Not A Good Day.....

[GAC]

Bought a 2008 Honda Civic about 2 weeks ago (that's good).

Put it in a ditch this morning driving home from work (that's not so good). It's the same 3-4 mile stretch of country road I drive to and fro work everyday. It pees a lot of people off because whenever there is bad weather the county (Shelby) never, never touches this stretch of road. They don't plow it, treat it, etc. And while it's not a main road, like a state route, many Honda associates travel this road everyday to get to the plant because we have to.

You will never see a county plow or salt truck on this road; but you can't spit and not hit a Sheriff, who patrol it like crazy trying to nail Honda employees with speeding tickets. We have learned all their hiding spots though.

So I'm driving (creeping) about 25 mph down the road and I see the car about 100 yards ahead of me fishtail and then go off the leftside of the road and hit a telephone pole. So being the good Samaritan that I am I plan on stopping and offer assistance since it's out in the country and I always carry my cellphone.

When I get to the spot where he fishtailed, I soon realize WHY? It was pure whiteout to begin with. So you don't see the patch of snow that had drifted over that side of the road only. Even going as slow as I was, when I hit it, all was lost. It sucked me in like a black hole, grabbed the front end, and all I could do was hold onto the steering wheel, yell ****, and ride it out. I slid past him and down into the ditch and tore up my front bumper/fender. Got a sheriff's report, got it towed out, drove it into town, notified my agent, got an estimate ($1100.00). Nothing really major was damaged, so I am thankful for that.

Got home and there was one of those traffic light camera notices from a place called Safelight. It occurred in Springfield, Ohio over the Christmas Holidays. I'm originally from there, and we had gone down to visit my brother's family. It seems my wife tried to make a redlight while shopping with the sister-in-law. The video shows she didn't make it. It was close, but not conclusive enough to have a fighting chance of beating it. The check is in the mail.

So that shopping trip is costing me another $100.

My brother lives says the citizens are simply outraged over the eight of them they have installed. They have turned into nice revenue makers for the city.

[camisadelgolf]

Today's my birthday, and the only gifts I've gotten are socks and insulin. They're both practical, but I'm not exactly thrilled by being reminded that I'm a type 1 diabetic with no health insurance.

[flyer85]

Originally Posted by GAC

They have turned into nice revenue makers for the city.

... which is their main purpose.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

Today's my birthday, and the only gifts I've gotten are socks and insulin. They're both practical, but I'm not exactly thrilled by being reminded that I'm a type 1 diabetic with no health insurance.

Happy birthday, bud! Hopefully your day goes better than GAC's does.

Good to know you're OK, GAC.

[gonelong]

Originally Posted by GAC

They have turned into nice revenue makers for the city.

I think they have GPS units that you can plot locations of interest on. If I lived in area that had Red Light Camers I'd probably go ahead and get one.

Bummer day.

A few weeks ago I got hit on I-75 by a drunk driver and had my car totaled. Luckily I am fine, but I just replaced a car that has been paid off for 5 years with a $460/month car payment. Sigh.

GL

[Ltlabner]

Originally Posted by GAC

My brother lives says the citizens are simply outraged over the eight of them they have installed. They have turned into nice revenue makers for the city.

Not to get into a discussion about concealed carry, but once the sheriff's departments realized they got a portion of the $55 fee for the liscence they quickly changed their tune on CCW. It's been a huge revenue stream for many departments.

But don't you worry, those red light cameras are only there for your safety.

Sorry to hear about your crappy day GAC.

[camisadelgolf]

Originally Posted by Chip R

Happy birthday, bud! Hopefully your day goes better than GAC's does.

Thank you much. My day's already picking up. I just received Amadeus on DVD and tax returns. I'm so glad I'm not GAC right now.

[Chip R]

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

Thank you much. My day's already picking up. I just received Amadeus on DVD and tax returns. I'm so glad I'm not GAC right now.

Believe me, you should be glad you're not GAC all the time.

[LoganBuck]

GAC what road? That pretty much tells the tale of all the roads to the East of State Rts 65 and 47? My road is plowed and treated pretty well by Logan county to the East, but Shelby county is half a mile to the west and they almost never treat the road at their end. I thought it would improve when a new township trustee was elected. But it has not.

[SunDeck]

Originally Posted by GAC

You will never see a county plow or salt truck on this road; but you can't spit and not hit a Sheriff, who patrol it like crazy trying to nail Honda employees with speeding tickets.

Gotta get the revenue back they lost through tax abatements.

Bummer about the wreck though- on the bright side it didn't burst into flames, brother.

[15fan]

I'll take the opposite approach on the cameras. Got nailed by one a couple of years ago. Thought it was a bunch of crap, etc.

But since then, I've found myself reaching for the brake rather than the gas on a more regular basis when a light in front of me turns yellow. As a result, I've had a couple of situations that would have been near-misses turn into non-events since I wasn't trying to race through a slightly red light.

Periodically seeing the signs for the monitored intersections reinforces the changed behavior that I'd argue is better not only for me, but for anyone else who might be at that same intersection.

[MrCinatit]

Geez, GAC, if this is what you consider "Not a good day", remind me to not ask you what a bad day is.
Glad you are all right, though.

[Spring~Fields]

Originally Posted by GAC

Got home and there was one of those traffic light camera notices from a place called Safelight. It occurred in Springfield, Ohio over the Christmas Holidays. I'm originally from there, and we had gone down to visit my brother's family. It seems my wife tried to make a redlight while shopping with the sister-in-law. The video shows she didn't make it. It was close, but not conclusive enough to have a fighting chance of beating it. The check is in the mail.

So that shopping trip is costing me another $100.

My brother lives says the citizens are simply outraged over the eight of them they have installed. They have turned into nice revenue makers for the city.

Good that you are still alive and did not have to suffer a severe lesson from the conditions beyond your control.

You betcha that we don't like them, those cameras.

Now you just pushed my buttons, I can't stand those cameras, our lights change inconsistently, some green to yellow to red a reasonable rate of change to give a driver time, then others change green to yellow RED faster than others, so what is true about safe stopping at those lights.

If you loan your car to another family member, regardless of who is driving the owner gets the surprise, $100 surprise. Poor elderly grandmother kind heartedly loans her car to a grandson whining his need for help, compassionate grandmother gets stuck with a nasty surprise that she can't afford, of course the deceptive grandson knows nothing of the light violation.

She has a heart condition, hip conditions and poor eye sight, so she turned her drivers license in, but happened to still have her car that she doesn’t drive. The city asks us to accept in good faith that they and their cameras make no mistakes, but, they will not take the word of an old lady in good faith that she did not violate the traffic laws and dismiss it. Believe me this city has been dogged regarding collection of their $100 lousy bucks from her. I assume she finally paid it though it was not her violation.

That light thing in Springfield has various other holes in it. I know another man that received one from Dayton, he was not in Dayton, he has alzheimers.

[GAC]

Originally Posted by flyer85

... which is their main purpose.

Not if you talk to city officials, which I did today..... it's all about the safety of their citizenry.

[GAC]

Originally Posted by camisadelgolf

Thank you much. My day's already picking up. I just received Amadeus on DVD and tax returns.

I just bought Amadeus, a collectors edition, last week. I also got my tax return too. I know where a portion of it is going to.