Zoe: Don't think it's a good spot, sir. She still has the advantage over us. Mal: Everyone always does. That's what makes us special.

'Serenity'


Natter 54: Right here, dammit.  

Off-topic discussion. Wanna talk about corsets, duct tape, or physics? This is the place. Detailed discussion of any current-season TV must be whitefonted.


Frankenbuddha - Oct 16, 2007 7:59:56 am PDT #6901 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

128? Dangerous (though not because of speed so much as douchebaggery and breakdowns and abuse of breakdown lanes).

Also due to curvy as hell and in terrible shape all the time. We won't talk about the random flying (he, typed flaying first) sewer grates.


Daisy Jane - Oct 16, 2007 8:00:17 am PDT #6902 of 10001
"This bar smells like kerosene and stripper tears."

I saw quite a few of those no acceleration lane on ramps when I lived in Texas. People I knew called them suicide on ramps.

I think acceleration lanes interfere with Texas's macho cowboy thing.

My favorite is 35 meeting up with 30 and 75. It's all, "Chane lanes! Now! To the right! 10 seconds to get all the way to the left! Go! Go! Go!"

Really woke me up on my way to work, I'll tell you what.


Glamcookie - Oct 16, 2007 8:01:58 am PDT #6903 of 10001
I know my own heart and understand my fellow man. But I am made unlike anyone I have ever met. I dare to say I am like no one in the whole world. - Anne Lister

The no signal thing drives me insane. Why would you not signal on the 405, which is a 5 lane freeway on which people (on occasion) are going 70 and whipping across lanes? They just recently instituted a merge when going from the 405 to the 10 with NO signage. Dumbasses. Wow I'm cranky today.


Scrappy - Oct 16, 2007 8:02:38 am PDT #6904 of 10001
Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.

My DH lays some of the blame on bad driving to kids brought up on videogames, who have learned that you are competing with other drivers, rather than sharing with them.


Kathy A - Oct 16, 2007 8:03:28 am PDT #6905 of 10001
We're very stretchy. - Connie Neil

One thing I like about Chicagoland drivers is that it's ingrained in them to pull over to the right lane/shoulder and stop as soon as you hear a siren. When I was out at my sister's in Las Vegas last week, I was shocked that nobody pulled over until the last possible minute for an ambulance.


Frankenbuddha - Oct 16, 2007 8:03:51 am PDT #6906 of 10001
"We are the Goon Squad and we're coming to town...Beep! Beep!" - David Bowie, "Fashion"

1) Enter freeway

2) Realize that there's no acceleration lane

3) Realize that there's no shoulder to your right, only a concrete wall

4) Realize that oncoming traffic is screaming toward you at 70mph

5) Wish you'd just stayed home

This reminds of how you used to have to get to Storrow drive from coming in to Boston from the north, except step 5 would be "Cross five lanes of 70 mph traffic in approximately 200 yards". Step 6 would be "Scream and watch your life pass before you".


bon bon - Oct 16, 2007 8:04:21 am PDT #6907 of 10001
It's five thousand for kissing, ten thousand for snuggling... End of list.

My favorite is 35 meeting up with 30 and 75. It's all, "Chane lanes! Now! To the right! 10 seconds to get all the way to the left! Go! Go! Go!"

L.A. does this all the time. It's very disconcerting.

Also disconcerting in L.A. is portions of the 10 where the road is sort of slotted concrete; when the sun hits it the right way, you can't see the lane markings-- you try to follow the slotted paving, but that just drifts you into a new lane.

I hate driving in L.A.


-t - Oct 16, 2007 8:04:47 am PDT #6908 of 10001
I am a woman of various inclinations and only some of the time are they to burn everything down in frustration

I have a theory that at least some of the not-signalling happens because getting through traffic is an antagonistic process with eth other drivers as your enemies, and so you don't want to give them the valuable intel that you're about to move into their lane.


§ ita § - Oct 16, 2007 8:06:29 am PDT #6909 of 10001
Well not canonically, no, but this is transformative fiction.

Bumper sticker: "Using your turn signal is not giving information to the enemy"


Toddson - Oct 16, 2007 8:06:38 am PDT #6910 of 10001
Friends don't let friends read "Atlas Shrugged"

Scariest sight recently - standing on the corner on my narrow, residential, one-way street watching someone going too fast the wrong way. In reverse.