I just received the form to renew my driver's license in the mail.
It's been about 7 years since the last time, with only one citation (thanks CHP in Lake Isabella).
I had it removed with a trip to on-line traffic school.
From time to time, I will use this blog to sound the horn about traffic snarls, stupidity and snafu's that occur on our local roadways.
I hope you find them informative as well as taking the opportunity to merge into the blog and sound off yourselves.
ISSUE #1 - Road construction project on Truxtun Extension near the City Maintenance Yard.
It seems rather silly that it's taking so long to install a right turn lane into the yard on eastbound Truxtun at Empire Drive.
Even more ridiculous is the long line of cars that begins at the railroad under crossing several hundred yards before the intersection.
The construction merges people into the left lane about 100 yards before the workers, yet people start moving over as soon as they see the sign.
That leaves a wide open right lane for impatient drivers (like me) to leap frog ahead of the line, then merge when the right lane finally ends.
This, of course, leads to a lot of angry looks, gestures, horn honking and bumper-to-bumper movement, all to protect a person's place in line.
It's the same kind of misplaced anger some people get waiting in line to buy tickets for a movie.
Another window finally opens up and someone from the back of the line sees it, and makes a move in front of others that are waiting in front of them.
I've had a better time watching and listening to people complaining about the inconsiderate person who jumped ahead in line, than the movie I was going to see.
I should have given them the $10.
For those of you traveling on Truxtun in the construction zone, if you want to move over early, when you see the first sign advising you of a lane closure, go right ahead.
I've done that several times myself.
But don't get upset or risk causing an accident because some people choose to stay in the right lane until it finally ends.
It's not worth the risk to your health or auto insurance.
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Quiet Drive Through The Quake
I never felt the 5.4 magnitude quake as I drove through Orange County and Los Angeles on my way home from a quick family trip to So Cal.
In fact, some friends were calling me on my cell phone, asking me if I saw any damage or fire before I knew what they were talking about.
The ground didn't move for the family truckster, and neither did the traffic in the usual hot spots along the I-5 in Los Angeles.
We had spent all day with our boys in Legoland on Monday.
There was plenty of movement in the park with dozens of kiddie rides to keep the boy's interested. (Mainly the 3-yr old Cody. Michael has maxed out on Legoland at the age of 10)
We then retreated to the confines of the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa for some relaxation, a fantastic meal at the restaurant Twenty/20 Grill and Wine Bar (ask for Noah) and a late night swim in the 24 hour pool. (The resort has been open 6 months and is over the top when it comes to personal service and amenities, but that's another blog)
No tremors at all, just peace and tranquility.
I was rather surprised by the lack of major damage from a 5+ magnitude quake. Then again, the USGS said this was no Northridge temblor, not even close.
For most people in California, the quake came and went with no ill effects.
Speaking of Northridge, I actually slept through the shock waves that rolled through Bakersfield. If it wasn't for my wife Lori waking me up, I would have missed it.
There were some people in the newsroom who swear they felt something.
Maybe I'm just not tuned into the planet's wavelengths to feel the quake, or maybe I've lived here long enough to not be affected by it.
I'm sure when the big one finally does hit, I'll feel it just like everyone else, whether I'm in the studio or on the road.
In fact, some friends were calling me on my cell phone, asking me if I saw any damage or fire before I knew what they were talking about.
The ground didn't move for the family truckster, and neither did the traffic in the usual hot spots along the I-5 in Los Angeles.
We had spent all day with our boys in Legoland on Monday.
There was plenty of movement in the park with dozens of kiddie rides to keep the boy's interested. (Mainly the 3-yr old Cody. Michael has maxed out on Legoland at the age of 10)
We then retreated to the confines of the Sheraton Carlsbad Resort and Spa for some relaxation, a fantastic meal at the restaurant Twenty/20 Grill and Wine Bar (ask for Noah) and a late night swim in the 24 hour pool. (The resort has been open 6 months and is over the top when it comes to personal service and amenities, but that's another blog)
No tremors at all, just peace and tranquility.
I was rather surprised by the lack of major damage from a 5+ magnitude quake. Then again, the USGS said this was no Northridge temblor, not even close.
For most people in California, the quake came and went with no ill effects.
Speaking of Northridge, I actually slept through the shock waves that rolled through Bakersfield. If it wasn't for my wife Lori waking me up, I would have missed it.
There were some people in the newsroom who swear they felt something.
Maybe I'm just not tuned into the planet's wavelengths to feel the quake, or maybe I've lived here long enough to not be affected by it.
I'm sure when the big one finally does hit, I'll feel it just like everyone else, whether I'm in the studio or on the road.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Something for Nothing
I've had one car stolen and another broken into during my 17 years in Bakersfield.
The BPD found the first car in Porterville, after the thieves broke the clutch and had to abandon it.
Like most people who are the victim of theft, I felt violated.
Thieves are pretty slimy in my book and adolescent thieves are even worse.
Police will tell you that it's usually the start of something bigger.
BPD detectives recently stumbled across a couple of punks that were breaking into houses in the Rosedale area, after a patrol officer stopped the pair and discovered a stolen laptop in a back pack.
Then, the criminal masterminds sat in the back of the patrol car and proceeded to point out all the homes their "gang" had broken into, including a friend of mine.
It led police to a local business, Movement Bike Shop, where the owner was arrested for receiving stolen property after he reportedly bought "hot" items from the punk thieves.
Did he know it was stolen? Who cares.
Police didn't say if the property was in the original boxes or not, but it's probably safe to assume that it wasn't.
They say the investigation is on-going.
Police are working with the Sheriff's Dept. on this case, since some of the homes burglarized were in the county.
Someone asked me if my friend had insurance, which he does, and told me to lighten up because he's going to get brand new stuff.
Lighten up?
What about 20 years worth of pictures, music and personal documents that were stored on three separate hard drives that were stolen. Can insurance replace that?
Who's going to pay the almost certain increase in his policy?
The teens were released during the three week investigation that ended with the business owners arrest on Tuesday.
What about the other items they swiped that were probably dumped in a vacant lot somewhere after police initially contacted them.
My buddy's home was so trashed by the punks, he's still discovering things they stole more than three weeks after the fact.
How many other people have they ripped off and got away with it.
I'm glad they got caught, but so far none of my friend's possessions have been recovered.
An anti-climactic ending so far.
There's no talk right now if the kids will end up serving time in Juvenile Hall for their offenses.
Investigators can't release the names of the suspects or where they live to my friend, so he can attempt to recover any financial loss himself.
C'mon people, we need to protect our kids, even the bad or misguided ones, right?!
I hope the insurance company will try to go after the parents at the very least.
Someone needs to pay, instead of the victim.
The BPD found the first car in Porterville, after the thieves broke the clutch and had to abandon it.
Like most people who are the victim of theft, I felt violated.
Thieves are pretty slimy in my book and adolescent thieves are even worse.
Police will tell you that it's usually the start of something bigger.
BPD detectives recently stumbled across a couple of punks that were breaking into houses in the Rosedale area, after a patrol officer stopped the pair and discovered a stolen laptop in a back pack.
Then, the criminal masterminds sat in the back of the patrol car and proceeded to point out all the homes their "gang" had broken into, including a friend of mine.
It led police to a local business, Movement Bike Shop, where the owner was arrested for receiving stolen property after he reportedly bought "hot" items from the punk thieves.
Did he know it was stolen? Who cares.
Police didn't say if the property was in the original boxes or not, but it's probably safe to assume that it wasn't.
They say the investigation is on-going.
Police are working with the Sheriff's Dept. on this case, since some of the homes burglarized were in the county.
Someone asked me if my friend had insurance, which he does, and told me to lighten up because he's going to get brand new stuff.
Lighten up?
What about 20 years worth of pictures, music and personal documents that were stored on three separate hard drives that were stolen. Can insurance replace that?
Who's going to pay the almost certain increase in his policy?
The teens were released during the three week investigation that ended with the business owners arrest on Tuesday.
What about the other items they swiped that were probably dumped in a vacant lot somewhere after police initially contacted them.
My buddy's home was so trashed by the punks, he's still discovering things they stole more than three weeks after the fact.
How many other people have they ripped off and got away with it.
I'm glad they got caught, but so far none of my friend's possessions have been recovered.
An anti-climactic ending so far.
There's no talk right now if the kids will end up serving time in Juvenile Hall for their offenses.
Investigators can't release the names of the suspects or where they live to my friend, so he can attempt to recover any financial loss himself.
C'mon people, we need to protect our kids, even the bad or misguided ones, right?!
I hope the insurance company will try to go after the parents at the very least.
Someone needs to pay, instead of the victim.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Respect Rushing Water
It didn't look like much.
The water was running down a grass-like canal along Hayden Road in Scottsdale, Arizona that was designed to handle water runoff during the monsoon season.
I was 18 yrs old and trying to cross the make-shift stream in my '71 Mustang.
Other cars, even trucks, were turning around and heading back up the street to find a bridge to cross over, but I was determined to make it across the flowing water.
It didn't look deep.
It didn't look treacherous.
I'm in a car that weighed several thousand pounds.
I was wrong.
The water was deeper than I thought and moving faster than I imagined.
As I started to cross, I didn't even get halfway when I realized the water was at the base of my door.
Then, I felt my the car start to move sideways.
A terrifying feeling when reality slaps you in the face.
The car was being picked up and started moving sideways as I threw the car in reverse and hit the gas.
I created a geyser of water over the top of the car, but was still traveling sideways.
Right before I left the roadway, the back of the car hit the sidewalk just enough for my tires to catch a little.
I gunned it and managed to fishtail my way, in reverse, back onto dry ground.
I sat there for a good 4-or-5 minutes staring at the rushing water.
All the usual emotions racing through my mind and body; fear, anger and stupidity.
An Arizona monsoon is a bizarre occurrence.
Usually nestled in July and August, it's like a warm shower filled with lightning and thunder that dumps a ton of rain on a desert that's unable to absorb it.
The resulting floods have buried towns in mud and debris, much like the aftermath were seeing in the communities around Lake Isabella.
Whether it's the mountains, desert or even downtown Bakersfield when people try to cross flooded underpasses, please try to have a little more respect for rushing water.
Cause it has no respect for you.
The water was running down a grass-like canal along Hayden Road in Scottsdale, Arizona that was designed to handle water runoff during the monsoon season.
I was 18 yrs old and trying to cross the make-shift stream in my '71 Mustang.
Other cars, even trucks, were turning around and heading back up the street to find a bridge to cross over, but I was determined to make it across the flowing water.
It didn't look deep.
It didn't look treacherous.
I'm in a car that weighed several thousand pounds.
I was wrong.
The water was deeper than I thought and moving faster than I imagined.
As I started to cross, I didn't even get halfway when I realized the water was at the base of my door.
Then, I felt my the car start to move sideways.
A terrifying feeling when reality slaps you in the face.
The car was being picked up and started moving sideways as I threw the car in reverse and hit the gas.
I created a geyser of water over the top of the car, but was still traveling sideways.
Right before I left the roadway, the back of the car hit the sidewalk just enough for my tires to catch a little.
I gunned it and managed to fishtail my way, in reverse, back onto dry ground.
I sat there for a good 4-or-5 minutes staring at the rushing water.
All the usual emotions racing through my mind and body; fear, anger and stupidity.
An Arizona monsoon is a bizarre occurrence.
Usually nestled in July and August, it's like a warm shower filled with lightning and thunder that dumps a ton of rain on a desert that's unable to absorb it.
The resulting floods have buried towns in mud and debris, much like the aftermath were seeing in the communities around Lake Isabella.
Whether it's the mountains, desert or even downtown Bakersfield when people try to cross flooded underpasses, please try to have a little more respect for rushing water.
Cause it has no respect for you.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Deerhound Dilemma
Bagger and Brillo have lived in the Bakersfield heat since they were born.
A couple of Scottish Deerhounds who reside in a kennel on our property, complete with shade, an over sized water bucket and a couple of fans running on high during the summer months.
Still, when I got home Tuesday night they looked like I felt.
It was hot and muggy.
The dogs were panting, but they were cool to the touch.
The deerhounds long, almost dread lock like coat gave the appearance that the pair were on the verge of passing out.
But they jumped up to greet me and scarfed down everything I put in front of them.
It wasn't much.
I don't like to feed them too much on really hot days, but I wanted to do something else to give them a little relief.
Not that they needed it.
These dogs are warriors, hunters by nature, and have survived in the extreme conditions for years.
So, I took out the hose as the red sun began to set, and gave them a sprinkler of sorts to play in.
When the play time ended, the dogs hopped on their over sized cushions in front of the fans and looked content.
I was tempted to hop through the water to join them, only I didn't have another cushion.
A couple of Scottish Deerhounds who reside in a kennel on our property, complete with shade, an over sized water bucket and a couple of fans running on high during the summer months.
Still, when I got home Tuesday night they looked like I felt.
It was hot and muggy.
The dogs were panting, but they were cool to the touch.
The deerhounds long, almost dread lock like coat gave the appearance that the pair were on the verge of passing out.
But they jumped up to greet me and scarfed down everything I put in front of them.
It wasn't much.
I don't like to feed them too much on really hot days, but I wanted to do something else to give them a little relief.
Not that they needed it.
These dogs are warriors, hunters by nature, and have survived in the extreme conditions for years.
So, I took out the hose as the red sun began to set, and gave them a sprinkler of sorts to play in.
When the play time ended, the dogs hopped on their over sized cushions in front of the fans and looked content.
I was tempted to hop through the water to join them, only I didn't have another cushion.
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
Hands Free Hysteria
It's been two days since California went hands free and now the fun begins.
I admit that I've picked up the phone twice out of habit while driving down Truxtun Extension, before realizing I was breaking the law.
So, I activated the speaker while dropping the phone into my shirt pocket.
It actually made for a pretty clear connection.
My Bluetooth doesn't work with my new phone, so I'm being forced to buy a new one.
Problem is, I haven't made the time to pick one up.
So, I'm letting the phone go to voice mail, or pulling over to the side of the road to take a call.
Some people are following suit, while others seem oblivious to the law or are daring the cops to stop them.
On Day 1 of the enforcement, Bakersfield Police reported 11 citations for people holding the phone to their ear while rolling down local roadways.
We tagged along with a CHP officer Tuesday morning and listened to the excuses.
"I forgot today was the day the law took effect."
"I was holding it, but not talking on it."
And my personal favorite, "I wasn't talking on the phone, you can check my recent calls."
In each case, the officer and an ABC23 reporter followed the law breakers for several blocks before initiating a stop, watching the cell phone scofflaw chat away without regard for this law meant to reduce distractions.
But is a Bluetooth or hands free headset really that much better.
Have you listened to someone talking on an earpiece lately?
You may have overheard their conversation from across a store, in a busy parking lot or at the ball game.
The use of a Bluetooth has this uncanny ability to raise a person's decibel level, while at the same time, straining to hear the conversation on the other end of the line.
I was behind a woman who had the earpiece pop out, then swerved into the lane to her right as she tried to retrieve it.
The change in chatting was meant to allow drivers to keep both hands on the wheel.
I think forcing people to use the hands free device will give those hands something else to do.
Now, you can talk on the phone, eat and change the radio all at the same time.
I admit that I've picked up the phone twice out of habit while driving down Truxtun Extension, before realizing I was breaking the law.
So, I activated the speaker while dropping the phone into my shirt pocket.
It actually made for a pretty clear connection.
My Bluetooth doesn't work with my new phone, so I'm being forced to buy a new one.
Problem is, I haven't made the time to pick one up.
So, I'm letting the phone go to voice mail, or pulling over to the side of the road to take a call.
Some people are following suit, while others seem oblivious to the law or are daring the cops to stop them.
On Day 1 of the enforcement, Bakersfield Police reported 11 citations for people holding the phone to their ear while rolling down local roadways.
We tagged along with a CHP officer Tuesday morning and listened to the excuses.
"I forgot today was the day the law took effect."
"I was holding it, but not talking on it."
And my personal favorite, "I wasn't talking on the phone, you can check my recent calls."
In each case, the officer and an ABC23 reporter followed the law breakers for several blocks before initiating a stop, watching the cell phone scofflaw chat away without regard for this law meant to reduce distractions.
But is a Bluetooth or hands free headset really that much better.
Have you listened to someone talking on an earpiece lately?
You may have overheard their conversation from across a store, in a busy parking lot or at the ball game.
The use of a Bluetooth has this uncanny ability to raise a person's decibel level, while at the same time, straining to hear the conversation on the other end of the line.
I was behind a woman who had the earpiece pop out, then swerved into the lane to her right as she tried to retrieve it.
The change in chatting was meant to allow drivers to keep both hands on the wheel.
I think forcing people to use the hands free device will give those hands something else to do.
Now, you can talk on the phone, eat and change the radio all at the same time.
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