The Shed

Whooops!

I came in from work, I had a glance at ATS on the laptop, and then I toppled over sideways and had a snooze. AND NOW ITS BLOODY QUARTER TO TEN!

Sod it !

a reply to: TrueBrit

It's only 5:57 here.

But been there, done that.

Hello whoever is here! Syx, welcome back buddy!

Cody, I knew you meant Tsu right away. For some reason you remind me of the road runner quickly running through here and there. Hahahaha!!

Thanks Dawg. They kept Mom today because they were still waiting for a result on a test. So once again...she should be home tomorrow.

We have these neighbors from hell who moved in a year or was it two years ago? Anyway, they have been nothing but trouble to everyone around here. They have this big truck that they insist on parking in front of our house instead of their own. They know my 90 year old mother can hardly walk but needs to get out for doctors appointments and what-not. So that means extra steps for her to get to a vehicle out front picking her up. We have asked politely to not block the front entrance to the house. They friggin do it anyway. We have called the cops and everything but legally there is nothing they can do. What bull!

The woman and her daughter and foster kids live there. She is so loud and obnoxious and sounds like a prison mama or something. They are supposed to move by the end of the month, but we haven't seen them moving anything yet. So frustrated. Cops have been to their house a few times at least, once with drug sniffing dogs. My Mom has owned this house for 57 years and we have never ever had a bad neighbor until they arrived. How that loud mouthed bitch ever got to be licensed as a foster care parent, I'll never know! She swears loudly in front of them all the time. Sigh...

a reply to: Night Star

Your neighbours sound bloody wonderful (sarcasm incidentally). Mine are lovely too! The fellow next door to us has daughters, the friends of whom like to stand outside the front door to their flat, and smoke illegal substances. Drives my mother potty, because she hates the smell, and it drives me nuts too, because I think it is irresponsible and rude. It's not that they make the choice for themselves to do it that aggravates me, but that they inflict it on everyone, without even a by your leave.

That plus pounding, unceasing drum and bass during the hot months... It is a good thing I am used to being volcanically angry

originally posted by: TrueBrit
It is a good thing I am used to being volcanically angry

Read up on Road Rage since you are taking driving lesson. It may help in the future. (I suffer from it myself from time to time)

I guess I'm lucky though. All my neighbors are the quiet ones.

a reply to: TDawgRex

Funnily enough, I do not find myself getting het up when at the wheel. The spatial awareness centres of my brain being as active as they are when in motion, seems to override my emotional responses. I feel calm at the wheel as a result. This is also why my instructor usually has to tell me to speed up a bit, rather than telling me to slow down. I have an oddly zen approach to driving so far.

I will look into it though, the road rage thing. Who the hell knows what I will be like in five years lol!

a reply to: TrueBrit

I find that looking at the roads as rivers, it always helps to go with the flow and plan accordingly. No cutting across the flow to get gas (Petrol) , and always plan your exits so they flow as well. On long drives, I just now stick to the middle lane so that it gives me some reaction time when it comes to turn off.

Really not that hard, though it took me a couple years of city driving to come to that realization.

But every now and then, I find myself playing Mad Max. It's life.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Guess I'm not the only one with a lousy neighbor. I was always raised to have respect for people. It amazes me that some people can be so rude and obnoxious.

So how much longer before you get your license?

a reply to: TDawgRex

Our roads are much smaller here than in the states, most of the local ones are one lane of oncoming and one lane of outgoing. The nearest three lane road around here is about twelve miles away from here! There is a dual carriage way near here though, but I have not advanced to that portion of my training yet.

a reply to: Night Star

Well I have not even had ten lessons yet, so it's a way off. I do not want to hurry myself on this, since the responsibility is so massive. I want to be a good driver, a safe one. I want to master the skill before I am let loose with a license, so that other road users are not at risk from me, and so that I can mitigate the excesses of less cautious drivers when I encounter them in my travels.

I want to be sure of my awareness, and familiar enough with controlling a vehicle that my reactions to road conditions and the behaviour of other drivers are as smooth and effective as a cold steel blade to the kidneys

a reply to: TrueBrit

Oh, I've driven around the UK before. Took a 45 day leave there.

the only problem with the UK roads is...YOU ALL DRIVE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE ROAD!

But it's not that hard.

And speaking of my 45 day leave, (not to mention working with your military) I have picked up all sorts of mannerisms, which to this day befuddle others. Thank You!

a reply to: TDawgRex

And people say we have no exports! I say there is more to it than what you place aboard a container ship!

The basics of moving the vehicle, and the rules pertaining to right of way and navigation are fairly familiar and I am comfortable with them. I have been enjoying the process immensely, including the come down when I get out of the car. The sensation of my neurochemistry adjusting to not being behind the wheel is one of the most intense unaugmented, non-sexual sensations I have ever encountered, and usually comes to a head about forty to seventy seconds after I get out of the car.

I am enjoying that very much. Not only do I get to enjoy bumbling about in a motor car for an hour a week, but I get to spend three minutes in a naturally induced state of bliss, and I get some interesting neurophysiological responses to think about when the high wears off! I love it!

a reply to: TrueBrit

Say that again after you spend a hour drive to work and back, in humid heat and no working A/C, or a white out snow storm. All the while spending the time on the road surrounded by idiots texting behind the wheel.

You may be happy to arrive home in one piece, but you'll still be pissed off. Weird feeling.

originally posted by: TrueBrit
The sensation of my neurochemistry adjusting to not being behind the wheel is one of the most intense unaugmented, non-sexual sensations I have ever encountered, and usually comes to a head about forty to seventy seconds after I get out of the car.

I am enjoying that very much. Not only do I get to enjoy bumbling about in a motor car for an hour a week, but I get to spend three minutes in a naturally induced state of bliss, and I get some interesting neurophysiological responses to think about when the high wears off! I love it!

If you feel that great about it, I believe that you are a natural pilot. Ya oughta try it. Expensive, but it's a blast. And there are flying clubs that can bring the cost down.

a reply to: TDawgRex

That would seem to be the disadvantage to being in the States. Our nearest town is ten to fifteen minutes from my place, and is the nearest place where I could be expected to get work, if I did not work down a flight of stairs from my flat that is!

Hell I fall into work in the morning! The majority of the driving I will be doing, when I qualify, will be on the job though, going to and from customers houses and businesses. There will be the occasional thirty to forty mile drive to our suppliers, a yearly pilgrimage to Bloodstock, which is a considerable three hour drive, and an even rarer trip to the manufacturers of some of the high end locksmithing gear we sell and use, for open days and product training days.

a reply to: TrueBrit

Don't get me wrong. I absolutely love to drive. But yes, the States is a big place. I have family scattered from one end to the other. Name a natural disaster and I have a family member in the thick of it.

My last job before I deployed to Iraq was only 11 miles away and it still took me a damn near a hour to get there. That distance from my parents to my sisters (17 miles) would take 15 minutes. Rural vs. Urban. One time, it took me almost two hours to get home (Christmas traffic)

But Nooooo! The unit moved! So I could either take the freeway (1 Hour) or take the toll way(1/2 to 3/4 a hour, but a lot less stress. But it cost each way.)

I live in the Cleveland area and we really shouldn't have the traffic problems we have. But we do, and I deal with it.

a reply to: Tsu322

Bring that guy my way, and he won't be following you any more - As innocent as I look, if you ever see me start to snarl, that's your cue to back off - I think even a BEK would go "hmm, well, maybe I don't need to come in after all" (I wouldn't know, as I've never had to stare one down; but "normal" person understands perfectly).

One item you might be able to get away with carrying around is a multi-purpose tool for protection. I keep one in the car or somewhere within reach in most places. Granted, the lower-quality ones won't help much, but to quote Spy Kids: "at least it is heavy".

Changing up the routes helps, especially if this guy has been watching in the past. The police are probably the best though; let them know that you think you were followed, and they will probably take care of it.

@Everyone else, hope all is well

a reply to: fossilera

BEK...That's funny! First time I seen that on this thread. But what's kind of scary is I recognized it.

how ya doin' Foss?

a reply to: TDawgRex

I enjoyed my first round trip in a passenger aircraft, but in a choice between learning to fly some funny little plane with a propeller on it, and covering my self in lard before going mountain climbing, I would take option B. Something about those little planes just makes me distrust their strength. Also, cost would be prohibitive for me, even if I had a grant from the government to learn to fly. That is SERIOUS money. It might be fun, but it is not worth robbing the bank for!

a reply to: fossilera

BEK? What's that now?

Forgive me, it's half past two in the morning, and I should have gone to bed by now... But I have not, so my mental agility may not be at top notch just at the moment!