Wednesday, January 21, 2009

Raking Me Over The Coals

After a mention in the Star-Tribune by Roadguy I have had quite a lot of opinions thrown at me. Some by my own doing, some not. I had no idea I would be in Roadguy's article and appreciate the exposure, but I only do this for amusement and no monetary gain.

As I was driving today I started thinking about most of the negative criticism and how unsafe or distracted I am. I decided that I am not distracted at all. I don't look at my camera or my remote. I am going to liken it to taking a drink which I am sure most everybody does.
As for being illegal? There is no law that states you cannot photograph from a vehicle. Am I inattentive? I don't believe I am. I am very conscious of what I am doing. I am not perfect but I am not dangerous. I don't speed and I am usually in the right lane.
So despite all the negative criticism, the positive far outweighs the other. I have decided to keep going and see what happens and if someone wants to criticise me some more, go ahead I don't care. Some might think of me as high and mighty or a pompous ass but I respect your opinion and can say I am not like that at all.









Who's more dangerous? Me snapping a photo in less than a seconds time or this guy barreling into the left lane?




What about here? Driving on my right side or me? I seen him but he didn't see me.



Me or driving 40MPH with your 4 ways on.





Tailgating or me?


14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, read the Roadguy post and in a positive note keep up the good work on posting bad driving by others and keep it safe.

Captain Crab said...

Keep right on doing what you are doing. As I travel the roads, I occasionally take the quik picture of bad driving also.

Dale the Truck Driver said...

I plan to keep this going. Too many positives as opposed to the negatives. If someone doesn't like my photos or grammar, too bad. As Popeye would say (I've been told I have Popeye forearms) I yam wat I yam...........

Anonymous said...

I like what you're doing. Anything that makes people more aware of what they are doing seems like a good idea to me. I drive cross state for a living and see alot these behaviors all the time. Everywhere. It's certainly not a metro problem.

The only negative comment I might have is that you shouldn't say 'I am not perfect but I am not dangerous' because that is probably the prevailing attitude of the maniac driver's too.

I live with one of these easily distracted self serving drivers who acts like he owns any road he's on and I never ride with him anymore. He has made that comment too and attributes my complaints to wifely nagging. These drivers simply do not believe they are rotten drivers because there are no consequences as long as their luck holds out. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised to see my husband's car show up in one of your pictures someday.

Sigh....

Dave said...

I feel bad now when you say you're being "raked over the coals". I never intended for that to be the result of my comments. I feel partially responsible for the flack you're getting. The more you write shows your concern for the severe lack of good driving skills on the roads today, and makes me realize you're doing much more good than I first thought. You seem very level-headed, and think things through.
You should keep going with this blog.

Anonymous said...

Actually, maybe there could be some monetary gain for you, Dale. If the word gets out any more, this could turn into some big popular website, where people will tune in every day to see who's getting nailed by your camera!
Maybe they really will look for someone they know!

Keep the cameras rollin'!

Anonymous said...

You have a very intertesing concept for a blog and one that I think is needed. I am not sure why people think you are unsafe or inattentive - it was pretty obvious to me that you had a mounted camera with a remote button to take the picture. And the pics show you are pretty darn attentive!

Anyway - thanks for doing this and providing me with a place where I can see photographic evidence that there are lots of people stupider than me! ha ha It always makes me feel better.

And I have been watching for red semi's now - there sure are a lot of them out there!

Anonymous said...

I think what you are doing is great. Apparently, most people missed the part that your camera is *mounted* and that you are not driving around via the viewfinder!

Keep it up; I love it.

Anonymous said...

Keep it up Man.

What do the "rakers" know about driving skill?

You're a pro and they are more than likely rank amateurs.

The fact that you can id the effery going on around you, while being cool and quick enough to get a shot or two of it, tells me you are on the ball.

Dale the Truck Driver said...

There are a few people on Roadguys blog that are just against me. Everytime I post something or have a picture shown I get the same comments from the same people. I am sure they lurk around here but would never admit it. Thanks again for the encouragement, I have found in a lot of things that the ones who knock you never try anything different in life.

Anonymous said...

Total support for you. (But I take pix all the time while driving, with no remote or mount, so....)

Anyhow, the attention you pay to other cars PROVES you are a safe driver, since good driving is NOT defined by whether you know how to turn the wheel but by how you manage the relationship of your vehicle to the vehicles around you.

Dale the Truck Driver said...

Yeah, what you said, Dance!

Dale the Truck Driver said...

Barry, thanks for the comments, much appreciated.

Dale the Truck Driver said...

....And Dave, thanks to you also.

 

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