I hate ice - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Brian Carlton · #16 12-27-2009, 12:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davestlouis

My vision is hovering awfully close to the dreaded 20/1000 mark. Couple that with the fact that once I turned 40 I suddenly couldn't read, even with glasses on, so now I have progressive lenses. It's a major inconvenience for me, the thicker my glasses get, the worse my peripheral vision becomes. My progressives only magnify right down the middle of the lens, so when I read, I have to move my head to keep my eyes centered behind the lens, instead of just moving my eyes. If I turn my head too fast, I lose my balance and lose visual track of where I am for a moment. If my glasses aren't centered on my nose just right, my eyes aren't looking through the same level of magnification and I get a nasty headache if I try to read. In short, it sucks.

I'll bet Brian will have a similar take on things.

I tried that route based upon the advice of others on the forum. A miserable failure for me after struggling for six months. The shop, amazingly, took the progressives back and gave me a standard lens at no additional cost. Needless to say..........they have my business forever.

Those progressives were about as close to LSD as I ever want to get.

davestlouis · #17 12-27-2009, 12:35 PM

The progressives are making the best of a bad situation for me...I tried regular lenses, and couldn't read, so I would have had to pull off my "real" glasses, and put on really strong readers to see anything in print or on a screen...which would lead to constant nausea. I'll deal with it, not a perfect solution, but the best I have for the moment.

One issue I have is that I can't tell where my hands are, because the focal point and magnification keep changing. So, threading a needle is damn near impossible, even threading a nut onto a bolt can be tricky if I don't have LOTS of light. I have several forms at work that I have to fill in my hand, I'm never really sure which line the pen is going to fall on until it touches the paper, then I start writing.

cmac2012 · #18 12-27-2009, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davestlouis

So, here I sit, nearly 3 hours later, still alive, no headache, but getting stiff and sore all over. The scary part for me was being pretty well blind...I found my glasses by feel, would have never seen them, and couldn't see diddly squat due to the darkness.

In no way meaning to be a smart-ass here, let me recommend that you get some of the newer, smaller strap-on-head flashlights. I've been using variations of these for years - for working on the car in the dark or any other work in the dark. REI has many good models, ranging from $20 to $80 or so. Home Despot has some cheapies that are better than nothing, but they're a bit crude.

The new ones have LEDs and only need 2 or 3 triple A batteries, so are small enough to easily fit in one's pocket. Up until a couple of years ago, the best models were from Petzl, used AA batteries, and were bigger and less comfotable to wear. The new ones are a blessing. Most all my plumber buddies have them as standard equipment.

Better yet, strap one on before going out for a walk at night. Just a touch to the forehead and you have hands free light. I put them on under my wool cap, the light poking out just under it. I keep two extra cheapo models in my car, as my work hours are unpredictable and if I'm miles out on some job at someone's house, I don't want to be stymied by lack of light for the last hour or two.

I keep triple A batteries in stock by the boxload and always have about 8 of them in my car. Lately I've been using my volt meter to determine if indeed it's time to discard used batts.

I suppose walking with golf shoes on icy streets would be a pain, and suggesting that might be venturing into smart-ass territory.

davestlouis · #19 12-27-2009, 03:14 PM

cmac, I appreciate the advice. I don't think extra light would have prevented the fall but it would have made the search for my glasses easier and quicker.

I had another thought...I was properly bundled-up, but there have been times when I just ran out the door with the dog for a quick walk, with no coat. I would have quickly been in trouble if I had fallen more seriously with no outerwear on...hypothermia could have gotten me, pronto.

HuskyMan · #20 12-27-2009, 05:05 PM

ok, again not trying to be a smart ass but I have heard nothing but raves about this producct. yaktrax go over your shoes and help prevent slipping and falling. many online retailers have them, though QVC seems to have the best deal (2 pair for 19.95). note: I do not work for amazon.com or QVC.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001CZEYGI/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B001CZJBKM&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=0QTCMS0BX3SQAHZFPMJ3

okyoureabeast · #21 12-27-2009, 05:57 PM

CLK Man would be quite proud of me for this story.

Back in October I went outside with my two friends for a quick smoke. At this point I was quite inebriated from the 4 shots and 5 bottles of Sam Adams.

For some reason or another I had this sudden urge to run through these woods that are near east tower on IC's campus. I ran into the woods, but I failed to see this tree that had fallen. It was at this perfect level a little bit below my knees.

I ran into the tree and i was flung completely face forward into mud. Not to mention my glasses went flying.

I couldn't find my glasses and my two other friends were looking and still couldn't find them. The next day I found them, but they were all bent to hell from me romping around trying to find them.

cmac2012 · #22 12-28-2009, 04:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davestlouis

cmac, I appreciate the advice. I don't think extra light would have prevented the fall but it would have made the search for my glasses easier and quicker.

I had another thought...I was properly bundled-up, but there have been times when I just ran out the door with the dog for a quick walk, with no coat. I would have quickly been in trouble if I had fallen more seriously with no outerwear on...hypothermia could have gotten me, pronto.

Can't escape getting old, or old-er anyway. I'm more than half way to my 58th birthday and I'm just not as bulletproof as I used to be. My sympathies on your vision difficulties - my eyes are in a bit better shape but in the last year I've declined in that category quicker than I can recall. Reading glasses are now an item as everpresent as my cell phone. I can't read a newspaper comfortably anymore without them, and product specs./instructions on labels is just not possible w/o reading glasses.

I realize things could be worse. Nothing to do but roll with it.

elchivito · #23 12-28-2009, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmac2012

Can't escape getting old, or old-er anyway. I'm more than half way to my 58th birthday and I'm just not as bulletproof as I used to be. My sympathies on your vision difficulties - my eyes are in a bit better shape but in the last year I've declined in that category quicker than I can recall. Reading glasses are now an item as everpresent as my cell phone. I can't read a newspaper comfortably anymore without them, and product specs./instructions on labels is just not possible w/o reading glasses.

I realize things could be worse. Nothing to do but roll with it.

We're the same age. My eyes started to fail at 40 and at 50 I was told I had cataracts. By 56 the cataracts had gotten so bad that the lens implant surgery was approved by my health insurance. The single most awesome thing I've ever done for myself. NO MORE GLASSES!

The operation is fascinating and took all of 15 minutes. I was out of the clinic in an hour, total. Maybe 2 days for complete vision recovery. Each eye was done 3 weeks apart. Permanently implanted multifocal lenses that work for distance, mid and closeup. Amazing technology.

cmac2012 · #24 12-28-2009, 02:16 PM

WOW. That is some kinda tech. My eyes are good enough so that that sort of thing seems too risky. And I'd have to pay for it.

But congratulations on your restored sight. That had to be some kind of thrill.

I'm curious though, how do you specify which part of the lens you're using? With bifocals, it depends on where you aim your eyes - up or down. How does it work with your situation?

elchivito · #25 12-28-2009, 04:00 PM

The darned things actually focus themselves in concert with the muscles of your eyes. I wore bifocals previously, never could get used to progressive lenses and didn't care if they made me look "old". There are also progressive implants that are pretty much like progressive glasses, but I can't speak to those. The ones I have are actually tied to the muscles and focus themselves. They're called Crystalens.

elchivito · #26 12-28-2009, 04:03 PM

The real test is: I can hit a raccoon between the eyes at 75 feet at night with my .22 almost 100% of the time. Haven't been able to do that for 10 years at least.

No apologies offered to the Disney fans amongst us

cmac2012 · #27 12-29-2009, 02:21 PM

Raccoons can be be a pest around here all right. Never have shot one. Suckers better not bother me or I'll see if my blowgun does a number on them. The shafts on my small darts are 3/64ths - if a critter is 5 times smaller than me, that'd be about like me getting hit with an arrow 1/4 inch in diameter. And they drive into plywood so deep I have to use pliers to pull them out. Raccoons practically challenge you around here. I could put those darts wherever I want.

What do you do with the carcasses? I was thinking if you knew how to make the meat safe, would be good dog or cat food. Or, human food in a real pinch. It's been done before, and the pelts are not worthless.

But, again - on the eyeballs, WOW. Self focusing. Must be some kind of liquid sack that responds to muscles. I need to find out if that operation works as well as you get sorta aged, say around 70. By then I might be wanting one.

cmac2012 · #28 12-29-2009, 02:22 PM

On the small head-flashlights - they make great gifts. All my bros in law have liked them as well as others.

davestlouis · #29 12-29-2009, 07:27 PM

I had some footage pertaining to an "urban hunter" who hunted 'coons in the City of Detroit...showed how he skins them, sells the pelt, then sells the meat. I about hurled when he showed what it took to boil the meat and make it reasonably palatable...yuck! I can't find the footage now, but it was on yahoo several months ago. We had a really wet year, so all sorts of wildlife was more visible this year than the norm, including raccoons, and they are BIG. Supposed to be tough too, with long claws/nails.

cmac2012 · #30 12-30-2009, 05:08 AM

Raccoon are in the bear family. There's a store in the people's republic of B-town called "The Bone Room." They have quite the collection of skulls, skeletons, horns, large insects mounted in a framed box. I should go back soon, haven't been there for a while.

I used to buy gifts for my nephews and nieces there. I gave one of my nephews a raccoon skull. Oh man. Those teeth. I would not want one of those coming after me with determination. Seriously carnivorous looking.

NPR had a story a while back about a woman who was attacked by a rabid raccoon, in the snow, outside her semi rural home. No neighbors were in sight of her and her husband and son were in the house about 50 yards away. They couldn't hear her. She struggled with it for some time, finally getting it pinned under her by twisting one fore paw and using her superior weight to keep it from spinning loose. But she couldn't get up to escape as he/it would be at her again. Finally she snaked out her cell phone and her husband came and killed it, I forget how.

**THIS JUST IN**

I did a search for 'rabid raccoon attacks' thinking I'd find that story. Whoa, a lot of stories on that topic out there. Interesting one here - in the photos, the resemblance to larger bears is striking:

http://www.colleenpatrick.com/blog/2009/09/rabid-raccoons.html