HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: jsw@umiacs.umd.edu (Jeff Webber)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Insurance (Geico) Questions
Keywords: Comprehensive Claims
Date: 30 Jul 92 03:29:28 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: UMIACS, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742

Today I recieved a letter from Geico.  They were pointing out
that Geico likes to insure safe drivers.  They pointed out that
we have made several claims recently that were all considered
not our fault.   They then said that we should still consider
our driving habits.   

The incidents were:

	Smashed side window - book bag stolen
	Smashed side window - Stereo system (Alpine) stolen
	Rock thrown by scumbag urchins along interstate denting roof
		(very scary having a rock thrown at you at 55mph)

Now my main questions are:

	Is this some kind of warning from Geico that they are
	going to drop us?

	Is this some kind of warning that they are going to raise
	our rates?

	What driving habits can I change?  Its not my fault that
	the citys (especially D.C.) are turning into war zones.

The two window incidents occured while visiting someone in DC (who
is now moving to the burbs because of the severe crime problem).

thanks for any help.

-- 
Jeff Webber /   U of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies
path: uunet!mimsy!jsw  phone (301)-405-6746 jsw@umiacs.umd.edu  DoD #243
1965 Ford Mustang Convertible                     1988 Honda Hawk GT 650
From: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Subject: Re: Deer Claims Another; Thoughts
Reply-To: scs8@cunixb.cc.columbia.edu (Sebastian C Sears)
Organization: Columbia University
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 05:49:29 GMT

In article <1992Jul22.025416.2699@scifi.uucp> njs@scifi.uucp (Nicholas J. Simicich) writes:
>In article <24757@dog.ee.lbl.gov> jtchew@csa3.lbl.gov writes:
>When I lived in Virginia, the state police had a policy there:  If you
>stopped to give someone flares and then hung around to help them and a
>state trooper showed up, they would 'replace your flares', usually with
>10 or so of the 30 minute flares.  I stopped and gave out 30 or 40
>flares in the time I lived there and only bought six.

	Having just recently said that I thought triangles were better, I now
	think I will also get some flares, as I can then stop and help out the
	semi-stranded motorist but then be on my way again without having to
	a) sacrifice my expensive triangles or b) wait for official help.

=Stanley, Idaho===============Sea-Bass Sears====================New York City=
   o  1979 Yamaha XS750|Perception      )    Corsica|     |       1985  Toyota
 _/\_>       Just ride!|             o /            ||~~~~~~\___       4Runner
O,> /O   e-mail: scs8@ |  ~^~^ <====<\/====> ^~^    ||_--____--_)   Just about
cunixb.cc.columbia.edu |Just  ~^~^~^ / ^~^~^  kayak!|  ()    () anything else!
   Send lawyers, guns, and money, the shit has hit the fan. -- Warren Zevon
==============================-->DoD #0516<--=================================
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: joso@vega.math.ualberta.ca (Joseph_So)
Subject: Re: Laser Detectors - How do they work?
Organization: University Of Alberta, Edmonton Canada
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 21:50:21 GMT

wcscses2@alfred.carleton.ca (Geoff Hamer) writes:

>In <1992Jul20.203036.1149@r-node.gts.org> singh@r-node.gts.org (Rajendra Singh) writes:

>>Hi:

>>The local law enforcement agencies around here are currently testing
>>these laser speed detection devices, and I wanted to know how they work.
>>Can someone shed some light on the subject PLEASE?

>>How much does one cost?  I don't suppose they make a laser and radar
>>detector in one they?

>>Raj

>Laser speed detectors work on the same principles as a regular radar
>detector.. after all light is just a radio signal at a much higher
>frequency. The biggest difference is that a laser speed detector can
>be aimed at one single car among a group. This cannot be done with a
>radar detector because the radio signal isn't in a narrow beam.

>The advantage to a police officer is that he/she can now know exactly
>which car he/she is timing. With radar the gun only gives the speed of
>the vehicle with the largest radar profile.

>The disadvantage to the driver is that since the laser beam is very
>narrow and cannot travel a great distance there is no "stray"
>radiation to be detected. If you were able to build a Laser-detector
>it would only be able to tell you when your specific car is being
>targeted... this of course is too late. The only way I can figure you
>might be able to battle such a system is if you had a high strength
>infra-red light (the current laser systems use infra-red lasers)
>source hidden in the grill of your car. This sourse could be used to
>'jam' the relected IR signal. (incidently, there are such systems on
>the market for existing radar technology)

>One more plus, these systems are VERY expensive at this time.
>Therefore there aren't many states and provinces using it. This is
>bound to change in the near future.

>          _
>          Geoff

The City of Edmonton bought 2 laser guns at $6,000 a piece.
I am sure the units have already paid for themselves. (Both
my GF and I got a ticket for around $100 clocked by a laser
gun).
-------------------
Joseph So
Mathematics, U of Alberta, Edmonton
joseph@hyper.math.ualberta.ca
From: cbm@stiatl.salestech.com (Chris Medders)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Laser Detectors - How do they work?
Date: 22 Jul 92 19:32:41 GMT
Organization: Sales Technologies, Inc.

I read on the net a couple of months ago that either Motor Trend, Car & Driver,
or Road & Track tested the new laser gun and was able to elude it completely
*twice* !  Again, this was a couple of months ago & I'm not sure of the 
magazine (May or June issue, 1992) but the test car was painted black, the
chrome had been covered with black electrical tape (& all other "shiny" 
surfaces), and the lights (head & tail) were covered.  This reportedly left
only the wheels/rear-view mirrors to target which gave false readings.  If
anyone else remembers reading this article, please add your comments...

-Chris

-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chris B. Medders   | "All I want is a fast car, a million buck$, a LOUD guitar,
(w) (404) 841-4903 |  and, oh yeah, world peace - but the car part will do for
cbm@stiatl.com     |  now..." :-)  %->  {|-) ;-> :^) 
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: khan@mrcnext.cso.uiuc.edu (Scott Coleman)
Subject: Re: Who gets to buy a sports car?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Distribution: rec
Date: Sat, 25 Jul 1992 13:47:36 GMT

f4ax@vax5.cit.cornell.edu writes:

>In article <1992Jul19.205552.14517@qiclab.scn.rain.com>,

>Well, I always thought that most of the fun of driving was getting the most
>out of a little piece of junk car that would be written off the books as a
>toy (like a Matchbox).  It's much more of a challenge to drive around a
>Plymouth Horizon at a constant 80 MPH and getting up the hills quickly than
>using a Vette or any other sports car which would do it without an effort.
>If one truly enjoys the sport of driving, making the car go when it truly is
>underpowered for what you are trying to do makes it that much better.  

I couldn't disagree more.

Driving 45MPH behind a pair of semis on a 2-lane country road in a car which
lacks the power to safely pass is NOT my idea of "driving fun."

On a recent road trip my route took me across ~120 miles of 2-lane roads with
hills and curves which blocked long distance visibility. More than once I
came upon "convoys" of vehicles with one or more slow-moving semis in the 
lead followed closely by 5 or 6 cars, all moving well below the speed limit.
The reason these clots form is because even though those 6 cars were moving
faster than the semi originally, when they came up behind it they didn't 
have the confidence to pass the semi(s); thus, they slowed down. As the 
snake's tail grows longer and longer, it makes it harder and harder for 
successive cars to get around. The worst part is that these cars TAILGATE,
so you can't pass them one or two at a time - you have to pass them as a
unit. At the spacing of oncoming traffic, your Horizon would have been stuck
behind this car clot for mile after mile after mile... I shudder to think of
it.

As for me, I prefer to pass such car clots as soon as safety permits, and
then I become PART of the horizon as my car flies off into the distance.
That's as close to driving in a horizon as I ever want to get. ;-)

--
Scott Coleman                                                    tmkk@uiuc.edu

Free Advice: It is inadvisable to read Bush's lips at an official banquet.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: kenny@osf.org (Kenneth Crudup)
Subject: Re: assisting roadside emergencies - legal question
Organization: Open Software Foundation
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 22 Jul 1992 18:13:17 GMT

In article <1992Jul21.192117.16907@Csli.Stanford.EDU>, 
kawai@Csli.Stanford.EDU (goh kawai - n6uok) writes:
> Is assisting a roadside emergency a legally requirement?  If I pass by an
> accident site, am I legally required to render assistance?

In article <1992Jul21.170909.4296@bb1t.monsanto.com>
tjfeue@bb1t.monsanto.com writes:
>I think that you should ask this question of yourself:  Wouldn't you want
>someone to help *YOU* if *YOU* were lying by the side of the road bleeding
>to death?

Huh. Forget all that. Rule #1- cover your *own* ass first. I hate to sound so
cynical, but keep in mind, this is America, land of the TV Ambulance Chasers,
the country with more lawyers than we really need. Nowadays, if you help some-
one, and their injuries are permanent, I'm sure they can get some shyster to
drag *you* into court for negligence, just because you weren't qualified to
help them out.  Keep on going, and if you can, do what I do- call the State
Cops on your cellphone.

(Policy subject to change if she's cute, alone (another popular scam- watch
out) and got big'uns.)

Goh Kawai also asks:
> What if the person has a gun?

Where the did this question come from?? Do you really live your life in fear
like this?

	-Kenny
-- 
Kenneth R. 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.
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: trussell@cwis.unomaha.edu (Tim Russell)
Subject: Re: How to fight this ticket in MA ( not speeding)
Keywords: traffic ticket
Organization: University of Nebraska at Omaha
Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1992 21:28:38 GMT

sar1952@jhunix.hcf.jhu.edu (Steven A Rubin) writes:

>Thirdly, you were going straight, which gives you superior rights to
>those turning in front of you.  It is the obligation of the left
>turning motorist to make sure the path is clear before crossing it.
>it wasn't, but he did anyway, which is also illegal.

    Definitely.  You should CERTAINLY fight this ticket tooth and nail,
but I have a feeling you won't even have to fight much, since it will in
all probability be thrown out, assuming the pi^H^Hpolice officer tells
the truth.

    People turning left across oncoming traffic ALWAYS ALWAYS yield,
unless they have a green arrow, so this cop has no leg to stand on.

    I'm not sure what the actual laws are on turning after the light
goes red if you were sitting out in the middle of the intersection
waiting (as this cop was) but I have a feeling it's technically running
a red light, so he could have been breaking the law himself.

--
    Tim Russell                 Omaha, NE              trussell@unomaha.edu
"Republicans understand the importance of bondage between a mother and child."
					-- Vice President Dan Quayle
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: john@makesys.com (John Turman)
Subject: Re: Four police warnings in 6 months
Organization: Make Systems, Inc.
Date: Thu, 23 Jul 1992 15:00:56 GMT

In article <54537@mentor.cc.purdue.edu> stresres@mentor.cc.purdue.edu (Mark Vanetten) writes:
>
>Would someone mind telling me what HOV is, I don't think it is a Habitual Offender Violation, but you never know.  If it is, then what do you mean by an HOV
>trap?
>
>Mark
> 

High Occupancy Vehicle, also called the Diamond Lane or Commuter Lane. I almost
got caught in one awhile back on a business trip to DC. Luckily I was able to
catch a sign about it before I made the fatal move into the HOV lane. My pet
pieve on this thread is the dorks with three passengers in the car who don't
ride in the HOV lane but act as a butt plug to traffic in the fast lane outside
the HOV lane. These guys typically are doing 45 MPH talking their drivel without
any cars in front of them. And of course they're keeping pace with the semi
in the next lane over that's also doing 45. It's like "let's see how many
people we can piss off and hold back in traffic". That's when a good set of
Aussie bars come in handy on the front of my full size Bronco :~). Just a little
nudge here and there to get the message across :~).

John
-- 
The opinions expressed here are sole property of the author and are not
the opinions of Make Systems or any other entity. What a shame.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
John "Dolphinatic" Turman
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: craig@ug.cs.dal.ca (Ryan Craig)
Subject: Re: Safe Driving
Organization: Math, Stats & CS, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 16:42:19 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.145851.24660@access.digex.com> jimb@access.digex.com 
		(Jim Brooking) writes:
>
>I thought this up recently.  Think of yourself trying to push a large
>heavy object.  It's harder to push it slowly than to pick up some
>speed and push it.  Wouldn't the same be true of an engine?  I.E.,
>once you overcome friction and get some inertia going, your engine
>has to work less.  Physics people?  What about it?
>
I've just got to jump in to the fray here.  As anyone who knows anything
can tell you, required power input increases with speed on almost any 
vehicle.  Not only that, but the amount of power increases in  proportion
to the square of the speed.  Now that is not to say that some vehicles
might not produce a certain amount of power more efficiently at higher
speeds than lower (engine speed, that is), but as a general rule, the
slower you go, assuming that you're in the right gear, the less fuel
you're going to consume for a given distance.  Of course, there are
also aerodynamic considerations.  Too low a speed and the passage of the
vehicle through the air may produce more turbulence (ie. more power being
wasted churning up the air) than it would at a somewhat higher speed.
	As a general rule however, I would be surprised to see many vehicles
where fuel milage doesn't drop pretty much consistently with speed, once
above a certain speed (usually quite low-just fast enough to overcome the 
static friction from bearings, rolling resistance, etc.)  However, your
mileage may vary :-) :-( .
	Anyway, later...
-- 
+--------------------------------------------------+-------------------------+
|Ryan Craig: Comp Sci Co-op, Dalhousie University  |  Disclaimer: My opinions|
|craig@ug.cs.dal.ca               are mine, all mine, and you can't have them|
+----------------------------------------------------------------------------+
From: uk09365@nx06.mik.uky.edu (robert i kesten)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
Subject: Re: Insurance (Geico) Questions
Date: 30 Jul 92 21:08:56 GMT
Distribution: usa
Organization: University Of Kentucky, Dept. of Math Sciences

In article <59314@mimsy.umd.edu> jsw@umiacs.umd.edu (Jeff Webber) writes:
> Today I recieved a letter from Geico.  They were pointing out
> that Geico likes to insure safe drivers.  They pointed out that
> we have made several claims recently that were all considered
> not our fault.   They then said that we should still consider
> our driving habits.

	If they had to pay a claim, it was your fault, as
	far as they were concerned.   
 
> The incidents were:
> 
> 	Smashed side window - book bag stolen
> 	Smashed side window - Stereo system (Alpine) stolen
> 	Rock thrown by scumbag urchins along interstate denting roof
> 		(very scary having a rock thrown at you at 55mph)
>

	Obviously you should adjust your driving habits by
	not driving/parking in neighborhoods where this
	sort of thing is common.  

> Now my main questions are:
> 
> 	Is this some kind of warning from Geico that they are
> 	going to drop us?

	They probably want to if your claims have made
	any significant impact on their profit margin
	from the premiums you have paid.  Maybe your
	state insurance regulations bar them from dropping
	you for claims of this type and GEICO is just
	blowing smoke at you.
 
> 	Is this some kind of warning that they are going to raise
> 	our rates?

	Possibly.  Your state may not allow rates to be raised
	explicitly for comprehensive claims.  GEICO, like
	all insurers, is adept at finding loopholes in these
	types of regulations.  They will claim that your
	premium is being increased 15% as a normal across
	the board rate increase.  They will neglect to tell
	you that people who did not file claims for broken
	windows and stolen stereos were not assessed this
	rate increase.
 
 
> 	What driving habits can I change?  Its not my fault that
> 	the citys (especially D.C.) are turning into war zones.
> 
> The two window incidents occured while visiting someone in DC (who
> is now moving to the burbs because of the severe crime problem).

	At least D.C. has wonderful gun control laws which
	make sure that everyone is safe from being shot.
        (if you must comment on this jab, send it to t-p-g)
:-)

<sarcasm alert>

Robert K.
     
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: tmkk@uiuc.edu (Khan)
Subject: Re: Who gets to buy a sports car?
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Tue, 21 Jul 1992 17:59:43 GMT


In article <1992Jul18.192331.6294@rdr.com> randy@rdr.com (Randy Tidd) writes:
>In article <1992Jul17.212049.5298@qiclab.scn.rain.com>  
>al@qiclab.scn.rain.com (Alan Peterman) writes:
>> This is one of the best examples why I am glad that most high
>> performance cars are too expensive to buy, insure and maintain for
>> younger drivers.  It takes maturity to be able to control high
>> performance automobiles and more importantly to control one's own
>> cravings.
>
>Okay okay, admittedly I fall into the "immature" category of drivers --  
>always in a hurry, drive like a lunatic, push my car to the edge on a  
>regular basis, etc.  However, I have made the same observations as the  
>original poster.  I see people driving really nice cars -- 'Vettes, BMW's,  
>Mercedes', Porches, etc. and they drive like grandmothers.
>
>Now, owning a $60,000 car, there MUST be a temptation to actually push the  
>car a bit every now and then, but I never seem to see this.

First of all, has it never occurred to you that just because you do not
SEE the car being pushed by its driver does not prove that such pushing
does not take place?

Now that that thought is planted, consider a possible reason why they
would not push their $60,000 car in your sight: the more traffic there
is, the more dangerous it is to push your vehicle to the limit. Thus,
the mature driver won't push the vehicle when other cars are in the
vicinity, lest one or more of those other drivers get in the way and
cause an accident.

>Is there something I'm missing?

I theenk so...


Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: russotto@eng.umd.edu (Matthew T. Russotto)
Subject: Re: Four police warnings in 6 months
Date: Sun, 26 Jul 92 20:46:30 GMT
Organization: College of Engineering, University of Maryland, College Park

In article <1682A1511A.00124961@ysub.ysu.edu> 00124961@ysub.ysu.edu writes:

>You are quite right.  Try driving on the D.C. beltway during rush hour.  This
>lane for emergency vehicles only, this lane for HOV, this lane for Democrats,
>this lane for. . . well, you get the idea.  Don't get me wrong, this is a good
>concept around big cities, but a bit of a pain in the keester if you're
>unfamilliar with the territory.

Normal driving is done in the emergency vehicle lanes, the shoulder,
and the HOV lanes (you DID bring your dummy, right?).  The other lanes
are for parking only :-)



-- 
Matthew T. Russotto	russotto@eng.umd.edu	russotto@wam.umd.edu
Some news readers expect "Disclaimer:" here.
Just say NO to police searches and seizures.  Make them use force.
(not responsible for bodily harm resulting from following above advice)
Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving
From: csroach@eng.clemson.edu (Shane Roach)
Subject: Re: Realy esoteric cars.
Organization: Clemson University
Date: Tue, 28 Jul 1992 18:15:33 GMT

From article <1992Jul27.013034.29680@nezsdc.icl.co.nz>, by derek@nezsdc.icl.co.nz (Derek Tearne):
> 
> What about the new Bugatti then.  12 cylinders,  5 valves per cylinder and 
> 4 turbos!.  I would think the owners would drive one of these _very_
> carefully and probably fly the factory mechanics in every time it needs
> an oil change.
> 
I think one of the Bugatti folks once described it as a car you could drive
to the opera, then take it out for a private lapping session at the nearest
racetrack the next day.  It's just a wee bit too, well, French for me.

> Or the Maclaren F1.  3 seater with the driver in the middle, Formula 1
> technology throughout.  Kevlar and wierd alloys.
> 
Nice car, even if I have thought the McLaren Formula One team was mostly
composed of twits and arseholes.  The first car to really use aerodynamics
as a safety feature.

> Jaguar (whatever the number is).
> 
Ah, the XJ220.  I wish Car & Driver would do another of those top-speed 
shootouts.  It'd be nice to see if the 223mph(corrected for Nardo's shortish
straightaways) logged by Martin Brundle is believable, even if they did have
to take the catalysts off to go that fast.  The nicest-looking of the bunch.

> What does rec.autos.driving think of these beasts then?  Any statistics?
> Who should get to drive them?  I vote that the owners should have a 
> compulsory open day once a year at the nearest private race track where 
> we can all go and have a spin.  Idon't mind if they charge a small fee...
> 
Hmmm, nice idea.  And it's only an hour or so to Road Atlanta...

> 
> 
>>The Corvette driver is staying away from the rusted '76 Malibu because he's
>>scared of rust?  Then he for damn sure doesn't deserve that car.  Corvettes
>>have always had fiberglass bodies, Derek.  Ever since Number 1 back in 1953.
> 
> Whoops.  I was sure I saw an early one in a film (The Presidio) the other 
> day with red oxide primer all over it for the rust.  Just goes to show 
> that you shouldn't believe what you see on the Television.
> 
Hey, even fiberglass appreciates primer before you paint it.

Shane Roach
csroach@eng.clemson.edu


Newsgroups: rec.autos.driving