I don’t mean to be snarky, but did you miss a “0” or do you consider 100 mi/week to be a lot of driving? Because my commute alone used to put 250 miles a week on my car…
Heck, I would drive 35 miles each way commuting between Gardena and Tustin (in Orange County), five times a week–350 miles in all. Besides, I drove a neighbor to a relative ’ s home in Palm Desert (150 miles each way) and brought another neighbor back from Las Vegas (300 miles away).
I’ll never forget the 18’ Uhaul trailer hooked up to a beater station wagon I saw once; the trailer and car made a sort of “V” shape that was about 20 degrees off level- if there were any large bumps, I think the rear bumper of the car would have hit the ground. As it was, small bumps were making the whole thing oscillate up and down in an unsafe looking way. In addition, the station wagon was crammed totally full of crap as well- like some sort of latter-day Joad family or something. I felt bad for the people driving the station wagon that they had to pack all their crap in there and the trailer and unsafely drag the whole circus up I-45 northbound.
It couldn’t have done that station wagon’s drivetrain and suspension any favors.
I posted this over at the Geeb, but given the topic, it bears repeating.
People who should be charged with DWHUA (long rant)
Had to drive to New Orleans and back this weekend for a tournament. Now, I gotta admit - I loves me some cruise control. I’ll set that puppy on the speed limit, get in the travel lane, get some good distance between me and the vehicle in front and sail on down the road.
Every once in a while, I’ll come up behind someone who is driving slower than the speed limit for whatever reason. No problem, I’ll just pass him. Except…I can’t, because the passing lane is jammed full of people who think the speed limit doesn’t apply to them and they have no problem tailgating one another. They are wrecks looking for a place to happen, but I digress. Eventually, a gap will show up, I’ll get around the slow guy and roll on down the road.
But on the way back home, I encountered yet another person who should be charged with Driving With Head Up Ass, and whose license should be revoked forever (not to mention being castrated so they can’t spawn, and while we’re at it, let’s dig up their ancestors and burn their bodies). I’m in the travel lane, blocked out of the passing lane as described above, but this asshole thinks that the people in the passing lane aren’t speeding fast enough to suit him. He pulls into the travel lane and starts passing them on the right, until he comes up to me. And he settles in, one foot behind my rear bumper, and begins to flash his headlights and honk, wanting me to get out of his way. And I have to wonder…where the hell does he think I’m going to go? Am I going to suddenly levitate so he can pass directly under me? Am I going to suddenly jerk the wheel to the left and force the car next to me to eat the median? WTF, dude? I’m thinking about going off cruise control and starting to slow down in front of him, but he would have hit me if I had.
So he finally gets tired of me not getting out of his way and proceeds to pass me - on the shoulder. He nearly loses it getting back into the travel lane and once he straightens out, he flips me off. I’d like to say that karma got him and I passed him five miles later getting a ticket, but sadly that didn’t happen. And this is not the first time I have had people do this, or have seen people do it in front of me.
Aarrgghhh. <tl;dr version> Mutter, bitch, grumble, jerk drivers, grumble, grumble.
This reminds me of the time I wanted to rent a dolly to tow a vehicle. The UHaul clerk asked what I was driving and what I was towing and refused to rent to me. I don’t know if he thought a girl :eek: was incapable of towing or what, but it totally screwed up the plans we’d made for getting my inlaws’ car back to them - I had to scramble to find a friend who’d drive the second car for me.
For the record, I do have experience towing. I can’t tell you how many miles I’ve gone in a van with a 23’ full-keel sailboat behind me - and I could back that sucker like a pro!!