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Detroit, 12:29 AM
Fri Dec 11
25 posts in the last 24 hours
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12/10/09
Was that an Animal House reference, Matt? If so, nicely played!
12/10/09
For now, I'm confounded.
12/10/09
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12/10/09
Oh well; brakes are for quitters.
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
/rant
Sorry, I have a serious beef with CA smog laws... I could go on and on, but I am sure you know the deal...
12/10/09
12/10/09
...on the other hand, going into my last inspection, I went to a chain place that rhymes with "Schmonro", because they were open on a Saturday. I knew I was going to need brakes, and they did indeed barely pass, but they tried to sell me $350 pads (yes, just pads, and convinced me that calipers are $700 and would need to be replaced if I let my brakes go longer; I wasn't even down to the wear indicators) for my xB with stock brakes. I went home, priced some parts, and got pads and rotors for about $100, and did it myself the next week, and it only took an hour of my own time.
In the linked USA Today article, a woman from downstate NY claims that a shop took her sticker and told her that her car failed, so they'd have to repair it so they can leave. That's illegal-- if you fail inspection, you're charged $11, and are free to leave to get repairs done when- and where ever you want. In theory, you're required to get re-inspected within the month on your sticker, but you're in little danger of being ticketed unless you're a year or more overdue (they're color-coded), or really pissed off a cop who pulled you over for something else decided to ding you for that too.
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
What I like about NY is that your fender can be rusted off and there can be huge holes in your side rails, but they will still pass you. In Penna a quarter sized hole or bigger and you fail.
12/10/09
Fun fact: you do not need a windshield, but you do need wipers to pass inspection in NY. As such, I have not worked out how a street-driven Atom would get by here.
12/10/09
12/10/09
12/10/09
I'm a sensationalist. Both are true.
06/23/09
Tough question.
06/23/09
Last I heard, they did not know if the brakes failed, but there was no indication the driver used them.
06/23/09
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06/23/09
To eliminate first and last cars entirely, we're going to need a lot more cars, and a track layout that's set up as a loop.
I like this idea.
06/23/09
I took transit every day for a decade - I always felt safer on the GO instead of in a car. Too many idiots on the roads.
These trains looks like San Francisco BART units - who makes them? and how fast do they go?
06/23/09
They've got several different series of cars, made by 2 or 3 different companies. The out-of-control car was apparently one of the original series of trains from when the system opened in '76, made by Rohr, I think. I know they've been rehabbed several times and were supposed to be phased out soon. The train that got hit was something newer.
06/23/09
06/23/09
Top speed is a guess, but seeing how the Orange line heading west to Vienna can pace and even pass traffic on I-66, I'd say it's somewhere north of 70mph. This crash notwithstanding, getting beyond 40mph in rush hour traffic is worth mass transit's other hassles.
06/23/09
06/23/09
Betting on who will be the first to propose ridiculous legislation on train safety is open. Current odds:
Dodd: Even
Frank: 1-3
McCain: 1-13
Baucus: 1-4
Feingold: Even
Boxer: Even
06/23/09
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06/23/09
i hope the investigation provides some positive insight as to how to make the rails safer for the populous.
till then, I'm still gonna drive.
06/23/09
06/23/09
I take the LIRR and Subway everyday and generally feel and know I'm safer there, than on the area roads.
06/23/09
Also, I've personally been in trains going 60 mph in manual mode. These trains, however, were in auto mode when they crashed, which means there was a failure of the trackside monitoring devices coupled with an operator who was either distracted or impaired in such a way so as to prevent her from hitting the emergency brake.
06/23/09
06/23/09
According to repeated statements from Congress, President Barack Obama, Supreme Court Justice scalia, the CEO of Metro, and some guy named Joe, nothing of what you are about to see...ever happened
"Conn, sonar! I'm picking up another train! Could be a passenger train out of downtown!"
"Where is he, Jonesy?"
"In our baffles, sir! Coming up fast!"
"Very well, Jonesy."
"Conn, sonar! Target is going Crazy Ivan!"
"Which way, Jonesy?"
"Which way do you think, jackass!"
"XO, launch countermeasures!"
"Aye sir, dead bums and hookers away!"
"Conn, sonar! The dead bums aren't working, sir! The target hasn't slowed enough! I think he's got us, sir!"
"DAMMIT! RIG TRAIN FOR IMPACT!"
24 hours later, in the Metro control room
"Where is the wreck?"
"Someplace deep in the underground, sir."
"All this way to hide a train in a tunnel...."
"Welcome to the New World, sir."
06/23/09
you know, pobody is nerfect ok?
big meanies, i'm taking my ball and going home...
06/23/09
06/23/09
However, in looking over the photos, I also realized that we, too often, overlook the efforts of the men and women who serve as EMTs or in Fire/Rescue. To them, I wish to send my utmost respect, and sincerest thanks.
06/23/09