Last Person #5

[Gerry Seymour]

Looks like the snow has fully stopped. Driveway is cleared (downhill snow shoveling should be an Olympic event). They've plowed our street twice, which is odd on two levels. Firstly, they usually take at least 4 days to get around to our street. Secondly, there wasn't any snow left after the first time, so the second time they were just exfoliating.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Its 29 degrees, snowing, and Mrs Xue is on a jet heading to China

 

[jks9199]

It's all about picking the time and place. Admittedly, when I do get a ticket, it's a big one. The last one I got, I'd slowed down to 97MPH before I was clocked. But that was nearly five years ago.
As far as crashing goes... I've put a fair bit of time, effort, and money into learning to drive a car that's accurately labeled as "stupid fast." I've done race driving schools with Frank Hawley (drag racing), and both Skip Barber and Bob Bondurant (road racing). I'm no professional racing driver, but I think I'm OK. In the 40 years I've been had a drivers license, I've had exactly one crash on the road that would be considered my fault (I nodded off for a second after 16 hours in the ER and went into a ditch). The other two crashes I've been in were in no way my fault. In one, I was stopped on a two lane road waiting for traffic to clear so I could turn left. In the other, I went straight through an intersection and was broadsided by someone who didn't wait for traffic to clear before turning left.

Driving fast, in proper conditions is fun. But all your training and skill is useless when the other guy on the road does something stupid... as evidenced in the two crashes you mention. The laws of physics always trump the laws of the road...

Then there's the difference between the real world and a road cleared for a race. They do things like weld the manhole covers down before some races, and at least make sure that there are no cracked rims on them waiting to fail... and they try hard to keep critters off the roads. I've helped calculate the coefficient of friction of a turtle... because someone hit one on a motorcycle, then slid on it...

Funny story, real world vs track... Our training track was built by a company that normally does "real" race tracks. There were a number of arguments about how things were made, because the track was made -- for the most part -- to replicate the real world, not a race track... so turns (for the most part) aren't banked and so on...

But... we've had this chat before. Be safe, have fun, and make sure your insurance is in order... and I've never heard you whine about a ticket you got for driving fast, so you take your lumps when you're caught.

 

[jks9199]

Its 29 degrees, snowing, and Mrs Xue is on a jet heading to China

Are you implying a connection of some sort?

 

[Steve]

Coffee break. Reaching shopping threshold.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Are you implying a connection of some sort?

nope, it is just the way things are at the moment.....

 

[Dirty Dog]

Driving fast, in proper conditions is fun. But all your training and skill is useless when the other guy on the road does something stupid... as evidenced in the two crashes you mention. The laws of physics always trump the laws of the road...

If I'd been driving a little faster, I'd have been out of the intersection before the other guy turned...
And maybe I'd have made my left turn before traffic got there and required me to stop...

Then there's the difference between the real world and a road cleared for a race. They do things like weld the manhole covers down before some races, and at least make sure that there are no cracked rims on them waiting to fail... and they try hard to keep critters off the roads. I've helped calculate the coefficient of friction of a turtle... because someone hit one on a motorcycle, then slid on it...

There are no manhole covers outside cities. See my comments about 'time and place' above... I have never once, in my entire life, gotten pulled over for speeding (or anything else, for that matter) inside city limits. I save spirited driver for places where it's not risking others in any realistic way.
The road I most commonly speed on has fences along it specifically to keep animals off. Yes. Miles of fences. Which makes me happy, because hitting a deer in a car this low is scary.
My Vette sits so low, it would probably get high-centered on the turtle, or just push it along...

Funny story, real world vs track... Our training track was built by a company that normally does "real" race tracks. There were a number of arguments about how things were made, because the track was made -- for the most part -- to replicate the real world, not a race track... so turns (for the most part) aren't banked and so on...

There are two road race tracks near my home. Neither one is banked. Pylon courses (you've no doubt seen them set up in parking lots) are obviously not banked either. I'll run tracks at my limit. With a lot more cars nearby than there are when I'm pushing things on a real road. I run roads at maybe 60-70%. With nobody around.

But... we've had this chat before. Be safe, have fun, and make sure your insurance is in order... and I've never heard you whine about a ticket you got for driving fast, so you take your lumps when you're caught.

Of course. Whether or not a given speed is safe on a given road on a given day for a given driver in a given car is absolutely subject to debate. Whether or not it's legal is not.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Coffee break. Reaching shopping threshold.

You had to say coffee..... well....looks like I have to go make myself a cup..... thanks for the idea

 

[AngryHobbit]

Well... it finally happened. I have used up my stash of duck broth making French onion soup today. There is only one way to combat this crisis - this hideous state of duck brothlessness. I simply must roast another duck.

 

[Xue Sheng]

Well... it finally happened. I have used up my stash of duck broth making French onion soup today. There is only one way to combat this crisis - this hideous state of duck brothlessness. I simply must roast another duck.

Or you could just pop over to Beijing and ask the folks a Bianyifang for a cup of Duck Broth

 

[Xue Sheng]

and now, without further adieu... Good Night MT

 

[Gerry Seymour]

Good morning, MT. A light dusting of snow overnight, just so the world could mock my efforts to clear my driveway.

 

[Xue Sheng]

mornin'

we have about 2 inches of snow and it is 23 degrees..... just another 'normal' winter day for here.
and it is cold enough, with just enough snow, to make me have to go "Shovel" it...... just not enough snow for the snowblower....its times like this I hate my driveway.....and I am not all to fond of the sidewalks either.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

mornin'

we have about 2 inches of snow and it is 23 degrees..... just another 'normal' winter day for here.
and it is cold enough, with just enough snow, to make me have to go "Shovel" it...... just not enough snow for the snowblower....its times like this I hate my driveway.....and I am not all to fond of the sidewalks either.

You know, I've heard them muttering about you behind your back, Xue. I don't think they like you, either.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Or you could just pop over to Beijing and ask the folks a Bianyifang for a cup of Duck Broth

Yes... yes that IS one solution - indeed. But then I would have to forego the joy of roasting a duck - prepping it, stuffing it, drooling for two hours at the roasting duck smells from the kitchen, and, of course, devouring it.

 

[AngryHobbit]

Still have a stale baguette leftover from team lunch last Wednesday. Methinks I shall use one half of it to make bread pudding and the other half - for something like a chicken and vegetable bake. Yes, methinks it shalt be goodly.

 

[granfire]

day three and the damn snow is still sticking around?!
And I think the supper mozilla fire fox upgrade is driving me batty with the damn warning pop ups for no script.

I KNOW I fell down on the job, and have not kept up with it, and Avast is bugging me, too, now.

I don't think I will change from firefox, although the layout looks more like Chrome these days...

any suggestions?

 

[AngryHobbit]

day three and the damn snow is still sticking around?!
And I think the supper mozilla fire fox upgrade is driving me batty with the damn warning pop ups for no script.

I KNOW I fell down on the job, and have not kept up with it, and Avast is bugging me, too, now.

I don't think I will change from firefox, although the layout looks more like Chrome these days...

any suggestions?

I hate the new Firefox layout after the upgrade - it hurts my eyes. I am very visual, and Chrome just... looks cleaner to me, so I do more in Chrome than in Firefox.

 

[Gerry Seymour]

day three and the damn snow is still sticking around?!
And I think the supper mozilla fire fox upgrade is driving me batty with the damn warning pop ups for no script.

I KNOW I fell down on the job, and have not kept up with it, and Avast is bugging me, too, now.

I don't think I will change from firefox, although the layout looks more like Chrome these days...

any suggestions?

I switched to Chrome a couple of years ago. I've forgotten why, but it would have had to be a good reason to drag me from one to the other.

 

[Xue Sheng]

day three and the damn snow is still sticking around?!
And I think the supper mozilla fire fox upgrade is driving me batty with the damn warning pop ups for no script.

I KNOW I fell down on the job, and have not kept up with it, and Avast is bugging me, too, now.

I don't think I will change from firefox, although the layout looks more like Chrome these days...

any suggestions?

2 inches of snow today
Storm on the way for Monday night
Flurries on Wednesday
Snow showers Friday

Welcome to what winter use to be like in the Adirondacks