Mt Tam I am's Driving Journal
 

I am going to attempt a driving journal and leave the "What did you do with your Z today" folks alone.

Ex:
Dec 2, 2012: I passed a Prius in the pouring rain on the way home. It has also been windy knocking stuff out of the trees making a slippery slurry. Mid pass while trying to be smooth, I felt the tires spin and the car slip a little; a micro release of the gas brought it back and I completed the pass with the Prius honking at me.

The road opened up after this and that slurry made for uncomfortable driving. Then out from under the trees, and their slurry, another car was visible and if I hurry up I can perhaps pass it as well. I was already hurrying so all I did was upset the cars back end on the turn before I need to commit and pass.

Shucks, I blew it but to my great fortune the car saw me and pulled over. Visibility in the fog was now limited to less than 200 feet so no more passing. because the weather was so poor no bike or tourists were present, so I still managed a better Saturday drive home than on a dry sunny one.

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Dec6 2012. In the wet late at night I passed a car on a double yellow and figured that was the end of it but this fellow in an Accord was mad and tried to catch me. The road was full of tree debris that makes a slick slurry. I was driving at my usual clip but the Accord was trying to catch up and although he was falling behind, I could see his head lights through the trees, never slowing.

I encountered a truck slowly driving and followed. That Accord got closer and just as he came around a turn to catch me I was passing the truck uphill. No more slurry from here on either. I made it home without any more traffic.

I was so stimulated, I could not fall asleep for over an hour.

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Great idea! Sub'd! Looking forward to reading!

:iagree: :tup:

:woot: :iagree: :owned: looking forward to a daily read of Mt. tam style:tup:

Oh my gosh this thread is hilarious!

Interesting thread....

Is this considered street racing stories?

RE: RACING,

I sure hope not. I am not racing. I am driving the speed I planned on going just that traffic usually interferes. Most of theses stories will be on US HWY 1 where the speed limit is 55 MPH and cars often travel at 25 MPH.

Coming back from my slot car event Saturday I called the little lady to let her know it took 45 minutes to drive in traffic to get to the event and hoped it would be a shorter drive now that it was 9PM and little traffic.

I used cruise control on the freeway to not speed in the dark. coming off the freeway onto US HWY 1 I became less concerned about cops coming up behind unexpectedly. I had done very well in my races earlier in the evening and I was still a bit aggressive. I saw a car up ahead that I planned on passing, but he slowed, stopped and let an SUV from a side street onto the road. I was perturbed. Why on earth would somebody stop to let in a car in when the road is empty? Well it was my least favorite car, a prius, so anything goes. the SUV did take off to his credit but the prius did not, making it even easier to pass. I caught the SUV before the next turn flashed my lights and he just kept going.

I have always wanted to pass a car in this certain spot. AS it is too dangerous to do in the daylight, but at night you can see the headlights coming. I followed the fellow through the 180 degree hair pin turn and as we got to the end of it, I went into the other lane passed the SUV while he flashed his lights, but I was past and never saw him again. Another three uninterrupted miles of twisting turns, I finally encountered another car that became my third and final pass in a five mile drive. i rarely pass here but, I had passed another car here thirty plus years ago the day I bought my 280Z.

I was so pumped up after my twenty minute drive home, I could not sleep till midnight. I surprised my gal by getting home so soon.

The above is why I own a Z car.

I'm sooooo jealous that you have a nice road to drive every day!

I've got 1 turn and need the planets to align for it to be fun. (no left turners from ahead, noone exiting the McDonalds parking lot, noone ahead of me and no lunch truck water on the ground) Only get it about once a week.

I know what you're talking about getting a nice adreanaline pump. My record for Hwy 84 from sunol to livermore (back in the 90s) was 13 or 14 cars passed. Every time I drove it I tried to get at least 10 passes. :happydance: It was probably a good thing that it wasn't my daily commute.

:tup: LOL! I think when I first arrived on this forum there were some posts about a prius and swans "wrestling" "mating" or some such verbiage....along with a Prius driver blocking the park drive to ogle the swans...I was cracking up. Thanks again for the entertaining prose....related to spirited Z motoring:tup: looking forward to the next write up!

While driving home from my moms 80th birthday party I organized last night, I drove behind my gals Camry. I wanted to get out ahead of her but I figured I'd pass her at a new place I just found for the first time the other night. I had told her the story and her eyes rolled. So just as I am getting ready to make my move, and she blocks me by also cutting into the other lane. Wow. She really did listen to me the other day when I regaled her with 370z driving adventures.

I decided I would watch her lines as she drove and she is good. I need to get her to turn a tiny bit later to give her better exit speeds. This is my road and she normally goes the other direction so this makes it better.

:tup: got a smart savvy gal there-you better keep her:tup:

I agree. You talked me into her. :tup:

Today the roads are wet and I'm on the verge of being late for work. Way off I can see a Porsche or is it one of ours, being held up by a truck. I catch up soon enough, and it is a 996 turbo.

The truck pulls over to let us by and it was wonderful. Apparently he too was late for something as we both picked the same pace to drive. After a mile of twists, he was about six feet further along than I as he must have been a tad later than myself.

When I arrived at my destination and waved good bye, I hoped I'd see the driver again.

Today is a boring post but I must defend the Prius today. WE were both stuck behind a Saab. I saw the Prius driver gesticulate, as I often do to the driver ahead, "WHY, WHY are you braking now???" I was already thinking it. So although I do hate Prius as the new Volvo bane, I can not fault this one today.

:ugh2: :shakes head: :tup: thx for the fix mt tam:tup:
Signed,
Your biggest fan,
Bc20
:tup:

It is pouring down rain today and the roads are clean of oil but traction still suffers from leaves and bark.

I ended up leaving a couple minutes late for work. So after a truck then a BMW let me by, I ended up with four miles of unobstructed driving. I was in a hurry and thought since the world is ending in a few hours anyway, why not push hard in the wet. Being smooth is the key.

My only real excitement came when I hit some bark and slid within my own lane, a minor correction caught it and back on the gas. The neat thing about today is that I was only one minute or so off my best daytime drive time. I actually was on time , with a minute to spare, though I started late.

:tup: oopsie butt wiggles=i like! :confused: other drivers actually pull over to let you by?! Thats a novel idea....rural ohio drivers do not do this....well, if you're on a tractor -sometimes! Lol:tup:

It is rare everywhere. I have found if you come up on another suddenly, they tend to let you by (they are intimidated or realize they are chumps) vs slowly approaching.

I thought I'd even need to complain about folks from Alberta*, but third time I flashed my lights he let me by.

* As a razz to our Canadian forum members.


:hohoho:

An Accura TL from Maryland decided to play with me on my home turf. The roads were wet, some parts seemed to have small streams running over them too. The TL was doing something weird and it took me a few turns to figure out why he was driving the way he was.

The Accura would slow down and lag a little compared to the car ahead of him then cut into the wrong lane and then punch out and catch the car ahead then do the same thing again. WTF? I realized he wanted the straightest place to pull away from me so he helped create a straight by cutting turns. I accelerated with him each time while staying in my own lane. To his surprise the cars ahead of him both turned off leaving just the two of us. My VDC came off and now I flashed and honked at him to pull over, as it is a 55 MPH zone. He tried to move but he was incapable of leaving me behind but when I got the chance I tried to pass him. A car was coming the other way so I had to abort the pass.

He got his car up to maybe 60-65 but he gave up slowing me down. He signaled that he would pull over and I just passed to save him this. He tried to stay with me but was gone after the first turn.

My Jag has been gone forever and was due back this same day, so I parked to the far left of the garage. Sadly the Z slept alone again last night.

I was told "Life is not a bowl of cherries". Apparently though, you can have a cherry fan.

Merry Christmas BC20

A tree came down yesterday taking out the power and blocking the road, so I am writing this on generator power.

:tup: sounds like a lively drive mt. Tam:tup:
Indeed, a cherry fan is a lovely thing to have, but its not for everyone you know;)

Merry Christmas to you and your loved ones:)


:eek::icon14: we had a cold christmas back in 2003 w no power:tup: lets hop the power is restored in record time!

In case you wondered, I have spent the last week driving less and working on the Jag.

Here the freshly rebuilt carbs that still need to be synched better.

Nissan 370Z Forum - Mt Tam I am's Album: The XKE - Picture

Nissan 370Z Forum - Mt Tam I am's Album: The XKE - Picture

:eek: you have a Jag too:confused: cool:happydance:

It is mentioned in what I drive.

Remember my gal? All true. Well she could care less. Strange too. everywhere else I go women ask for rides or tell me a story about their "XKE" stories. Although I am not looking, or trying to find another woman in my life, her lack of interest in my car is harder on me than one might think. I can only recall one time she rode with me in it.

That is an absolutely stunning vehicle!

:tup: sigh. :tiphat: :yum:

I forgot for a long long time how much i liked cars....having children distracted me but I'm back:tup: they make me smile:happydance::driving:

Thanks to both of you. Happy New Year.

Today is my 19th anniversary, so I washed my car and went out for a wonderful meal with all the stops pulled out. The valet parked my Z next to a Ferrari California on the way in. Oysters Bingo led off but I digress.

We left and got behind a fast moving Subaru. He pulled over after a short distance and I took off. Normally my little lady does not like fast driving and will voice her dissatisfaction, but tonight was different. After three clear miles we encountered cars. I had turned off VDC and was thinking about passing, but out of respect for her I resigned myself to following some jerks.
When she said surprisingly "Aren't you going to pass this guy?" I did not think twice. I flew past him setting me up for the next car to pass. Perfect except now I have made my honey uncomfortable by going over 80 MPH in the dark, passing. I slowed down a bit and we were again alone on the road for a clear ride home.

She is a keeper.

Congrats on the anniversary:tiphat: I am guessing you decided awhile ago that she was a keeper! :) And I am guessing she goosed you to pass because she knows you after 19 years :tup:

So it is 45 degrees, clear and sunny yet moisture remains under the trees.
I got the message my Fob battery is low and will need to deal with it.

I got right out onto the road, tested the brakes when somebody failed to look, he waved sorry, and back on the gas I went. Briefly stuck behind someone before they went left and I right. I wound out second gear hit third, slowed for a turn and back hard on the gas. This kept up until I met a mini cooper who was hussling along. He did not pull off but slowed and let me by him so he could try and keep up with me. I never saw him again until we got to the stop light and a string of cars.

I hope Walgreens has the battery I need.

:tup: i got it. Haiku. You write haiku paragraphs:tup::happydance:

Yesterday was full of (sounds like a broken record) Prius. One after the other kept poping out. I got past one and got stuck behind another a half mile later. He turned and another was ahead of him. This one pulled over (seventh time in my life) when another was just ahead. WTF! At this moment I thought I saw yet another one, only it was a the Honda one.

The road conditions were perfect and I tried to go past my house and keep driving, but after a mile, with too many slow cars to get past, I went home.

Sad, very sad. I wept while reading this. Hopefully you will have better driving conditions tomorrow. :tup: :driving:

:wtf: is up w all the pokey drivers?! Are we too aggressive or are they too passive?! Deal w them every day-even while driving my Civic?!
:tup:tomorrow is another day!:tup:

Just as I hit the road this morning a slow moving car, then truck went by. I thought well at least it isn't a Prius when the third car I would follow was. I think I am developing PTSD.

A mile later they all went left as I went right. Although I knew a slow moving car was a few hundred yards ahead I had my chance for a little fun. I brought it up to 80 in third and let the gears slow me for a turn that felt like I floated through about 65+. This is a turn I could not take faster than 55 in my beloved 300ZXtt. I came up so fast on a Subaru just over the crest. I thought he was going to let me by at first, but he decided to instead accelerate downhill. OK.

Half a dozen turns later he pulled over for me, after a wave of thanks, the fun began. With only one good turn left I ran across a string of cars lead and trailed by you guessed it. I shall not sully your eyes again with it's name.

:tup:PTSD :tup: :icon17:

Hey.
:confused:
No-that doesnt work...ahhh, wth. Funny anyways:tup:
Subie fun and a disappearing Prius-it's all good:tiphat:

The PTSD reference is a joke about me, but not for our returning service men. Absolutely no disrespect to these heros.

:tup:nah-I didn't think you were disrespecting at all...I was just replacing teh Post for Prius and I couldn't make the connection...no harm no foul!!

HEY! Doing a track day maybe in april....waaaayy cool!!
Gawd-I love this car!! :tup:
Keep 'em coming Tam!! Enjoying the ride along with you, ever since that very first video of yours that I watched....LOL-I was such a newb at that point and wasn't sure if I should respond to the post or not....I was still feeling my way around the forum. :tup: