Author Topic: I feel somehow safer now...  (Read 11815 times)

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prof_stack

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on: January 02, 2008, 12:06:17 am
New Year's Day ride today, all of 40 miles.  Temps in the mid 40's.  Dry.  50mpg for the tank.

As of today, in the state of WA, it is illegal for drivers to text messages while they are driving.  Of course, I'd like to know why it was ever really legal.  Nonetheless, it helps.  On July 1st it will be illegal to hold a cell phone while driving.  Better yet.

The reconstructed Buell (see photo - new frame, swingarm, wheels, airbox cover, oil cooler cover, primary cover, back tire, re-covered seat, etc.) ran flawlessly, as usual.  I rode it like I would a RE, except for the brief 80mph burst on the Interstate; just for fun.   ::)   

But I only rode 1,170 miles in 2007, two months of which the bike was getting rebuilt after the 6/30 accident.  I need a new mount to get excited about riding again.  That's why I'm active on this site.

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LJRead

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Reply #1 on: January 02, 2008, 12:49:07 am

I didn't know about your accident, quite a major rebuild and nice looking bike (great photo with the mountains in the background).  I guess, like so much technology, these phones and their use just crept up on us and we didn't know quite how to use them properly.  Had a long discussion last evening with a couple of computer whiz kids (guests here) who opened my eyes some into what is going on.  Seems there is a newish communal intelligence going beyond normal human brains (a sort of collective brain I guess).  It's a scary world seen from here, and getting scarier.  Too old fashioned I guess.

Good luck with your riding and all in the New Year!

LJ


exiledcarper

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Reply #2 on: January 05, 2008, 03:07:26 am
Larry, are you suggseting that the machines are taking over?  A scary thought indeed and not beyond the realms of my imagination, at least.  :-[ I could see something like that happening one day, but hoped it would be after I'm long gone.
  I hope business is good, by the way and a very happy new year to you and yours.
                                                                                       Vernon


RagMan

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Reply #3 on: January 05, 2008, 05:33:57 am
The worst offenders for inattention due to cell phones round here, are the State Troopers. Always either on the phone, or worse, typing something on the computer whilst driving.   
aka Indiana Bulleteer.
''99 Classic Bullet. '05 Ural Tourist sidecar rig, converted to 2wd. '05 Harley Davidson Sportster.
Jefferson County, WA


LJRead

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Reply #4 on: January 06, 2008, 01:05:36 am

I suppose one question to this technology issue is what happens when people find a way to sabotage it.  In the Bosnian war the U.S. was dumping graphite on the power plants to knock them out and I'm sure there are people with evil intent, or maybe just liking to play games, who are steaming their brains overtime to think up ways to knock out both the power grids and the computerized ones.  I have been using Yahoo (don't much care for it) and the mail system was down for an hour or so yesterday, no problem for me, but even such a small thing must put big industry in a tizzy.  And even the power problems during recent blizzards there must have had their effect.  What I don't like is being made dependent on these systems.  I feel like I'm losing some basic survival advantage.  RagMan. Hutch or someone was talking about liking old style points systems on their ignition for just this reason, easy to fix by the wayside.  It is a bit of a quandary - how do you run a business without it, so dependent are we becoming, and it is happening right now, Vern, machines and electronics are taking control.  Someday there may well be this socialized brain made up of both human and artificial inputs that will indeed take over, and we through our elected leaders will have let it all happen (are letting it happen).  "1984" came a bit late, but it is here now.

Yes Prof, you feel safer because they are doing away with this distraction on the freeways, but looking at the bigger picture and taking life's road as a huge freeway, we aren't very safe at all!!!  We are all bozos on this bus and the bus is running totally out of control!  We take our peace, our small bit of Nirvana, when we can, driving an old motorcycle on the largely abandoned roads of this earth while wishing for a simpler time.


deejay

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Reply #5 on: January 20, 2008, 01:51:11 am
Hutch or someone was talking about liking old style points systems on their ignition for just this reason, easy to fix by the wayside.

And if we're ever hit with some sort of electromagnetic weapon (ufo? lol). I'll be cruising past all of the broken down vehicles with electronic ignitions on my Bullet with points. ;D


prof_stack

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Reply #6 on: January 20, 2008, 03:50:43 am
And if we're ever hit with some sort of electromagnetic weapon (ufo? lol). I'll be cruising past all of the broken down vehicles with electronic ignitions on my Bullet with points. ;D
I'm not so sure that would be the case.  Do you remember the 1951 movie "The Day the Earth Stood Still"?  An EMP of some sort shut down all motor vehicles.  I recall the policeman trying in vain to kick-start a Harley, obviously with points.

I'll be okay on my bicycle, though.   ::)


birdmove

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Reply #7 on: January 20, 2008, 04:25:19 am
    Hey, I remember watching that movie as a little kid. It was pretty heavy stuff for those days!

    jon
Jon in Keaau, Hawaii


mbevo1

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Reply #8 on: January 20, 2008, 05:19:06 am
Watched it  just the other night on the Classic Movie channel... still creeps me out!   

I think we're fairly safe on the EMP deal, though.  When I was in the military, we still had a lot of tube technolgy in the radars and radios... you could blast ANYTHING at those things and they kept working... rub this here laptop device I'm typing on with a fuzzy sock, and the static would probably fry it... 

sometimes older IS better... ;D

Mike and Stumpy in Michigan
'07 Classic - Stumpy
'10 C5 Military - Sherman