Tailgating

Just a rant regarding a personal pet peave here: Tailgating.

I drive a Suburban which, as it is weighs in somewhere around 4500 pounds. It also has a multi purpose, heavy duty, reinforced magna trailer hitch attached to the rear frame. Not a simple bumper hitch, No siree Bob. That Suburban and its accompanying hitch combine into a formidable obstacle, not to be moved easily.

All that being said to give you, the reader, something to picture in your mind while you read my rant. Why do some folks, driving behind my Suburban, find that they can somehow intimidate me into either going faster or moving off to the side of the road so they can pass by tailgating within two or three feet (or sometimes even closer) and making angry faces at me. And, most often in some sort of small car. There is, of course the occasional van or SUV but most often it is a small,car. What are they thinking? It is my practice to not allow their tailgating to alter my manner of driving or even to respond to the faces or gestures which they may wish to offer which appear to have the purpose of scaring me the heck out of their way. Not responding apparently makes them drive even closer to that rear hitch.

My pet peave stance is based upon the danger to them and the oppupants in my vehicle in the instance that I have to stand on my brake pedal in an unforseen emergency situation. In my opinion being so close leaves little, if any time for them to react. From time to time, just to give them the opportunity to realize just how unseafe a situation they are creating, I will tap my brake so the lights go on. I have found that there are finger gestures that follow accompanied by angry faces and mouthed phrases. Yet another pet peave. But I remain unintimidated sitting in the 4500 pound Suburban. I guess I'm just a jerk that way.

A thief in the night

I live in a very nice, middle class neighborhood. We neighbors mostly know each other at least casually and the children run freely without fear. The yards are decorated with nic nacs and blooming flowers. Bicycles often lay on the grass over night where kids left them in a hurry to get to dinner or a TV show. As I said, it's a very nice neighborhood. Don't let that fool you though. Nice neighborhoods don't mean that you can become lax in keeping your things protected. I drive a nice car with a remote locking system. Almost every night just before I shuffle off to bed I pick up my key fob and push the lock button. It's almost a guaranteed habit. Several years ago a thief snuck into our back yard, opened the unlocked door of my car, threw my stuff all over the inside of my car, making a huge mess and also stole my cell phone, a camera, several tools and flashlights and about $10 in small bills and change I keep for minor emergencies like a snack attack or parking ramp. I felt violated but there wasn't a huge financial loss. I did proceed to purchase a remote door locking system to prevent that from happening again. I was diligent about locking the car and made it almost a habit. I would bet money that in the past three years I've only forgotten to lock the car three or four times at the most. Last night I forgot. Last night that thief sauntered into my back yard and opened the unlocked door of my car, only three feet from my back door mind you, stole about $10 in cash, a camera containing priceless pictures of my bicycle trip around Lake Michigan and my two granddaughters, a couple flashlights and a jack knife and then, for some unknown reason, threw most of the rest of my stuff all over the inside of the car. Must be some sort of "total conquest" thing. Maybe proving in some way that this sneaky thief is the master of his domain and can do anything he wants. He did leave my phone this time but I know why: I have a basic phone. My phone has buttons and no apps. It's like no all powerful thief would be caught dead with a phone like that.

I "almost" all the time locked my car. I figure that in order for that thief to get into my car on the "almost" day, then he's been there lots more times when it was locked. He's a persistent thief. That means that I must unfailingly lock that car but even more I need to watch outside more often during the night. Maybe get some sort of security camera. That thief needs to be caught, he doesn't belong around my neighborhood. He got a computer from another neighbor a couple weeks ago. We all knew he was sneaking around. The fault is all mine, I knew better than to leave my car unlocked. No huge financial loss but the feeling of being violated is more than before. I hope I've learned my lesson. It cost me some irreplaceable memories this time.

Your dog, not mine

To me, all this to-do about dogs running loose and harassing us is a very interesting exercise in human behavior. Not being judgemental is rather difficult because I was directly involved but I am trying. In attempting to sort out the facts with as little emotion as possible:
All of us connected with the traumatic episode, to me anyway, are all nice people and otherwise good neighbors.
Absolutely no one feels inconvenienced or endangered except the two of us who were approached by "Buffy" and "Cuddles", two dogs running loose on public property.
From what I have heard and observed the two dog owners appear to have no remorse or accept any responsibility for the attack.
The premise is that the two offending dogs are only "yappers" and have never bitten anyone.
The general consensus is that I am taking offense for something that could have been easily avoided by not walking on the sidewalk in that area. In other words; I caused the altercation. Not only from the dog owners but several other people from the area that either witnessed the event or heard of it.
Those dogs are well loved by everyone and I am actually treading on thin ice by insinuating they are dangerous in any way whatsoever. It's almost blasphemy.
The police have chosen not to be involved any more than the possibility of a phone call. It's not their job, said the officer.
If a person sees an illegal act that can cause injury to another human being and does nothing, the law states that they are legally liable for any resulting injury.

So, what to do? From these observations I have concluded that:
We have the law and common sense on our side because our rights have been violated and our health and safety put in jeopardy due to neglect on the part of the dog owners.
According to city ordinance it is a violation to allow a dog to harass or approach or cause anyone to fear for their safety on a public sidewalk. There are legal and civil consequences for not restraining your dog.
If I push this further or press any charges, the entire neighborhood will shun me.

There is no apparent physical injury, I should be over the anxiety and able to sleep sometime in the near future. How important is it? Do I want harmony in the neighborhood I've lived in for 30 years or do I want to make sure we can safely walk our streets without fear from these and other dogs? Should I let "sleeping dogs lie"?

What is it that I hope to accomplish here? It is my practice to take at least 3 days to make major decisions whenever possible. We're all good people here so being the immediate threat is over I will do just that..........

The Today Show on NBC

Thank You NBC!!!!!!
Last week the Today Show on NBC conducted a report on CO poisoning in ice arenas. Most often caused by the Zamboni machines. If CO poisoning can happen at an ice arena, it can happen anywhere can't it? Again, Thank You NBC!!!!!!!

CO poisoning almost killed me once. For over 30 years I have tried to educate everyone withing hearing distance about carbon monoxide and it's dangers. NBC has done more in one segment than I could hope to do in a dozen lifetimes. This program will undoubtedly help prevent hundreds, perhaps thousands of people from suffering the consequences of CO poisoning. Chronic CO poisoning can cause a lifetime of major chronic health problems involving any organs of the body.

It's sneaky, this carbon monoxide gas. It lays in wait for unsuspecting victims. Invisible, odorless, undetectable for the most part without special equipment or metering devices. A person's best protection is just being aware of its existence. Thanks to NBC millions of viewers have had the opportunity to learn about it and take steps to be safe.

The show also highlighted another major point. CO poisoning attacks a surprising number of our most vulnerable, the young. They don't know what's happening. It's just another day to them. They may feel a little dizzy, nauseated, confused maybe a little sick. But kids work through that stuff every day. They just want to keep going. The gas silently continues to do its deadly work.

A major TV network like NBC has the power to help the world. They did it again this time regarding a largely ignored threat to our health. I often wonder what would be found if children were monitered for CO in the morning when they get to school. Yeah, I really wonder about that.

Good Job NBC!

Fremont Nebraska and illegal immigration

Fremont Nebraska has a new law regarding illegal immigrants. Big news! Arizona has a new law regarding illegal immigrants. It's getting to be a little less of a big story. Everyone is getting used to hearing it aren't they? Most of the news stories center on the hardships those laws are causing to immigrants in general. But, the root cause of these laws is being dismissed as inconsequential and trivial. I wonder why that is? Laws are designed to protect us from eminent danger of something aren't they? Robbery, reckless driving, injury or murder, property rights, stuff like that. I think we all agree that we need to be protected from danger by our laws. It sounds like the protesters against these stiff illegal immigration laws don't see any danger in illegal immigration. I guess their question is: Does illegal immigration actually pose a danger to our safety and way of life? Let's see.

In the black and white words of the law: Anyone, if not regulated good or bad can sneak across the border. Anyone, if not regulated can sneak across the border with illegal drugs. Anyone sneaking across the border into this country unregulated is breaking the law. Therefore they are a criminal. The federal law is very explicit in that. There are just so many people our country and it's already strained welfare and health system can support. If someone uses any of our social benefits illegally they are taking them away from our legal citizens. In other words, our citizens are having their way of life altered and deteriorated by 11 million illegal immigrants. Our benefits are being stolen from us illegally. Our lives and safety are being jeopardized by drugs and gangs and criminals who are here illegally.

Are all illegal immigrants bad people, criminals, robbers, murderers, or drug dealers? No, some of them are very likable! However, they are all illegal. If they got here by breaking a huge federal law with no consequences what is there to encourage them to honor any other law, big or small? We are a nation of laws. Take them away and we cease being a nation at all. I wonder if Will Smith will star in a movie that shows us how to solve the problem?........Joe