HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: goudreau@batman.rtp.dg.com (Bob Goudreau)
Subject: Re: 55:  And Then There Were (Please Help)
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 17:41:45 GMT
Organization: Data General Corporation, RTP, NC

In article <BvAzFw.1En@cs.columbia.edu> amb@cs.columbia.edu (andrew m. boardman) writes:
>
>The max limit in Alaska is 60, not 55.  Or has this changed?  (Again...)

What roads in Alaska have posted speed limits of 60 mph?  My 
understanding of the federal 65 mph legislation of a few years back
is that states which want to keep receiving federal highway funds may
set speed limits no higher than 55 mph, with only two exceptions, where
the limit may go up as high as 65 mph:

1)  Rural interstate highways (where "rural" is defined by some bogus
    population-density criterion).

2)  (If and only if the state has applied to be one of thirty-odd
    states that can get this exemption:)  Non-interstate rural 
    highways that are built to the same standards as interstates.

I know that Alaska doesn't have any real interstate highways, and
I can't imagine that it has many limited-access multilane divided
highways (i.e., interstate-quality roads) except perhaps in the
immediate "Los Anchorage" area.  So where are these 60 mph-limit
roads, and what type of highways are they?

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Bob Goudreau			Data General Corporation
goudreau@dg-rtp.dg.com		62 Alexander Drive	
+1 919 248 6231			Research Triangle Park, NC  27709, USA
From: mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Signalling one's desire to pass
Date: 2 Oct 1992 13:23:11 -0400
Organization: Sun Microsystems, Inc. - Vienna, Va.
NNTP-Posting-Host: gilligan.east.sun.com

In article <BvI580.MKw@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
>
>In article <3266@ariel.its.unimelb.EDU.AU> met@ariel.its.unimelb.EDU.AU (Meteorology General) writes:
>>
>Yes, this is done here in the US, and some drivers even understand what
>it means. ;-) And yes, it's illegal here, too, at least in some areas
>(other posters have reported receiving actual citations for doing this).
>

This is real easy to get away with. I got stopped for it, and on
my Nissan, if you pull the turn lever back, the headlamps flash.
So, I told the cop that I had bungled an attempt at turning my
blinker on.

He looked at my county sticker, and said "You're not from around
here, why are you signaling a turn onto a neighborhood street?"
(He was TRYING to make me slip.) I said "I know... I'm kind of
lost, and I was looking for a place to turn around.".

He helped me get turned around, and I took a different way home
that day... Whew!

-- Mike
From: pvmason@cco.caltech.edu (Peter V. Mason)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Signalling one's desire to pass
Date: 6 Oct 1992 05:28:44 GMT
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
NNTP-Posting-Host: alumni.caltech.edu

In article <BvG38H.5Kt@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
>
>In article <1addqnINNa66@gilligan.East.Sun.COM> mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori) writes:
>>
>My car's owner's manual refers to the headlight flashing feature as the
>"flash-to-pass" feature (as opposed to the
>"get-your-lard-butt-out-of-the-left-lane,-dork!" feature). Based on this
>scant evidence, and the utter lack of anything contradictory, my guess
>is that flashing one's brights is and/or was accepted standard practice
>for informing forward vehicles of a rearward vehicle's
>about-to-be-initiated passing maneuver, i.e. the flash means "I'm here
>and I'm about to pass you."
>

Flashing your high beams to indicate you want to pass has been the 
standard for (at least) 50 years.  It is also the standard in 
Europe, where the slower driver is required by law to move over and 
had better do it if he doesn't want a big Mercedes in his tailpipe.

It also used to be the standard on two-lane roads (one each way) to ask
a truck driver if it was OK to pass.  He'd blink his running lights off
(this being nighttime, of course) to tell you it was OK and flash
his headlights after the pass to indicate you were clear to cut in.  

Has anybody seen or used either of these conventions lately?

Pete Mason

*************************************************************
Have you noticed that Ross Perot looks like Pogo?
*************************************************************

Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: kappa@yoyo.cc.monash.edu.au (Glenn Capuano)
Subject: Re: Signalling one's desire to pass
Organization: Monash University General Access Unix
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL6]
Date: Mon, 5 Oct 1992 03:26:11 GMT

Kevin Quinn (kevinq@Ingres.COM) wrote:
> >	In Australia, it's both allowable and acceptable to pass on the
> >left (the right lane being the "fast" lane), my VTA rules book just states
> >that you have to be a bit more careful because you're in the other
> >driver's blind spot for longer.
> 
> Can't speak for all the states, but in those I've had reason to study the 
> regs for all agree that passing on the right is to be frowned upon.  The laws
> state that everybody is to stay as far to the right as possible, with the
> left lane/s reserved for passing...  And, of course, if the guy in the left
> lane is doing the speed limit, you have, by definition, volunteered for 
> revenue enhancement activities by passing them on the right.

	Sounds like it's a worse offense to travel in the fast lane in the
US than in Oz. There are signs on divided country highways that say "Keep
left unless overtaking" but on urban highways and freeways the right lane
is used by everyone, though generally slower drivers keep to the left, or
they're supposed to anyway! :-). And it's no big deal to overtake on the
left (unless you get caught speeding, as you say).

Regards,
	Glenn
From: c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com (Spiros Triantafyllopoulos)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: H. Ross Perot's proposed gas tax
Date: 6 Oct 92 14:14:59 GMT
Organization: Delco Electronics Corp.

In article <25996@oasys.dt.navy.mil> bense@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Ronald Bense) writes:
>When you really think about it, raising the gas tax by $.10 a year from
>$.145 per gallon now to $.6145 in five years is not all bad. It will
>cause pick-ups (my person most hated vehicle right after vans) and vans
>to become more scarce, while cars won't really be affected that much.
>Right now I pay ~$100 per month for gas, @$1.32, at $1.82, that would
>be $138. Not that much, except I would prefer that it be placed against
>the pricipal of the deficit, and not used for anything else. (IOW, a

A couple of observations. Note that my affiliation has nothing to do with
this, and I'm a fan of small cars. I also have first hand experience from
the 'other side', where gas costs $3.50 a gallon.

First off, the gas tax is regressive big time. It hits the lower classes
and incomes a lot more than it does the so called middle class or
upper class. Why do you think there's no sales tax (in most states) in
things like food or medicines? Maybe $38 a month is nothing to you and
me, but to someone barely scraping by it's real money. And *some*
people would have one more cost to balance in the work vs. stay home
and collect welfare equation.

Second, there's no guarantee that the funds collected will be used for
deficit reduction. Remember the $1.25 spent for $1 collected equation?

Third, whether we like it or not, low priced gasoline has created a life
style that would be upset quite a bit by a gas hike. Speaking from 
personal experience, I commute 30 miles one way a day with a 35 mpg 
vehicle, carpooling with my wife who also works here. We do this because
we like the schools, health care, etc etc of where we LIVE. For us, 
with a $100/month gas bill and two incomes, $200/month will still be
ok. since the extra money's worth it. For our income levels we'll see
more money spent and we won't drive less. For lower incomes, some may
move closer to work, move elsewhere, etc in seek of work. Due to the
availability and cost of transportation in the US it is feasible for even
minimum wage earners to drive quite a bit to work. Segmenting the work,
shopping, and living areas (suburbia USA :-)) is due in big part to
availability and cost of transportation in the US. Would any 
government be willing to cope with the social implications of trying to
reverse this? Forget the economic part. Just the social part. 

In my reasoning above I have not included any arguments related to the
auto industry (obviously :-)). For me, argument #3 is the most compelling.
The government is in no position to 'social engineer' the reversal of the
bedroom/work/mall separation. 

Spiros 
-- 
Spiros Triantafyllopoulos                    c23st@kocrsv01.delcoelect.com
Software Technology, Delco Electronics       striantafyll@kosds1.gm.hac.com
GM Hughes Electronics, Kokomo, IN 46904      [A Different Kind of Disclaimer]
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: whs70@dancer.uucp (22501-sohl)
Subject: Re: Stopping Photo Radar?
Organization: Bellcore, Livingston, NJ
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 92 16:07:59 GMT


All the talk about hair sprays, etc to counter photo-radar wouldn't
be needed if each state banned the use of photo-radar as has happened
here in NJ.  Now I'll be the first to admit that NJ hasn't been the
most friendly environment for drivers, but the proposed use of
photo-radar so outraged the citizenry that the legislature passed
a law nanning its use for speed enforcement in almost record time.
The vote was almost unanimous in both the NJ senate and assembly.

Given the "liberal" attitude in many other states, I'm surprised that
folks just "let it happen" without getting outraged and expressing
that outrage to their elected officials.  Major points to focus on
is the unfairness of photo-radar.....it is used ONLY against the
registered owner of the vehicle.  Unless the registered owner 
identifies someone else as the driver (how many folks are going
to "turn in" there spouse, kids, parents, or friends?) the ticket
is the responsibility (fine, insurance points, etc.) of the owner.

What happened to inocent unless PROVEN guilty?

What about all the leased
vehicles, corporate registered vehicles, etc.?  Come on folks,
don't just "take-it," get outraged and fight it.  That's what
Steve Carrelas and the rest of the NJ Chapter of National
Motorists Assn. did and now NMA is leading the fight for 65mph
limits on NJ's highways.

Standard Disclaimer- Any opinions, etc. are mine and NOT my employer's.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note - If email replying to me with an automatic addressing process
bounces, manually address the resend using one of the addresses below.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bill Sohl (K2UNK) BELLCORE (Bell Communications Research, Inc.)
Morristown, NJ             email via UUCP      bcr!dancer!whs70
201-829-2879 Weekdays      email via Internet  whs70@dancer.cc.bellcore.com
From: rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com (Bob Haar)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Truckers ARE professionals
Date: 6 Oct 92 12:33:51 GMT
Reply-To: rhaar@albert.cs.gmr.com
Organization: G.M. Research and Environmental Staff

In article 9AM@solbourne.com, kucharsk@solbourne.com (William Kucharski) writes:
|>While reading article <1992Oct5.130301.22956@wam.umd.edu>, I noticed that
|>ham@wam.umd.edu (Scott Richard Rosenfeld) said the following:
|> >I have driven 40,000 highway miles in the last 2 years or so and have found
|> >that truckers are generally very polite to those who drive courteously.  
|> >If you drive like a truck driver (flash to let people in, don't tailgate,
|> >don't cut people off) you will generally get a lot of respect from them,
|> >such as flashing to let YOU in front of them.
|>
|>Two quick issues:
|>
|>1) By "dipping" lights when it's clear to reenter the lane, does that mean
|>   a quick hi-lo flash (or lo-hi, if you already are running with your high
|>   beams on), or a quick off-on?
|>

Dipping lights usually means briefly turning off your headlights, but
keeping you parking/running lights on, if possible. This assumes you 
already have your lights on. During the day tim, the corresponding
signal is to briefly turn on your lights (assuming that you are not
running with them on). 

What people do in Canada with the madated daytime-running-lights is
another question. In some cars, DRL turns on the headlights whenever
the engine is one. In others, there are lower wattage lights just for 
DRL.

Watch what the truckers do to signal each other. Mimicing their actions
is the best way to communicate successfully.

---
	Robert Haar               InterNet : rhaar@gmr.com 
	Computer Science Dept., G.M. Research and Environmental Staff
DISCLAIMER: Unless indicated otherwise, everything in this note is
personal opinion, not an official statement of General Motors Corp.


Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: rjms@scripps.edu (Russell Mortishire-Smith)
Subject: Re: Pigs falling from vehicles
Organization: The Scripps Research Institute, La Jolla, California, USA
Date: Sun, 27 Sep 1992 23:51:36 GMT

In article <55890013@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com> leonglaw@hpsgm2.sgp.hp.com (Lawrence LEONG) writes:
>Well, so far all the threads have been about inanimate objects falling from
>vehicles.  Yesterday's incident is with a little twist.....
>
>The radio announcer, on the way to a meeting, mentioned that there was some
>congestion at a particular junction due to some accident.  Didn't think much
>of it as I wouldn't pass there.  Later, some guys who were late gave the
>excuse that there were pigs wandering around the road.
>
A while ago in the UK, all traffic north of London on the M25 (major ring
road) was stopped because a hippopotamus was wandering along the freeway.
I jest not.

Incidentally ... while talking about the M25, recently a guy in a swift
red Mercedes was speeding at 100+ mph and stopped by a traffic cop. Said
cop approached the driver and said (sarcastic tone on) "So who do you
think you are Sir, Nigel Mansell?"  To which the response in a broad 
french accent was "No, Ayrton Senna"!

Russell
--
rjms@scripps.edu   |If at first you don't succeed,
		   |so much for skydiving.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: deanb@pecan10.cray.com (Dean Barker)
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Originator: deanb@pecan10
Organization: Cray Research, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: 2 Oct 92 10:51:57 CDT


In article <1992Sep30.233110.21455@lmpsbbs.comm.mot.com>, kiel_jeff@macmail1.rtsg.mot.com writes:
> 
> I was the one who made that post and I understand why you have such a hard time
> believing my actions.  You are looking at the situation as a simple gain verses
> risk decision with no ethics involved.  The "gain" is saving yourself time and
> the "risk" is the very small possibility that no one will let you into the
> line.  In the particular situation that I was describing, there is a solid
> white line between the two lanes so there is the additional "risk" of receiving
> a ticket for crossing the solid white line but we all know this too is very
> slight.  So, the obvious choice is to merge at the last possible chance to save
> yourself the most time possible on your trip to work.  

You mean all this time you have been talking about a situation where people
cross a solid white line? So what you are implying is that these people are
practically passing the line of cars on the shoulder and then begging to be
let in line? If that's the case then I agree with you 100%. I think the others
on the net were talking about a different situation.

-Dean

Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: 00124961@ysub.ysu.edu
Subject: Re: tips for Indiana, Ohio ?
Organization: Youngstown State University
Date: Tue, 29 Sep 1992 17:19:04 GMT

In article <1992Sep29.142714.10774@cbnewsd.cb.att.com>
russell@cbnewsd.cb.att.com (russell.w.keating) writes:
 
>
>I am taking a trip from Chicago to about Akron, Ohio.  I will be traveling
>on the Indiana Toll Road (80/90) and the Ohio Turnpike (80/90 ?).
>From there I'll be on highway 71.
>
>So Net driving enthusiasts ... what tips can you offer on police tricks
>that I should look out for in Indiana and Ohio?  I heard that the Toll
>roads give you tickets that have the time stamped on them.  When you get off,
>they can tell how fast you were going by the time stamps and can get you for
>speeding.  Is this true?  I have seen the time stamps a long long time ago
>in Indiana, but I don't know if they issue tickets by them.
>
>Any help is appreciated (use of laser, ka, VASCAR, aircraft ...).
>
>Thanks!
>
>--
>Russell Keating, N9LIL ------------> Send email to: russell1@ihlpb.ATT.COM
The Highway Patrol in Ohio, are nothing if not on the ball.  It's not unusual
for there to be five or six patrol cars lying in wait for the unsuspecting
motorist.  But, they are usually pretty leniant for a first-time offender, so
you would probably get off with a warning.  That's providing you aren't going
about 110.  I have heard of some experimentation with lasers but have not
seen them in actual use.  Aircraft are in use.
I hope this helps.
Chris Kuner 00124961@ysub.ysu.edu
From: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: 55:  And Then There Were (Please Help)
Date: 27 Sep 92 19:09:51 GMT
Reply-To: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Organization: Columbia University

In article <1992Sep24.191804.3309@photon.com> jbn@photon.photon.com (Joe Naiman) writes:
>I thought that nine states still had 55:  Alaska and Delaware (with
					   ^^^^^^

>no eligible roads), Hawaii, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island,
>Connecticut, Maryland, and New Jersey.  Should I eliminate one of
>those states from the list?

	Alaska's rural highway speed limit is 60 mph.

-------
Not bored, pissed. Word to wise (from the dumb):  CU Econ Dept. *SUCKS SHIT*
Sea-Bass Sears --> scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu --> DoD#516 <-- |Stanley, ID.|
'79 Yamaha XS750F -- '85 Toyota 4Runner -- Perception Corisca  |    NYC, NY.|
From: jason@studsys.mscs.mu.edu (Jason Hanson)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: stupid ticket
Date: 29 Sep 1992 20:32:18 GMT
Organization: Marquette University - Department MSCS
NNTP-Posting-Host: studsys.mscs.mu.edu

In article <1992Sep29.194516.14278@wam.umd.edu> jailbird@next12csc.wam.umd.edu (serial killer) writes:
>Hey guys, a friend of mine just got a ticket for having 3 fog lights 
>instead of 2.  And another ticket because they weren't 12 inches of
>the ground.
>anyone ever hear of this because I work with a state trooper whose a
>lietenant and he says he never heard of it either

In Wisconsin, there is something called MVD5, and it is the equipment compact.
In it, there are laws similar to those you cite (no pun intended).
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: H. Ross Perot's proposed gas tax
Date: 6 Oct 92 13:58:32 GMT
Article-I.D.: news.BvpDHL.A1G
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana


In article <1992Oct2.152835.6903@photon.com> jbn@photon.com (Joe Naiman) writes:
>
>In case you missed this morning's Wall Street Journal, Henry Ross Pee-rot
>wants to have a Federal gasoline tax of 50 cents a gallon.
>
>Just thought you might like to be aware of this.

And it's a darned good idea, too. Even with 50 more cents/gallon of tax,
we'd still have the cheapest gasoline in the world, AND we might be able
to begin working on rebuilding our country's crumbling infrastructure.
From: hugo@bluehau.bubble.org (Hugo Bueno)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Tailgaters abound!
Date: 2 Oct 92 13:18:21 GMT
Organization: The Blue House

dgalb@carina.unm.edu (David Galbraith CIRT) says:
>In article <ILH.92Sep24183027@winnie-the-pooh.lcs.mit.edu> ilh@lcs.mit.edu writes:
>>In article <Bv3HpK.F80@news.cso.uiuc.edu> tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan) writes:
>>   ...The self-centered driver who merges at the last second saves
>>   time for himself at the expense of everyone behind him.
>>
>>He doesn't NECESSARILY have to cost everyone else.  Some people leave
>>too much space (say, over four seconds*) such that someone could safely
>>slide in without having to slow anyone down.  The trouble is, that
>>space hog will probably open up the same four seconds again.  Since
>>throughput is cars per second, THE REAL CULPRIT IS THE PERSON OPENING
>>TOO LARGE A SPACE.  The instantaneous throughput is half what it could
>>be because of that space.  THIS person is self-centered in thinking `I
>>want to have a full four seconds in front of me' and probably doesn't
>>realize that they have any impact on total throughput.  That space is
>>wasted space so it seems perfectly reasonable for someone to use it.
>>
>>I do agree that if someone FORCES themselves into a two-second gap
>>that WILL slow others down.  Unfortunately, this happens, too.
>>
>>* I'm assuming here that two seconds is safe enough for the
>>  conditions. I think this argument is valid any time someone opens up
>>  a space that is twice what is actually necessary.  There ARE such
>>  people.
>>--
>>
>>                                Lee Hetherington
>>                                ilh@lcs.mit.edu
>
>I tend to leave a large following distance in stop and go traffic.  Why? 
>I find its easier to adjust my speed with out shifting, hitting the brake,
>what have you.  Its more comfortable to be moving rather than speeding up
>hitting your brake to stop, the guy in front moves, you speed up hit your
>brake to stop.. and so on... I give myself a little room so that the guy in
>front stops, I slow down, he starts up again, I pick up my speed a bit... 
>
>Maybe I'm selfish, but I don't think so.  I can't see how this affects other
>people and makes traffic slower.  it just makes my life easier... course if
>somebody proves to me I'm wrong I will change... seems to me to be a major
>waste of gas and brake pads though.

I applaud your intelligence. I do exactly the same thing. It really
does make for an easier drive. My personal theory is that if everyone
drove manual transmission cars, more people would drive in the
manner that you describe.  The result would probably be fewer
rear end collisions and smoother traffic flow.
-- 
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Hugo Bueno  |Delphi  : MRGOOD  CIS: 71211,3662
Fanwood, NJ |Internet: hugo@bluehau.bubble.org
CoCo 3 UUCP |UUCP    : ...!s4mjs!bluehau!hugo
From: damong@manyjars.WPI.EDU (Damon Francis Gentile)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Stubborn Cyclists
Date: 6 Oct 1992 19:03:05 GMT
Organization: Worcester Polytechnic Institute
NNTP-Posting-Host: manyjars.wpi.edu

In article <1as6seINNbfr@gilligan.East.Sun.COM> mike@gilligan.East.Sun.COM (Mike Roncadori) writes:
>In article <1992Oct6.115600.23268@colorado.edu> drew@kinglear.cs.colorado.edu (Drew Eckhardt) writes:
>>
>>Cyclists pay the same taxes (Albeit not so much gas tax) 
>>that you do, and ought to have the same rights on the road,
>>provided that they follow all applicable traffic laws.  
>>
>
>I don't know about Colorado, but in Virginia, cyclists have:
>
>	No plates, and therefore no registration fees
>
>	No driver's license requirement, and therefore
>	no licensing fees.
>
>	No county sticker, and therefore no county regis-
>	tration fees.
>
>	No county sticker also means no personal property
>	taxes assessed. (This one means hundreds, or perhaps
>	thousands of dollars, depending on the car. Mine have
>	been anywhere from 500 to 1100 dollars a year, dep-
>	ending on assessed value of the car).
>
>So, for each year (on a bicycle), it should be something like
>this:
>
>		2.00	($2.00 per yr for driver's license)
>		20.00	($20.00 per yr for vehicle placards)
>		35.00	(Minimum Personal Property tax)
>		20.00	(County sticker fee)
>
>In Virginia, your right to the road should cost $72.00, annually,
>but it costs nothing. Therefore, the idea that a biker pays for
>his right to the road is false, at least in Virginia. You may
>pay income tax, but you definitely don't pay all the fees that
>every driver does.
>
>-- Mike
>
>--------------------------------------------------------------
>My opinion - not my employer's

And in Massachusetts, bikers have all the same traffic laws
and have all the same rights to the road.