Random Thoughts Sechs: Eeeeehhhh...

[Timsup2nothin]

I thought about putting this in the raves thread, since with no one getting hurt it struck me as hilarious...but that really wouldn't be appropriate for some stranger's misfortune. But it sure isn't a rant...

A friend of mine bid this job over in San Bernadino, and he's a really good friend so even though I'm not really interested enough in working to be shlepping over there I joined the crew. He drives, so at least I get to just ride. Anyway...

To get from here to SB there's this state highway, but by taking a regular road that straight lines out east into the desert, then another that cuts across south to the highway we avoid driving through Littlerock and Pearblossom, which are sort of throwbacks to the old 'get yer kicks on route 66' days and best avoided. Adds maybe a mile. So, night before last it rains. Not here in the desert, but up in the San Gabriels. And that means the washes coming down and spreading across the desert will have water. The highway has culverts, but our little bypass just has dips, and the California Highway Patrol dutifully putting out signs that say SLOW.

Being long term desert dwellers, we see the signs and know what they are about, so no big deal for us. But apparently some dude in a Honda car looked at the sign and thought it was just alarmism by the CHP. Ten feet of wet pavement isn't something that he and his mighty Honda have to worry about!

So it's about a foot deep in the middle, and we figure dude must have hit it at somewhere around eighty. Tore the whole front end clip off, crushed it into the radiator, and shoved it under the car.

 

[Cutlass]

I thought about putting this in the raves thread, since with no one getting hurt it struck me as hilarious...but that really wouldn't be appropriate for some stranger's misfortune. But it sure isn't a rant...

A friend of mine bid this job over in San Bernadino, and he's a really good friend so even though I'm not really interested enough in working to be shlepping over there I joined the crew. He drives, so at least I get to just ride. Anyway...

To get from here to SB there's this state highway, but by taking a regular road that straight lines out east into the desert, then another that cuts across south to the highway we avoid driving through Littlerock and Pearblossom, which are sort of throwbacks to the old 'get yer kicks on route 66' days and best avoided. Adds maybe a mile. So, night before last it rains. Not here in the desert, but up in the San Gabriels. And that means the washes coming down and spreading across the desert will have water. The highway has culverts, but our little bypass just has dips, and the California Highway Patrol dutifully putting out signs that say SLOW.

Being long term desert dwellers, we see the signs and know what they are about, so no big deal for us. But apparently some dude in a Honda car looked at the sign and thought it was just alarmism by the CHP. Ten feet of wet pavement isn't something that he and his mighty Honda have to worry about!

So it's about a foot deep in the middle, and we figure dude must have hit it at somewhere around eighty. Tore the whole front end clip off, crushed it into the radiator, and shoved it under the car.

3rd gen Ford Taurus, the air intake was in the lower bumper. You do that with one of those, and you fill and engine that works by compressing air with water that cannot be compressed.

This results in bad things happening.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

3rd gen Ford Taurus, the air intake was in the lower bumper. You do that with one of those, and you fill and engine that works by compressing air with water that cannot be compressed.

This results in bad things happening.

This exact thing happened to me in a 2006 Cadillac STS. I drove through a puddle that was about 3" deep at 20 mph and kicked up enough of a bow wave that it got into the bottom-mounted air intake and destroyed the engine. No idea cars could even have air intakes down there until that moment.

 

[Cutlass]

No idea cars could even have air intakes down there until that moment.

It wasn't the brightest idea a car designer ever came up with.

 

[cardgame]

As long as we're talking about water and cars, has anybody ever hydroplaned? I've felt the loss of control just before a hydroplane, and I've been violently jerked in one direction entering a deepish puddle at speed, but I've never truly lost control from water.

 

[Cutlass]

As long as we're talking about water and cars, has anybody ever hydroplaned? I've felt the loss of control just before a hydroplane, and I've been violently jerked in one direction entering a deepish puddle at speed, but I've never truly lost control from water.

I've never lost control. But I have been through water that was deep enough to effect the car.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I've definitely skimmed across some puddles, but they were small enough that momentum and a lack of any pressing need to turn carried the day.

 

[Zkribbler]

I've never lost control. But I have been through water that was deep enough to effect the car.

I had a Mazda. Four drops of water on the road, and I was floating.


Meanwhile:

A Minnesota congressional candidate hoping to unseat Ilhan Omar with promises of being tough on crime faces felony shoplifting charges, according to a report.

Danielle Stella, a 31-year-old supporter of President Trump, was arrested twice this year in the thefts of 279 items worth more than $2,300 from a Target and $40 worth of goods from a grocery store.

“I am not guilty of these crimes. In this country I am innocent until proven guilty and that is the law,” the special-education teacher told the news outlet.

“If I was guilty of crimes, I would never run for public office, putting myself in the public eye under a microscope to be attacked by all political sides,” added Stella, who this week described Minneapolis as “the crime capital of our country.”

Stella told police that she “remembers arriving at Target to purchase items but nothing else” due to post-traumatic stress disorder, and that she “normally she goes to Target with someone because of anxiety around people,” according to a criminal complaint cited by The Guardian.

Okay...she can't handle shopping at Target, but she wants to run the country.

 

[Kyriakos]

I had a Mazda. Four drops of water on the road, and I was floating.


Meanwhile:

A Minnesota congressional candidate hoping to unseat Ilhan Omar with promises of being tough on crime faces felony shoplifting charges, according to a report.

Danielle Stella, a 31-year-old supporter of President Trump, was arrested twice this year in the thefts of 279 items worth more than $2,300 from a Target and $40 worth of goods from a grocery store.

“I am not guilty of these crimes. In this country I am innocent until proven guilty and that is the law,” the special-education teacher told the news outlet.

“If I was guilty of crimes, I would never run for public office, putting myself in the public eye under a microscope to be attacked by all political sides,” added Stella, who this week described Minneapolis as “the crime capital of our country.”

Stella told police that she “remembers arriving at Target to purchase items but nothing else” due to post-traumatic stress disorder, and that she “normally she goes to Target with someone because of anxiety around people,” according to a criminal complaint cited by The Guardian.

Okay...she can't handle shopping at Target, but she wants to run the country.

PTSD from what?

 

[Arakhor]

Cognitive dissonance, presumably.

 

[Kyriakos]

Cognitive dissonance, presumably.

Maybe she fought in Vietnam.

 

[Hygro]

I thought about putting this in the raves thread, since with no one getting hurt it struck me as hilarious...but that really wouldn't be appropriate for some stranger's misfortune. But it sure isn't a rant...

A friend of mine bid this job over in San Bernadino, and he's a really good friend so even though I'm not really interested enough in working to be shlepping over there I joined the crew. He drives, so at least I get to just ride. Anyway...

To get from here to SB there's this state highway, but by taking a regular road that straight lines out east into the desert, then another that cuts across south to the highway we avoid driving through Littlerock and Pearblossom, which are sort of throwbacks to the old 'get yer kicks on route 66' days and best avoided. Adds maybe a mile. So, night before last it rains. Not here in the desert, but up in the San Gabriels. And that means the washes coming down and spreading across the desert will have water. The highway has culverts, but our little bypass just has dips, and the California Highway Patrol dutifully putting out signs that say SLOW.

Being long term desert dwellers, we see the signs and know what they are about, so no big deal for us. But apparently some dude in a Honda car looked at the sign and thought it was just alarmism by the CHP. Ten feet of wet pavement isn't something that he and his mighty Honda have to worry about!

So it's about a foot deep in the middle, and we figure dude must have hit it at somewhere around eighty. Tore the whole front end clip off, crushed it into the radiator, and shoved it under the car.

I drove out in those desert highways trying to avoid LA traffic on my way to Coachella years back and it was a big mistake.

 

[Cutlass]

PTSD from what?

Being asked to explain why she's a criminal.

 

[Timsup2nothin]

I drove out in those desert highways trying to avoid LA traffic on my way to Coachella years back and it was a big mistake.

Google maps has made it easier to plan...but you still really have to plan. Streets run out into the desert in lengths that appear to be totally random. Heading east out of Palmdale Avenue T will get you to 165th Street, which connects to the highway. Pavement on Avenue S ends at 70th and so does R. Palmdale Blvd runs all the way out, but 165th doesn't go through to Palmdale Blvd, for no particular reason I know of. The desert presents no obstacles, so the roads are laid out in a totally regular grid and seem really simple to navigate...but the gaps are just...random.

 

[Lemon Merchant]

As long as we're talking about water and cars, has anybody ever hydroplaned? I've felt the loss of control just before a hydroplane, and I've been violently jerked in one direction entering a deepish puddle at speed, but I've never truly lost control from water.

Yes. Hitting the thingie that holds up an overpass at 80 MPH in a 370Z is not an experience I would recommend, said Lemon once from a hospital bed. Hydroplaning is very easy to do, as I found out.

So take it from me. Don't drive that fast in the rain.

 

[Arwon]

As long as we're talking about water and cars, has anybody ever hydroplaned? I've felt the loss of control just before a hydroplane, and I've been violently jerked in one direction entering a deepish puddle at speed, but I've never truly lost control from water.

Shortly after getting my provisional license, I did a defensive driving course with a figure 8 skid pan filled with water to learn how to steer through hydroplaning.

It probably helped me stay calm and in control through the heaviest rain I ever experienced, going down a 110kph highway from Sydney to Canberra around midnight one night, with a heavy enough torrent that even minor bends or course adjustments caused traction loss.

 

[The_J]

I think i had it like twice on a highway. Not pleasant, but kept calm and nothing happened.
The time I was slidding uncontrollably on ice onto a crossing was way worse.
The hydroplaning could've still ended up being deadly, maybe better not to compare.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I just got a spam email with the subject "GOOD DAY TO YOU!!!1111"

Yes, with the 1s. I think someone was a little overexcited.

 

[Takhisis]

Hey, at least they were positive. My spam of today was the sad news of a former friend I didn't know I had (or the sender had, it's not too clear) having recently died heirless and intestate but with me somehow being said friend's heir. Of course, i might get happy if I sent them all my personal information and some money but this does not seem likely because I am too sad.

 

[Zkribbler]

I've received a report of suspicious activity in my Apple email account that I don't have.