Hazzard County

[Foxer]

Here's the picture:

Buick of unknown year or model "screaming" down the road at 10 mph under the speed limit ... no visible head in the driver's seat .. and a Hazard County decal with the Duke's Charger in a "Lose the Sheriff" pose on the rear panel.

I'm not dangerous ... always 10 mph max over the limit .. but please move aside!

Edited June 14, 2011 by Foxer

[Harry P.]

Huh?

[Foxer]

Huh?

Wheelman got it.

[VW Dave]

My dad always called those seemingly driverless cars "Flying Dutchmen."

[Lownslow]

Here's the picture:

Buick of unknown year or model "screaming" down the road at 10 mph under the speed limit ... no visible head in the driver's seat .. and a Hazard County decal with the Duke's Charger in a "Lose the Sheriff" pose on the rear panel.

I'm not dangerous ... always 10 mph max over the limit .. but please move aside!

had that experience yesterday on a 35mph zone i smashed on the gas and passed them on the parking lane they beeped at me but im sure they had plenty of time to read my bumper sticker about my opinion on tomatos

[Lownslow]

not sure if it relates to the OT, but i HATE the trend of driving with your "emergency" flashers during hard rain or snow conditions. IMO it makes the driving in those conditions worse because you now have a moving vehicle instead of one that's stranded and not moving.

never knew that either ive only seen them on during those times i think its to let people know theyre driving slower

[Foxer]

it's the fear of the lack of judgement and capabilities of the other drivers on the road. in areas where snow and that type of weather are a regular occurance i don't know how much of an issue that is, but here in Northern Virginia? it's like and episode of the worlds dumbest drivers.

Exactly the same here in the mountains of Massachusetts.

[charlie8575]

i prefer NOT to drive at all in snowy conditions and it's not because i fear my own abilities to drive in it or the capabilities of my truck, it's the fear of the lack of judgement and capabilities of the other drivers on the road.

Exactly the same here in the mountains of Massachusetts.

And here in the wonderful far west suburbs of Boston....not that much different.

Metro-West....

I'm in Marlborough.

Charlie Larkin

Edited June 15, 2011 by charlie8575

[62rebel]

i was going to rebut this thread but i was busy texting my friends about how great the reception on my in-dash TV is. i was able to watch Dancing with the stars and eat dinner while my tailor fitted me for a three piece suit on the way to the office.

bwuhahahahahahahaha!

i hate over-technology. i tolerate this computer.... because it's like heroin to me.

[charlie8575]

i was going to rebut this thread but i was busy texting my friends about how great the reception on my in-dash TV is. i was able to watch Dancing with the stars and eat dinner while my tailor fitted me for a three piece suit on the way to the office.

bwuhahahahahahahaha!

i hate over-technology. i tolerate this computer.... because it's like heroin to me.

Second the motion.

Charlie Larkin

[charlie8575]

Regarding the title, Mike, it does beg the question....

Still get much in the way of the Uncle Jesse-type old farmers out your way like they're used to be?

Charlie Larkin

[jeffs396]

One of the best...movies...EVER!!!

[Kit Basher]

but here in Northern Virginia? it's like and episode of the worlds dumbest drivers.

I hear that! The problem is that most of the people that live here come from places where it doesn't snow, and haven't been here long enough to get used to the idea. Three inches and they FREAK OUT! And then there's the attitude that if you have a four wheel drive Escalade with street tires you can still drive 65 mph on ice. It would be funny if it wasn't real.

[Foxer]

Regarding the title, Mike, it does beg the question....

Still get much in the way of the Uncle Jesse-type old farmers out your way like they're used to be?

Charlie Larkin

I hear ya ... there are still a few farms here.! There's the occasional tractor pulling an overloaded wagon of hay but I respect them and they respect the right-of-way.

[torinobradley]

There are 'bad' drivers everywhere. I live down here is San Antonio, Texas and have more than my fair share of stupid driver stories. When they get ice, sleet or snow, they close the city, including the highways. That don't stop 'em. The slow still drive slow and the fast still drive fast, at least until they hit something else which tends to happen with not-so-surprising frequency. A few years ago, I was driving up to an overpass exchange during a hard rain and thought there was a major accident all the way across both sides under the overpass. All I saw were flashing lights. As I got closer, I realized it was just a whole lot of dorks (for lack of an explative) sitting, on the higway, under the overpass with their flashers on, blocking traffic going both ways hiding from the hail that was only marble sized. My horn got a lot of use that day.

Then, there was the one car airial acrobatic stunt show I saw when the roads were iced over and the freeways were closed. The lady was driving along and talking up a storm (pun intended) to whomever was in the passenger seat (as evident by the turned head and exagerated hand gestures) and heading at high speed toward the barracade barring entrance onto the highway. She would have plowed right into it if her passenger had not pointed at said barracade, causing her to do a radical, last ditch effort to miss the barracade. The car swerved right, into the ditch missing the barracade, then, with great momentum, swerved left using the embankment of the ditch as a ramp and cleared the entire two lane highway in a single bound before unceremoniously spinning to a stop in the median. I don't think she ever stopped talking...

[highway]

Alright, for all of you complaining about slow moving vehicles using their hazzard flashers in adverse (for those that don't know, that means BAD) conditions, here are a few reasons why that is a GOOD thing. The first is copied from the WV CDL Driver's License Exam handbook.

"2.5 – Communicating

2.5.1 – Signal Your Intentions

Other drivers can't know what you are going to do

until you tell them.

Signaling what you intend to do is important for

safety. Here are some general rules for signaling.

Turns. There are three good rules for using turn

signals:

Signal early. Signal well before you turn. It is the

best way to keep others from trying to pass you.

Signal continuously. You need both hands on the

wheel to turn safely. Don't cancel the signal until

you have completed the turn.

Cancel your signal. Don't forget to turn off your turn

signal after you've turned (if you don't have selfcanceling

signals).

Lane Changes. Put your turn signal on before

changing lanes. Change lanes slowly and

smoothly. That way a driver you didn't see may

have a chance to honk his/her horn, or avoid your

vehicle.

Slowing Down. Warn drivers behind you when

you see you'll need to slow down. A few light taps

on the brake pedal -- enough to flash the brake

lights -- should warn following drivers. Use the

four-way emergency flashers for times when you

are driving very slowly or are stopped. Warn other

drivers in any of the following situations:

Trouble Ahead. The size of your vehicle may make

it hard for drivers behind you to see hazards

ahead. If you see a hazard that will require slowing

down, warn the drivers behind by flashing your

brake lights.

Tight Turns. Most car drivers don't know how

slowly you have to go to make a tight turn in a

large vehicle. Give drivers behind you warning by

braking early and slowing gradually.

Stopping on the Road. Truck and bus drivers

sometimes stop in the roadway to unload cargo or

passengers, or to stop at a railroad crossing. Warn

following drivers by flashing your brake lights.

Don't stop suddenly.

Driving Slowly. Drivers often do not realize how

fast they are catching up to a slow vehicle until

they are very close. If you must drive slowly, alert

following drivers by turning on your emergency

flashers if it is legal. (Laws regarding the use of

flashers differ from one state to another. Check the

laws of the states where you will drive.)"

Other selection from the CDL handbook:

"2.12 – Driving in Fog

Fog can occur at any time. Fog on highways can

be extremely dangerous. Fog is often unexpected,

and visibility can deteriorate rapidly. You should

watch for foggy conditions and be ready to reduce

your speed. Do not assume that the fog will thin

out after you enter it.

The best advice for driving in fog is don’t. It is

preferable that you pull off the road into a rest area

or truck stop until visibility is better. If you must

drive, be sure to consider the following:

Obey all fog-related warning signs.

Slow down before you enter fog.

Use low-beam headlights and fog lights for best

visibility even in daytime, and be alert for other

drivers who may have forgotten to turn on their

lights.

Turn on your 4-way flashers. This will give vehicles

approaching you from behind a quicker opportunity

to notice your vehicle.Watch for vehicles on the side of the roadway.

Seeing taillights or headlights in front of you may

not be a true indication of where the road is ahead

of you. The vehicle may not be on the road at all.

Use roadside highway reflectors as guides to

determine how the road may curve ahead of you.

Listen for traffic you cannot see.

Avoid passing other vehicles.

Don’t stop along the side of the road, unless

absolutely necessary."

Now this only applies to a commerical vehicle transporting passengers or hazardous materials, but is still another case where the hazard flashers are mentioned for a slow moving vehicle.

"13.1.8 – Railroad Crossing

Before reaching the crossing, all commercial

drivers should:

Decelerate, brake smoothly, and shift gears as

necessary.

Look and listen for the presence of trains.

Check traffic in all directions.

Do not stop, change gears, pass another vehicle,

or change lanes while any part of your vehicle is in

the crossing.

If you are driving a bus, a school bus, or a vehicle

displaying placards, you should be prepared to

observe the following procedures at every railroad

crossing (unless the crossing is exempt):

As the vehicle approaches a railroad crossing,

activate the four-way flashers.Stop the vehicle within 50 feet but not less than 15

feet from the nearest rail.

Listen and look in both directions along the track

for an approaching train and for signals indicating

the approach of a train. If operating a bus, you may

also be required to open the window and door prior

to crossing tracks."

Finally for all you non CDL drivers, from Wikipedia:

Hazard flashers

Also called "hazards", "hazard warning flashers", "hazard warning lights", "4-way flashers", or simply "flashers". International regulations require vehicles to be equipped with a control which, when activated, flashes the left and right directional signals, front and rear, all at the same time and in phase.[5][15] This function is meant to indicate a hazard such as a vehicle stopped in or near moving traffic, a disabled vehicle, a vehicle moving substantially slower than the flow of traffic such as a truck climbing a steep grade, or the presence of stopped or slow traffic ahead on a high speed road. Sometimes, they are used in severe fog conditions."

Hopefully all of you complaining about someone driving slow in adverse condidtions can now understand that the driver with their hazzards on is communticating to you by saying "Hey, I'm not moving fast, SLOW DOWN!!" through the lights available to them FOR THAT PURPOSE! I also take pride in the fact that in adverse conditions, I'm one of those drivers you hate, because I will use my hazzards whenever I'm not moving as fast as other traffic, whether it be in a commerical vehicle or my private vehicle. In the case of snow especially, there is a term for other truckers who drive faster than their brains should let them in conditions like that referred to as "Billy Big Riggers", and usually in snowy conditions they were the ones a few miles down the road I'd see laid over in the ditch!! Little ole hazard flasher me NEVER laid one over because I was smart enough to drive slow enough to keep control.

[Rick Schmidt]

I hear that! The problem is that most of the people that live here come from places where it doesn't snow, and haven't been here long enough to get used to the idea. Three inches and they FREAK OUT! And then there's the attitude that if you have a four wheel drive Escalade with street tires you can still drive 65 mph on ice. It would be funny if it wasn't real.

The way people drive here is why my Truck comes out in bad weather. I just feel safer in that tank if one of em decides to go for a spin. Kinda funny watching these people that decided it was a good idea to put huge 24 inch rims on his Escalade or such in the ice. They have no idea why the old ugly Red an White Pickup, with the normal looking tires was able to just drive past them while they are stuck at an intersection spinning the tires.

[Darin Bastedo]

not sure if it relates to the OT, but i HATE the trend of driving with your "emergency" flashers during hard rain or snow conditions. IMO it makes the driving in those conditions worse because you now have a moving vehicle instead of one that's stranded and not moving.

It's not a "trend" in most states it's the law. If weather or other conditions require you to drive far below the posted speed limits you are required to drive with your hazard lights on to warn other drivers. in Virginia it's a$200 fine if you don't comply. I don't know about you but I'm able to tell the difference between a stopped vehicle and a moving one by the rate at which I get closer.