Mini Vans

[egsols]

Just as we cyclists think everyone should ride on a bike to see our frustration, everyone should take a ride in a big-rig to see what the road throws at them.

Courtesy is taught at a very young age and is oft learned by example. It is a difficult trait to instil in the ignorant.

I drive down a country road to work every day...very few cars, especially at 5:00 am, but......if there is one car behind me you can bet it's less then 2 seconds off my bumper and won't pass. Now I have to drive the next 20 minutes with some a%%'s lights in my mirrors. You would think, if they are not going to pass, then they are going the same speed, so why not open up a f^%&#* gap? Nope, very little consideration of others...seems to be a growing problem.

[Pat Kelly]

In a lot of states out west (except the country of California) allow truck to go the same speed as every other vehicle. That makes me not a road-block, but more a speed-bump. I get another 3 cents per mile if I keep my speed under 60 MPH. Another 1.5 cents for not idleing my truck.
Sorry I'm in the way, go around . Here in CA the speed limit for truck (and any vehicle towing a trailer) is 55 MPH. Exciting when everyone else is allowed to go 70 MPH, even in the same lane as me.

[ClarkGriswald]

I have come to the point where if someone is tailgating and its pissing me off.. I just put my blinker on and pull into something let em get out of my space and take off.. if they are doin it bad.

Thats hard for me to do but Ive decided not to let others piss me off to much, although how can it not when they are risking your safety and everyone elses but I can only control me..

[al_ngl]

Originally posted by ClarkGriswald
I have come to the point where if someone is tailgating and its pissing me off.. I just put my blinker on and pull into something let em get out of my space and take off.. if they are doin it bad.

Thats hard for me to do but Ive decided not to let others piss me off to much, although how can it not when they are risking your safety and everyone elses but I can only control me..

I had the exact same idea with the first minivan 10 feet away, but the road I was on has terrible visibility, hidden driveways, and blind,steep hills that make it unsafe anyway, let alone trying to turn off the road and get back on it. Just turns out I have to take that road about every day.

[ClarkGriswald]

Aye, I feel ya when ya cant find a good escape route. Indy is pretty busy with that loop around town and gettin in/out. Cincinatti (excuse the edit.. had some fun in cinci pullin trailers in the winter hehhe) is kinda hilly and crazy sometimes Ive found too.

I did a cool show once at the college in Indy , was a jazz group from up here in MI that needed us to do sound out of town. Was a fun night for me and my buddy hangin in town and then crash out in a big hotel. Then the gig in the morning/afternoon.

That sucks when you dont have an easy pull off.. stuck in curves and busy drivin.
Hard to put whats goin on behind ya out of your mind and concentrate on whats ahead sometimes.

[al_ngl]

I was actually in Avon Indiana, which merges into Indy on Indy's west side. Kinda sorta close to the drag strip and a little farther from the motor speedway. So I wasn't on 465 or anything, it was more situational danger than traffic danger.

What college did you do sound at in Indy? There are at least four colleges in Indy that I can think of. Do you sill do sound for bands anymore?

[Da-Bubble]

Minivans cause divorce!

My wife decided Mini-vans cause divorce. All of our friends that were happily married, had kids, got a minivan....got divorced. That's why we drive a lincoln town car = 5-star crash rating plus 23 mpg highway.

When the family does get too big for that, I plan on restoring an old 50-60's station wagon as the family truckster.

[Montreux_Blue]

Re: Minivans cause divorce!

Originally posted by Da-Bubble
When the family does get too big for that, I plan on restoring an old 50-60's station wagon as the family truckster.

You meant 50-60's Power Wagon right?

[Brent]

mimi vans

Anyone else feel this way?

Sure, I call them MEANy vans. SUVs (usually with soccor emblems)
have been also critisized by magazine editors..."plowing through our neighborhoods like Rhinos in a petting zoo."

I have got the attention of tailgaters at night by hitting the kill switch for a second then when turning it back on. The resultant Explosion & flash of light from flames shooting out of pipes had them backing off quickly. Once maybe a little too long. I have replaced my pipes since that BIG one.

[egleaves]

I have believed minivans to be evil for years now. They are far more likely to be driven by a soccer mom who is yapping on the phone with whoever in lieu of safely piloting 3000lbs of mass down the road. These things have so many airbags in them now, I don't think the people who drive them feel they have to drive safely, that's what airbags are for! I have driven more vehicles of varying types than I can recollect, but I do remember that the only one I drove that scared the hell out of me was a Ford Aerostar.

[barberad]

Here in Utah, where I have only been for about 2 years now, Your minivans are actually replaced by Expeditions, durangoes and suburbans. These people have an average of six kids. So add some 16 year old kid with a fresh drivers license, doing errands for mommy and showing off at how fast a BMW (Big Mormon Wagon) can go, into the mix. I PCSed here from Japan and have driven motorcycles in downtown Tokyo and this is by far, the worst place I have ever driven.
The other group that gets me here is the "Urban Cowboys" in they're jacked up Ford turbo diesels. They want to race with motorcycles and I just don't want to get caught in they're black death trail.
Salt Lake actually goes higher than L.A. some days for air pollution, due to all the diesel Pick up trucks.

[trbig]

My wife decided Mini-vans cause divorce. All of our friends that were happily married, had kids, got a minivan....got divorced.

I have also found that guys who pay for their wife to get new boobs... Same thing.

*Note to self... don't buy a minivan, and be happy just LOOKING at other peoples' wife! lol.

Tod

[rover]

I used to drive the big rigs. To this day, when I see a rig stuck in a long line of very slow traffic, and I am in the left lane doing 70 or more, I will back off, turn on my left blinker, and allow the big guy to get in the passing lane. When he winks his clearance lights at me, it more than makes up for the a$$holes behind me blowing their stupid horns and elevating their middle fingers. I also have a mini van, so I guess that makes me one of the stupid tailgaters, but I AM NOT. When the a$$holes tailgate me, I like to wait till there is much oncoming traffic, or a long no passing zone, and slow to 35 or so. Then when the a$$hole gets a chance, they will pass me like a maniac, and the majority of them are young ladies, which I really notice, especially when they give me the magic finger. A very big turn on.

[ClarkGriswald]

Is there an I U ? I cant remember but Im sure that our impression of the day was "theres a lot of beautiful girls in Indy". I know we were thinking that at least. (after a while everything seems like the same show, we were outside in a grassy/sidewalk area under a tent. I belive the show was Tim Cunningham a jazz saxophone guy, some local friends. Very good musicians.

[al_ngl]

IU? Yeah, Indiana University in Bloomington south of Indy. You must not watch college sports. Or it could have been University of Indianapolis, but that's small. Or IUPUI, which is also Indiana University.