tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post2716235019907785563..comments2024-01-30T22:53:34.269-08:00Comments on Musings of an Intrepid Commuter: irondadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17821323482397075170noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-14409923202962137592008-10-29T15:03:00.000-07:002008-10-29T15:03:00.000-07:00I see the same behavior from hybrid owners. Especi...I see the same behavior from hybrid owners. Especially in the city streets and freeways.<BR/><BR/>I have a theory. Here it goes. The smugsies are obsessed with keeping their hybrids charged fully. In order to achieve full charge, they will slam the brakes. Slamming the brakes sends the chargometer screaming to stratosphere but drives every other nuts.<BR/><BR/>Unfortunately I noticed this while driving with a smugsy-like friend who gets excited about how her car is running while braking. I pointed out to her what her braking incessantly does to rest of the traffic. Her reaction - surprise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-54489255072414537862008-10-28T21:07:00.000-07:002008-10-28T21:07:00.000-07:00Steve L,That was pretty much an exact quote as I r...Steve L,<BR/>That was pretty much an exact quote as I remember it. Don't know what he meant exactly. See the next post for more of my thoughts.<BR/><BR/>I would hope that being the opposite of him was a compliment. <BR/><BR/>Gotta get me one of those horns!<BR/><BR/>Stacy,<BR/>My son told me about the South Park thing when I told him what had happened. Something about a bunch of Prius drivers and a stifling cloud of smugness.<BR/><BR/>Fasthair,<BR/>Believe me, I really wanted to do it, too!<BR/><BR/>Dom,<BR/>Thanks for the quote and reference. I appears I'm going to have to become more educated on this situation.<BR/><BR/>R.G.<BR/>It stuck in my craw, too. I was pretty slow to fall asleep that night as I was churning over the situation. The name just sprang to mind. <BR/><BR/>Bryce,<BR/>We are restricted to 6 characters. Diesel has become even more expensive here than supreme unleaded. Which is totally opposite of the way it's been for decades. I think the lure of not using petroleum products at all is driving the quest for now.<BR/><BR/>Lucky,<BR/>More than the Macaw experience? <BR/><BR/>Dean W,<BR/>What? Yet another motorcycle? I don't know how you can keep buying them but you're certainly my role model!<BR/><BR/>Doug C,<BR/>I have to admit that I wouldn't ride just for ecology if I wasn't having so much fun. <BR/><BR/>Gail,<BR/>I have to admit I didn't know who Robert Parker is. A trip to the library today was in order. I found he writes mysteries. I've always been a Raymond Chandler fan but Parker looks intriguing. I brought a book home. Thanks.<BR/><BR/>Katie says I should put all my stories together into a book. Sort of like the James Herriot thing. Might be fun. <BR/><BR/>Steven,<BR/>Personally, I'm not tall enough to comfortably ride a BMW GS1200, let alone a high horse!<BR/><BR/>Dave,<BR/>You speak wisely. Look at the next post.<BR/><BR/>Bobskoot,<BR/>Funny story. Good devious use of psychology on him. Once you take a driver's "anonymous shell", aka car, away from them, it now becomes personal. You did this by being in his work parking lot. Now he's out in the open. Different story.<BR/><BR/>Nicely done!<BR/><BR/>Take care,<BR/><BR/>Danirondadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17821323482397075170noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-62803319653226795812008-10-28T14:25:00.000-07:002008-10-28T14:25:00.000-07:00"Bikers are irresponsible. You're the opposite of ..."Bikers are irresponsible. You're the opposite of ---- drivers. Pretty soon you'll all be gone."<BR/><BR/>A while ago, I had the same problem with an inconsiderate driver. Every morning at the same time, on the same road, same thing, passing on the right, butting back into the line, tailgating, gassing it at the light . . . anything to get one car ahead. One day I just "snapped". On this particular morning I saw him in my mirror, went slower and left a gap in front of me and he "went for the bait" and now he was in front of me. He knew I was mad. I shadowed his every more, slow, fast, changing lanes, whatever. He couldn't shake me "off his tail" . eventually he went the speed limit and I followed him right into his workplace parking lot. I turned around went really slow and stared him in the eye as I pulled out and continued on my way. I have not seen him since and that was about a year ago.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05258612401956399482noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-35445576504741164992008-10-28T07:53:00.000-07:002008-10-28T07:53:00.000-07:00Steven wrote-"why would these people spend good mo...Steven wrote-<BR/>"why would these people spend good money on a Prius when you can just ride their high horse?"<BR/><BR/>Horses emit greenhouse gases. ;-)Dean Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00312658128426614145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-88031203529858651212008-10-28T07:05:00.000-07:002008-10-28T07:05:00.000-07:00Don't you live in the "smug"- est area of the coun...Don't you live in the "smug"- est area of the country (besides maybe Vermont) in terms of purported greeness :):)?<BR/>While he could have hurt you, was he really any more smug than the biker/scooter crowd that is constantly striving to prove that they are the righteous ones of the rolling world?<BR/>It is up to us to ride responsibly to prove him wrong. When he see's someone doing a wheelie on the expressway or blasting through narrow holes in traffic because they fit, at speeds way over the limit or doing a stoppie in front of McDonalds - he knows he is right.Just like the teenage driver that has to pay high insurance in spite of their personal record, we all pay the social price for those guys.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-27381443771816113932008-10-28T06:10:00.000-07:002008-10-28T06:10:00.000-07:00why would these people spend good money on a Prius...why would these people spend good money on a Prius when you can just ride their high horse?Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18006392231667016999noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-32331551658015395462008-10-28T05:29:00.000-07:002008-10-28T05:29:00.000-07:00You are Robert Parker on two wheels. I think you c...You are Robert Parker on two wheels. I think you can parlay this into a book.SheRidesABeemerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14090181977933654976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-40588195348272383532008-10-28T04:49:00.000-07:002008-10-28T04:49:00.000-07:00The debate over the best choice for fuel efficienc...The debate over the best choice for fuel efficiency can go on forever and its a worthwhile discourse. But is that the primary reason that anyone rides? <BR/><BR/>A smaller carbon footprint is a secondary benefit to the enjoyment of riding.<BR/><BR/>Small people come in all flavors. Smug is just one of many distasteful blends that seem to permeate our lives. Your "correction" was probably the best course of action. There ain't enough "sweet" around to make these people happy.Doug Chttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16314291929364463623noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-83336679949960300222008-10-27T23:02:00.000-07:002008-10-27T23:02:00.000-07:00So if buying a used car is environmentally respons...So if buying a used car is environmentally responsible, buying a used motorcycle should be more so, right?<BR/><BR/>-Dean, with his eye on a DRZ400SMDean Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00312658128426614145noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-34297509223985057712008-10-27T20:51:00.000-07:002008-10-27T20:51:00.000-07:00Your story made my evening.Your story made my evening.Luckyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12481824369632937289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-7143898070098909672008-10-27T19:29:00.000-07:002008-10-27T19:29:00.000-07:00Suspect Oregon allows only six digita on their pla...Suspect Oregon allows only six digita on their plates,<BR/>customized or other wise. So six numerals, or six letters or a combination of both. <BR/>Here in ontario it used to be limited<BR/>to five, and now we can do eight<BR/>be they letters or numbers or a combination. My car plate is VA3TRN<BR/>and a I'll let others figure that one out.<BR/><BR/>As to the Prius, may I remind everybody in North America you get far better bang for your fuel by using diesel fuel! However the Americans seem to have a love affair with gasoline so gasoline is what powers car, oh and banks of batteries charged by the gasoline powered motor. And pray tell when the batteries need replacing, where do they go, eh?<BR/><BR/>Now as to His Smugness, suspect <BR/>young Dan probably enjoyed every minutes of this, his latest escapade. Persoanlly I looked at hybrid and thought, nice car, too expensive for my blood. I'll continue to drive my ten year old very low mileage Honda Civic which still returns about 40 mpg or better. Very important when said fuel in US terms is STILL well<BR/>over $4.00 a gallon. Which in turn makes any motorcycle of any<BR/>displacement very fuel efficient.<BR/><BR/>A short story...the province of Ontario two years gave each municipality in the provincea<BR/>tax incentive to purchase fuel efficient vehicles. Note I said fuel efficient. The province of Ontario is huge, in area. Some municipalities purchased Toyota products, Prius and corolla. Others purchased Smart cars (with the diesel engine) and others simply purchased diesel powered vehicles. We get winter here, real winter. Guess which vehicles are<BR/>still operating as well as the day<BR/>they were purchased? <BR/>The diesel trucks, yes, and some <BR/>diesel trucks operate on propane as <BR/>it is not taxed as a fuel, and the<BR/>Smart Cars. The Toyotas were used for parking services, some places c all the green hornets, the hybrid vehicles could withstand a 7/24 schedule and soon failed. The Corollas made 300,000 kilometres but not without problems. The few who purchased Smartcar are laughing<BR/>as they are still running and still<BR/>returning superb mileage from their 900 cc diesel engines. Sure they<BR/>get serviced regularly but they just keep going and they sip fuel.<BR/><BR/>Makes one think that just maybe they are on to something. Oh and<BR/>one other thing; diesel gets you twice as far on a gallon of fuel as a gallon of gasoline. <BR/><BR/>Am waiting for the 2010 model year when a diesel Honda Civic may well availableBrycehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15760433604853253299noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-71630560951289963492008-10-27T19:22:00.000-07:002008-10-27T19:22:00.000-07:00in situations like that, where the other driver ac...in situations like that, where the other driver acts as if they haven't seen you I like to vent my frustration with a nice long blast of the 139 dB Stebel air horn.<BR/><BR/>It will literally make people jump and drop their cellphone/coffee/lipstick!<BR/><BR/>I certainly would not have been as civil as you were with a comment like that!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-46944605183233563842008-10-27T19:06:00.000-07:002008-10-27T19:06:00.000-07:00Smugsy?!! That is too funny! I applaud your restra...Smugsy?!! That is too funny! I applaud your restraint. When something like that happens to me it sticks in my craw and only time can make it better. At least you got to put your ABS to the test.R.G.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13391687835663071755noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-63795585821297091602008-10-27T18:54:00.000-07:002008-10-27T18:54:00.000-07:00Next time, you can tell the next prius-driving, se...Next time, you can tell the next prius-driving, self-righteous ignoramus:<BR/><BR/>quote;<BR/>Making a Prius consumes 113 million BTUs, according to sustainability engineer Pablo Päster. A single gallon of gas contains about 113,000 Btus, so Toyota's green wonder guzzles the equivalent of 1,000 gallons before it clocks its first mile.<BR/>unquote<BR/><BR/>Full article here:<BR/><A HREF="http://www.wired.com/science/planetearth/magazine/16-06/ff_heresies_09usedcars" REL="nofollow">Buy a Used car, not a hybrid!</A><BR/><BR/>you exercised better restraint than I fear I would have....redlegsrideshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10927757855921321097noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-36903129602103323892008-10-27T17:23:00.000-07:002008-10-27T17:23:00.000-07:00I'm pretty passive when someone pulls a bone head ...I'm pretty passive when someone pulls a bone head play like that. That comment would have made me want to choke the last bit of O2 out of this guys lungs! <BR/><BR/>fasthairfasthairhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16578895011107651084noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-76820999579361521152008-10-27T17:19:00.000-07:002008-10-27T17:19:00.000-07:00Oh, my! I almost don't know where to begin with th...Oh, my! I almost don't know where to begin with this one.<BR/><BR/>I'm pretty sure my SV gets better mileage than a Prius. Plus, it's not packed with environment-killing lithium batteries. Someone will be laughing in 10 years when those batteries need to be replaced.<BR/><BR/>This reminds me of an episode of South Park. Yes, South Park can be very crude, but its scathing critique of our culture is often worth watching!<BR/><BR/>You can even view the full episode online:<BR/><BR/><A HREF="http://www.southparkstudios.com/guide/1002/" REL="nofollow">Smug Alert</A> (click on "Watch This Full Episode")Stacyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04582046943770681695noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20666162.post-23243114934577758922008-10-27T13:43:00.000-07:002008-10-27T13:43:00.000-07:00Did he seriously say this?"Bikers are irresponsibl...Did he seriously say this?<BR/>"Bikers are irresponsible. You're the opposite of hybrid drivers. Pretty soon you'll all be gone."<BR/><BR/>What a strange thing to say! <BR/>what does that mean to be the opposite of Hybrid Drivers?<BR/>Is that a compliment?<BR/><BR/>Here in Eugene, we have our fair share of hybrids on the road. I see more on I-5 than I do around town - and I'm normally being passed by them too!<BR/><BR/>Mabe they conveniently forget that when they are travelling at freeway speeds, they are basically just driving a regular gasoline powered vehicle - albeit one that is heavier than it's non-hybrid equivalent!<BR/><BR/>He may think he is emitting less CO2, but I suspect that there may have been an increase in CH4 (in his pants) as he left the parking lot!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com