Drop Clutch

Something nice about a small pickup - you can dump the clutch and make a lot of noise without going anywhere.

So today I was sitting at a stoplight. The light turned green. Across the intersection crossing my lanes were three people. Targets. This is Las Vegas - anyone crossing against the light is fair game. Especially someone who stares you down, pops their nose up in the air, and keeps going.

The person on my right whips past and almost hits a ped. The guy on my left and I both stop pretty close to the peds. Once they clear him he takes off. Once they _almost_ clear me, I rev the engine and dump the clutch. Lots of noise and not much motion. On my part anyway. I got the satisfaction of watching the two pretentious women completely lose their composure and bolt for the sidewalk.

Yeah, I can be a dick, but typically only when provoked.

Ah, They're Back

Westbound on Trop just after Pecos traffic was backed up this morning. Seriously backed up. Finally I find out it's a disabled van in the middle lane. So why is traffic after that still backed up? Ah... And accident has closed down an entire block. Stupid people are back with a vengeance.

And eastbound on Warm Springs before Eastern. Another disabled car blockign traffic. Yippee.

Then tonight in the development I heard a screech and some honking.

Yup, stupid people are back with a vengeance. Must've just been on vacation.

Must Be The Weather

I've seen very few accidents lately. This change happend right at about the time the weather started staying under the mid 90s. I think people are paying more attention now that they're not overheated.

I did see a Sprint truck almost take out a car int he lane next to him. Nothing major, nothing exciting, but it's a little comforting.

Punk Night

It must've been "Punk Isn't Dead" night at the Roadhouse. Almost hit a couple as they wandered across Boulder Highway. Now, while it's all well and good that you have a nice spikey mohawk, I have 3000 lbs of car that says I win.

Erch

Right, so I traded in the 3000 GT (half a minivan) on a 1998 base Toyota Tacoma. Used to be someone's work truck. All I need is a lawnmower and four illegals in the back and I'll look like every other base Tacoma on the road. I'm afraid to go to a nursery for fear of getting mobbed.

Anyway, this thing has no weight over the driving axle. None. Tires chirp and the rear end breaks loose with the slightest provocation.

So I'm stopped at a light in a school zone. Group of kids walks across the street. They're at that age. That age full of hormones and self righteousness. Nasty little bastards slowly ambled across the middle of the road as the light turned green. So I waited until they were just inches past my truck and dropped the clutch. Hehe... Probably the only exercise they got all day.

Crack Ho Day

It was old crack whore day at Albertson's on Saturday. Bring an over the hill crack ho with you and get 10% off. Seriously. One winked at me. She was wearing a lot less than she should've been. I almost panicked and ran out of the store.

Anyway... While trying to get out of the parking lot, I'm looking around to make sure I'm not going to get hit. Some dude in a van zips past me, cutting across the parking lot. Just as I'm about to go, some lady whips around parked cars and cuts across the lot, almost side swiping me.

At that point I've had enough and just romp on the gas. Behind me I hear a screech and some angry shouting. Satisfied grin...

Don't Panic

If I'm a quarter mile away from you and I happen to swerve around a bit, you don't need to panic and come to a stop. I may very well be doing something as simple as avoiding a pothole. Or a rock. In no way am I endangering your life, however pointless it may be. In fact, I'm probably not even endangering mine. If this is your normal reaction, I don't understand how you can drive anywhere in this city.

3000 GT

I really don't understand why the 3000 GT has such a rabid following. See, there are reasons why there aren't a lot of front wheel drive sports cars. The biggest reason is that they handle like crap.

Let's take, for example, hitting a corner too fast. In a Subaru, you just kind of slide - you can either use the gas or brake to help control the slide. No oversteer, no understeer, it just goes. In a Corvette, you let off the gas to help pull out of the slide, or push the accelerator to push the car down into the corner.

A GT doesn't react so well. When it starts to slide, you have to push the gas and hope it'll pull you out of the corner. If you tap the brakes, you slide more because _all_ of the weight has been pulled off the rear wheels. You have to keep on the gas and just kind of ride it out.

The only upside of this is that this characteristic of a FWD sports car has almost gotten me out of my car loan a few times.