Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Cars, Bikes, Airplanes, "bicycles" spelled correctly, Tools and Toys.
User avatar
Long Run
Posts: 6717
Joined: Sat Apr 17, 2010 2:47 pm

Re: Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Post by Long Run »

On the subject of Germans: the autobahns were built for speed and everyone expects it. Most people drive at speeds which are not unusual in the UK or US. But I've been behind the wheel of a rental Opel of some sort (don't recall - maybe an Omega) overtaking slower traffic when a Porsche 911 appears from nowhere in the mirror (200 kph comes at you very very fast)
In the D.R. they built a modern freeway between Santo Domingo and Punta Cana. For those driving a normal 70-75 mph, there are locals driving garden trucks at 25-30 and then Porsches pushing well-above 120 mph. Good thing it appears to be lightly used or it would be a blood bath.

But back to the Cannonball Run, this sounds like an idea born from beer logic. Might be a great video game, but it is absurd that this is another art imitating life example.

Burning Petard
Posts: 4050
Joined: Fri Feb 12, 2016 5:35 pm
Location: Near Bear, Delaware

Re: Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Post by Burning Petard »

Dangerous? Risky? Consider some real world data: In all the Cannonball Runs, including the first by Cannonball Baker in 11 days on an Indian motorcycle
and Baker again in 1933 in a Graham-Paige auto in 53.5 hours there have been ZERO crashes with other vehicles or pedestrians.

snailgate

Jarlaxle
Posts: 5370
Joined: Sun Apr 25, 2010 4:21 am
Location: New England

Re: Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Post by Jarlaxle »

ex-khobar Andy wrote:
Sat Aug 29, 2020 2:14 pm

Looking on Mr Google for stealth repo finds lots of stuff about the danger repo truck drivers face from customers who are less than enthusiastic about their beloved vehicle going back to the lender. I understand how the towing mechanism can be under the bed of a F250 or whatever so as not to attract attention from people to whom all pickup trucks look alike. I understand how the repo truck may not want to have his brights on while he is in someone's driveway (legal in some states) while hooking up a vehicle a few months overdue on the note. But taping over the DOT numbers? Killing the brake lights or the backup lights? That has to be illegal and I could find no reference to it in maybe 20 minutes searching.
Taping DOT numbers isn't' common (especially with "ghost" numbers), but I have seen several repo trucks with dark-mode switches. They're only used when hooking up.

User avatar
Guinevere
Posts: 8989
Joined: Mon Apr 19, 2010 3:01 pm

Re: Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Post by Guinevere »

On the autobahn argument:

1. There are regular speed limits in all busy or congested areas and they are obeyed to the letter. There are also regular speed reductions just because of traffic or weather. They use electronic signage effectively for this. No one goes 120 mph in fog or heavy rain or snow.

2. No one (the vast majority of drivers) talks on a phone, eats, or drinks while driving.

3. All traffic rules are obeyed, including using the left lane for passing and never passing on the right.

4. The germans (and swiss and austrians) are truly the best and most orderly drivers in the world.
“I ask no favor for my sex. All I ask of our brethren is that they take their feet off our necks.” ~ Ruth Bader Ginsburg, paraphrasing Sarah Moore Grimké

User avatar
BoSoxGal
Posts: 18301
Joined: Tue Apr 06, 2010 10:36 pm
Location: The Heart of Red Sox Nation

Re: Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Post by BoSoxGal »

Also very good at record keeping.
For me, it is far better to grasp the Universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.
~ Carl Sagan

User avatar
Econoline
Posts: 9555
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2010 6:25 pm
Location: DeKalb, Illinois...out amidst the corn, soybeans, and Republicans

Re: Yes, it's not safe. Would you like to try it?

Post by Econoline »

In a Facebook post which veers into some slight relationship to this thread, Jim Wright has a modest proposal:
Debates are just entertainment. Theater. A show for a bored, jaded, and bitterly cynical population who loves to slow down and boggle at every car wreck. The more blood and gore, the better. I mean, seriously, if it wasn't for the accidents, nobody would watch NASCAR. Bunch of rednecks, weaving drunkenly, in banged up shitty cars, driving in a circle. Big fucking deal, I can see that every day for free in my crappy little Southern town.

Political debates are the same thing, you're only watching for the accidents. Otherwise, what's the point?

I mean, shit, at least make them mud wrestle or something.

Or, you know, put them in actual race cars. Arm them up like a Death Race 2000 thing, start in LA, no rules, first one to DC is president.
People who are wrong are just as sure they're right as people who are right. The only difference is, they're wrong.
God @The Tweet of God

Post Reply