I just drove from NYC to Virginia, through a freak snowstorm in western NJ, took me 8 hr when it normally takes 5 or 6. Never seen so many dumb-arses on the roads -- saw at least five people weaving like drunks, including one driving on the wrong side of the center line on a 2-lane road. Ugh.

Can't they wait till the actual day to get p1553d or do so at home when they're not driving?

No they can't wait.

And when they wreck, it always seems that utter innocents are the ones that suffer injury and death in a way that the perps don't.

I like to drive a lot, and this kind of risk scares me.

Just the other day I was talking to the Subaru salesman at the dealer about Outbacks, and he said his had been legally stopped at a light when a big Ford F 250 pickup truck slammed into the back pf his Outback doing 55 mph.

Guy never even SAW him, or slowed down, no skid marks at all on the road.

The vic got knocked unconscious, and emergency personnel had to get him out by dragging him through the windshield after they shattered it.

Yeah he got hurt bad, the Outback was utterly destroyed up to the driver's seat. Those Outbacks have a very high Safety rating, five stars I believe, and a robust safety cage.

He is probably going to be ok.

The guy who hit him is in jail, now, he told me.

With FOUR prior DUI's, I cannot understand how come he was even driving at all!

His driving PRIVILEGE should be taken away for the rest of his miserable life.

But there is LOTS of talk about the "rights" of people like that, in the criminal courts.

Not very much about "responsibilities".

Those big pickup trucks seem to be getting bigger and bigger. They are like murder weapons, I hate them. They are everywhere around here, many are like huge monsters on stilts. You would think everybody has to be hauling large pieces of plywood back and forth across town all day long.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

We had a similar incident... in 1998, our 1990 Geo Prizm was rear-ended by a Ford Econoline on a 45 MPH road while we were stopped at a red light. We were thrown forward so hard that when people in a store about 100' off the road looked out the window when they heard the crash they never saw our car. As far as we could tell, he never braked. He was 81 years old. Why was he still driving? Who knows.

The car he totaled died far too young. We had bought new in 1990, and at 160,000, the closest thing to a repair that we had had to do was a strut replacement. We still consider it the best car that we ever owned.

There was a horrible incident here recently when a drunk driver mowed down a young girl being walked home from school by her mother . Apparently he was running away from an accident that he had caused. I'm appalled by people who will drive impaired seemingly not caring about any of the tremendous responsibilities they take upon themselves when they get behind the wheel. When you're behind a wheel, your number one job is to keep your passengers safe and to keep from making any of the people in your surroundings less safe. Driving when you are not 100% able to do that is downright irresponsible at best.

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"Senior Luna, your sense of humor is still loco... but we love it, anyway." -rickymay ____ "Your sense of humor is still loco... " -MBeige ____ "Señor Luna, your sense of humor is quite järjetön" -Delibes

1982 300SD -- 211k, Texas car, tranny issues ____ 1979 240D 4-speed 234k -- turbo and tuned IP, third world taxi hot rod

2 Samuel 12:13: "David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the Lord.” And Nathan said to David, “The Lord also has put away your sin; you shall not die."

One thing's for certain..it ain't ever gonna stop.

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CHILCUTT~
The secret to a long life. Is knowing when it is time to leave.

Why should it be different from any other day?

Because it was different -- the ratio of drunks was much higher than I've even seen on the 4th of July or after NYE.

Its a big day because lots of people are back and visiting friends/family. I drove straight through NYC last night and had no traffic issues at all. Wasn't until I hit CT that things slowed down.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

X2

X3, especially lifted bro-trucks....I always wonder if they meet the bumper height standards, sure wouldn't want one to rear end me. They surpass all crumple zones and go stright for the windshield.

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TC
Current stable:
- 2004 Mazda RALLYWANKEL
- 2007 Saturn sky redline
- 2004 Explorer...under surgery.

Past: 135i, GTI, 300E, 300SD, 300SD, Stealth

NYC wasn't an issue -- the East River Drive to across the GW was moving fine. Things really slowed down in the middle of NJ where something happened on 80, so it took me 3 hr to get across the state.

There's a lot of folks that have to be "lubricated" for a family gathering.

Most of us are smart enough to have a designated driver.

My family gatherings are usually within walking distance. This year we'll be traveling across state for the first time to my BIL's. The Mrs. is prepared to drive home. Not because I'm going to get rip-roaring drunk but because I don't and won't take any chances if I've had more than one drink.

Thanksgiving Eve is a semi-big "homecoming" deal here with alumni coming back and meeting up at the local watering holes. I'd imagine that's not uncommon and likely the cause of the higher-than-usual number of pickled drivers.

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1980 300TD-China Blue/Blue MBTex-2nd Owner, 107K (Alt Blau) OBK #15
'06 Chevy Tahoe Z71 (for the wife & 4 kids, current mule) '03 Honda Odyssey (son #1's ride, reluctantly) '99 GMC Suburban (255K+ miles, semi-retired mule) 21' SeaRay Seville (summer escape pod)

O'HANRAHAN NO O'HANRAHAN
WE DRINK AND WE SING AND WE DRINK AND WE SING. HEY!
WE DRINK AND WE DRIVE AND WE PUKE AND WE DRINK. HEY!
WE DRINK AND WE FIGHT AND WE BLEED AND WE CRY. HEY!
WE PUKE AND WE SMOKE AND WE DRINK AND WE DIE. HEY!

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

The day before Thanksgiving is a great night to drink, my buddies and I had a great time last night.

But we didn't drive!

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

This!

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-Justin

91 560 SEC AMG - other dogs dd
01 Honda S2000 - dogs dd
07 MB ML320 CDI - dd
16 Lexus IS250 - wifes dd

it's automatic.