HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ptrei@bistromath.mitre.org (Peter Trei)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Date: 14 Sep 92 17:44:53 GMT
Organization: The MITRE Corporation

In article <CURT.92Sep11141553@vtucs.cc.vt.edu> curt@vtucs.cc.vt.edu (Curt Tilmes) writes:

>>"Reasonable and sensible" == "plodding and slow". Nothing else. The asleep-
>>at-the-wheel contingent takes to the road.

>When a three lane road turns into a two lane road, do you zoom around
>all the "plodding and slow" drivers and beg someone to let you back in
>the line before your lane gives out?
>Curt

      Yes. It works, at least for 2 -> 1 lanes changes. 

      My main commuting road is Rt. 2 in Massachusetts. This has two
lanes in each direction, and is normally a pretty fast road. In the
past few years it has always had at least one area with road works,
and frequently one lane or the other is shut down. This shutdown is
usually well marked, with an appropriate sign at least a mile before
traffic cones close off the lane.

     In the ideal case, traffic would continue in the two lanes down
to the cones, then cars would take turns, merging the two streams
evenly and fairly. 

     What really happens? People are so scared of getting boxed in in
the closed lane that they get out of it as if it were mined. Thus, the
lane which will shut down empties, while the "open" lane grinds to a
crawl, sometimes more than a mile before the cones.

     This is a legal, open lane - we've only been warned that it will
shut down somewhere up ahead. I stay in it (heck, I'll even move into
it), and "zoom by" scores of cars (btw, passing on the right is legal
on MA highways). When I get to the cones, it's my experience that I
*may* have to wait for one or two cars before one lets me in.

     I'm sure some of the people I pass think "that bozo will be stuck
since no one will let him in - I outsmarted him by shifting lanes
early". They're wrong.

     This practice does not slow down anyone who was behind me to
start with - cars get through the one-lane section at the same rate
regardless of order of entry. Nor is it unsafe - the merge takes place
at stop-and-go speeds.

     Yes, I gain an advantage over the unthinking masses who pulled
into the unblocked lane at the first sign, without looking at what the
traffic was actually doing. I don't feel any guilt in doing this - if
the other drivers lack common sense I feel no need to bring myself
down to their level.

     If you are waiting near the end of a long line at the
supermarket, and you notice that a new clerk has arrived and is about
to open the next register, do you stay in line, or do you move over?

							Peter Trei
							ptrei@Mitre.org
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: khan@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Scott Coleman)
Subject: Re: Power sources for radar dectectors
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Sun, 6 Sep 1992 23:36:04 GMT
Keywords: radar detectors

trussell@cwis.unomaha.edu (Tim Russell) writes:

>tafrakes@athena.mit.edu (T. Andy Frakes) writes:

>>Does anyone have any advice on power sources for radar detectors
>>other than the standard lighter jack.  

>    Sure - you can run it with a wire coming from the appropriate accessory
>lead in the fuse block, probably.  I'm no electrician, but I've seen it
>done.

>    Check your local place that sells lots of radar detectors and accessories
>for them, chances are they'll have a kit to do it.  Our local Service
>Merchandise store sells a nice kit with a fused 6 ft lead and instructions
>for $9.99.

You'd think someone would get wise and market a slide-mount (or pullout)
mounting bracket for a radar detector, just like the (now very popular) in-
dash pullout mounting brackets for car stereos. 

--
Scott Coleman                                                    tmkk@uiuc.edu

Free Advice: It is inadvisable to read Bush's lips at an official banquet.
From: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Reasonable and Sensible (was Re: Tailgaters abound)
Date: 11 Sep 92 21:18:31 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory - Berkeley, CA, USA
Distribution: na
Reply-To: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.254.198
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   

Just to forestall an oncoming tidal wave of slander: I'm actually
fairly fast when and where it's safe.  But I just have to shake
my head in baffled bemusement at the nuts who insist on crowding
the limits of performance, reflexes, and visibility in town.

There's one stretch on my commute in Berkeley where the limit is a 
well-justified 25.  This infuriates most of my fellow motorists, who
insist on hitting 35-40.  It's fun to watch their brake lights
bobbing around as a pedestrian, bicyclist, or suddenly opened car
door (all ubiquitous in that neighborhood) catches them completely 
by surprise.  (It's a school zone, for cryin' out loud!) To say
nothing of that ever-spreading menace -- the cross-traffic jackass
who thinks that he's entitled to go through the intersection if he
ever saw the light when it was green.

There are three more lights between there and the freeway.  Often
as not, I can time the lights and sail past many or all of the
people who were in such a hurry.  Once there, it's pretty safe to
speed, and if you want to go faster than me, I'm happy to cooperate.

I'm as aggravated by on-ramp cowards and left-lane bandits as any
driving enthusiast.  But not all slow drivers are a menace.  
Sometimes they see something, or know something, that you don't.
Before you pass them on the shoulder with your middle finger held
high through the spray of gravel, take a moment, just a moment, to
see if this is the case.

Happy rapid motoring,
--Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
From: randy@rls.UUCP (randall l. smith)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Does a cop need to show you the RADAR reading?
Date: 9 Sep 92 21:26:56 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: The Internet

judson@watnxt2.ucr.edu (Michael Judson) writes:
> In California, in order to issue a citation, the speed must still be
> displayed on the radar gun.  Thus, if the motorists asks to see the speed
> on the gun and there is none showing, then the officer has no case and
> the motorist is free to go.  However, the officer is not required to show
> the speed, but only on request.  If the motorist does not ask to see the
> reading on the gun and he decides to contest the ticket, what proof does
> he have that he wasn't speeding.  The officer's alledged proof is the
> reading on the radar gun.  And who's the judge going to believe?

The irony there is what if the cop says in court there was a reading and
you say there wasn't.  The courts will invariably believe the cop anyway.


Cheers!

- randy

uucp: randy@rls.uucp
bang: <backbone>!osu-cis!rls!randy
inet: rls!randy@cis.ohio-state.edu
The bold print giveth and the fine print taketh away.
From: mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: 4x4  vs  4x2  ???
Date: 9 Sep 1992 09:42:10 -0400
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Vienna, Va.
NNTP-Posting-Host: gilligan.east.sun.com

In article <_#rnc2.garyd@netcom.com> garyd@netcom.com (Gary Dietz) writes:
>
>Obviously, a 4 x 4 gives me more traction in bad weather.  But how much?
>
>Is it really worth the lower gas mileage, the x-tra cash up front to get 
>a 4 x 4 version of a pick up, versus say, the 4 x 2 version with 
>heavy sand bags in the bed during bad weather?

If all you're using it for is snow driving on roads that are plowed,
I'd say it's not worth it. Now, if it's deep snow, or you plan to
use it off road, as well, then it might be worth the extra bucks.

>
>Does going to 4 x 4 pretty much mean that I have to go to a 6 cylinder
>from the 4 cylinder that I am considering?

I had a 4-cyl. 4x4, and all I can say is "Never Again".

It just doesn't have enough takeoff, and towing is a real night-
mare. I found myself "feathering" the clutch sometimes, just to
get a little extra oomph out of it (Of course, this had its ex-
pected consequences, and the clutch went out at about 30K mi.).
This was with 1500 lbs in tow.

I now have a 6-cyl, and that does the job pretty nicely. They are
kind of pricey, though... (I have one of those foreign jobs).

I use mine offroad a good bit, so I got the limited slip differen-
tials, and I recently put mud terrain tires on it. The thing has
such good traction that I find I don't get all that much use out
of the 4wd, except in mud or water. When I drive during snowy wea-
ther, I rarely use 4wd.

I wouldn't buy the 4wd solely for use in the snow, but I'd still
get the bigger engine.

-- Mike
From: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov (JOSEPH T CHEW)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Objects falling from vehicles
Date: 15 Sep 92 20:44:39 GMT
Organization: Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory - Berkeley, CA, USA
Reply-To: jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov
NNTP-Posting-Host: 128.3.254.198
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.3-4   

Though he didn't see it happen, my father told the story of being
in a large traffic snarl on a Birmingham, AL freeway caused by a
truck that unleashed a cascade of empty 55-gallon drums.  Nobody
got killed, but there was plenty of rearranged sheet metal and,
presumably, a truck driver who wanted to just curl up in the fetal
position, close his eyes, and suck his thumb awhile.

I didn't see it actually fall off, but once upon an evening rush hour,
I came upon a fellow whose pickup truck had just dispensed most of the 
contents of his bedroom and living room in the "MacArthur Maze."  
There was no good opportunity to get off and help him, but hopefully
somebody did -- when I last saw the culprit, he was eyeing the 
southbound traffic on 880 and trying to work up the nerve to dash
out to the #3 lane and save his mattress.

Fair warning: the California Highway Patrol and selected county and 
local cops have a notoriously poor sense of humor about flying junk
unleashed from cars and trucks.  Tarp it up and/or strap it down, lest
they hand you a sizable ticket -- or, if it hits other traffic, worse.

And when you see somebody coming home from Hardware Barn with sheets
of plywood tied to the roof of his Datsun with knitting yarn (I
exaggerate, but not much), give him a wiiiide berth. :)

--Joe
"Just another personal opinion from the People's Republic of Berkeley"
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: welty@cabot.balltown.cma.COM (richard welty)
Subject: Re: Another Ticket Question : -(
Organization: New York State Institute for Sebastian Cabot Studies
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 21:50:05 GMT

In article <1992Sep10.030943.7214@porthos.cc.bellcore.com> mf@dancer.uucp (24241-fusco) writes:
>	I received a ticket in Colorado before moving to NJ and it 
>never affected me here!  (I had also received tickets in Arizona
>years ago and they never affected me in Colorado.)
>Does this depend on the type of offense (they were both alleged sppeding)?

it depends on a number of things.

1) is the dmv in either of the states heavily backlogged?  if so, then
   certain pieces of information (such as tickets that were promptly
   paid) may drop through the cracks

2) how dedicated to speeding traps is the local community?  in many
   areas, the town or village whose court processes the ticket may
   `forget' to report promptly paid tickets to the state, as often
   the state will want a cut of the proceeds of the revenue collection
   process.

the moral is:  if you pay out of state tickets quickly, then you are
very unlikely to get points on your license.

cheers,
  richard
-- 
richard welty                            518-393-7228
welty@cabot.balltown.cma.com
  ``if you can read this, mario, you're too close''
    -- bumper sticker seen on a CART safety truck
From: rhorwell@crab.tc-suns (Roland Faragher-Horwell,crab)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Date: 4 Sep 92 22:42:51 GMT
Reply-To: rhorwell@crab.tc-suns
Organization: Sun Microsystems


In article 1864ckINNqb1@agate.berkeley.edu, shyguy@ocf.berkeley.edu (David S. Shy) writes:
>>
>>Actually, if memory serves me correctly, the law in most states is 
>>written so that if you hit someone from behind, for whatever reason,
>>you are at fault.  It doesn't matter if the guy in front of you locks 
>
>If this is the case, how does one evaluate a situation where a chain 
>reaction occurred?
>
>Just suppose that 6 cars were involved in a chain reaction accident.   
>Does that mean the person 1 can sue person 2 for hitting him from the
>rear.  Person 2 sues person 3 for the hit from behind and to cover suit
>from person 1?  And the cycle goes on and on....
>
>Isn't there some sort of law/rule which will determine who is at fault?
>Or is everyone fined for following too closely?
>
>-Dave
>shyguy@ocf.berkeley.edu

I was in the front car of 5 sitting at a red light.  A 6th (pickup truck) wasn't
paying attention, and slammed into the 5th car.  Each car was pushed into the 
one in front of it (I started to pull forward when I saw what was happening, but
not fast enough! ).  Anyway, the pickup truck's insurance paid for everyone's
damage - however, my insurance agent told me that if his insurance was bad or
wouldn't pay - the person behind me would be responsible for my damage.

Roland
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Park anywhere - was Tailgaters abound!
From: derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Derek Tearne)
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 92 22:03:17 GMT
Organization: Fujitsu New Zealand

In article <1992Sep11.191356.19373@osf.org> kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup) writes:
>
>
> - when in the city, and there's a car double parked, why it takes some
>   people to drive almost into it's trunk, even though its hazards
>   are blaring away...

Has anyone else noticed that the common function of these lights is quite 
different from the official one?  

They are officially 'Hazard Warning' lights.  

They are usually used to when double parking dangerously on a blind bend
next to a school at leaving time,  while the driver goes into a shop to buy
something small like milk or a newspaper.

I propose that they be official re-named 'Park Anywhere' lights to reflect
popular usage.

I find it most annoying when someone slows down and stops without indicating
then puts on his 'Park Anywhere Lights<tm>' and hops out.  Leaving me stuck 
behind with no way of getting into the stream of cars in the right lane
(read left in USA/europe etc.).  When they get back into the car they pay
no attention to the surrounding traffic and open their door right in front 
of you so you have to swerve into the next lane to avoid tearing their 
door off (and scratching your paint). Then they drive off with PAL's still 
flashing so you have absolutely no idea whatsoever what stupid manouver 
they are going to do next.



-- 
Derek Tearne. -- derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz --  Fujitsu/ICL New Zealand -- 
Some of the more aware dinosaurs were worried about the environmental
consequences of an accident with the new Iridium enriched fusion reactor.  
"If it goes off only the cockroaches and mammals will survive..." they said.
From: winders@aux.support.apple.com (Scott Winders)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: usa
Date: 15 Sep 92 17:45:50 GMT
Followup-To: rec.autos.driving
Organization: Apple Computer, Inc.

What is the best radar detector available?  I have a Porsche 911SC
and live in California if this makes any difference....

(please reply by mail)

Scott Winders
winders@aux.support.apple.com

"My opinions are my own, not my employer's"
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: khan@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Scott Coleman)
Subject: Types of Traffic Radar in Actual Use?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: il
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 1992 23:05:20 GMT

[Note: This SHOULD be limited to Illinois distribution ONLY, but if it leaks
out don't flame me - I really did try. ;-]

I'm wondering what types of radar equipment the Illinois revenue collectors
use, especially those in the Urbana-Champaign area. As we all know, there are
several bands and types of radar in existence: X band, K band, Ka band, 
Photo Radar, Stalker, Instant-On X band, and Instant-On K band. What I want
to know is which types are actually used? My main concerns are the Illinois
State Police, the Champaign County Sherriff's Department, the Urbana police,
the Champign police, and the University of Illinois police (do they use 
radar?).

The reason I ask is because if the local enforcers only use good old fashioned
X and K band equipment, there's no point in buying a fancy schmancy X+K+Ka+
Photo+Stalker unit for $300+.

Thanks very much!

--
Scott Coleman                                                    tmkk@uiuc.edu

Free Advice: It is inadvisable to read Bush's lips at an official banquet.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: lowry@watson.ibm.com (Andy Lowry)
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Date: Tue, 8 Sep 1992 17:42:10 GMT
Disclaimer: This posting represents the poster's views, not necessarily those of IBM
	<1864ckINNqb1@agate.berkeley.edu>
	<1992Sep4.173146.18638@access.digex.com>
	<jimf.715959058@centerline.com>
Organization: IBM T.J. Watson Research Center

In article <jimf.715959058@centerline.com> jimf@centerline.com (Jim Frost) writes:
 > That's a bit hard to determine in a multicar pileup.  Consider the
 > extreme case where you come to a complete stop before the pileup in
 > front of you, then you get hit hard from behind and it pushes your car
 > into the pileup.
 > 
 > Clearly you were not at fault even though your car "caused" damage to
 > the car in front of you.

Well, it's not that clear.  If you had been driving more defensively
and had left more distance in front of you, you could have stopped
less aggressively or, after stopping and seeing the car behind you
approaching more quickly than you'd like, moved forward to give that
car more room to stop.  That's why, if you're being tailgated, it's
wise to open up a greater-than-normal distance in front.  I'm not
saying there are no cases where circumstances are just out of the
driver's control, but probably in most of the situations like the one
described above, the driver could reasonably have been expected to
take extra precaution in advance.
--
Andy Lowry, lowry@watson.ibm.com, (914) 784-7925
IBM Research, P.O. Box 704, Yorktown Heights, NY  10598
From: mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Objects falling from vehicles
Date: 10 Sep 1992 14:42:49 -0400
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Vienna, Va.
NNTP-Posting-Host: gilligan.east.sun.com

In article <nauman.716147327@hq> nauman@Pt.hq.af.mil (Stratton D Nauman) writes:
>A few years ago, A dump truck traveling at about 45 MPH "dropped"
>a 5 foot diameter boulder out of its back end, which made mincemeat
>out of our tank Chevy Suburban traveling at 35 MPH in the opposite
>direction.
>
>I am Writing to tell about it, so thats good. :)
>

Man, I'd have had to clean out my drawers after that!

The worst thing I've ever seen fly off a truck was a
2-foot section of a 2x4, while the truck it flew off
of and I were doing about 70 on I-20, east of Columbia,
S.C..

I'm damned glad there was nobody around me, because I
had a heck of a time dodging that thing as it fluttered
about in the air, and seemed to "follow" my every move.

It finally landed about 4 feet to the right of my car,
and I had to stop for a few seconds... Scared the s**t
out of me. All I could think of was being bludgeoned
by a flying 2x4 coming thru my windshield.

-- Mike
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Park anywhere - was Tailgaters abound!
Date: 14 Sep 92 19:05:37 GMT
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In article <1992Sep13.220317.10625@nezsdc.icl.co.nz> derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Derek Tearne) writes:
>In article <1992Sep11.191356.19373@osf.org> kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup) writes:
>>
>>
>> - when in the city, and there's a car double parked, why it takes some
>>   people to drive almost into it's trunk, even though its hazards
>>   are blaring away...
>
>Has anyone else noticed that the common function of these lights is quite 
>different from the official one?  
>
>They are officially 'Hazard Warning' lights.  
>
>They are usually used to when double parking dangerously on a blind bend
>next to a school at leaving time,  while the driver goes into a shop to buy
>something small like milk or a newspaper.
>
>I propose that they be official re-named 'Park Anywhere' lights to reflect
>popular usage.

Perhaps "Camoflage Lights" would work, as well - judging by the way they
act, some people seem to think that putting on their hazard blinkers makes
their vehicle invisible to the cops. ;-)

I submit a counter-proposal: that they be rechristened "Yo-Officer-
Here-I-am-Illegally-Parked-Please-Give-Me-A-Ticket Lights."

Perhaps the people who park this way believe that by turning on their
hazard lights any policeman or meter maid will assume that the car is
broken down and will not give them a ticket for their illegal parking
job. Although I'm not a cop nor am I a meter maid, I strongly suspect
that the enforcers are wise to this by now and the flashing lights only
draw their attention more quickly.

>I find it most annoying when someone slows down and stops without indicating
>then puts on his 'Park Anywhere Lights<tm>' and hops out.  Leaving me stuck 
>behind with no way of getting into the stream of cars in the right lane
>(read left in USA/europe etc.).  When they get back into the car they pay
>no attention to the surrounding traffic and open their door right in front 
>of you so you have to swerve into the next lane to avoid tearing their 
>door off

Heh heh - this actually happened to a friend of mine in high school. The
guy got into the car on the driver's side, then leaned across the car to
open the door on the passenger's side without looking for oncoming
trafic (this was a one way street, and his car was parked on the left
hand side). Of course, he whipped his door open right in front of my
friend's Datsun B210, which promptly bashed the door clean off. ;-)

Damage to the B210 was surprisingly minimal - unnoticeable to the casual
glance.

>(and scratching your paint). Then they drive off with PAL's still
>flashing so you have absolutely no idea whatsoever what stupid manouver 
>they are going to do next.

Sounds like they deserve to have their cars keyed by every driver who
gets stuck behind them. ;-)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: mark@wdcwdc.sps.mot.com (Mark Shaw)
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Organization: Motorola Western MCU Design Center, Chandler Arizona
Date: Thu, 10 Sep 1992 00:34:59 GMT

Well put, Geoff!

Mark