Driving is a Privilege - not a right!

From the Chicago Tribune:

Reckless on the road

May 6, 2009

All over America, state and local governments are busy enacting laws to stop drivers from fiddling with their gadgets when they're supposed to be watching the road.

Five states and dozens of municipalities have banned talking on cell phones while driving. Many of those governments are debating whether they need separate laws to cover BlackBerrying. Last year, Illinois joined the growing list of places where it's illegal to text-message while driving.

Lake County sheriff's police say motorcyclist Anita Zaffke was killed Saturday by a driver whose attention was diverted by a decidedly low-tech endeavor: She was painting her nails. Zaffke was sitting at a stoplight in Lake Zurich when her bike was rammed from behind by a Chevy Impala. Zaffke was thrown 200 feet.

The Impala's driver, Lora Hunt, told police she didn't see the red light or the motorcycle until it was too late because she was preoccupied with her polish. She was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident. But prosecutors are weighing more serious charges, reopening the debate over whether Illinois needs a law against "distracted driving." That would give prosecutors more options when faced with an offense that seems to fall between a traffic citation and a felony reckless driving charge.

Last year, a task force headed by Secretary of State Jesse White recommended three new offenses -- negligent vehicular operation, aggravated negligent vehicular operation and negligent vehicular homicide, depending on the severity of damage caused by a distracted driver involved in a crash. The General Assembly settled for a ban on texting while driving.

That move seemed misguided, and not because we think it's a good idea to type with your thumbs while driving. We see no reason to single out texting, given all the other dangerous behaviors we observe during our daily commute. Reading the paper, flossing your teeth, applying mascara, spreading cream cheese on your bagel, tying your tie while steering with your knee -- any of these can cause tragedy in the blink of an eye. Most of us are guilty at some time. All of us know better.

The push for new legislation grew out of a 2006 case in Urbana in which a 19-year-old driver who was busy downloading ring tones struck and killed a bicyclist. The prosecutor settled for a charge of improper lane change -- which came with a $1,000 fine, traffic school and probation -- because she didn't think the driver's actions qualified as reckless homicide.

There's no need to name names, but we can think of other jurisdictions in which prosecutors would have absolutely no reservations about a reckless homicide charge under those circumstances. The law should not be applied timidly.

Lake County authorities say it could be a month before they decide whether to file further charges. They should take their time. Besides awaiting the results of blood and urine tests, they'll do an accident reconstruction and other tests.

But if a thorough investigation backs up what police have already said -- that the driver slammed into the bike because she was looking at her fingernails instead of the road -- then we hope prosecutors will spare us the hand-wringing over whether that constitutes recklessness.

What part of a behind-the-wheel manicure sounds safe?




Now I'm generally against legislation clogging up the books BUT I am into state's rights so if "open-minded" people can't control themselves like the opinionated, anal-retentive, proud, and "close-minded" people can, laws must be placed to regulate you. Actually, you will screw up either way so the laws are there for a benchmark so you can be punished as the screw-up you are.

I'm on this rant as I'm reading these stories more and more. I will always remember arriving to work in the Burn ICU a few years ago and pulling back the sheets of a newly arrived patient who had been rear-ended by an SUV at 70mph while he rode his motorcycle. His wife had been thrown clear and was in serious condition but he had been dragged by this SUV until his motorcycle exploded. I could go into great detail but let's just say he was recognizable only as human. He didn't last the hour. The staff said, "They think maybe the SUV driver had a seizure or something....." Why do we always give this benefit to those who cause such ghastly damage to others. I tried to add balance to the situation with, "Maybe he was just an A-hole on his cellphone or adjusting the bass on his rap music!" Harsh as it was, it is expected from me, and seldom challenged. I've always wondered what happened to that SUV driver. Does he think of this man every day? Is he in denial - forever mad at the guy for being in his way - with a "he got what he deserved" mentality?

It's funny, something like 80% of people interviewed considered themselves "better-than-average" drivers. Though statistically impossible, I imagine this would include those painting their nails, texting on a phone, watching a TV, or, and I've seen this a lot, reading a book propped on the steering wheel! We are all guilty of willing distraction. Consider that in Germany, automobiles are not manufactured with cup holders. The American legislators would have a field day with the proposal of a high speed "autobahn" in the USA, yet Germany's auto fatality rates are equal or below ours. And In Italy, we saw nobody carrying around a "To Go" cup. Coffee was consumed at the counter - not on the go. Cycling in that crowded country of narrow roads and speedy drivers actually felt much safer. Other countries tend to see driving as a responsibility. But in America, we "cruise". We drive aimlessly from red light to red light for pleasure in our gigantic gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. It is a privilege that our relatively low gas prices allow. It is no longer such when we endanger others doing it. Kids hang out car windows, drag race, and attempt to add every distraction to a car possible. Granted, I did it as a kid and I consider myself lucky - not for me but that I didn't kill someone else.

Overall Americans tend to have this arrogant attitude of entitlement to "creature comforts" that is starting to not only irritate the rest of the world but cause real harm to those around us. Add to this the asocial nature of humans brought on by a faster paced lifestyle and even the anonymity of hiding behind a keyboard all day, and we don't even care who we hurt - as long as it doesn't interrupt our schedule.
Yet we continue to blame and regulate helmets, guns, acetone, ephedrine, and other inanimate objects as the real causes of these unfortunate "I'm only human" incidents.

Our "don't judge" attitudes take the focus off how we can prevent so many accidents. We do little to enforce the laws already there to prevent accidents - failure to use turn signals, rapid/multiple lane changes, and aggressive driving apparently go unnoticed - but those are things that can and do cause accidents. Now seat belt and helmet laws abound here in the US but they don't prevent anything. Ask yourself which one's get more press? We have to start thinking about why we do what we do!

I should just rename this blog, "The Eccentric Ranter" but I still want to share my hobbies. Those who know me, not even well, know they haven't heard the last of it!

You guessed it

This is an m1919a4 - the primary U.S. light machine gun of WWII.
These kits have been sold for years with the right side plate removed. These "parts kits" are useless as-is but can be rebuilt easily using a newly manufactured right side plate. The simplest reassembly would however return it to a full auto gun - illegal in all states since 1934 unless you have your class III license, which is another whole story/rant I'll get to later.
There are ATF-approved ways to reassemble this gun into a semi auto which is legal. These mods usually cost about $500 or a lot of work and machine tool experience. Funny, for about $5 in steel plate and several hours with a drill and a file you can have an illegal machine gun. For $500 in parts/machine work and the same assembly work you can have a legal gun. What message does our government really send? Actually, it is sending the right one - people will obey the law or they won't - irrespective of the availability of weapons! If they can make a gun in prison, and they do, they can make one anywhere with anything.
Overall, doing the right thing has never been the easy way out so since I don't fancy a pricey fine and the removal of all my legal toys, or worse, a prison term, I'll comply and do things as I usually do - legally - the hard way!

BTW, if you Brady Bill types can show me one instance where a "gangsta" was smart enough to rebuild one of these and use it in a crime, I will eat it piece by piece!
Don't forget, I owe you a rant!
Love,
Me

Mystery Package!

Hmmmmmmmm, what could this be?

It's small enough but it's kind of heavy and awkwardly balanced...........
I just don't know what it could be.


Guess we'll find out tomorrow after work!..........................

Well I rushed last Sunday am to get the felt paper and roll roofing on as heavy rain was again expected......... and I had to start work again that night!
That top picture reminds me of church camp cabins for some reason. Give it some time and maybe there will be some mud dauber and wasp nests too!


This shows it without the roofing on yet.

And yes, I did mow and trim the whole yard this past week.

Well, it began raining hard one night as I was leaving for work and..... it leaks! I was not happy. I later determined that it was not "my" roof(porch) leaking and not even where it joins the house shingles but is coming from higher up where some shingles butt up against the master bedroom wall(seen in the very top left of the last pic). Since the old porch was leaking right by the fascia and falling in I assumed it was coming from that overlap joint. I now think water has been running under the shingles of the house for some time now - about two years! Though I initially bought more roofing material and asphalt, I think caulking that wall seam will stop the water. I sure hope there isn't major damage to the house roof decking.......................... but with my luck!

Update

BTW, the verdict is in. I was correct. Bear is the dog guilty of destroying history forever!
Grace is looking on as if to say, "You sure are comfortable in MY house!".......... or does she see a piece of WWII flight gear hanging out of his back side?!



Here he is trying to be cute. What he is really doing is lulling me into a lack of concern so he can steal off into another part of the house. Maybe this time to destroy a vintage lightweight racing bicycle!



Well first thing today was another lumber run. I knew if I tried to buy everything in one trip the other day, I would forget something needed early on so I did it by the day. I decided to add a "sister" over existing fascia and then mount the joist hangers to that. It's more sturdy than expected - certainly more sturdy than it was. The deck wasn't exactly square (not my fault!) so I had to notch each joist independently. In addition there is a slight slope to the deck - not only away from the house but more on one end. To fix it would mean to start from scratch so I just dialed in an extra inch on that corner. Still not enough as I also had to cut the bevel of each joist independently. Only a few degrees difference from one end to the other but this changed over the range of 13 different boards. That took much of the afternoon.
Tomorrow comes the decking, flashing and roofing material.

This deck thing is becoming quite a project and I can't wait until I can mow again and then start back on my real hobbies.
I have used parts coming for this bike. Plans are for a complete restoration. Might take a few years.



Also, the seat should arrive soon for the board track racer project. I had it made by a guy in Texas who has built seats for antique bikes for 40 years. It's what all the concours guys put on theirs. It was the single most expensive part of the project but makes it.
If you don't know about the board track racer project, it's a replica of a 1915 Cyclone racer. I've been building it for about 3 years from scratch off of line drawings I scaled up from a picture. Yes from scratch! Since the last authentic one sold at auction last year for $520,000(!), I figured this is as close as I'll get to one. With a 12.5HP Briggs V-twin "lawnmower" engine, it might turn a head or two - in fact I know it will! Lots of neat little engineering like an internal twist throttle - everything hand made. There are quite a few followers of this projects. I've gotten email inquiries from as far as Belgium! Here's pretty much where it's at right now.

I need to start wrapping some of these projects up so I can revisit some other hobbies and make more big pieces of metal into smaller pieces of metal!

Ever Wanted to Kill a Dog?

........ or My WWII Collection


Memorial Day display we set up a few years back.



Back home......................


This is my "War Room" housing my collection of WWII Army Air Force uniforms and gear. On the floor lies a small pile of uncatalogued purchases. Collecting this has actually been on the back burner for several years. This spare bedroom has double doors entering that are usually held shut with a rubber band across the handles. We do this as we have found Grace sleeping in there among "her people". She has never chewed anything in our house but who wants hair or drool on your nice wool uniforms? The neighbor's dog we are watching, Bear, on the other hand, is not so familiar with this room of "people".
Today I noticed the "War Room" door was ajar so I stepped in to find this:


I don't expect every reader to know what these are. This is/was a pair of AN-T-35 (or AN-6554) flight pants. These were the last of the flight pants I had collected in order to complete my collection.... and the most difficult to find. I had been looking off and on for over 5 years for these and, as you can see, they are about as mint as they come. Well not any more! They weren't shaken - still folded as you see them. I knew it had to be the dog we are sitting - Bear. Red-faced, I called my wife lest I smite the ignorant beast. She felt bad admitting she had recently removed the rubber band so Grace wouldn't poke her head in and get caught between the doors. I know it isn't true but one might think she loves that dog more than about anything else............ wait..... that is true!
This is hardly the way I wanted to introduce this hobby to the blog. The dog in question (Bear) is alive and well but with guns nearby he is lucky indeed!

Interesting side note: There is much more shearling material missing from the trousers than can be found. The convicting evidence is still to come... I hope it's an uncomfortable passing...... and I'll be watching!

Deck project

I would have to search for pics of the crappy screened in porch as it once was. Since a stray dog jumped through one of the screened panels, it's been in need of repair, declining yearly, and now in need of replacement. Now, with a wife, I can no longer blow it off in lieu of my real hobbies. Then again without her being so understanding and good to me I wouldn't have all the hobbies I have.

There was a nest in the corner of the porch. I moved it to a cherry tree a few feet from another nest - will that work?

I couldn't see if the other nest was occupied but the digital camera could.

I could have gotten a better-centered and better-focused shot but mother wasn't far and I like my eyes! Hey, are those my zip ties?!

I would never have thought there would be this much junk from this small porch.

Fortunately, our town is great! We can put out junk, within reason, every trash day. In extreme cases like this just one simple call, plus $15, and we can have entire piles like this picked up from the curb. No burning and no trips to the dump. It's those little things that make certain places great places to live.


I would like to keep the deck in place and rebuild just the screened in part. There is some settling on the far corner so I'm not sure how much that will require to level.

Here's where it stands, or doesn't stand, right now.

Note the two "dizzles" staring out he back door. One is our dog, Grace. Grace lost her back yard privileges when, while chasing a rabbit, she ran right through the fence! The other is Bear - the neighbors dog we are watching while they are in Italy.

Sweetie, wouldn't just leaving it as a deck be really nice?