I stop well behind large trucks to avoid unsecured crap falling off them when they take off again, but with regular cars I figure if I can see their bumper over my hood I'm far enough away.

I don't know, there's something poetic about a No Regerts tattoo. Like they must really mean it.

Speaking of driving--the other day I was driving on Broadway in Chicago and a car coming from the opposite direction made a left-turn in front of me, forcing me to slam on the brakes.

As I did my panic stop, there was some chirping sounds as wheels locked up for a fraction of a second before the ABS modulated the brakes to unlock the wheels. There was not a loud screeching sound that you get when you lock up the brakes on a non-ABS car.

I kind of miss that. There's something a little satisfying about the loud screech of brakes that calls attention to the asshole who forced you to slam on the brakes.

Yeah, my current Focus is the first car I've owned with ABS. Possibly the ABS prevented me from hitting a girl that ran out in front of me a few months ago, so I guess I can't complain.

I've been told that if you can see where the tyres in front of you touch the road, you probably have enough room to pull out of that lane if you're not boxed in, and that's the safe amount to give (from a self-defense point, but seriously, who lives on that high alert? Oh, right. Krav people)

I've been told that if you can see where the tyres in front of you touch the road, you probably have enough room to pull out of that lane if you're not boxed in

Hmm. I don't think I like that standard, as depending on how much rear-overhang the car ahead of you has, the distance could vary a lot.

Do you have a better rule of thumb?

Wanda Sykes told a pretty funny rape joke, although it was kind of more of an un-rape joke. She has a lengthy bit about how awesome it would be to have a detachable pussy, and how much it would improve your life, including how it'd be so much easier to go out running late at night; somebody'd jump out of the bushes in Central Park at you and go "RAAR" and you'd say, "No, man, no use, I left it at home."

But, really, that's a Wouldn't it be completely fucking awesome to run around all the time doing what you wanted, when you wanted, without ever having to worry about rape? joke.

And I think Louie CK told another one, once, maybe. But they're pretty damn rare, and Tosh's is epically unqualified to claim company with Sykes or CK's.

Timelies all!

Almost the weekend...

30 minutes away for me!

(We're on our Summer 4-Day week.)

And I was feeling like crap yesterday and called in sick. So extra short week for me.

Do you have a better rule of thumb?

"Pull up until it seems you're close enough"?