SPEAKING OF HALLOWEEN SCARES

[Pumpkin_Man]

I had a little bit of a Halloween scare tonight while out on my walk. I allways bring my iPod, or a personal CD player when I go ot walking. Anyway, a police woman snuck up behind me and grabbed me, and scared the absolute bejeebers out of me. I took the buds out of my ears so I could find out why she did that. appearently I didn't see her comming at me, and she almost hit me with her car.

I guess I should be a bit more careful, or walk some place that's not as accessable to cared when I'm walking with my music on my ears. IT was a very plesant night inspite of that, though, and I didn't get a ticket. I did just about jump out of my skin, but it was fun. I love walking the streets of my old, founded in 1785, town at night, with my music playing.

Mike

[tantraman]

thats nuts man. I like to go on a bike ride while listening to halloween music.

[Pumpkin_Man]

For some reason I'm afraid to have music on my ears while riding a bicycle, but I love to walk with music. What happened is I appearently didn't see this woman comming up behind me in her car, and I didn't hear her honk the horn, so she got out, came up behind me and grabbed me, and scared the absolute beejeebers out of me.

Mike

[MacPhantom]

I'm the same way, Mike. Music is great for a walk or a run, but on a bike it's just too distracting.

So did she throw you up against a wall and cuff you, or did she just frisk you??

[Pumpkin_Man]

She simply came up behind me and grabbed me by my coat tail. I didn't knoe what was happening. She was a little annoyed with me, but she didn't cuff me or do any of the typical "stop & frisk" scenarios with me. Her point was that I should be a little more careful when out and about with my iPod. I suppose she's right, but she scared me out of a years growth.

Mike

[Spookymufu]

should have grabbed your chest screamed rape and passed out.......then sue the dept and retire!

[Pumpkin_Man]

Well, she was just concerned for my safety. Besides, she's also one of my neighbors, and the police department in my town wouldn't have a huge ammount of money for me to win in a lawsuit.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

We all need to be more careful when we are walking, especially at night. A young teenager (14) was just killed in our town last weekend when she and a friend were walking on a poorly lit road. The person who hit her wasn't even charged, as far as I know. It was just one of those terrible things, a tragic accident.

My husband and I have a new hybrid and were irritated the other day (in daylight) when a woman walking in front of us on a store parking lot wouldn't get out of our way. Then my husband realized that the woman couldn't hear us-when the car is running on electric power, it makes almost no sound. Everyone needs to keep that in mind, too, as the hybrid & electric cars become more popular.

[Pumpkin_Man]

I think that's why horns were invented. Some times when you're out in a noisy parking lot, you can't even hear a combustion engine.

How do you like your hybrid. I almost bought the Mercury Milan hybred but the price was a little more then I wanted to pay. Besides, I am getting almost 30 mpg with the Milan that I bought.

Mike

[Murfreesboro]

I love my hybrid (a Ford Escape), though I would probably love any new car, as the one I was driving was 21 years old and had everything imaginable wrong with it! It gets about 28-32 mpg, not really any better than yours, but much better than the car I did have.

[jadewik]

The roadway designer in me wants to know some details...

Firstly, tell me about the road:
Was it an arterial (main roadway in a city/town) or a collector (that'd be the half-mile streets in a city-- main streets in neighborhoods)?

What is the posted speed limit?

Was it curbed or not curbed? Was there sidewalk? (I'm guessing "no" to both of these from the story)

Was there a shoulder? Guesstimated distance from the WS6 (outside white stripe 6") to the edge of pavement (EOP)?

Was there a graded area beside the roadway that was relatively free of debris and obstructions? How wide was this, approximately?

Also, you should be aware that if you ARE hit by a motorist and it's due to your neglect-- they couldn't see you or you stepped in front of them and they didn't have time to stop-- the motorist does not get a citation after the investigation concludes it was pedestrian neglect.

... can't tell you how many annoying things I have to put into roadway designs (or good things I leave out) because either drivers, cyclists or pedestrians are doing something they shouldn't be doing... which usually involves breaking the law, ignoring signs (and breaking the law) and/or throwing common sense out the window (and breaking the law). Occasionally, there are instances of neglect that result in accident... but the most part it's just people being selfish jerks.

Either way, I'm glad you're alright. Stay safe!

[Andybev01]

I love the way your mind works Jadewik.

[Pumpkin_Man]

Murfeesbro, during the Summer months when engines tend to run a little hotter, I can squeez about 32 mpg out of my Merc, but during colder weather it usualy hovers around 29 to 30 mpg. When I speed it can drop as low as 27mpg, but I dont' often speed so I'm doing pretty good. The good news for you, however, is that you are probably entitled to a tax credit for purchasing that hybrid. I very seriously considered the Mercury Milan hybrid, and the Volkswagen Jetta with the 5 cylender diesel engine, because I heard that the Merc hybrid got over 34 mpg, and the Jetta deisel got close to 45 mpg. Winters get pretty cold, however, and the price of the two cars is what made the final decision for me, That, and the fact that the Merc that I now drive has a superlative stereo system in it, and I sort of allways had an affinity for Mercuries.

Jadewic, I don't remember all the details of what the roads were like, except that it was a residential street. Yes, there were side walks, and if I had been hit, it would, indeed, have been my own fault. I was listening to my iPod, and couldn't hear anything. I was really enjoying the musical selection I was listening to, so I just didn't look boty ways when I crossed the street, and this poor woman had to slam on her breaks. She did have her lights on, but I was so oblivious to my suroundings that I just walked out without even looking, and I also couldn't hear her comming. I got an ear ful from her after I took the phones off, however.

Mike