general crap
Feb. 17th, 2011 02:13 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
lavandarlizard2My usual mode of filling downtime is to post a funny link or a LOLcat photo, but today, it's just a random not-even-a-rant about the decline of civilization. *sigh* Yeah, yeah; I know.... BOR-ing! Most probably. That's why there are cuts. ^____~
Kid and I are making a longish road trip tomorrow - about 60 miles one way, plus any side trips that present themselves along the way. Haven't done this in a while, so it's become an Event.
Today, I filled the tank, since Fridays before a holiday weekend are very ugly days at the gas pumps around here and I try to avoid doing that. I pulled in and had to wait for a truck at the pumps to move out. I could have swooped around him, but there isn't a lot of room and I no longer feel the need to prove that I can thread a needle with my mad driving skillz. I also don't mind waiting for someone to finish. ^___^
On the other side of the pumps is a monster motor home with a man and a woman ambling around. The thing is blocking the second pump on that side. A few seconds after I arrive another five or six cars rush in - lunch hour - and one of them is small and bold enough to scoot in front of the truck I'm waiting on. NBD, I don't have to be anywhere. The new arrivals bunch up behind me and the motor home. The people are still meandering around; not actually pumping fuel anymore, so you know, I start to wonder if they plan on just spending the day there. I look down and from my angle I can see the right rear tire, and it has a big old crack in the sidewall. The kind of crack that would have me hyperventilating in a New York second. They look at it, the guy pokes at it, then they shrug and finally climb into the rig and start it up. By now they have about four cars all crunched up behind them, the truck in front of me finally pulls out and I pull up to the pump. The vehicle behind me decides he's in too much of a hurry and swoops around me and out of the station.
Then the motor home starts backing up. O_O There are already three vehicles parallel parked at that edge of the lot, directly behind him, plus the cars waiting for him to GTFO. I can see the looks on two of the drivers' faces as they realize that Godzilla is aiming for them. They whole pack starts frantically reversing with not really anywhere to go and Godzilla manages to scare three of them right off the asphalt into the dirt as he jockeys the thing around to point toward the side entrance and the main boulevard. The fourth car was quick enough to jump behind me. Godzilla finally straightens out and trundles off leaving the hyperventilating geckos to get back onto the pavement and figure out which side of the pump they want.
No idea why Clueless didn't just pull straight out onto the side road. >_< No one was parked in front of him. General assholery, I guess.
I pump my gas and have to go inside for change. When I come out, there is a different vehicle behind me. RIGHT behind me. Like so close behind me that there isn't space to walk. >_< That's considered rude around here; properly, you should leave at least a car length behind the vehicle at the pump. I get in, figuring he's going to reverse enough to allow me to pull out and around the guy in front of me (who is apparently making a bathroom stop, doing his banking and choosing from the lunch menu while deciding between coffee, an energy drink and a soda inside). Wrong. Clueless #2 just sits there waiting for me. I put the truck in reverse to light up the backup lights, you know, letting him know that I need to back up a bit to get out. Nothing. I roll back a few inches. Nothing. Stifling the urge to get out, rap on his window and snarl at him (I'm trying to be kind to clueless gits this month), I roll a few more inches. Success! He looks startled, but reverses. About six inches. *sigh* I roll back the six inches. He looks annoyed. I *am* annoyed. He reverses another foot. I take the foot. Finally; FINALLY! He takes the hint and backs about six feet, about to where he should have been in the first place. Yay! I now have room to get around the guy in front to make the loop to miss the cars that are parked at this end of the lot.
None of which would have been necessary if asshole had just stopped the usual distance behind me. >_< I can only assume he thought someone in a Smart Car was going to slither in and take cuts if he left an extra six inches.
I know; big fucking deal. Is this all I have to worry about? Well, no, not really. I have a lot of much worse things to worry about, and I do, but they are of the heavy-duty variety and don't belong in my LJ. So, I entertain you instead with grumbling about those lousy kids who won't stay off my lawn, dagnabbit. ^___^
Ever wonder why it's called "common courtesy" when it's so uncommon these days? O_o I do. Especially behind the wheel. *sigh*
Kid and I are making a longish road trip tomorrow - about 60 miles one way, plus any side trips that present themselves along the way. Haven't done this in a while, so it's become an Event.
Today, I filled the tank, since Fridays before a holiday weekend are very ugly days at the gas pumps around here and I try to avoid doing that. I pulled in and had to wait for a truck at the pumps to move out. I could have swooped around him, but there isn't a lot of room and I no longer feel the need to prove that I can thread a needle with my mad driving skillz. I also don't mind waiting for someone to finish. ^___^
On the other side of the pumps is a monster motor home with a man and a woman ambling around. The thing is blocking the second pump on that side. A few seconds after I arrive another five or six cars rush in - lunch hour - and one of them is small and bold enough to scoot in front of the truck I'm waiting on. NBD, I don't have to be anywhere. The new arrivals bunch up behind me and the motor home. The people are still meandering around; not actually pumping fuel anymore, so you know, I start to wonder if they plan on just spending the day there. I look down and from my angle I can see the right rear tire, and it has a big old crack in the sidewall. The kind of crack that would have me hyperventilating in a New York second. They look at it, the guy pokes at it, then they shrug and finally climb into the rig and start it up. By now they have about four cars all crunched up behind them, the truck in front of me finally pulls out and I pull up to the pump. The vehicle behind me decides he's in too much of a hurry and swoops around me and out of the station.
Then the motor home starts backing up. O_O There are already three vehicles parallel parked at that edge of the lot, directly behind him, plus the cars waiting for him to GTFO. I can see the looks on two of the drivers' faces as they realize that Godzilla is aiming for them. They whole pack starts frantically reversing with not really anywhere to go and Godzilla manages to scare three of them right off the asphalt into the dirt as he jockeys the thing around to point toward the side entrance and the main boulevard. The fourth car was quick enough to jump behind me. Godzilla finally straightens out and trundles off leaving the hyperventilating geckos to get back onto the pavement and figure out which side of the pump they want.
No idea why Clueless didn't just pull straight out onto the side road. >_< No one was parked in front of him. General assholery, I guess.
I pump my gas and have to go inside for change. When I come out, there is a different vehicle behind me. RIGHT behind me. Like so close behind me that there isn't space to walk. >_< That's considered rude around here; properly, you should leave at least a car length behind the vehicle at the pump. I get in, figuring he's going to reverse enough to allow me to pull out and around the guy in front of me (who is apparently making a bathroom stop, doing his banking and choosing from the lunch menu while deciding between coffee, an energy drink and a soda inside). Wrong. Clueless #2 just sits there waiting for me. I put the truck in reverse to light up the backup lights, you know, letting him know that I need to back up a bit to get out. Nothing. I roll back a few inches. Nothing. Stifling the urge to get out, rap on his window and snarl at him (I'm trying to be kind to clueless gits this month), I roll a few more inches. Success! He looks startled, but reverses. About six inches. *sigh* I roll back the six inches. He looks annoyed. I *am* annoyed. He reverses another foot. I take the foot. Finally; FINALLY! He takes the hint and backs about six feet, about to where he should have been in the first place. Yay! I now have room to get around the guy in front to make the loop to miss the cars that are parked at this end of the lot.
None of which would have been necessary if asshole had just stopped the usual distance behind me. >_< I can only assume he thought someone in a Smart Car was going to slither in and take cuts if he left an extra six inches.
I know; big fucking deal. Is this all I have to worry about? Well, no, not really. I have a lot of much worse things to worry about, and I do, but they are of the heavy-duty variety and don't belong in my LJ. So, I entertain you instead with grumbling about those lousy kids who won't stay off my lawn, dagnabbit. ^___^
Ever wonder why it's called "common courtesy" when it's so uncommon these days? O_o I do. Especially behind the wheel. *sigh*
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no subject
Date: 2011-02-17 11:26 pm (UTC)Have a good time on your road trip -- I hope you have good weather!
no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 04:38 am (UTC)It's been a while since I had a double-header at the pumps. >_< I hope not to have another one for a while.
The motor home (now I want to call it a moron home!) was one of the old-style things, too. Think 70s or 80s model. With siding. O.o The sort of thing that sits next to the garage for 12 years between trips. Yuck.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 02:10 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 04:43 am (UTC)I do have to admit that if I'd had a Hummer, I'd have just backed over the guy behind me. >.< Of course, if I'd had a Hummer, I'd bet he would have kept his distance in the first place.
I am continually appalled by the Ma & Pa types who think they know how to drive something that big because they do it once or twice a decade. >_< I can drive a 24-foot box truck, but I am cautious as hell when doing it. And I like spotters for stuff like backing and turning. I have visions of that pair running over someone in a camp ground.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 04:08 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 04:46 am (UTC)I got there just ahead of the lunch crowd, so I figured it would be an easy gas & go. Didn't expect a damn vaudeville routine... *sigh*
That station is kind of small, though, only 8 pumps. I usually hit the larger one on El Norte, but this one is the closest to home. >.< I think I'll stick with El Norte after this.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-18 06:25 am (UTC)And yes...people have issues at gas stations I've noticed. >.<
Have fun with your long drive XD
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Date: 2011-02-19 04:52 am (UTC)I seem to be a natural story-teller. ^___^ It's harder nowadays to be this way, because everyone is in such a hurry. they always want the punchline ahead of the set-up. ^___^
I don't know what it is about gas stations. Maybe it started with the rationing back in the 70s, when lines went around the block and fistfights were common. *shakes head* Makes no sense to me.
We actually had quite a nice time. ^___^ My kid is now bloated with Legos and I have the most adorable little collapsible berry colander. And the drive wasn't too crazy except at the interchanges, but I always expect that. ^___^ It's California, after all.
no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 05:26 am (UTC)I love Legos! My brother loves Legos too. Actually he wants the most expensive ones that are out there xD I wish they made legos for college students or at least ones that have a lot of pieces to them -snickers-
But glad you two had fun =D
no subject
Date: 2011-02-20 05:59 pm (UTC)The biggest problem with roads in CA is that they used to be the best in the country. *Used to be.* *sigh* And all the bad drivers came from other places. Never let it be said that CA doesn't pick up habits from elsewhere. >.<
They do have more adult sets, like the architecture series, with the Empire State Building, Falling Waters, the Eiffel Tower, etc. And of course the really huge things like the Death Star and the Millennium Falcon. Those are really expensive. O.o You should check out the website. ^____^
http://www.lego.com/en-us/default.aspx
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=21004&cn=627&d=70
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=10214&cn=348&d=70
http://shop.lego.com/ByTheme/Product.aspx?p=10188&cn=710&d=322
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 12:16 am (UTC)My brother wanted something like those for Christmas but my parents and I just looked at each other and said, "He needs something practical, not legos." When he saves up enough money he can buy the expensive legos -snerks!-
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Date: 2011-02-22 05:26 am (UTC)I'm as much a Lego sucker as my kid is then, because he's been getting Legos since he was a year old. ^___^ I think he still has some of the Duplos, 25 years later. *snicker*
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Date: 2011-02-22 04:24 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-22 04:44 pm (UTC)It's like with any obsession - yarn, fabric, figurines of (gag) angels... The one who dies with the most, wins. ^____^
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Date: 2011-02-22 04:50 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-22 04:55 pm (UTC)Eh, I find angels to be rather insipid. ^___^ I like my flyers to have a little more personality.
Plus, I have been cut off, crammed, and tailgated by more cars with a damned 'guardian angel' bumper sticker than I can count. ^___^
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Date: 2011-02-22 04:58 pm (UTC)I still think the worst cars to tailgate you are the ones that are supposed to be going slower then you o_O
I drive a Honda Civic and man do I feel extra tiny whenever I drive in between trucks >.
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Date: 2011-02-22 05:01 pm (UTC)Oh, I well know the fear of being a roller skate on the road. My first car was a 77 Datsun. You learn really quick who actually owns the road when everything is bigger than you. O_^
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Date: 2011-02-22 05:04 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 12:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-19 04:54 am (UTC)It's the weirdest thing... O.o The only thing I haven't encountered is a hold-up in progress, but then I usually pay at the pumps and don't go inside. ^___^
The one thing I totally forgot was that this is the long weekend. Everybody and their dog was northbound at the same time. *bleh* Coming back was wide open, though. ^___^
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Date: 2011-02-19 12:34 am (UTC)My attitude is like that woman on Fried Green Tomatoes. My insurance is better than yours. I suffered fools in silence for way too many years. Now I'm old and cranky. *g*
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Date: 2011-02-19 05:00 am (UTC)My truck is a Ranger, so I'm not all that intimidating, but yeah, I've got the insurance and I don't give a fuck anymore. ^___^ I've also reached the age where I don't need to be nice to jackasses. All I lack is the cane to wave.
I came pretty damn close to punting some idiots at the mall today. I just gave them the Look and made them scurry. ^___^
My brother drives a Miata, but I think (I hope!) he's smarter than to get all up on another vehicle. He's well aware of how small he is and he lives in Houston. There's no pity on the roads there. ^____^
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Date: 2011-02-19 05:06 am (UTC)There's a lot of college students in the area and not all of them are local, in fact most of them are not. I had a kid in one of those Morris Mini things try to cram me. What the hell was he thinking? His car will fit in the bed of my truck, without squashing the suspension.
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Date: 2011-02-20 05:47 pm (UTC)*snicker* I live within two miles of two colleges, so I get the same thing. And Minis are like roaches around here. ^___^ Then there are the jackasses with their "tuners"... *rolls eyes* There are days I wish for a bug swatter for those things. Not to mention all the high school kids who drive Mommy's SUV or Daddy's BMW. *sigh*
Oh! The tailgaters! I had one on Friday... 70mph on the interstate and she's less than a car length behind me! O_O WTF?! Then she finally passes me and pulls in behind a damn box truck! Still less than a car length. I'll bet the guy didn't even know she was there. And she'd have been creamed tuna if he'd stopped suddenly. *headdesk*
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Date: 2011-02-20 06:01 pm (UTC)However, I'm not worried about tailgaters. My truck has a 4" tow bar welded to the main frame. If anyone hits me from behind all they'll do is crunch in the front of their car. They won't even touch the tailgate.
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Date: 2011-02-20 06:08 pm (UTC)I have wished for years that I could afford to maintain a really big butch truck. I would fear *nothing* around here. ^___^ Well, except the trains, and I know better than to argue with a train. *snirk!*
Sorry had to post
Date: 2011-02-19 10:07 pm (UTC)Re: Sorry had to post
Date: 2011-02-20 05:50 pm (UTC)Or a 40mph train will stop in 50 feet. >.< Total idiots. There's a BB hub just a mile from me... I'll try to avoid the morning stampede of Brown after this. >_>
Both my dad and my xFIL drove trucks and they just could not believe the things people in smaller vehicles will do, expecting the truck to bend to them. ^____^
no subject
Date: 2011-02-21 11:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-22 05:36 am (UTC)Modesto, huh? That's wrapped around 99, isn't it? I've driven that a time or two. It may be more country than where I am, but the road roaches are of the same breed. ^___^
I am one of those annoying people who have never had a moving violation or an accident that was my fault. ^___^
Not that many Volvos around here lately, but we do seem to be sprouting Saabs... O.o Same attitude. The Minis are all over the place here. There are at least five just in my corner of my apartment complex. >_> And the Smart cars! O_O Holy crap, there are a ton of those little devils! At least those seem to be mostly older people. I'd rather the granny/gramps who is a danger on the road is driving a Smart car than a '75 Caprice. >_>
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Date: 2011-02-23 08:52 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-02-23 04:23 pm (UTC)San Diego county, for me. Not exact a hotbed of liberal free-thinkers, but we do have the benefit of the Hillcrest district - our very own Castro. ^___^
I used to volunteer at the LGBTQ center until I had a nervous breakdown and couldn't stand to be around people any more. ^___^
http://www.thecentersd.org/ Good place.
no subject
Date: 2011-03-03 10:18 am (UTC)