# The Dalai Lama just drove past my house **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 20, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181 "2008-07-20T21:35:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/1 "2008-07-20T21:35:42Z")
Twice actually. He’s here in Madison for a few days of talks and ceremonies (there’s a fair Tibetan presence here, and a major Tibetan Buddhist temple just south of town). It’s a pretty big deal obviously and security is very tight. We live on the same road as the Coliseum where he has been speaking. The motorcade comes through to whisk him away at the end of the day’s events. Yesterday, we heard a ton of sirens (which we’re used to - our road is also a main thoroughfare to 2 of the 3 major hospitals) and I looked out the window to see a long procession of motorcycle cops, state troopers and black suburbans hauling ass past the house. We assume its something to do with the DL’s visit but don’t see anything to confirm it so we shrug and go about our business. Then about 10 minutes ago, we hear the sirens coming again, and She & I go to the window to see what’s up. Same procession, but all the windows in the suburbans are down and we can see a bunch of saffron and crimson robes and faces looking out the windows. I swear one of the faces was the Dalai Lama. And I thought our eyes locked for a second. Maybe it was him and maybe it wasn’t, but it’s a cool little story that I thought I’d share. 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/2 "2008-07-20T22:07:21Z")
Jeez, I didn’t even know he was in town, let alone for 6 days. I guess I’ll… keep on doing what I normally do. ---
**Author:** ![Cunctator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cunctator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cunctator)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/3 "2008-07-20T23:18:54Z")
The Pope drove past mine last week. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/4 "2008-07-21T00:55:29Z")
According to media reports: The Dalai Lama has been to Madison quite a few times. It has a special meaning for him and his People. So the large permanent presence of Tibetans in the Madison area says more about Madison than just a place where a large number live there, as if by accident. Also, he is going to perform a ceremony that has never occurred before in the Western Hemisphere. This may also be his last ever visit to Madison. ---
**Author:** ![cher3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/da6949/32.png) [@cher3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cher3)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/5 "2008-07-21T17:11:08Z")
He had lunch at the Harvard Faculty Club one day, back when I was a freshman busing tables. I don’t recall whether he had the Indian pudding or not. ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/6 "2008-07-21T17:48:40Z")
[QUOTE=Duckster] According to media reports: The Dalai Lama has been to Madison quite a few times. It has a special meaning for him and his People. So the large permanent presence of Tibetans in the Madison area says more about Madison than just a place where a large number live there, as if by accident. Also, he is going to perform a ceremony that has never occurred before in the Western Hemisphere. This may also be his last ever visit to Madison. [/QUOTE] If he died there, maybe that’s where they could look for his next reincarnation. It’s going to be difficult to get a potential DL out of Tibet these days, what with the Chinese occupation. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/7 "2008-07-21T18:23:13Z")
[QUOTE=Baker] If he died there, maybe that’s where they could look for his next reincarnation. [/QUOTE] A new Dalai Lama reincarnated as a Badger? Brings new meaning to the phrase, “Go Big Red!” 😃 ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/8 "2008-07-21T18:42:52Z")
Maybe that’s the new gig for Favre… ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/9 "2008-07-21T21:11:43Z")
Interesting. Just passing by. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/10 "2008-07-21T22:31:54Z")
I’m not nitpicking but just curious: did he literally _drive_ by your house (i.e. was he behind the wheel) or was he in a car being driven? (I’m just curious whether or not he can drive.) ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/11 "2008-07-21T23:00:18Z")
He’s visiting the Deer Park Buddhist Center. [Events.](http://www.dalailamafoundation.org/members/en/events.jsp#80720) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/12 "2008-07-22T00:03:48Z")
\*\*The Dalai Lama just drove past my house \*\* Oh what I could have done with this thread title! I wish something cool would happen in front of my place. Highly spiritual people tend to avoid my neck of the woods though. ---
**Author:** ![Omi\_no\_Kami](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Omi\_no\_Kami](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omi_no_Kami)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/13 "2008-07-22T00:23:12Z")
[QUOTE=Sampiro] (I’m just curious whether or not he can drive.) [/QUOTE] This fails to answer your question with stunning grace, but I once saw an interview where he was talking about his childhood, and how he was always fascinated by technology. Apparently he inherited two cars from his predecessor, and when he was in his early teens he tried to drive one without formal lessons, and crashed in like ten seconds. His comment was something to the effect of “All I remember is that I got in, and we were going, and then they were pulling me out and we had to get the car fixed.” ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 6:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/14 "2008-07-22T06:01:44Z")
I keep thinking of [this joke](http://www.wocka.com/428.html) every time I see this thread title. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2008, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/15 "2008-07-22T15:04:53Z")
When he drove by, did you sing “Hello, Dalai”? ---
**Author:** ![UntouchedTakeaway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d78d45/32.png) [@UntouchedTakeaway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UntouchedTakeaway)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2008, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/16 "2008-07-23T02:14:36Z")
I was just about to ask if you lived in Warren County, NJ, because he was staying at a Tibetan retreat less than a mile from my house about a week/10 days ago. Small town - lotsa SS types talking into their wrists - was big news. 😛 VCNJ~ ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/17 "2008-07-28T21:50:56Z")
You should have shouted out, “Yo Dalai!” ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2008, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/18 "2008-07-28T22:19:50Z")
he was in Aspen, Co. last week Dude gets aroun’. ---
**Author:** ![Kozmik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8dc957/32.png) [@Kozmik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kozmik)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/19 "2008-07-30T22:04:25Z")
He met with John McCain. It was a photo-op, sure, but the Dalai Lama was holding McCain’s hand so tight that the would-be President was ready to let go. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 30, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dalai-lama-just-drove-past-my-house/457181/20 "2008-07-30T23:33:11Z")
[QUOTE=Kozmik] He met with John McCain. It was a photo-op, sure, but the Dalai Lama was holding McCain’s hand so tight that the would-be President was ready to let go. [/QUOTE] I saw the video on the Daily Show. McCain looked hideously uncomfortable, like a kid whose smelly grandma was hugging him and wouldn’t let go.