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Fucknag posted:I mean it's technically true (some cursory googling claims 35 watts for HID vs 55 for halogen), but I don't think cutting 1.4 amps off the alternator load is gonna reduce fuel consumption a whole hell of a lot. The halogens use about 3.5 amps total, so even switching to LEDs (which use basically no power) isn't gonna produce any noticable savings; you'll probably save more never having to replace bulbs than you do on fuel. You don't even need to convert it to amps. They're saving 20 watts (electrical) per bulb, so 40 watts total. Assume an 80% efficient alternator (this would be on the low side) so the mechanical load on the engine is 50 watts less than before. One horsepower is 745 watts.
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Oct 1, 2014 00:32
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Sagebrush posted:You don't even need to convert it to amps. They're saving 20 watts (electrical) per bulb, so 40 watts total. Assume an 80% efficient alternator (this would be on the low side) so the mechanical load on the engine is 50 watts less than before. Good to know, I'm just used to dealing with alternator output in terms of amps so I converted it using 14.6 volts. 
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Oct 1, 2014 07:43
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The Midniter posted:It was VERY foggy this morning on my way to work, overcast but not raining, so I turned on my fog lamps. Two cars flashed their brights at me because my headlights weren't on. In some states, running just fogs or parking lights is illegal. And on many cars, you can't turn on fogs without turning on the low beams. Some states also require that if you have to use the wipers for any reason, you need at least your low beams on. Fog can definitely fall into that category if it's warm enough. tl;dr were you driving in some part of Texas where people actually know the laws?
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Oct 1, 2014 12:24
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There's a place where people have to turn their lights on in the rain? I want to live in this blessed place. Here, people will crawl along at 30 under the limit when it rains, for safety, yet do so in a completely loving un-lit vehicle. I was driving in the rain yesterday, and it nearly drove me mad. Just drive at a normal goddamn speed (under the limit on something like a freeway, due to hydroplaning risk, but not ridiculously under the limit) and turn your loving lights on, you halfwits. This really, really doesn't bode well for the level of skill that will be displayed during winter driving conditions either.
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Oct 1, 2014 13:52
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No, you do not want to live in Texas (for the most part). The part of Texas I live in is by far the best major metro area to live in if you love severe weather (tornadoes etc), but that and family are the only things keeping me here. It's required by law here. Actually required in a lot of states. I've never seen it enforced unless you do something REALLY loving STUPID in front of a cop. At that point you're already getting stacks of tickets for laws you've never heard of; the law is basically there so that drivers ed instructors can pound it into your head, and to add another ticket to the pile of tickets you're already getting if you pull out in front of a cop and basically idle up to 10 mph on a highway. Had someone pull out in front of me on a 65 mph road last night while they were basically idling - thanks to them, I have some pretty nasty flat spots on my tires. They ran a stop sign from a dirt road without even looking, pulled into a 65 mph highway slow enough that a jogger could pass them (probably 4-5 mph if I had to guess), completely bypassed the shoulder (which is where you expect slow vehicles to match speed on those kind of roads), swerved back onto the shoulder once they realized "oh poo poo cars", swerved back into the road, back to the shoulder, back to the road.. caused several cars to stand on their brakes and flatspot their tires. Good job assface. My delivery area includes a ton of dirt roads, FM (farm to market) roads, private roads, etc. Suburbia has largely swallowed up the city I work in, when it used to be very rural (and I still spend a small amount of time every day on dirt, FM, and private roads - a decent chunk of my delivery area is just known as "county road ##"). I'm used to poo poo like tractors pulling out in front of me on those roads with no warning, but at least they hug the shoulder and tend to be big and bright enough to give some warning. fake edit: holy poo poo that got me entirely too angry, goddamn.
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Oct 1, 2014 14:33
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Some states have signage on their roads telling you to turn on your headlights if it's wet out. Having a tough time coming up with a specific example at the moment but I know I've seen it. I want to say Missouri and Minnesota do this but that's just guessing. I've only visited Texas once (motogp race in Austin) and really see no need to go back there. Good BBQ, that's about all I liked about it. Though I did marvel at the stunningly huge interchanges they build down that way. You guys take your highways loving serious in Texas.
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Oct 1, 2014 14:39
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If you were in Austin, you haven't seen anything about our interchanges, though you did get to see the weird elevated I-35 section. Probably got to sit in traffic on or below it for more than a bit. I get nauseated anytime I'm on this, thank gently caress I manage to avoid Dallas proper for months at a time. When I do venture into Dallas, it's almost always via train and connecting buses. Costs a lot less to just park my car at the north end of the rail system and buy a day pass compared to driving, doesn't take much longer, and I can just zone out and listen to a podcost, music, etc until I get to where I'm going. I actually really like Austin aside from the traffic; I have a lot of friends there (some going back as far as middle school), know several awesome restaurants, and it somehow manages to remain a bit quirky despite its size. Despite not spending more than a week there at a time (generally a couple of days) (probably a total of maybe a couple of months over my entire life), I know more shortcuts to get around traffic than a good chunk of people who live there. I know I've seen similar signs in Texas at some point, but not recently. If you ever ride Amtrak through Texas, it goes right down the middle of Mopac in Austin (with a roughly 5 minute stop at a station the size of a shoebox). Such a weird feeling being in a train going between sections of a highway. 
randomidiot fucked around with this message at 15:02 on Oct 1, 2014 |
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Oct 1, 2014 14:54
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Well, Austin was just the destination. I didn't fly there so I got to see lots of Texas road.  I drove that interchange in Dallas, it was a bit nuts. Based on the driving I saw in the state, I figured a major design decision was allowing people to change highways without ever going below 70 mph.
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Oct 1, 2014 15:12
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Texas highways, in a nutshell. In a metro area: Are you doing at least 70? Good, continue driving, but get the gently caress out of the left lane unless you're doing at least 85. If you're in a Euro car, disregard this and do at least 100 while cutting people off every chance you get. Are you doing under 45? Get in the left lane of the nearest highway, throw things, and lay at the horn at anyone that even thinks about passing you in any lane. In a rural area: Are you doing under 90? Get in the left lane, road rage while people try to pass you even though the speed limit is 85, even though you're blocking the left lane. Are you doing over 90? Use the right lane (and shoulder), perform rear end in a top hat moves, rage more. In a border town: drive at least 20 under the speed limit. I got stuck behind a minivan doing less than 40 in the left lane of I-10 last year (which ranges from 50-85 depending where you are, this part was 65), and had a cattle truck slowwwwwly passing on the right. randomidiot fucked around with this message at 15:36 on Oct 1, 2014 |
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Oct 1, 2014 15:28
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Texas definitely seems like it has to be the worst state for road rage. So many loving hicks in one place dear god. And I live in Kentucky!
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Oct 1, 2014 15:35
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I've driven in Kentucky before (ranging from "so rural that you need to know what color the barn is before you think about making a turn on what passes for a walking path" to "Louisville"). I thought people were a lot friendlier to be honest.  I could barely understand what a lot of people said though.
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Oct 1, 2014 15:41
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The problems in Kentucky are rooted in stupidity (raw, in-your-face dumb loving people, everywhere) rather than aggression. Not to say there aren't plenty of aggressive stupid people, but most of the issues you run into are just low-iq people that cannot use critical thinking. It's not just a driving thing. Going somewhere public like the fair or one of our big local events tends to be an exercise in absolute maddening frustration just dealing with being around so many dumb people. I guess the upside is our cost of living is hilariously cheap. My house would probably be 2+ mil if it was as close to downtown in another big city. My first apartment was like 600 a month for an entire first floor of a mansion and it was right in the middle of the 'fun' district. I remember I used to pay 375 for a corner apartment with 20' ceilings and hardwood, floor to ceiling windows etc.
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Oct 1, 2014 15:49
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Kentucky's justification for existing is it's a very pretty drive. I did Lexington - Raleigh once via the backroads and loved every mile. My only interactions with people were paying for gas so I have no comment on the population. edit - well, one comment. As I entered Louisville I wanted to get off the highway to explore the town a little bit, and when I hit my blinker to get into the exit lane the person who was shadowing in my blind spot actually hit the brakes to make room for me. Not just a little either, they slowed down significantly to give me a huge gap. That had never happened before or since.
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Oct 1, 2014 15:50
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There are some INSANELY fun roads near Lexington and I've never in my life seen a cop on any of them outside of the city. State Route 68 has got to be my favorite road in the state. 30mph winding roads between cliffs so steep you'll lose satellite radio and GPS.
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Oct 1, 2014 15:55
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xzzy posted:Some states have signage on their roads telling you to turn on your headlights if it's wet out. I knew Missouri had that law because I got to see a sign reminding me of it every time I drove home from college, immediately after getting on the highway. If it's even halfway overcast I end up just turning my lights on instinctively at this point. Moe_Rahn fucked around with this message at 16:31 on Oct 1, 2014 |
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Oct 1, 2014 16:29
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Dear guy in the other car, whoever the gently caress you are: gently caress you. gently caress you. gently caress you. gently caress you. That was a one-way road with a 40 kph limit. You popped right out of a curve going at least 100 kph the wrong way. If our driver didn't react inhumanely fast to avoid a collision, we'd be dead now. It doesn't matter if you changed your mind about where you wanted to go, and it doesn't matter if you were in a hurry, it's a loving one way road. Leave it the first chance you get instead of turning around and slamming the gas. gently caress you. gently caress you. gently caress you. gently caress you. Why the gently caress did you think that was a good idea?
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Oct 1, 2014 16:46
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A haiku for people who waste my time: Put down your cell phone Keep your eyes on the stop light Go when it turns green
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Oct 1, 2014 18:21
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Tell that to my bus driver this morning.
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Oct 1, 2014 18:27
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blk posted:A haiku for people who waste my time: Distracted driving really needs to be made into a moving violation complete with points. Fines alone are obviously not driving the point home hard enough.
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Oct 1, 2014 18:32
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While we're on rants: Dear everyone who lives in my city: the middle turning lane is for TURNING! Imagine that! Please don't abruptly stop in the left lane to turn left - there is a perfectly good turning lane for that. Oh, and use your signals and turn your lights on you bunch of troglodytes.
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Oct 1, 2014 18:33
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PT6A posted:Distracted driving really needs to be made into a moving violation complete with points. Fines alone are obviously not driving the point home hard enough. It's too much of a money printer to attach real consequences to.
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Oct 1, 2014 18:55
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PT6A posted:Distracted driving really needs to be made into a moving violation complete with points. Fines alone are obviously not driving the point home hard enough. Indeed. I want to see texting-while-driving incur the same penalties as a DWI. Maybe a mandatory suspension, classes, and a couple thousand in attorney's fees will get you to loving pay attention.
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Oct 1, 2014 18:59
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DWI is a little much, but maybe in the realm of dangerous driving or street racing. We can't fill the court systems with ignorant retards, and for fucks sake we don't need people in jail for bad judgment. The consequences should be a deterrent, not revenge. in egregious cases they can use "driving with undue care and attention" on top of distracted driving which is 6 demerits and a $402, but rarely seem to use it.
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Oct 1, 2014 19:20
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blk posted:A haiku for people who waste my time: http://www.cafepress.com/mf/8376271/cell-phone-instruction_bumper-sticker?productId=45609493
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Oct 1, 2014 19:24
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Powershift posted:DWI is a little much, but maybe in the realm of dangerous driving or street racing. Except for the part where there's been several demonstrations of people chatting on a phone driving with equal impairment to someone blowing a .08. DWI for using a cellphone while driving is probably pretty reasonable.
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Oct 1, 2014 19:26
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a primate posted:While we're on rants:  Assuming you're talking about these bad boys.Also, in many states, they are for merging back into the flow of traffic after a left turn onto the road  Absolutely no one knows that though, and drivers on the right side of the road will honk at me thinking I'm going to T-bone them when I'm turning into the adjacent turn/merge lane. Reduces the number of lanes you have to cross at one time, and enables you to complete the turn faster. And since no one knows that, if you are stuck behind someone on a driveway waiting to turn left onto a road with a middle merge lane, they will take forever and cross all lanes, even though they had many openings to make it to the merge lane. Guaranteed almost 100% of the time. Please Google, bring the driverless cars. Michael Scott fucked around with this message at 19:36 on Oct 1, 2014 |
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Oct 1, 2014 19:27
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Powershift posted:We can't fill the court systems with ignorant retards, and for fucks sake we don't need people in jail for bad judgment. Hmm I don't see a problem with it. It's basically aggravated negligence and I think you actually do deserve to spend a night in jail for it. (texting) revmoo fucked around with this message at 19:32 on Oct 1, 2014 |
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Oct 1, 2014 19:29
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Michael Scott posted:Absolutely no one knows that though, and drivers on the right side of the road will honk at me thinking I'm going to T-bone them when I'm turning into the adjacent turn/merge lane. Reduces the number of lanes you have to cross at one time, and enables you to complete the turn faster. Where I was taught to drive (Alaska) I was told that the center turn lane is for traffic leaving the main road only. It was not to be used as an intermediary lane for merging onto the roadway. I have no idea if the law supports this interpretation, but that's what I was taught and it's what I treated as fact for many years.
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Oct 1, 2014 19:38
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Powershift posted:DWI is a little much, but maybe in the realm of dangerous driving or street racing. In Arizona, "Racing / Exhibition Of Speed" is basically the same as a low-level DUI, complete with required court appearance.
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Oct 1, 2014 20:46
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IOwnCalculus posted:In Arizona, "Racing / Exhibition Of Speed" is basically the same as a low-level DUI, complete with required court appearance.
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Oct 1, 2014 20:55
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IOwnCalculus posted:In Arizona, "Racing / Exhibition Of Speed" is basically the same as a low-level DUI, complete with required court appearance. But there are alot of places where DUI is mandatory jailtime. Then again there are places like virginia where going 40mph over is mandatory jailtime.
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Oct 1, 2014 20:59
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a primate posted:While we're on rants: What I see around here a bunch is people that can't fully get into the middle lane. They just wait until they have to turn and park halfway in it at 45 degrees blocking off the lane.
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Oct 1, 2014 21:14
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Powershift posted:But there are alot of places where DUI is mandatory jailtime. In AZ, going 20 over is/can be felony speeding.
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Oct 1, 2014 21:35
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xzzy posted:Where I was taught to drive (Alaska) I was told that the center turn lane is for traffic leaving the main road only. It was not to be used as an intermediary lane for merging onto the roadway. Yep, it's different in many states, one of many cases of ambiguity between U.S. states. Another example would be U-turn laws, which can even vary by the city you are in. Here is the law on centered left turn lanes from Illinois' Rules of the Road: quote:A left turn may not be made from any other lane when a turn lane is provided. A vehicle may not If anyone's super bored here is a link to the PDF: http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/pdf_publications/dsd_a112.pdf Michael Scott fucked around with this message at 22:03 on Oct 1, 2014 |
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Oct 1, 2014 22:00
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Walking back to work after hitting the 7-11 at lunchtime today. "Oooohhhhh heeeeeyyy, lemme park my car right across this crosswalk so I can stare glassy-eyed as cars go by on the through street..." "Yeah, whatever, I'm half a block out, maybe you'll be gone by the time I walk that far." "..." "..." "...duuuuuude." "Fuckit." I start across, and finally, after watching all the enormous gaps pass, idiot whips into a sloppy-rear end right turn after staring through me as I was approaching. Directly into the second lane (Spokane lane change), where he immediately slows down to 20.Then 15. Then walking speed. On a multilane one-way major thoroughfare. As other traffic is passing on both sides  .Slooooowly idles over into a half lane-change/half right turn at the very next cross street, where he immediately pulls over, gets out of his car, and starts to wander around it staring at it, as I get closer. "Heeey, how's your day goin'?" "..." "..." "It sounded like someone hit my car, dude. Did you see anyone hit my car?" "No, but you drat near hit me when I was crossing." "..." "..." "Oh."He then gets back in his car and idles off down the side street. I still miss driving, goddammit. (He was no poo poo staring all zombie-eyed the whole time. Wish I'd gotten his plate to call it in, but I was more concerned that he might be going to jump me because the voices thought it was a good idea.)
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Oct 1, 2014 23:17
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So here's what has to be one of the worst intersections in the world. https://www.google.com/maps/@36.0195702,-84.2565791,3a,75y,331.01h,70.42t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sP2-28kVh3SviAwmq0fEZKw!2e0
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Oct 1, 2014 23:17
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Possibly Chicken posted:So here's what has to be one of the worst intersections in the world. I need an adult.
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Oct 1, 2014 23:21
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worse: http://goo.gl/maps/WNkOF 7 way intersection in seattle, right next to a major highway
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Oct 1, 2014 23:22
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Michael Scott posted:Assuming you're talking about these bad boys. Even if that's legal a car pulling out into the turn lane and one turning into your lane look the same until it's too late. Here in Louisiana its not explicitly stated that the turn lane can be used for that, but it doesn't say that it isn't allowed to be used like that either. It also doesn't help that my state has the worst drivers in the country. http://www.nbcnews.com/news/other/congratulations-louisianans-youre-worst-drivers-america-f2D11757765
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Oct 1, 2014 23:26
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xzzy posted:Where I was taught to drive (Alaska) I was told that the center turn lane is for traffic leaving the main road only. It was not to be used as an intermediary lane for merging onto the roadway. I hate this even if it is legal. It's a toss-up whether the guy you see entering the turning lane from a side street is going to 1) sit in the turn lane, 2) attempt to just dive directly into traffic, or 3) gently caress up getting into the turn lane so part of the car is outside of it. See enough of the latter two happen and you'll just learn to hit the brakes every time. Same thing when you see someone trying to turn right onto your street - no guarantees they're aiming for the nearest lane, or that their car isn't going to briefly enter the next lane over.
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Oct 1, 2014 23:31
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