Hole poked in "red light camera" silliness

[Robert Snow]

Your answer is?


Bill :godisgood:

I probably would have run the light, but I usually ride a motorcycle and I don't normally allow other drivers to ride that close to me. If I were in my truck and I was sure he would hit me. It would depend on whether or not I thought I would cause an accident by running the light

 

[matt wade]

I probably would have run the light, but I usually ride a motorcycle and I don't normally allow other drivers to ride that close to me. If I were in my truck and I was sure he would hit me. It would depend on whether or not I thought I would cause an accident by running the light

Interesting...dragonfly (you know, your previous alias that was banned) also rides a motorcycle (and lives in Houston, and works in a machinist shop).

 

[Robert Snow]

Interesting...dragonfly (you know, your previous alias that was banned) also rides a motorcycle (and lives in Houston, and works in a machinist shop).

Yea, I've seen a couple of more motorcycles here when I was out riding. I also believe there are at least on or two more machine shops here. Imagine that!

You are so infatuated with my personal life, I guess the next thing you will ask me out for a date.

 

[Magnetic Poles]

Yea, I've seen a couple of more motorcycles here when I was out riding. I also believe there are at least on or two more machine shops here. Imagine that!

You are so infatuated with my personal life, I guess the next thing you will ask me out for a date.

Just don't get caught dancing! :thumbs:

When I lived in Houston, I saw a really bad motorcycle wreck happen right beside me on the SW Fwy at 610 West Loop. The guy spun out, hit the side of a car, and wrecked onto the pavement. Scary stuff. Hope that wasn't you too. :laugh:

 

[Robert Snow]

Just don't get caught dancing! :thumbs:

When I lived in Houston, I saw a really bad motorcycle wreck happen right beside me on the SW Fwy at 610 West Loop. The guy spun out, hit the side of a car, and wrecked onto the pavement. Scary stuff. Hope that wasn't you too. :laugh:

No, it wasn't me. Although now, when I'm riding, I will watch out for Matt Wade. I'm sure if he were here he would end up following me around. Might even make my wife jealous! :laugh:

 

[windcatcher]

Windcatcher,
As a professional truck driver what are the top 3 things that bug you about "regular everyday " drivers?

Talking about trying to get ahead of others, I always say " Boy, its a good they he weaved around me, he got to the red light before me!

Yes, keep that food on the Brake - after making sure your brake lights are not burnt out! :smilewinkgrin: :thumbsup:

1) Obvious inattention/distraction of drivers is my biggest peeve. Signs and symptoms of this: Symptoms.... cell phone to ear. Kids filling a car. Driver rocking behind the wheel to blarring music. Eating, drinking drivers. Animated driver in conversation with passenger(s) and frequent turning of head. Signs.... vehicle not centered in lane, wavers side to side: Slowed or emergency type reactions to changes in traffic conditions or response to signals which an alert driver would already be adapting to. Lack of signals, lane changes to avoid collisions which could have been avoided by alert slowing down...... sometimes without even checking to see if lane is unoccupied.

2) Unsignaled and poorly planned changes resulting in sudden moves by drivers.... as being in a fast lane approaching a needed exit on the right..... and on a breathe and a prayer cutting in front or across traffic to get there: Also drivers inattention or selfish hogging of space, unyielding to a signaled need for change. (I think of these as going together... as a driver of a big rig has to be aware of drivers beside and infront.... and signals do communicate, but all drivers should use and observe them.)

3) The failure of drivers to observe the hazards, protective markings, and safety zones or slowing down for pedestrians and bikes near or in the roadway. Related to this.... at major intersections is a stop line painted which precedes the pedestrian walkway. Many people think a correct stop brings their wheels to that line. Not so. Their vehicle is supposed to be stopped behind that line which their bumper should not cross. A proper stop made across multi-lanes at the intersection, then allows all drivers the full vision of pedestrians and short people like children or those in wheel chairs to be visible. Drivers wishing to make a right on red do not have their vision impaired by other vehicles who crossed the line.

It may sound strange..... but I've been told that most truck drivers greatest peeve is the tail gaiter, but its not mine. I can control my speed... so I can control him. If he likes the DOT bar below my trailer that much..... he just might get a taste if he fails to stop or the one tail gaiting him plows him into it, but I'll try to prevent my own position from having to make an emergency stop because I will know he's there. (A trucker shouldn't have to 'drive' for other driver's however. They already have enough constraints on their own time to have to use it to manage others because some dumb A is too foolish to know or care.) Probably the most dangerous driver to a big truck is the one who cuts in front. While he may get away with it.... he may be the cause of an accident with many lives involved including the trucker's. The most dangerous position to be in during any traffic is beside a big truck and particularly on the trucks' right side. There's too much 'blind spot' that a small car can hide in for miles and not be easily seen. Probably the most dangerous and most likely equipment failure which can occurr to a big truck is blowing a front wheel or 'steer tire'. I think the next most serious..... and one which was part of my experience.... is the air brake failure approaching a traffice stop. A big truck has a secondary back up which will deploy unless activated sooner.... but once it does the wheels are locked and his control is limited..... he'd better have already determined the right course for steering direction before that happens (because... you can steer a slowing truck... but it is dangerous to not be 'straightened out' by the time the brakes set.)

A lot of people think the driver in a big truck is safer in an accident. Not so. The big rig which can contribute to a major accident and many fatalities often takes his life also. And a co-driver who may be getting a rough rest in the bunk... is totally unprotected. The 'cargo' net might prevent his expulsion but it will not prevent his injuries or death.

 

[windcatcher]

Oh Salty,
I forgot those lights....

no, not really. Those are checked at least twice daily.... pre-trip and post-trip.... and often any time the truck gets parked.... a walk around is wise... tires, lights, door seals, glad hands, fifth wheel connections..... before driving off. :wink:

 

[targus]

No, it wasn't me. Although now, when I'm riding, I will watch out for Matt Wade. I'm sure if he were here he would end up following me around. Might even make my wife jealous! :laugh:

This obsession that you have with the thought of dating another man is...

Or is this just your little way of attempting to insult Matt?

Either way - it's not exactly Christian behavior on your part.

 

[windcatcher]

I read a study somewhere on reducing intersection accidents......

Believe it or not......
By making sure the yellow was adjusted to give sufficient warning for a safe stop at the posted speed......
And adding a second to the delay of red light changing to green for opposing traffic.... so that creates a theorectical 1 second of intersection free of traffic....
Accidents caused by running red lights were reduced without added expense by greater than 50%.

When safety is the object over revenue.... this seems like the most sensible way to manage a problem intersection.

 

[Robert Snow]

This obsession that you have with the thought of dating another man is...

Or is this just your little way of attempting to insult Matt?

Either way - it's not exactly Christian behavior on your part.

If you minded your own business and quit sticking your nose into everyone else's affairs, your life would be less complicated. Of course this would be good advice to Matt, who seem obsessed with my every post.

 

[targus]

If you minded your own business and quit sticking your nose into everyone else's affairs, your life would be less complicated. Of course this would be good advice to Matt, who seem obsessed with my every post.

Interesting that you did not bother to answer a direct question concerning the intent of your posts.

Are you leaving it to the readers to infer on their own?

BTW the concept of "one's own business" while posting on a public forum on the internet is somewhat of an oxymoron - is it not?

By virtue of publicly posting you are make it everyone's business.

 

[Bob Alkire]

Windcatcher,
As a professional truck driver what are the top 3 things that bug you about "regular everyday " drivers?

I'll add my view on this, been driving 18 wheelers from 1964 on.

1. Left lane drivers, those folks who stay in the left lane and don't move.
2. Right turns for the left lane at get off ramps.
3. The darting driver, from one lane to the next and back, but has to pass ever one.
4. I'll add one more, those who speed up every time I come up to pass them.
OK, I'll add one more, those that I move over to the left lane to let them onto the highway and then won't allow me to move back over, I have to slow up and get behind them, so the cars behind me race to the left to get by me, while I'm trying to get back over.