Interesting commute this morning.

Sasquatch
New-tral
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Olive Branch, MS
Posts: 23

Right lane at the Goodman Road and Crestview stoplight, and a Chevy truck pulls up on my left. Glasspacks, stylin' rims, obviously a Hot Truck. About 200 feet yards ahead is a RH turn onto the I55 onramp and somehow I knew, KNEW beyond the shadow of a doubt, that this dufu.. err, fellow, intended to get there first. Don't ask me how, but I knew.

Oh, go ahead and ask! Smile

'twas my Road Clairvoyance®. It's a sixth sense I've developed through decades and hundreds of thousands of miles of motorcycling. Those of you who don't ride may doubt, and even some who do might be amazed at how accurate it is. Be that as it may, hardly a week goes by but that I get that tingling that tells me Something Bad Is About To Happen. By the time it does, I've usually identified the miscreant, what driving faux pas he is about to make, and am poised to take appropriate action. Scoff if you will, but it's meant the difference between life and death for me, many times over...

Anyway, it's not motorcycle-specific, and serves me well in the automotive world, too. The light turns green and, sure enough, this bloke hammers it. But, of course, so had I. Big grin

By the time he figured out that he was not gonna get the drop on me, I was redlined in second. At that point, he dropped in behind. Right behind me. As in inches off my bumper. Obviously a NASCAR fan - If you can't get around, you draft as close as you can. Wink

Well, what could I do? Couldn't back off, lest I get a half-ton truck up the wazoo. So I kept it pinned all the way through the onramp. It's not posted, but 30 to 35 MPH would probably be considered Safe And Reasonable. I was doin' at least 70. Big grin

I'll give him credit.. he hung with me deeper than I'd have thought possible with a truck. I still had enough in reserve that I sneaked a peek just in time to see him spin a beautiful 360. Wink

Hopefully, he learned a lesson from this - "Small car" doesn't necessarily equal "Slow car". Wink

_________________
-Ricky

Disclaimer: The account related here, while true, was foolish. I advocate responsible and courteous driving, and do not recommend you try this at home. Do As I Say, Not As I DO. Close Cover Before Striking. Contents May Settle During Shipping.

Originally posted on the miata.net 'Favorite Rides' forum... -rlm

From: Rick McBroom
Sent: Sunday, November 12, 2006 7:36 AM
To:: Ray Woods
Subject: Re: Dear Santa, this is all I want for Christmas
>
> Not bad...wouldn't mind finding that one under the tree myself....

I doubt even Santa could afford that one, though..

But I dunno. Considering a guy in CA recently sold a mint condition numbers-matching 1971 Hemi 'cuda for three MILLION, this fellows $170K Buy-It-Now price actually seems quite reasonable. I could do without the white-trimmed interior, but other than that there's not a thing I'd change about that car.

> Hey...about the Miata oil change....get the filter wrench
> socket thingy that fits over the end of the filter and..

I will. A fellow on miata.net suggested the same.

> ..about a three foot extension.....then go after it
> thru the pasenger side wheel well. Much easier.

Will try that, too. With the size of my paws, the only viable alternative is to remove the splash shield and come in from the bottom. And that durned splash shield is a pain to R&R!

> ...and about the latest entry with the truck on the on-ramp
> ....LOL!!! Way to go! judy says, "We've created a monster!"

Wink

Pam said something similar, after first reading me the riot act over racing her car. THEN she got a good laugh out of it.

> and as for what buffalo said about heel and toe.....with
> your feet (Sasquatch!) I'm surprised that you can hit *just*
> the gas or brake pedals.

I won't lie t'ya - I have indeed 'doubled up' on the pedals unintentionally more than a few times. Wink

Both clutch/brake with me left hoof, and brake/gas with the right. Mostly just when I was getting used to the car, though, it hasn't happened for a while.

> heh...I'd love to see you try and drive a Lotus Elan. Even
> my teenage feet at the time had problems fitting on just one
> pedal at a time on that one.

Couldn't be worse than a Chevette. Drove a friend's manual trans version once, and it was nearly impossible for me. 'course Chevette's were such a POS, 'twas no loss.

> ...and I am TOTALLY jealous of Buffalo driving that
> D prod Jag. <sigh>... maybe in my next life....

He's certainly lived a full life, has our Buffalo!

-Ricky
Zoom Zoom!

From: Rick McBroom
Sent: Friday, November 10, 2006 7:15 PM
To: Buffalo
Subject: RE: Miata story...

> TSK TSK TSK.. I would NEVER do such a thing..<LOL>

Riiiiiiight. And you've got some mountain property down there in Florida you'd like to sell me, right? ;-)

> I was taught to drive by the very best.. My cousin
> <David Pearson <Woods Brothers #21> was first to win
> $@ mil in a season.

Can't imagine a better tutor! You're esteemed cousin is among the Top Five Best Ever NASCAR drivers, IMHO.

And it ain't just me! Forget these latter-day NASCAR 'fans' that think Tony is the be-all-and-end-all. Ask any of us old hands that were fans back in King Richard's day and, guess what? The name 'Pearson' is right up there with 'Petty'!

> I also drove mechanic races in the sport car
> stuff. I.E. D Production Jag owned by a close
> friend <Dr. Phillip Lee of Stanford <CA>
> Medical center.>

I hate you!

Well, no I don't. :-) 'cause you don't take this for granted. No, you are, I know, the kinda guy that realizes what a privelege this all was.

> Remember Heal and toe Ricky..

Errr.. I think you mean HEEL and toe, Buff. If so, yeah, I ken. My '67 Mustang learned me that, 3 decades ago. :-)

> ..also brake and turn to setup..by turning
> left to go right.. You would be surprised
> how fast you can take a corner when the
> weight is set ahead of time..

I learnt that in a Mopar...

> Course you already knew all this huh? ;-)

Honest t'gosh, I did. I'm 5 decades into this stuff, Buffalo. :-) Well.. 4, anyway. Didn't do much drivin' that first decade. ;-)

> Be who you are .. Say what you feel..
> Because those who matter don't mind...
> And those who mind don't matter! < Dr Suess >

Amen!

-Ricky
Zoom Zoom!

jambo101
Supporting Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Montreal. 97 montego blue.eh!
Posts: 3,465

Big grin

i've had similar experiences with tailgaters,and its so much fun to see what they do when they realize that they are all of a sudden way over their heads,they usually understear right off the road..

Fun_4_2
Second gear
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: philadelphia
Posts: 170

I do not like provoking/instigating problems. I don't see the maturity in it. But if somebody tail gates me or some other stupid thing, I will show them what my car (and my driving ability) can do that they cannot. I love it when they disappear from the rear view mirror. Many follow you into the curve, very few follow you out. The other day, some guy (I think he was another doc, because I saw his car with the same personalized plates) in our parking garage at the University and I'm sure he saw mine because mine was parked right next to the entrance to the hospital and he left a little posted note with a smiley face and "next time" written on it) in a 911 tailgaiting me on a 4 lane twity curvy road (Lincoln Drive/Kelly Drive) and doesn't get off my tail. I floored, he floors it, and as soon as I hit the curves, he disappeared from the rear view. 10 minutes later, on the straights, I see him screaming down the road. Then, again in the twisties, he disappeared. Considering his car (brand new 911) I think it was clearly an inept driver. That car should have SMOKED me. Maybe I need stop wasting money on photography gear and trips, and save up on a 911 so I can be like the other docs with performance cars they don't know how to drive. Ha Ha. I thank my mom (yes my mom) for teaching me how to drive in a big V8 RWD car in NYC. She used to take that thing on the Taconic and the Merrit parkway and drive it like nobody's business. Calls dad an old fuddyduddy. Sorry for going off on a tangent. Students call me Dr. Tangent.

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