Hit and Run

[60FlatTop]

1 hour ago, Peter Gariepy said:

So

 

Just like my wife notices all the slow trucks are Dodges, she also knows when she starts a sentence with "So"  I won't be listening.

 

Listen close and takes things literally. It will make you smile more.

[plymouthcranbrook]

6 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

You all are killing me. I learned to drive in and around Boston. The trick is to never make eye contact with the other driver at an intersection. If they know you've seen them, it's all over. 😁

Are you saying they can sense fear?

[vermontboy]

5 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

You all are killing me. I learned to drive in and around Boston. The trick is to never make eye contact with the other driver at an intersection. If they know you've seen them, it's all over. 😁

True, I  used to be assigned to Boston 2 or 3 months most years working for the Federal government and hated it, especially taxi drivers., Then I spent 6 months in Puerto Rico -probably 2/3rds San Juan and 1/3 in the mountains. I went directly from there to Boston and never had a problem cutting off cabbies again. No driver is braver than a Federal employee in a rental car. 

[Ed Luddy]

Today I drove this 1966 Bonneville from southwest of Toronto Ontario on the 401 Hwy thru construction, on 16 lanes of North America's busiest roadway.

Many truckers who have just arrived from 3rd world countries on our roads makes for a white knuckle experience at times. I stick to the far right lane when driving the old iron with very poor mirrors and convertible blind spots. Don't tell me I should have had the top down as it was just above freezing this morning and plenty of gravel trucks weaving thru the lanes!

[joe_padavano]

45 minutes ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

Are you saying they can sense fear?

 

All I can say is that we're trained on intersections that look like this.

 

 

[Matt Harwood]

2 hours ago, MikeC5 said:

A few years ago I had a business trip to Mumbai.  I was sooooo glad I had a driver.   If you want a little more excitement, take ride in a tuk tuk...

 

As a sophomore in college studying Russian, I had the opportunity to travel to Leningrad and Moscow for two weeks. The most interesting--and most terrifying--cab ride came with a big hairy driver who had decent English. As one of my classmates remarked that we were surely going to die during the trip, the cabby replied with the most Russian thing I've ever heard in my life: "Is OK. Everyone knows not to get in accident."

[mike6024]

 

Yes the roads of the greater Boston area seem to have been laid out way before cars were invented, like back in the days of the mule pulling the cart to market. Then they were "improved" to accommodate modern high speed vehicles. Very different from Orange County California where there is just an orthogonal grid, major boulevards infilled with two lane streets.

Edited May 12, 2021 by mike6024 (see edit history)

[plymouthcranbrook]

58 minutes ago, joe_padavano said:

 

All I can say is that we're trained on intersections that look like this.

 

 

No wonder my son drives the way he does. he lived in Lowell for 4 years.  Slowly and carefully.

[Jim Skelly]

8 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

 

I simply disagree.

 

Yes. There are bad drivers. But no worse 10-20-30 years ago.

 

I'd much rather drive today than anytime in history.  Lower accident rates, lower death rates.  

Oh, it has gotten a lot worse where I drive on the outskirts and just barely in Detroit for work over the past decade or so.  Stopping at red lights is optional, mandatory left or right-turn lane?  No problem if a person wants to continue going straight anyway or to go around us slowpokes when the light turns green.  The people blowing through a red light on my way to work is an almost daily occurrence.  If a traffic light is out and there are 4-way stop signs, the people on the busier street won't even slow down!  I have to disagree, Peter.

[Fossil]

8 hours ago, Peter Gariepy said:

20-30 years ago.

I disagree! 20-30 years ago every 5th person you met was not on a Cell phone.  

[Peter Gariepy]

4 hours ago, 60FlatTop said:

Listen close and takes things literally. It will make you smile more.

No

[8E45E]

10 hours ago, Matt Harwood said:

 

As a sophomore in college studying Russian, I had the opportunity to travel to Leningrad and Moscow for two weeks. The most interesting--and most terrifying--cab ride came with a big hairy driver who had decent English. As one of my classmates remarked that we were surely going to die during the trip, the cabby replied with the most Russian thing I've ever heard in my life: "Is OK. Everyone knows not to get in accident."

What make was his cab?  A Lada? A Mercedes Benz?

 

Craig

[trimacar]

All this talk of cabs reminds me of two interesting cab rides I’ve had.

 

The first was in Paris, and the driver started talking about being a cab driver in that city.  A couple of years and study, to learn every road street and alley there.  Being tested on them, and hard to pass the test.  Then, buy a license, (which at the time 15 years ago) was $300,000.  That did include the car, however, as it had to be purchased through the authorities.

 

The second was in Austria.  Got in a cab with a driver who spoke fair English, he was excited that we were Americans. He said every year he and his wife went to Las Vegas, great food and entertainment at what he considered reasonable prices (this was 25 years ago).  He then started talking about beer....”Ah, your American Budweiser,  excellent beer.....excellent for washing your feet with!”.........he didn’t think much of American beers, obviously...

Edited May 12, 2021 by trimacar (see edit history)

[joe_padavano]

19 minutes ago, trimacar said:

.”Ah, your American Budweiser,  excellent beer.....excellent for washing your feet with!”....

 

He wasn't wrong. Just sayin'...

[Guest]

On 5/10/2021 at 5:58 PM, 58L-Y8 said:

Not to excuse the hit and run driver but taking a 65 year old car on 495 is taking unnecessary chances with life and limb.

 I fail to see the reason behind your statement.

 A 1956 car is considered to be a "modern" car that is perfectly capable of driving at highway speeds.

[Matt Harwood]

1 hour ago, 8E45E said:

What make was his cab?  A Lada? A Mercedes Benz?

 

Craig

 

I distinctly remember landing at the airport and thinking that all the cabs looked like late 1960s Ford Falcons. That was the GAZ or the Volga, but I never figured out if it was the same company and two different models or one company and they just labeled them differently or what. But they were essentially the same car. That was by far the most popular type of car for cabs. There were also a few Muscoviches, which looked a bit like the old Fiats everyone expects in Russia. Ladas were around but I don't think anyone used them as cabs since the government supplied the car, although they did look like a partially-baked version of the Muscovich. There were almost no civilian cars driving around in the cities, almost all taxis and a shocking number of big trucks and buses. There were no Mercedes-Benzes--I don't think they were available (maybe illegal?) and if you were a big shot, you had a ZIL or a Chaika limousine. On our day at Red Square I spent more time watching the street hoping to see a big limousine than I did looking at V.I. Lenin in his box. In fact, I don't remember the driving being so scary, only that there wasn't much lane discipline--big roads were like 4 lanes wide but they'd totally ignore the stripes and sometimes there would be five lanes. That was a bit disconcerting. I never feared for my life, though. Our driver was surely quite used to with dealing with tourists.

 

The thing that stands out most of all, however, was the buses. They were installing a lot of electric buses with overhead wires in Moscow when we were there, but in Leningrad, most were these giant dinosaurs from the '50s (or not, who could tell with the progress of technology being so slow over there?). Their exhaust pipes were directed downwards and towards the sidewalks. So instead of exhausting upwards, they'd just blast these huge clouds of thick black soot onto the pedestrians, of which there were many. And nobody seemed to care. It's just how it was. It was shocking to me that nobody thought to simply route the exhaust pipe out the top of the bus instead. Maybe nobody was getting paid to think at that point, I don't know.

 

That was an awesome trip. It was right before the wall fell and things changed, but I got to see Soviet Russia at the height of its power and really get a feel for what it was like. As a car guy, the cars were not terribly interesting after you'd seen them all (which took about 10 minutes--there's not a lot of variety), but the architecture was endlessly curious. Red Square with St. Basil's contrasted with these giant gray concrete boxes everywhere else, like a Christmas ornament dropped in the slush by the side of the road.

 

 

Edited May 12, 2021 by Matt Harwood (see edit history)

[SC38dls]

I’ve seen a lot of “modern cars” with 400+ horse power doing 50-55 mph on interstate highways. I have taken my 38 6 cylinder 90 horsepower Studebaker on interstate highways when I haven’t had a choice on long 4-500 mile trips. It can cruise at 60 for hours and occasionally do 70 if really needed. This accident, based on what we know (important to remember it is only based on what we were told) was not the fault of the cars age. But a direct result of a driver not being aware (or maybe caring) about other drivers right to being on the road. Remember, driving is an activity you put a lot of trust in your fellow drivers. When someone doesn’t recognize that fact and respect others rights to that trust they cause accidents. This example has nothing to do with the car being an older vehicle, the only reason it is posted here is the owner needs to find another antique car. That’s a shame he has this problem due to the uncaring of an individual others put trust in. 
dave s 

[8E45E]

Thanks for the information, and for also stating when you went in 1989, immediately before the wall came down.    It was a HUGE change for the people there when the former USSR broke up into independent countries and went a market economy.

 

How were you able to travel there, being from the US?  Unless one was a journalist, it was near-impossible to visit, unless you flew from Toronto or Montreal.

 

Craig

[rocketraider]

14 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

 

All I can say is that we're trained on intersections that look like this.

 

 

Am I the only one who sees similarities to murder scene chalk outlines in some of these?😬

 

Ima quit talking smack about intersections here. Believe me, we have plenty of screwy ones, but nothing on that scale.

[joe_padavano]

43 minutes ago, rocketraider said:

Am I the only one who sees similarities to murder scene chalk outlines in some of these?😬

 

Ima quit talking smack about intersections here. Believe me, we have plenty of screwy ones, but nothing on that scale.

 

Actually, my first reaction was airport runway maps. 😁

 

[Ken_P]

On 5/11/2021 at 3:30 PM, bryankazmer said:

Rome is manageable.  1) all traffic lights are suggestions 2) Ignore the scooters, they will take care of themselves. 3) Pay attention if the immaculately-uniformed carabineri in the Alfa cop car wants you to go or stop.

 

Now Naples...

 

Having lived in Naples for 2 years:

 

- In Milan, the traffic lights are rules.

- In Rome, the traffic lights are suggestions.

- In Naples, the traffic lights are decorations!

 

Driving there was chaos, but it was controlled, and it was efficient. When traffic got bad, the 3 lane highway went to 5 or 6 lines, plus scooters whizzing around. The rule that everyone followed was: whoever is in front of your bumper has the right of way. They were going fast, but everyone paid attention, and drove defensively.

Edited May 13, 2021 by Ken_P (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

3 hours ago, 8E45E said:

How were you able to travel there, being from the US?  Unless one was a journalist, it was near-impossible to visit, unless you flew from Toronto or Montreal.

Mom took a trip there as a tourist in 1985.  I do not recall any issues, nor the departing from North America airport, as it was a group tour that left from Virginia. Lots of good stories, though. 😉

[8E45E]

1 hour ago, Frank DuVal said:

Mom took a trip there as a tourist in 1985.  I do not recall any issues, nor the departing from North America airport, as it was a group tour that left from Virginia. Lots of good stories, though. 😉

A friend of mine's parents took a trip to the Ukraine around that time as well.  It was easy for them as they still had relatives living there at the time, and were allowed to visit.   I believe it may have been easier also if one had relatives in those countries.  

 

Craig

[Buffalowed Bill]

 

I honestly don't know what the discussion of driving peculiarities has to do with the unfortunate situation of the poster and his Plymouth, but here's my two cents worth. I have always considered myself to be a reasonably good driver. I also have been fortunate enough to have been an a world traveler. I have always been struck by the differences in driving habits. I have found that painless driving is dependent on the immediate recognition and adaptability to the norm, wherever I am. That's why my driving style is different depending on whether I'm in Seattle, Boston, NY, LA, London, Rome, Mexico City, or the mountains of NC. I might add that most people adhere to the usual driving habits of the community in which they live and drive. When I get hollered at, in Boston, I know that I'm driving the way I need to.

 

 

[63RedBrier]

My wife and I are moving, slowly over the next 18 months, from traffic-choked Northern Virginia to rural Virginia.  We live in Alexandria about 2-3 miles south of Old Town about a mile east of Route 1.  Currently there are THREE major apartment/condo/townhouse developments going up within 2 miles of where we live.  When these are completed and the new owners move in Route 1 will become a parking lot no matter what time you try to use it!  Interstate 95 is another nightmare!  Going south I get on just above Occoquan where five lanes merge into three.  It is ALWAYS a choke point and I consider myself lucky on those few occasions when I can merge easily.  This past Friday afternoon as I was getting on (pulling a loaded 26' enclosed trailer with my 5.9 Cummins), the guy directly behind me in a minivan with MD tags pulled around me and sped up past me on the driver's side.  Luckily, I was glued to my mirrors and saw him.  He looked the other way as he passed me.  I could have easily merged right into his passenger side, but my truck and trailer would have been damaged and he probably would have plowed into other lanes of traffic.  What's the rush?  The absolute worst driver's are those driving German vehicles!  Audi driver's are on the top of the worst list (then BMW, then Mercedes)!  I think they think I paid up for this Audi, I'm better than you, so you need to get out of MY way...  Now for the next few days we are running out of fuel because of cyber criminals!  Yikes!   

[joe_padavano]

1 hour ago, 63RedBrier said:

My wife and I are moving, slowly over the next 18 months, from traffic-choked Northern Virginia to rural Virginia.  We live in Alexandria about 2-3 miles south of Old Town about a mile east of Route 1.  Currently there are THREE major apartment/condo/townhouse developments going up within 2 miles of where we live.  When these are completed and the new owners move in Route 1 will become a parking lot no matter what time you try to use it!  Interstate 95 is another nightmare!  Going south I get on just above Occoquan where five lanes merge into three.  It is ALWAYS a choke point and I consider myself lucky on those few occasions when I can merge easily.  This past Friday afternoon as I was getting on (pulling a loaded 26' enclosed trailer with my 5.9 Cummins), the guy directly behind me in a minivan with MD tags pulled around me and sped up past me on the driver's side.  Luckily, I was glued to my mirrors and saw him.  He looked the other way as he passed me.  I could have easily merged right into his passenger side, but my truck and trailer would have been damaged and he probably would have plowed into other lanes of traffic.  What's the rush?  The absolute worst driver's are those driving German vehicles!  Audi driver's are on the top of the worst list (then BMW, then Mercedes)!  I think they think I paid up for this Audi, I'm better than you, so you need to get out of MY way...  Now for the next few days we are running out of fuel because of cyber criminals!  Yikes!   

 

Having lived in NoVA since 1987, this is EXACTLY how it is around here.

[plymouthcranbrook]

63RedBrier do you remember as I do back in ancient times(1960’s) when that was said about Cadillac drivers?  That when they bought the car they thought they got title to the road.

[Grimy]

1 hour ago, plymouthcranbrook said:

63RedBrier do you remember as I do back in ancient times(1960’s) when that was said about Cadillac drivers?  That when they bought the car they thought they got title to the road.

I was around and driving in those ancient times and you're right.  Then in the 1980s the jerks bought Mercedes, and for the last 20 years, BMW.

[Frank DuVal]

5 hours ago, joe_padavano said:

Having lived in NoVA since 1987, this is EXACTLY how it is around here.

And why I moved south of there and then NEVER looked for a job back up in that area!😉 

My wife refuses to drive up there anymore, and she commuted (as in DROVE, not Metro) from Alexandria to downtown DC for 29 years.😲

Greg has tried to come to car club meetings at my house, and never made it because of backups on southbound 95. And same for me trying to go north for meetings.  Learned backroads around Quntico when traffic is bad. Now those roads are FULL.🤬

Who put a military base in the middle of busy area and cut off roads? I know, base was there before there was traffic...or those roads...🤔

[Jim Skelly]

I drove 95 from D.C. to Richmond once and vowed never to drive that road again.  The semis were right on your rear bumper the entire way and there were no cops to be seen anywhere.  It would not shock me if there are many fatalities due to the aggressive driving there.

[rocketraider]

I try to avoid I95 if at all possible. US1 and US301 used to be good alternatives but no more.

 

I40 from Raleigh to Winston-Salem NC is murderous too. Add in the 40 miles between Hillsborough and Greensboro  that I85 parallels with I40 and no surprise that locals call that stretch "Death Valley". Try to avoid that too since I retired and no longer have to travel to Raleigh 2-3 times a month. 

[plymouthcranbrook]

Another one:

 

https://www.yahoo.com/autos/colorado-car-crash-obliterates-2-180000922.html

 

[padgett]

Used to be you could tell a Boston car by the dents in the front fenders.

In Sao Paulo few outside mirrors survive.

Back in the days when US Highways were two lane blacktops (VA had three lane roads) and 22c/gal premium 400hp and a 4-speed was a Good Thing to have.