Out Of State Driving

Must be a man driving because of the way he exits he obviously never looked at a map or asked directions on how to get where he needed to go. Sound familiar ladies?

Flying While Jabbering

This guy here was moving pretty good. Notice how far he is from the green light and he is on his brakes. Look inside and he is on the phone. Was it slippery today?

How about a little tailgating while yakking in the snow. If you have four-wheel drive, no problem. An Escalade practically drives itself. Yeah I know, I was taking pictures but I had 18 wheels on the ground and I wasn't speeding or tailgating. I like my odds better thank you.

Good Morning

Nothing like waking up at 2am to snow. I did not see one car in a ditch all day. It must be a new record for me. I did however find an unlucky sign that got in the way of somebody and a somewhat lonely road.

169 & 394 Manuvers

A typical day where the stupid and mornic lane changes get you to the same spot. On the ramp. No matter what you do you will always be behind someone.

Another Three Lane Shift

This guy on 610 actually came from behind me. Had he just waited a few seconds he wouldn't be photographed. I guess it was his lucky day.

What The?

I didn't know you could have a horse in Hopkins?

My Favorite Move

If it's the three lane or the four lane shift there's nothing better. Nothing like a little unsafe driving on "Black Friday". I especially like the array of Jesus fish. With all of those what could possibly harm you?

Man's Best Friend

This is my dog Nipsey Russell. Even though Jack Russell Terriers are predominately Irish, look at this blog. If anybody has or knows someone with a Jack, they will appreciate this. The blog is at http://urara1117.blogspot.com/ They are from Japan.

Isn't he cute?

Let's Play Chicken, Shall We?

This lady I met on 35E at County Road 14. A little background is needed to help my story. My truck only does 62 MPH. The company turned them back because of the cost of fuel. Certainly understandable. With the heavy traffic I had my cruise set at 55MPH as I do most days. I stay in the right lane and let everybody pass me. What I am doing is staying out of the way and not tying up traffic.

Miss red Cobalt, a vehicle that weighs maybe 1500 pounds was on the "acceleration lane" not accelerating. As she neared the merge point I heard her blaring her horn. She can certainly out run me and get ahead of me but she didn't. I often wonder if people actually look for a reason to get pissed off. I think she did. She got in behind me and immediately went into the left lane where she accelerated. When she came next to me she slowed as I knew she would. She leaned over and was yelling at me.

Did she think I could hear her? Even though she didn't know how to merge and even though she was blocking traffic now, apparently I am the jackass causing problems. I figured we were done when she decided I wasn't going to play with her. But, I was wrong. She moved in front of me and slowed down again. Every few seconds tapping her brakes. Making a point? Showing who was in charge? Letting me know that I am a lesser person? This went on for quite awhile maybe five miles or so. I am guessing she got bored with me and found someone else to play her game. I did see her near downtown St. Paul later on and she must have forgotten me because when I passed her she didn't even look at me.

So my point is, if you can accelerate in the left lane at a highly agitated state, why can't you accelerate on the acceleration lane? Why would you play chicken with a truck that weighs 80,000 pounds when your car doesn't weigh 2000 pounds? I don't go to peoples employment and endanger their lives, why would you do this to me and everybody else around us?

I only wish it had been a little later in the morning, my photography stinks when the sun is not up yet.

The 4 Lane Shift

I can't think of a time when I haven't seen this on 100 at the 394 exit. I expect it to happen in front of me because no one wants to be behind a slow moving truck. This lady here was in such a hurry to get to Louisiana Blvd. that a mere 5 more seconds of her life maybe would have upset the rest of her day. As I passed her on 394 she was waiting at the red light on the Louisiana ramp so I am not sure if she actually saved any time. Good job!

Shove Your Way In

Why is before a holiday people go haywire? I find it amazing how some people just push their vehicles in front of each other. Sometimes what you do to someone else, somebody does the same to you.

Whoops!

When I come across something like this on a dry day I often wonder why? From the skid marks it looked like this guy had a little excitement for a few seconds. One thing to remember is that ABS brakes don't work to well when you are sideways. This guy here obviously doesn't want to be here and I will be open minded about his dilemma. On this part of 94 in Maple Grove there is a lot of multi lane changing going on. With the addition of a fourth lane ending at Maple Grove Parkway we now have the four at a time lane changes. Maybe he was caught up in someone elses NASCAR style driving. I had this happen to me in March on 169. Nothing like crashing your new car. Sometimes you just don't see it coming.

A Big Truck Tailgating

This type of trailer is called a belt trailer designed for dry bulk products. Whatever is in there must be pretty important. I don't think that Camry would fair to well. The 6 second rule is not being used here. Tsk, tsk.

Too Cold Outside

I woke up this Monday morning shivering. There is no more denying it, winter is on the way. No more cycle, no more short sleeves, no more short pants. Damn it. Now I look forward to returning to Isla in February. When it's time to hibernate it's time to look at pictures from previous trips.

The best way to get around a small island. Muy rapido.

The absolute best way to see Isla

It's a tough life sometimes but someone has to do it. Just a few more months, that's all.

Whoa!!!

Pardon me!! My bad!!!

Tailgate Much?

This fine fellow in his big green Ford F-350 was the big man getting onto north 35E from 94. I wonder if the guy in the blue Mercury got tired of looking at the grill in his mirror? Do these people think about what is going to happen when they rear end somebody? No, they don't.

The Time To Hang Up.......

....... Is NOW! I watched this guy all the way down the ramp and enter onto north 35E from Maryland. He never once turned his head or attempted to look in his little mirror to see if it was okay to merge. I think thank yous are in order for me from him as I was the one driving defensively and avoided any contact with him. But oh, how I wanted to lay on my air horn....

Maybe Pay Attention?

Funny how driving can be confusing at times. One guy moves left, another mover right. One slows down, another speeds up. I just want to know why the red Impala is so close to the white Pontiac in the last picture?

Watching A Cop

As I was heading home on this fine Sunday afternoon after working 60 hours this past week I had a Maple Grove cop enter 169 behind me a few cars back. Being the observant driver that I am I instinctively knew all cars would slow down and everybody would be on their best behavior. Not quite, near 694 where the third lane starts a car in the left lane cut across all three lanes to exit on eastbound 694 in front of the cop. Surely this would warrant a traffic stop. Nothing. Next, a lady with a lap dog entered onto 169 from 694 when I was exiting and in front of the cop. The lap dog was just that as the dog was easily blocking her view on her mirror. She went on her way and we went on ours to westbound 694. On 694 a passenger van decided at the last moment he was going to exit onto southbound 169 from the middle lane again in front of the cop. Now this must be a violation of the law here in Minnesota? We went our way, the van went his. As I moved over a lane the cop came up aside me. Now I know why these people were not talked to about their actions. He kept looking down into his lap and every few seconds or so look to see where he was going. I am going to assume that, by watching many others with the same actions that he was not examining anything down there, but he must of been........ Texting. I thought this was banned. I think someone very important, maybe Winston Churchill, said "if texting is outlawed, then only outlaws will text!" My point and yes it took long enough to make is, had I just shit canned it and started speeding, I most likely would have been stopped. So speeding is more dangerous than inattentive driving. I certainly don't want to see anybody stopped, but if your breaking a traffic law you deserve what you get, or like today, what you don't get.

A Week Later.......

........And my skid marks are still there on 169 at 55.......

None this past week, I'm hoping for more of the same....

Clipped By An Outback

Just another normal Friday on the road, if anybody knows what normal is. The lady in the Outback certainly knows what normal is to her. Her brazen three lane shift looks like she has practiced it quite a bit. I wonder if she smelled anything burning after she ran over a bag of leaves and the bag, clearly visible, is stuck by the right front tire?

A Child Bus

Today during my travels I came across this little white bus on Hwy 55 in Plymouth. The photo's don't really show much, but how about a signal and doing the speed limit. I do find it strange that the people who drive kids around are not paid very well. But I do know it's "about the kids."

Inside The Truck

A night time view of what I look at everyday.