HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dos@major.panix.com (Dave O'Shea)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Flashing Headlights
Date: Sun, 08 Nov 92 22:19:56 EST
Organization: ACME products - artillery division

bcrulifs@eos.ncsu.edu  writes:

> 
> 	I've been wondering for a while the correct and universally understood
> headlight flashing signals.  My understanding:
>    1--When you're behind someone in the left lane who is slower than you--giv
>       two quick flicks of the high beams.
>    2--When you want someone in the oncoming traffic to slow down  (some peopl
>       mistakenly refer to this practice as 'warning of police in the area')--
>       at least one long-ish flash of the low (or high? at night)

An alternative "outta my way" signal that I've heard is to use your left
turn signal when you're in the left (passing) lane. Of course, only a
driver who was both aware and courteous would understand and comply. For
those who don't, two quick flashes to the highbeams are sufficient, and
if that doesn't do it, pass 'em on the right, merging back into the left
about 3 inches in front of their front bumper. :)

> 	My problem is that many people around either mis-intrepret my meaning
> or I just don't understand what I'm telling them.   Is this practice inherent
> rude?  Or does it purely depend on the perosn driving in front of you.   Also
> Does anyone know if #2 is unlawful in NC?  I read somewhere a few years back 
> that it was/is in Missouri.  

Can't address Missouri laws, but here in New York, it's illegal to use
your high beams within a certain distance of oncoming traffic. No
exceptions are listed.


--
"A leopard never changes his stripes" 
           -- Al Gore, candidate for vice-president
From: drew@tcom.stc.co.uk (Scooby Doo)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Braking distances.
Date: 10 Nov 1992 09:18:19 GMT
Organization: BNR Europe, New Southgate, London N11 1HB.
NNTP-Posting-Host: bnsgs200.bnr.co.uk

Hi people...

	Me and a friend were having a discussion (argument?) on
braking distances for cars. Specifically were thinking off
the stopping distance for a car with wheels locked (skidding)
without ABS obviously.

Does anyone know ballpark figures for 30,50,70 mph? I know it
depends on car weight, tyre size etc....

Cheers.

Drew.

--
	UK : (081) 945 3726		| The car in front is a Toyota...
Drew	ESN : 6 730 3726	    	| But not for long!! 
Wagar	US : +44 81 945 3726	    	| 
	Internet : drew@bnr.co.uk	| GTi drivers do it faster!
From: tex@r-node.gts.org (Terence Dulay)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Paying a Reasonable Price for Gas
Date: 11 Nov 92 04:11:27 GMT
Organization: Association for the Preservation of Incompetence

In article <1d3jhiINN3lq@spool.mu.edu> jason@studsys.mscs.mu.edu (Jason Hanson) writes:
>In article <1992Nov2.154044.14832@noose.ecn.purdue.edu> rjwade@rainbow.ecn.purdue.edu (Robert J. Wade) writes:
>>>
>>>
>>so...too bad for you and good for us, isn't the USA wonderful...yep it is!
>>
>>who are you to tell us we WASTE too much energy.  and we make more things
>>here than just for our population...we ship goods all over the world...guess
>>the rest of the world should thank us for producing way more food than we need
>> just to feed ourselves.  and dumbo, it is possible to protect the environment 
>>without raising gas prices...duh...
>>
>>the "weak" excuses are that we don't want/need yet ANOTHER tax...you think 
>>we want to end up like those overtaxed, controlled, european countries??
>>
>>it is not common sense to raise tax on gas bud.  yes everyone/country should
>>make efforts to not abuse the environment but raising gas prices is not 
>>some magical cure-all ya moron!  so when is germany going to put a tax on
>>ethnic hatred???
>
>Boy, Robert, you sure proved yourself smart with that posting.  The guy (from
>Europe) posts a pretty intelligent, meaningful post and you respond with the
>above shit.  You call him a moron and a dumbo but you show that YOU really are
>those things from the great post you provide.  First, use capital letters where
>necessary.  Also, has it ever occurred to you that your "I and America are
>holier than thou" attitude may just be the reason that this country is the way
>it is.
>
>
>-- 
>Jason Hanson         |   915 W. Wisconsin Ave #1010   |     (414) 288-2179
>Marquette University |   Milwaukee, WI 53233-2373     |     Ham Radio: N9LEA/AG
>--  jason@studsys.mscs.mu.edu       ==+==       n9lea@n0ary.#nocal.ca.usa.na  --
>


After seeing posts like that from Mr. Wade, I begin to think that that Japanese
guy was right about you Americans... [I'm a Canadian].
The USA "ain't" so wonderful, then again, neither is Canada, nor Germany for
that matter.   Sometimes you're so caught up in your patriotism that you fail
to realize just how inferior your system really is compared to other nations.
Gee, if your military can't even get your closest neighbour and biggest trade
partner's flag right (Canada) at an internationally-shown event like the World
Series, I wonder why FIFA and the IOC awarded you people the World Cup of 
Soccer and the 1996 Olympics, when you'll have to figure out several other
flags as well ;-)
on
this planet, and your system is not the only system, nor is it the best one.
[all flames from patriotic Americans wanting to put down Canada and Europe 
will be ignored]
-- 
Terence M. "Tex" Dulay                  Scarborough, Ontario, CANADA
tex@r-node.gts.org                      ...uunet.ca!r-node!tex
tex@r-node.pci.on.ca
Toronto Blue Jays - 1992 WORLD SERIES CHAMPS!! *We Stopped The Chop, Eh?*
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: kevinq@Ingres.COM (Kevin Quinn)
Subject: Re: LIDAR demo on Discovery Channel
Reply-To: kevinq@Ingres.COM (Kevin Quinn)
Organization: Ask Computer Systems Inc., Ingres Division, Alameda CA 94501
Date: 12 Nov 92 03:03:43 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.234548.12945@news.columbia.edu> scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears) writes:
>In article <1992Nov11.200930.22847@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> whs70@dancer.uucp (22501-sohl) writes:
>
>>Q2 - If braking hard, how does the cop even know it if he doesn't get
>>a "fix" and therefore some reading which indicates a rapidly 
>>decreasing speed indicative of hard braking?  LIDAR needs to be
>>exactly on the car, if it isn't there's no reading that
>>reflects a changing (decreasing) speed.
>
>	Watch the nose dive. Cops don't need no stinkin' radar reading in
>	a lot of states. They just get believed.
>
Also - most - or at least _many_ vehicle mounted radar systems have a audio 
feed of the dopler signal.  You *hear* the vehicle hit the brakes...


kbq
--
Kevin Quinn                         | kevinq@ingres.com
                                    | {mtzinu,pacbell,ll-winken,sun}!ingres.com
My opinions are my own.  Should you think otherwise, think again.
From: jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: LIDAR demo on Discovery Channel
Date: 11 Nov 1992 22:06:26 GMT
Organization: CenterLine Software, Inc.
NNTP-Posting-Host: 140.239.3.202

whs70@dancer.uucp (22501-sohl) writes:
>In article <1992Nov11.184554.5971@news.columbia.edu> scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears) writes:

>>	[stuff cut]
>>>Another thought crossed my mind as I was watching this.   brakingsi
>>>at the instant of alarm would cause the car to brake OUT of the field
>>>of view of the LIDAR, particularly if the cop is panning smoothly.  
>>>Hard braking should be an even better defence than with conventional radar.
>>
>>	Although this may work, it has to be smooth. You have to train yourself
>>	to brake hard without stomping on the brakes in reflex. I know from
>>	experience that, without any other data, a cop can pull you over for
>>	braking hard when hit with a radar gun. They *can* and *will* dredge
>>	up some bullshit law you broke, because they (in all their infinite
>>	pig wisdom) *know* you were being naughty. :-(

>Please elaborate on your "experience."  Being pulled over is one thing,
>being given a ticket AND making it stick is yet another.

>Question:  Under what motor vehicle were you (or someone you
>know of) charged for braking hard?

Depending on conditions and what you did they could get you for
driving to endanger.  On the highway in the fast lane with *any* other
cars around slamming on your brakes is *dangerous*, particularly if
you start to skid.  It'd be up to the judge to decide your guilt, but
to be quite honest if I were the judge and the cop said "I hit him
with my laser and he locked up his brakes, which was really dangerous
even if he wasn't speeding" then you'd get both tickets for being
stupid unless you could come up with something better than "I saw a
squirrel in the road."

I know a NH state cop who tickets you if you lock up your brakes when
hit with radar, and I was in a car in VT where we were going about 63
in a 65, the driver hit the brakes when he saw the cop, and the cop
ticketed him for 70-something.  The legality of the latter is
certainly questionable, but the driver really did deserve to get
stopped.

jim frost
jimf@centerline.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: nau@ssesco.com (William Nau)
Subject: Re: WIDE turns
Organization: SSESCO
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 17:01:25 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.143435.22031@cbnewsl.cb.att.com>, paula@cbnewsl.cb.att.com (paula.valley) writes:
|> Could someone give me ANY feasible reason as to why someone who does
|> not drive a semi need to swerve to the right when making a left turn
|> or vice-versa.  It seems lately a lot of people are doing this even
|> if the turn they are making is plenty wide enough to avoid swerving.
|> That is, besides the fact that MANY people in this area (Metro) are
|> totally inept at driving and parking.
|> 
|> Sorry for the harshness.  Just a little aggrevated as a result of the
|> drive in.
|> 
|> Paula Borden
They've been doing ot forever.  You've just noticed it lately.  A neat thing
is that it has nothing to do with the size of a car.  If I have no trouble
in a 77LTD wagon (sold that beast), John Doe has no excuse in his Honda.

It called lazy.  It may take using an extra hand to turn the steering wheeel
to make that turn.  It may mean not accelerating as hard as you'd like.

BTW: using that extra hand for turning can be a pain if you're shifting
     at the same time.
-- 
William R. Nau
Supercomputer Systems Engineering and Services Company (SSESCO)
511 11th Avenue South, Suite 216
Minneapolis, Minnesota 55415-1536
(612) 342-0003

nau@SSESCO.com
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: wildcat@snow.geology.wisc.edu (Bill Bierman)
Subject: photo radar questions
Organization: UW-Madison, Dept of Geology & Geophysics
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 9 Nov 92 14:44:43 GMT


I need to get as much information as possible regarding photo-radar. I'm
not interested in the nuts-and-bolts operation of the unit itself, but am
more interested in finding out things like: where the units are placed on
the roadside (how far from the road, at what height relative to the front
license plate, etc), as well as what range the unit actually takes a
picture of your vehicle. Also, does it take a picture of the driver as
well, and if it does, if the driver cannot be clearly seen, is the citation
still valid. Does the unit use available lighting, or does it use a flash
of some sort? Are they used at night, or are they limited to daylight
periods?

Any and all information of this type would be greatly appreciated. Please
email any responses. Thanks.

wildcat@geology.wisc.edu
From: schuyler@acf9.nyu.edu (Gabriel M. Schuyler)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: ***Police intimidation ???
Date: 11 Nov 92 03:45:29 GMT
Organization: New York University

Well, it looks to me like you're guilty.  No matter how "right" or "wrong" it
was for him to order you to turn around, you didn't do it, and you are
technically at fault for that.

However, if the light was red, maybe you can argue that you didn't disobey
a lawful order of a police officer, you disobeyed an unlawful order of a
police officer, unless he was directing traffic, and then he takes precedence
over the traffic lights.  

So, you're nailed.  However, it won't go on your driving record, that's not at
issue, because it's not a moving violation.  I don't think your driving record
is going to do anything.  And your insurance shouldn't go up either. . . .

Of course, I'm no lawyer.

--
Gabriel M. Schuyler       |  212-473-4986 (Voice)  |           \ /
55 Second Ave - Suite 3   |  917-879-0345 (Pager)  | Test Stand X
New York, NY  10003-8650  |  Call to arrange fax.  |           / \
From: pauls@hpnmdla.sr.hp.com (Paul Stafford)
Date: Thu, 12 Nov 1992 20:50:03 GMT
Subject: Re: Braking distances.
Organization: Hewlett-Packard, Santa Rosa, CA
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving

 Well, here is another try. Anybody find anything wrong?
  there are TWO independant equations here.

      S = V0t + 1/2at**2

and V = V0 + at

  s     distance (feet)
  V0    initial speed ( in feet per second)
  t     time  ( seconds)
  a = acceleration ( in this case, deceleration) (feet per second squared)

  we assume braking to zero velocity, so V = 0

    solving for t = V0/a ( assuming constant braking force, i.e. a != f(t)   )

      s = V0*V0/a + 1/2 a *( (V0 * V0)/ (a*a))
	  =  1.5*(V0*V0)/a

  or in other words, proportional to velocity squared, and inversly proportional
     to deceleration force- what we might expect.

     the deceleration "a" = weight of car * coefficient of friction
			 = mgu

    so final equation is 1.5*V0**2/(mgu)

    for a typical car, s = 150 feet, V0 = 88fps ( 60mph), mg = 3700 #

    so coefficient of friction is .021

     apologies for non-SI units
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond)
Subject: LIDAR demo on Discovery Channel
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 92 06:12:00 GMT
Organization: Dixie Communications Public Access.  The Mouth of the South.

Had the TV on in the office tonite for background noise when a show called
Nextstep came on the Discovery channel.  This is one of those pop-sci
shows, kinda like Omni magazine.  Anyway, they did a segment on 
the Laser Atlanta Pro-Laser, aka Kustom Signals LIDAR gun.  This was a
very pro-piggy feature.  The motorcycle piggy spent a couple of minutes
describing how he feared his balls rotting off from regular radar.
Then the demo.

The piggy had to get off his motorcycle, stand rigidly and hold the gun
against his eye kinda like NRA field pistol silhouette shooters do.
The camera shot showed him trying to get a fix on the target.  He 
bobbled around for several seconds before achieving lock.  Not 
exactly production fee grabbing.  The reporter then tried his luck.
He did a beutiful demonstration of the cosine error effect, clocking
a car at at least a 60 degree angle and getting a speed of about 
20 mph.  

The next segment had potential but as usual was presented with a large
piggy slant.  It was to show a Cobra LIDAR detector against the gun.
It was a contrived test with the test car being the only one on
the road and the cop knowing which target to shoot.  Nontheless I would
have called it a draw.  The driver would have had to have been fast
but I believe he could have braked out of it.

Another thought crossed my mind as I was watching this.  Hard braking
at the instant of alarm would cause the car to brake OUT of the field
of view of the LIDAR, particularly if the cop is panning smoothly.  
Hard braking should be an even better defence than with conventional radar.

Watching the cops pan was very interesting.  Apparently they have so
much trouble getting a fix that they "lead" the target vehicle just
like a shotgunner does.  By the time he activates the thing, he's
got a huge cosine error.  

John

-- 
John De Armond, WD4OQC               |Interested in high performance mobility?  
Performance Engineering Magazine (TM) |
Marietta, Ga                         |Interested in high tech and computers? 
jgd@dixie.com                        |Write me about PE Magazine
Need Usenet public Access in Atlanta?  Write Me for info on Dixie.com.
From: hugo@bluehau.bubble.org (Hugo Bueno)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Paying a Reasonable Price for Gas
Keywords: excuuuuuse me!
Date: 8 Nov 92 14:18:30 GMT
Organization: The Blue House

SROWELL@ESOC.BITNET says:
>In article <1992Nov4.214147.3848@dg-rtp.dg.com>, goudreau@batman.rtp.dg.com (Bob
>Goudreau) says:
>>>
>>> In Germany a pride is taken in protecting the environment and the
>>> US should do the same.
>>
>>Given all this German pride, why was the US the world leader in
>>phasing out the use of leaded fuels?  And why does Germany still
>>*subsidize* the production and use of coal?
>>
>
>a) Phasing Out Leaded Fuels
>
>   Just because the US did it first (because your cities became all
>   smogged up one day and somebody noticed!) does not make you a
>   world leader I'm afraid. You just had to do it first because you
>   had a problem. I'm sure if I said that the Germans were the world
>   leader in car design because the car was invented here (which they
>   were) I'd get some argument.

I beg to differ. European cities have always been notorious for their
noxious pollution. That's why all the historical buildings and statues
are melting away due to acid rain and smog. The US and Europe were
equally polluted but the Americans decided to do something about it
first.

>   In Germany a potential problem was AVERTED by the use of catalytic
>   converters.

Think again. Germany implemented catalytic converters late in the
game. The environmental damage has been occuring for a long time now.

>b) Subsidisies on Coal
>
>   I'm surprised you picked coal (I thought it was rape oil seed these
>   days). Subsidising an industry is an attempt to preserve the indutry
>   and to preserve the thousands of jobs that are associated with it. It
>   is not an attempt to screw up the US. In the UK, you may remember, the
>   government attempted to shut 60% of all coal pits, killing off 30,000
>   jobs. It brings it all into perspective doesn't it?
>
>   The US seems paranoid (this'll get me some flack!). If it's not the
>   Japanese out to get you, it's the Europeans! The US is quite happy when
>   everybody is being nice to them and playing the game their way, but
>   as soon as anybody else decides not to, there's all this furore about
>   unfair trading and placing huge levies on French imports (I'm sure the
>   wine connoisseurs in the US are going to be annoyed!).

For the record, I don't support American farm subsidies either.
BTW, American wine is much better than snooty French wine anyway  :-) :-)


-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
Hugo Bueno ! Fanwood, NJ | hugo@bluehau.bubble.org
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Subject: Quick Poll
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Date: Fri, 6 Nov 1992 14:31:26 GMT

Quick poll- how many of you out there turn off *everything* in your car
(radio, heater fan, etc.) before you shut the engine off?

More importantly, why?

	-Kenny
-- 
Kenny Crudup, Contractor, OSF DCE QA
OSF, 11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142	+1 617 621 7306
kenny@osf.osf.org			OSF has nothing to do with this post.
	  Religion: The longest-running gag ever played on Mankind.
From: wilkins@soliton.physics.arizona.edu (Mark Wilkins)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: ABS vs RADAR
Date: 5 Nov 92 10:32:18 GMT
Organization: University of Arizona, Tucson AZ

In article <1992Nov5.053114.26602@samba.oit.unc.edu> Kirk.Smith@launchpad.unc.edu (Kirk Smith) writes:
>Does anyone have the exact frequencies that the various radar (ie: K, X,
>and Ka) bands operate in?

   X:  10.525 GHz
   K:  24.150 GHz
   Wideband Ka:  34.2 GHz - 35.2 GHz

My Bel-Tronics 936W has a bandwidth of 220 MHz for K band and 100 MHz for X
band, centered on the frequencies listed above.

-- Mark Wilkins
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Subject: Re: LIDAR demo on Discovery Channel
Reply-To: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Wed, 11 Nov 1992 23:45:48 GMT

In article <1992Nov11.200930.22847@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> whs70@dancer.uucp (22501-sohl) writes:
>In article <1992Nov11.184554.5971@news.columbia.edu> scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears) writes:
>>	Although this may work, it has to be smooth. You have to train yourself
>>	to brake hard without stomping on the brakes in reflex. I know from
>>	experience that, without any other data, a cop can pull you over for
>>	braking hard when hit with a radar gun. They *can* and *will* dredge
>>	up some bullshit law you broke, because they (in all their infinite
>>	pig wisdom) *know* you were being naughty. :-(
>
>Please elaborate on your "experience."  Being pulled over is one thing,
>being given a ticket AND making it stick is yet another.
>
>Question:  Under what motor vehicle were you (or someone you
>know of) charged for braking hard?

	My friend got a ticket for speeding (i.e. no number, just speeding)
	for slamming on the brakes in his '72 Oldsmobile, whose nose dove
	most noticeably. He tried to fight it (not very hard) but judges
	*hate* young males.

>Q2 - If braking hard, how does the cop even know it if he doesn't get
>a "fix" and therefore some reading which indicates a rapidly 
>decreasing speed indicative of hard braking?  LIDAR needs to be
>exactly on the car, if it isn't there's no reading that
>reflects a changing (decreasing) speed.

	Watch the nose dive. Cops don't need no stinkin' radar reading in
	a lot of states. They just get believed.

>Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)

-------
"Don't believe half of what you see, and none of what you hear."  -  Lou Reed
Sea-Bass Sears --> scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu --> DoD#516 <-- |Stanley, ID.|
'79 Yamaha XS750F -- '85 Toyota 4Runner -- Perception Corsica  |  NYC, NY.  |
From: mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu (Rockville)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: What's the "Collegiate Driving Challenge"?
Date: 7 Nov 92 02:57:57 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BxBs8M.CL1
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana

uznerk@mcl.ucsb.edu (Andrew Krenz) writes:

>I saw a flyer posted in one of the buildings here that advertised the 
>"Collegiate Driving Challenge" which supposedly lasts all weekend.  There's
>a picture of a '93 Ford Probe GT on it.  It says it's sponsored by the 
>Society of Automotive Engineers and it says all you need is a student ID and
>a drivers license.  Does this mean we get to tear it up in a new Probe
>or do we all get to race RC cars or something and admire the Probe at the
>same time.  Basically just curious...

At University of Illinois, we got to go around about five tight turns with
the gear selector (AUTOMATIC!!!  GRRR....) in first and a block under the gas
pedal to limit it to less than 1/2 open.  There wasn't even enough power avail-
able to break loose the front wheels under full lock; I could go around their
entire course with the thing "floored" and never lose traction at all. 
If you want to see what a new Probe drives like, see a dealer.  If you want
to have fun driving, just take the car you have (if you have one) and beat
it up a little on a road somewhere.  It really wasn't worth the time I spent
in line.  BTW, with the (required) helmet on, I couldn't sit up normally.  I
couldn't even see the hood and I'm not that tall.  Either this is something
all race drivers have to get used to, or else the Probe doesn't have that
much headroom....

$0.02
-- 
Michael T. Chaffee        |****COLORADO BOYCOTTER******|  ______    
mchaffee@ux4.cso.uiuc.edu | Professional Slapthologist |  \    /     HATE
Member, Universal Life Church, Sect of Loons           |   \  /  can never be
Annoyance Theatre Platinum Member |     Evil Genius    |    \/  a FAMILY VALUE
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving