Driving in San Diego, California.
It's no wonder why California has one of the highest insurance rates around, there too many people driving around that shouldn't be.
If you are sleepy, and you know you are tired, then find a place to stop, take a break, and sleep in your car. Napping for 30 minutes can do you a world of good. Don't drive, fall asleep behind the wheel, and kill innocent people just because you told the officer that you were "taking a light nap" or you "had one eye open". That doesn't work, and you end up hurting other people. Afterwards, expect your license to be taking away.
People on their cell phones while driving should have their license suspended. This one bugs me the most. I do not understand spending hours on the phone talking to your "love one" that you just got done talking to for the past 5 hours too, then to be on the phone and still be talking to that person. What is so important, that you need to be on the phone while driving? Tell me. I really would like someone to tell me. Here is my e-mail: bagao001@csusm.edu. I want to hear what you have to say. This another quick way to get into an accident if you are not paying attention to the road. I've seen it many times where people are in a hurry, are on the phone trying to tell their boss that they will be late, crossing 3 lanes over the I-15, not looking around, and just cutting people off left and right. This causes everybody else to slow down, and other people to slam on their breaks. Now, if I was the one giving the driver's license test, the instant a cell phone rings while I am directing the student to drive, I'd fail that person on the spot without even telling him/her failed till the end of the exam. Yes, deal. Let the phone ring while you are driving. If it is that important, put on your emergency lights on, pull over to the side of the road, come to a stop, put the car in park, and talk as much as you want. Afterwards, hang up your phone, turn off your emergency lights, signal to others that you are getting back onto the road, and merge safely. It's that simple.
People who don't use their signal lights should also be warn. I have an itch to follow someone home, take a bat, and break their tail lights. I'm just waiting for the dumb ass to do so. At least give me the courtesy of a signal before you make your turn into Burger King or whatever. Again, it's simple. If you don't know how to use or what the blinkers are on your car, have someone drive you and your car back to the dealers, give them back the keys to the car, and get a ride home on the bus because you are too stupid to own a car. Also, watch out for pedestrians walking on the road. No matter what, if you see someone walking on the road, they have the right of way. So wait for them to pass your car. Technically, you have to wait for that person to be completely off the road before you can make any kind of turn. You hit them, they or their families can file you ass for driving down pedestrians. This is not a game.
The whole age thing. People under the age of 18, wait till you can drive. Some of you can't even reach the pedals yet. Get Mommy or Daddy to drive you. Otherwise, take that the bus, or walk you lazy butt. People 18+, don't think your "cool" just because you are now driving Daddy's or Mommy's Mercedes. You don't own it, you are not paying for the insurance to drive it, you don't pay for the gas on it, you don't maintain it. if you crash it, expect a very LONG talk from Daddy or Mommy the next day, and watch your insurance on that car go up the roof. Now, if you pay for all that for yourself, more power to you. Just remember, every single person you have in that car, you are responsible for. So if Jimmy or Ted got a broken bone, expect to pay for their medical bills. If Jenny or Lisa died in your car, you are the sole person responsible for their death, and expect a bill from the family for the funeral, and possibly a lawsuit on you ass for driving reckless and endangerment. People over the age of 50 years old should be tested every 6 months to make sure they know how to drive properly. People over the age of 60 years old should be tested every 4 months to make sure they remember how to drive. People who are 70+ years old, need to be tested every month, to make sure they can still see over the steering wheel, not though the steering wheel, and reach the break pedals. We need to make sure they don't run us down while walking though a cross walk.
Driving in the rain. I guess it's because we don't get enough rain out here is why most people can't drive in the rain. Because the moment a couple drops of water hits their windshield, people start applying their breaks from 65 to 35 mph. I hate it. Especially when I'm in the far left lane, expecting to go a little faster than 65 mph, is where people will slow down the most. Move over to the next lane, and let others pass.
If you see more than 3 cars tailing behind you, speed up, pass the car in the right lane, and move over. You are just causing everyone to slow down, and pissing off a lot of people like me. If you are going to be driving 65 mph, drive in the far right lane, or in the middle lane. Not on the far left lane. Same goes for those trucks. I hate coming up a back of a truck with shit ready to fall out while in the fast lanes. Or cars that that have tow hitches on the back going faster than 55 mph. The same can be said for the moving trucks that travel at 80 mph. Stupid people. I'm just waiting to watch one of those get creamed over a wall or over a bridge in a giant bon fire.
SUVs were design for carrying large payloads while carrying a large number of people. Nowadays, I see giant SUVs carrying a group of little kids to their soccer games. "Soccer Moms". Get a Van, they hold more, and are more spacious than a SUVs. And you can see the through the front of your car better. Trucks were design to carry loads in the back. Nowadays I see people convert it into a bed of speakers. Oh wow, a whole lot of nothing. Together the SUV and these large Trucks are crappy. It bugs the shit out of me to find either of these cars that are 5 feet off the ground, that require a step ladder to climb into, and is driven by a 5'2" little lady inside that can barely see over the hood of the truck. Great, not only can they not see the car stop in front of them, but when they drive at night they have head lights that blind everyone. I hope that their comes a law that bands people from having too tall of a vehicle. The heights for a SUV, Truck, or Van should be under the 8' limit. Most garages are not design to have anything beyond 6'. So why bother raising your vehicle to height higher than you garage. Fine by me if you precious car is out in the rain.
Head lights. Don't use your high beams while driving in the fog. If you remember in your driver's ed class, driving with the high beams on is illegal, and it really doesn't help you when driving though a thick fog. They are only good when driving though the mountains on those curvy road paths, or off road tracks. Otherwise, don't use them in normal street roads.
Modified Cars
I can say I'm a car fanatic, and I particularly like import (Japanese) cars. I like looking at modified cars that "looks" good and "sound" good.
By "looks" I mean, it is clean.
- Not that half ass job that I see every time I walk to though a parking lot at the local grocery store. It looks really ugly when I see colors that don't match. Neon green is not in, nor is any neon color for that fact. Or when you can clearly see a bumper or two that doesn't match the style of the car.
- Oh those damn lights. I better see those lights turn red when you hit the break pedal. Not that pink color or white for that matter. The same can go for those front head lights. I better not be seeing "blue" lights in my rear view mirror, otherwise expect me to slow down, watch you drive by, as I take down your license plate, and hand that over to the local police department. It's very illegal to modify you head lights and tails lights that are not regulated lights. Turn signals don't bother me, just as long as you use them, and I can clearly see it from the front and from the back. Another one are those "fog lights". There is a reason for them being called "Fog Lights", it's there for you to see the roads during times it is "foggy". If you can't see at night, then I suggest you talk with you optometrist. It's annoying to see cars in the rear view mirror with like 10 headlights on. Otherwise don't drive at night. Make it a point to drive during the day.
- Spoilers...oh boy, we have many winners here. It bugs me to see "counter top" on the back end of a car. What the hell are you trying to do? Fly? Unless you are driving above the speeds of 180+ mph, those spoilers aren't going to do much to your "performance". Those little Honda Civics can't go over 120 mph without doing heavy modifications. Besides, you shouldn't be driving those speeds, and if you are I hope you get caught. Do it on a real race track, so you don't take innocent people with you when you biff out in your car. Now, there are some spoilers that are design for "lower wind" resistance or to "keep your car on the road" but that requires a lot of time and research to find the right one for you car.
- Tires are good. They are design to help stabilize your car during turns, and to give traction control to your car. But those rims that give you 1 inch of rubber is not going to help you when you hit a speed bump, and dent those $500 custom rims. Especially on SUVs. I don't know why you need 25" rims with a 2" tire on it. Maybe you can enlighten me as to why people do this. Also, it bugs me to see wheels that hang outside the car. You know the ones I'm talking about. The one that Juan drives with the Mexican girl-band playing in his car. What is the point of having your wheel so far out your car? I know its a style, but lets get away from the stereotypes, okay mi amigo. Get wheels that can fit in your car's wheel base.
- Suspensions are good. But they're useless if you have to tell your friends to get out of the car, and have them push the car over the 1" bump on the road, then its quite useless. If you are going to lower you car, lower it so at least it is drivable. I always laugh to see cars that have to go at a angle getting over speed bumps and watch them get scratched. Otherwise, if you are so hung up about the height of you car off the ground, save your cash, and get hydraulic suspensions. That way you can adjust the ride height at anytime, and anywhere.
- TV for your cars. I don't understand why people want to have the most number or LCD screens in their cars. Why don't you spend that money on getting a plasma screen at home to watch. If you have kids, give them a deck of cards to play with or a CD player to listen to while they are in the back seats. They don't need to watch that 30 minutes of Finding Nemo as you go from the grocery story and back home. Have you kid to something else other that watching TV as you drive. Now, if you are driving to a place like Las Vegas, that I can understand having an LCD in the car. I think their should be a law stating that you cannot have any kind of screens installed onto any part of the dash that is visible to the driver that doesn't show anything that is not important to the driver. You don't need to be watching the news in you car while driving. Listen to the radio for that. You don't need to be watching Britney Spear's music video while you are driving. Listen to the CD for that.
- Speakers are great when you have 4 - 6 speakers in you car. But what's up with the giant 20" speakers in the trunk of your car? You took the time to buy 300 watt speakers in the back of your car, at the cost of removing your spare wheel. Now, what are you going to do when you get a flat tire or two? I hope your insurance covers having a tow truck take your car to the local shop to get that fix. That's a nice bill to receive after spending hundreds of dollars to install those beautiful speakers that did absolutely nothing for you. Otherwise, I hope you know some friends that can help you out 2 AM in the morning to come out and save your ass. Don't expect me to do so. I'm an heavy sleeper, and I will sleep though your call.
- Their is a reason for those chairs and seat belts, use them. If you plan to tear out the interior of your car, go to the shop, and get it done the right way. Otherwise, get a bunch of your friends to help you out. It is not an easy task to do. Those 5-point seatbelts are not going to help you when you are stuck upside down, with nobody to help you, and when your car is on fire. Get ones that are easy to come apart but still work, or stick to the standard seatbelts. Buckle up, it's not that hard. Otherwise, it's your life. If you are expecting to drive your girl and some friends around, leave the cover on to the back seats of the car. It bugs the shit out of me hearing the noise of your crappy ass muffler as it gets louder the further you drive.
- Speaking of mufflers and exhaust, get ones that works. There is absolutely no point on installing a muffler at the end of your car that sticks out 3 feet. It's not "cool" nor will the cops think it's legal. Also, you really don't need no more than 2 exhausts on your little Honda Civics. Now cars like the Toyota Supra, or the Mitsubishi 3000GT are capable to have more than 2 exhausts pipes. Otherwise, it's just a waste of money. Also, adding chrome tips to the exhaust doesn't help in anyway to the performance of you car, nor does it look good.
- Stickers and paint jobs are another thing I see in import cars. If you are going to be spending money and time on a custom paint job, at least get one that looks clean. And if you are going to put a custom decal on the front of your car or side of your car, have a picture of something that either appealing or controversial, like a penis. Otherwise, paint the front of your car red, the middle and back of the car white, and tie a rope at the end of the car. That will get some attention to your car. Stickers are cool, but putting on a Lexus badge on a Ford car is not cool. Or putting on a 2.5 Litter badge on the back of your car when you know your engine is no bigger than 1.6 litters. Another one is when I see "Type-R" badges on cars that hasn't earned the badge to put one on.
- Back to the lights thing. Installing lights underneath your car to give it that glow under the car is alright in my book. But it only flies with good looking cars. Otherwise it is a waist of time installing lights that will break when you hit that speed bump, or it gets wet during the rain. Now that's fun when people install lights and don't water proof them, and watch their car get a short circuit as they drive in the rain or though a puddle of water.
- Turbo chargers, and super chargers are a good add on to your car's performance. They're good investments if you have them installed properly. NOS is for those whimps who don't have real power under their hoods. NOS only puts your car to an early grave if your not careful. All that NOS does is give you that first 10 second edge over the next car. Otherwise, I'll beat you over the highway speeds. Again, NOS is illegal. You can have your car impounded on the spot, and be fine for illegal modifications for your car. Not to mention the bill for your car being towed, and it being stored at the local impound center. By then, I hope you can find your car. Most places will give you the "run around" as you try to find you car. It's meant to drive people away from having those modification done to their cars.
- Oh wow....look at the pretty flames. Very illegal to have. Thanks to the makers of 2 Fast 2 Furious and other movies like so, had modified their cars "stunt cars" with flames that shot out from the exhaust pipes. Great for movies, but bad for real life situations. You don't want your car catching on fire while driving up to McDonalds. Cops don't take it lightly either.
- Disk breaks are great. But you don't need to have chromed out disk breaks since they will only get scratched as you drive and stop. Its a nice upgrade from stock drum breaks. But get ones that work.
- Break pads help you stop. But having them painted with funky colors don't help you stop at a light. If you are going to paint them, do it right. Take them out, and have them painted the right way.
- Steering wheels are their to help you turn the damn car. Get ones that you can turn with both hands. Not those race car steering wheels. They don't help you when you are in a panic of avoiding the idiot in front of you.
By "sound" I mean, I can hear and feel the power of the engine.
It bugs me when I hear a law mower driving by at 75 mph. Or even just driving though the parking lot, I hear this little import car, driving all loud, with the engine sounding like it is struggling up a hill going 10 mph in front of K-Mart. All noise but no power. Sometimes I hear this farting noise. Great, now you car really blows ass. The "sound" that makes my skin crawl with excitement is the kind of sound I look for. Not the kind of "sound" that makes me puke or laugh. I should be hearing more of the engine's raw power, rather than just air coming out of the exhaust pipes. Blow out from the turbo is nice to hear, but again, that shouldn't overkill the noise of the engine or the exhaust pipe. The real power is from the engine, not from the exhaust pipes.
Do what you want to do. If it makes you happy the way your car is, don't let me stop you from what you do to your car, as long as YOU are happy with the results of your car. Don't do anything to it that you "think" is cool, because it has already been done before. If you can make your car fly, great. Show it off. It's better when I find cars where the owner loves the car to death, has put the time and commitment into fixing his/her car, iis where I find the best cars.
Do your homework before doing any modification to you car. Make sure the modifications are legal. Cops are towing cars that they find with illegal modifications. They will ask you to pop open you hood if they feel like it. What's legal? Stock. Some minor engine and small body works will pass. Modifying a car doesn't come cheap, even when it comes from a friend. It still costs money, and time.
Personally, I'd like to put more of that money and time on a house that I can say is mine. I don't plan to live in my car. It's fun to see where these import cars go to. Sometime I find 30 year old men living at their Mom's 1 floor house with the car looking a lot better than the house.
