Category
Driving
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 9: When Leaving a Parking Space
How long does it take?
I will never cease to be amazed by how long it takes people to get into a car, get it started, and drive out of a parking space.
I know you saw me as you were getting into your vehicle. I know that you know that I’m waiting for your space. I know you know that there are now two[...]
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 8: Bicycles are Vehicles
Two wheels don’t make you special
I recently read that in Poland, riding a bicycle drunk can land you in prison, just as driving a car while intoxicated would. This has sparked “lively debate” about whether or not the rules for cyclists should be so strict.
Of course they should.
Cyclists are always complaining that[...]
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 7: Limit your Left Turns
There’s an old saying: “Everyone thinks he’s a good driver.” No doubt, I’m not the best driver in the world, but I do feel very strongly that there’s an unspoken code that is not being followed by most of the people with whom I share the road every day.
Perhaps this series will get me into [...] -
Driving
Regarding Driving Part 6: Accelerate into the Lane
02.09.09 | Permalink | 3 CommentsIf you’re going to cut me off, you’d better do it right
I don’t mean to pick on the minivan drivers. After all, owning a minivan is enough of a problem in and of itself. But drivers of said crapwagons do seem to be the biggest perpetrators of this week’s road offense.
This happens almost every time I get onto the highway, and
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 5: Stop Signs
They don’t turn green
Many native Californians have told me that when they were taught how to drive, the official instruction for stopping at a stop sign was to stop completely, count to three, and then start up again.
This is ridiculous.
Let’s take a moment to step back and think about why stop signs[...]
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 4: Hills
Step it back
Manual transmissions are dying out faster than the Polar Bear here in the U.S. While automatic cars have dominated here for quite a while, there had until recently always been that niche of driving enthusiasts who insisted that automatics were for wimps.[...]
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 2: Good Drivers Don’t Need Speedometers
09.08.08 | Permalink | 2 CommentsKnowing the Limitations of your Vehicle vs. Sticking to the Letter of the Law
Race cars don’t have speedometers. The world’s best drivers listen to their cars, rather than try to maintain an arbitrary number on a dial. They do this through several years of practice driving a particular car under particular road and weather conditions; they do it so often and so well that they can tell exactly what the car can[...]
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Driving
Regarding Driving Part 1: Accidents are Not Caused by Inanimate Objects
Cell Phones don’t cause accidents. Poor judgement does.
Recently, the great state of California joined other states who had already banned the hand-held use of cell phones while driving an automobile. This sort of legislation tends to anger me, because it feels like the right thing to do, but it misses the point entirely. It’s a great cheap way for politicians to score points with the electorate without having to hold people responsible for their actions. [...]
