mental check-ups.
If you are nervous and scared, you shouldn't be a cop.
If you react violently against people of a particular race, you shouldn't be a cop.
If you think shooting someone after a high-speed pursuit is acceptable, you shouldn't be a cop. (I think that the drivers during high speed chases are equally dangerous and disregard the safety of others; however, this was not the case in yesterday's shooting of the unarmed passenger in the vehicle.)

Airman's Shooting Sparks FBI Inquiry

The irony of it all... A man who is risking his life to fight a war against an elusive enemy in Iraq is shot by another man who is allegedly protecting the homefront from...

USA Today 1/30/06

2006-01-30T20:29:00.000-08:00

James Frey, We Hardly Knew Thee

2006-01-28T13:46:00.000-08:00

So, I was caught in the hellish Friday afternoon traffic yesterday. While sitting in my car listening to STAR, I start thinking about blogging. I have seen a number of strange occurrences while driving over the years so I wonder if I should discuss those events in the present tense or the past tense. Should I combine certain events to make some grand point (assuming there is one)? Should I add a couple of colorful passengers in order to make it more interesting? I know that people would be truly disappointed if they knew that I was embellishing about my accounts of road rage. I mean, who am I to think that I can take creative license while representing my life...

I'm driving along and the Oprah episode that I saw yesterday starts to haunt me. Now, I'm not a big Oprah fan. I think she does some good work and I have caught some late night reruns of her shows. I respect her work in aiding the capture of pedophiles and her exposure of racism in America but the James Frey scandal has made me even more irate with the American media outlets. This week Oprah grilled Frey about his memoir, A Million Little Pieces. I would just like to state that I have not read his book but I don't see what the big deal is.

This is his account of his life and his addiction.

He can embellish on his experiences as much as he wants. Who are we to judge? Does his MEMOIR affect others in some substantial way? Don't we tell ourselves stories every day in order to make life a little more colorful and sometimes a little more bearable? Perhaps he actually started to believe that some of these events happened, perhaps he didn't. Who cares?! Perhaps this novel was a cathartic exercise for him personally and perhaps it might resonate for those struggling with addictions... Again, why is this so important that all of the major media outlets are questioning the fact checks that do/don't go on in publishing houses?

According to Oprah, people felt betrayed and she was humiliated because she defended the truth of the novel...

I wonder if people feel betrayed... According to Oprah and every freakin mainstream American news outlet, the sales of his book have actually increased with all of this controversy... Do people want to read the story and pinpoint the questionable depictions? Will this knowledge do something for them? If so, why aren't these same people interested in knowing how politicians from all camps are lying to them and making outrageous claims and acting on their behalf? I haven't heard about a substantial increase in sales regarding history and political science analysis of the Middle East or whatever other region we have decided we are going to liberate...

I am amused and disheartened by the desire to spotlight truth when it comes to novels or the lives of celebrities but our foreign policy and decisions and stories/lies/diplomacy that affect the lives and deaths of Americans and non-Americans still haven't gotten the media attention that they deserve...

You think you know who you are. You have no idea.

2006-01-24T23:04:00.000-08:00

Living in Los Angeles, we become one with our automobiles. For better or for worse, we learn to take care of our cars and to understand what they can and cannot do. At the same time, we are currently mastering the art of weaving in and out of traffic, spotting that menacing highway patrol car, and dodging that moron who thinks he can outrun the LAPD, the CHP and the police chopper overhead.
You would think that with all of our experience on the expansive freeways and highways we would be better drivers. You would think wrong. After moving back to southern California a few years ago, I have slowly and steadily become that person with the stress release ball, the calming music, and the emergency cigarette in my car. Being a commuter, I am on the road for almost 15 hours a week. I will admit that California is beautiful and we have great weather. (Thank God that the rain and the fog are uncommon occurrences... those 60 car pile-ups are quite a feat for us!) Often I find myself starting the day loving the world and admiring the beautiful mountains, clouds, and cityscapes. Ten minutes later, I enter the freeway. The ramp is an interesting space. From the very first moment, you are pitted against the people in the carpool lane. While they can rush in at 50 mph, you are required to wait at the stoplight and then throw yourself in front of a speeding car because heaven forbid people recognize your right of way. “We’re always behind this metal and glass... It’s the sense of touch. I think we miss that touch so much that we crash into each other just so we can feel something...” It's strange how this can be so true in so many different instances.
When you are angry, you want to hit that other car. At the moments of extreme rage, you literally want to hit that other car (or that other driver). Luckily, we usually realize that we cannot hit another person because of the obvious harm that we would inflict, but we also realize that our insurance would skyrocket. Which of these reasons really inhibits us...? That's for you to decide.
Thinking back on today, I can list a number of highly frustrating "moments" which felt like hours. It was really windy today so driving on most major freeways was a major battle. I left my home realizing that there would be a little congestion given the "extreme" phenomenon. About an hour and a half into a drive that should have taken about 45 minutes, I was a little edgy. I was late for a meeting. I wasn't properly caffeinated. The morning radio sucked. When I saw the CHP car decide to create a nonexistent 5th highway lane, I respected his position of power since I assumed that he was rushing to the accident ahead. When an SUV decided to create a 5th nonexistent lane, he validated my dislike of SUV's. Why is it that a large percentage of SUV drivers have NO regard for other vehicles?!
About 20 miles and almost an hour passed and still no sight of a traffic accident. I began to feel a little guilty because I assumed there was a horrendous, fatal crash up ahead... Guess what, there was a minor fender-bender on the side of the road with ridiculous spectator slowing and NOTHING ELSE. I still haven't understood what happened. Nevertheless, this was a relatively good morning. I didn't experience a Falling Down moment. I arrived late, but luckily my interviewee was caught up in the same traffic. We joked and remembered how much we loved living in communities where we didn't have to drive.
The drive home was pretty calm. It was dark but not too late. I had a fun coffee break with a friend and then I headed home feeling relaxed and calm. Luckily, I didn't find any freeway construction or congestion. I did locate that one SUV driver who refused to move out of my way but I managed to pass him up. At this moment, he decides that he will tailgate me. Now, you would think that a person in a regular sized car would be intimidated by the big car with the glaring lights and would cower and move to the side of the road. You don't know me at all. I refuse to be bullied by a negligent driver who decides to use the gas pedal when someone moves in front of them. I refuse to be bullied by your glaring lights. You don't scare me. You irritate me. I want to grab a megaphone and yell at you. I want to flash a high beam into your car and blind you in the same way that you blind me. The cute little SUV was unable to pass me up and I quickly lost him since I was able to weave in and out of traffic while he was stuck behind another vehicle that wasn’t intimated by his presence. Anyways, today was a rather dull day. Trust me, there is so much more to come.