Re: idiots 'n lights

[Peter Henriksen <peterhe@microsoft.com>]

The PS about driver stupidity reminded me of the new roundabout - heck,
*the* roundabout - that was just installed on my route home from work.

Now, being Danish I'm all familiar with these things as I believe a lot of
people from the East Coast are, but out here I have never, ever before seen
one, so imagine my (pleasant) surprise to find one of these things installed
all of a sudden. However, I had not counted on the two-steps-above-simian
driving intelligence of the average driver out here, so instead of better
flow in traffic, we now have a long, rolling backup to get through the
roundabout:

- Er, does that big Yield sign mean the same thing here as it does
elsewhere?
[pause to "think"]
- Er... I better slow way down and find out.
[slow down car to a 2 mph crawl - just in case]
- Guess I can go now. I better not use my signals in case anybody might need
to see where I'm getting out of this round thing.

And that's with a 4-way roundabout. Imagine the confusion a 6 or 8-way would
create. Spontaneous combustion between the ears. Now there's a thought.
Automotive Darwinism...

- peter, peterhe@microsoft.com, redmond, wa

------------------------------

Date: Wed, 14 Oct 1998 21:27:00 -0400
From: Brett Dikeman <brett@pdikeman.ne.mediaone.net>
Subject: idiots 'n lights

It boggles the mind how many idiots don't know how to use rear fog
lights(or, more appropriately, OVERUSE their rear fog lights.)

It should be manditory training at any Volvo, Saab, Jaguar, Audi, BMW, or
Mercedes dealership to go over this goddam thing, or the switch should be
ripped out of the car.

I had to "brief" the owner of an a4 as to the proper usage of his rear fog
light, after spending 20 minutes getting blinded by the thing.

To anyone on the list(pass the word), use the rear fog light ONLY in
situations where visibility is --severely restricted--.  There is a reason
it's called a "rear FOG light", and not a "rear RAINY DAY light".

Brett

PS:The damn yuppie was getting out of his car and he was TALKING ON HIS
CELL PHONE.  We had been on a very curvy, very dangerous, back-country
road, covered with wet leaves.  In the rain.  In the dark.  It is amazing,
the restraint it took to keep from jumping out of the car and teaching the
Unenlightened One a lesson(like ramming the cell phone up his posterior.)

I'd like to coin a new term: "Road Stupidity".  Definition: "Causes 50% of
'Road Rage.' "  I blame things partly on the Massachusetts driver's test,
which asks you, among other things, if a seatbelt "is for holding your
groceries" or "is for restraining passengers in the event of a collision."