Commentary | Piss and Moan

Oh, you must be exempt from traffic laws

Posted on August 14, 2018 by backuphill

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

Wanna know who is exempt from traffic laws? Cops, apparently.

You see them speed all the time on the highway. You see them make a flagrant u-turns in traffic. You see them park on the side of the road (especially on overpasses) with a portion of their vehicle in traffic. You see them park in “No Parking” or “Fire” zones. You see them park on sidewalks. You see them using their computers and their cell phones while driving. You see them not use their signals properly. So, they must be exempt, right?

I was always under the impression that the only time they were exempt from traffic laws was when they had their lights on and were responding to a call. They don’t even have to have their siren on, but they at the very least had to have their lights on. Otherwise, I was under the impression they should act as though they are the same as any other citizen. Well, we clearly and regularly don’t see this happen, right?

So what gives? I have never had a law enforcement official clearly explain this to me. When asked if they are exempt from the law, they say no but they can’t explain why it is acceptable why they violate traffic laws on a regular basis. Anyone got an answer?

Do you know why I pulled you over?

Posted on August 13, 2018 by backuphill

https://cdn.patchcdn.com/users/47905/2013/02/T800x600/bca1a8464d982956d5a69f13c17a8337.jpg

*Disclaimer #1, no, I haven’t been pulled over for this yet.

There are some really dumb traffic laws out there, and this happens to be one of the dumbest. The sheer nature of the law assumes that someone will be speeding and someone else will be impeding their progress.

wesleychapelcommunity.com

So, let’s talk about this for a second. Let’s assume you are trying to follow the posted speed limit and are not exceeding it. Slower vehicles are supposed to stay to the right (it’s the law, right?). If, by the nature of traveling the speed limit, you are able to pass people while traveling in the left lane then you are not causing anyone grief because you are in fact going the speed limit.

Let’s just say an emergency vehicle comes up from behind you with their lights on. What do you do? You move to the right, like the law says to do. If you don’t move right, you can and should be ticketed for not following the law. So, is this an issue with traveling in the left lane?

If you are going slower than the speed limit, well, then you could be pulled over because you are actually being a hazard to other drivers and should be pulled over for being a danger to yourself and others.

Finally, that leaves anyone who is going over the speed limit, which I do regularly. *Disclaimer #2 – I do not condone speeding, I am just merely using myself as an example. First, if you are speeding you can be pulled over for that because you are violating a law already on the books. However, since you are speeding you are likely passing slower people who are staying on the right. Thus, no need for the law. If you are one of those jackwagons (is that gender specific or is it all-inclusive?) who decides that you are going to speed at an unreasonable rate and unsafely, well then there is already a law on the books for that. It is called reckless driving.

So that leaves a scenario where I am traveling over the speed limit and passing people on the left when a jackwagon speeds up from behind me and tailgates me as I don’t move immediately out-of-the-way. Who is in the wrong here? As we are both exceeding the speed limit, both of us are passing people on the left. We are both speeding, only one of us is doing it in an unsafe manner. I am not really impeding anyone in traffic, except the jackwagon behind me who feels the need to run everyone off the road to get to where they are going. Get my drift here?

The “keep right” law is dumb.

Lunch at the park

Posted on August 9, 2018 by backuphill

Photo by Scosche on Pexels.com

I see you, dude.

I see you in your jacked up, shiny, big tired, over-sized pickup, that you’ll never take off road. Your windows down and engrossed in some kind of reading. But…

But, before I noticed you in that truck I SMELLED you. Yes, I smelled you!

Yeah, your stench is undeniable and totally recognizable. Because while you are sitting there with your windows rolled down, the breeze is wafting the smoke of that joint in your hand all over the other people sitting in their cars trying enjoy their lunches. Thanks, jerk.

Then after we have all suffered through your bad habit, which is illegal to smoke in public, you start your vehicle and drive off, also illegal. Nice.

I guess there are very few places you can go these days without having to deal with this sort of entitled, “it’s my right,” behavior. No courtesy for others, just “all about me.”

#smh

Clickbait and Google News feed

Posted on August 6, 2018 by backuphill

The clickbait around here is so obvious it hurts. The screen shot of the Google News feed from a few days ago is a prime example. All of the news articles are about the same topic, on the same day, but one of them is using the “clickbait” title tactic.

CNN should know better than this, but I guess that is what we can expect when you’re desperate to compete. Notice all of the other headlines are pretty much the same, but CNN takes it to the next level of sensationalism. Also, when you look at the timing of the article – “one hour ago” – you can clearly see that it wasn’t “just tweeted” or “something new”. Again, it is an under-handed and dishonest attempt to get traffic on their site. Pure clickbait and there is no way of defining it any other way.

The fact that is stands out so obviously is disturbing, though I suppose if you get your news via social media or something similar there is probably no point of reference and you probably would click on it. CNN once used to be a reliable source of news info, but as you can see headlines like this make it a “less than news service.” You can also see why so many people bash on CNN for being a terrible purveyor of news and information.

People need to stop “consuming” this crap. It is time for CNN to go away because it’s desperation is showing.

* Discussion for another time: The Hill is the only balanced reporting on the list above.

Transaction fees are not my friend

Posted on August 3, 2018 by backuphill

The “Transaction Fee” column is killing my vibe.

The transaction fees at TpT (Teachers Pay Teachers) are killing the positive vibe of teacher authors and it is really annoying.

I realize they are providing a service for me and I am OK with them taking a cut of the sales since they are providing the service, but that flat fee of $.30 has got to be making TpT money as well, which I don’t find OK.

In most cases credit card transaction fees are between 1-3% of the purchase price and based on volume they typically offer the retailer a discount on the fees to encourage them to use their service. Plus, there is usually a monthly “subscription/membership” (for lack of a better term) fee for the retailer to use the service as a whole. Either way, what I am being charged and what they are being charged don’t line up in my mind.

For all these small transactions, there has to be a better deal than what I am getting. The credit card company (or someone) is making as much on my material as I am.

The annoying host

Posted on August 2, 2018 by backuphill

https://www.lifeandstylemag.com/posts/tyra-banks-agt-137111

Anyone else think Tyra Banks is annoying as hell?

You would think after the extremely rough start she had last year, being severely awkward and overly obnoxious, that she would have figured it out for this year. But no, year two of her hosting duties on America’s Got Talent is just as awkward and just as annoying.

Maybe it just that I was a big fan of Nick Cannon. I don’t know. But maybe it’s just that she is trying too hard. I don’t know. But, they could actually cut her out of the show (which I noticed the last episode was very limited) and most people wouldn’t even notice.

She isn’t entertaining and never has been. Shouldn’t the host have at least as much talent as the contestants?

#tyrabanksisnonickcannon

Traffic sucks because you’re stupid

Posted on August 1, 2018 by backuphill

red and yellow hatchback axa crash tests

Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com

You know, if you are stuck in a traffic jam because of an earlier accident, maybe you should not tailgate people and pay attention to what is going on around you so you don’t smash the bumper in front of you and cause other people to slow down to see what is going on…just a hint. STOP IT!

I’ll be damned if you people can’t keep from bashing into each other! Holy crap, people, stop screwing up traffic! You morons drive the same route every day and you know what traffic is gonna be like so stop doing stuff that is going to mess it up for everyone.

Stop reading the newspaper. Stop looking at your phone. Stop sending texts. Stop making phone calls. Stop eating. Stop drinking. Stop doing your nails. Stop putting on your makeup. Stop picking your nose. Stop doing your hair. Stop playing with the radio. Stop yelling at your kids. Stop smoking. Stop stop stop.

We spend enough time sitting in our cars, we don’t need you making it worse on a daily basis.

34 days of Piss & Moan

Posted on July 31, 2018 by backuphill

I started this blog 34 days ago.

In that time I have pissed and moaned about something for 33 of those days (I missed one day because I ran out of time to write one before I went on vacation). Is it weird that I can find at least one thing a day to complain about?

Anyway, during the course of the last month (+/-), I have had 41 “followers” follow. Most of them are spam since they are just trying to sell me a product or push their “get rich quick” scheme on the internet.

Thanks for nothing people. Thanks for all the love you can’t muster. I appreciate it. Just for that, I am going to Piss & Moan about YOU today…or is it the lack of you?? Are there really not more people out there that can identify or relate to my pissing and moaning? Does no one else have something to complain about?

Well, I am just gonna keep on keeping on. Eventually you’ll all see this is going to be a great place to lodge a complaint about something. You just wait and see.

Photo by burak kostak on Pexels.com

Scouring history for offense

Posted on July 30, 2018 by backuphill

Photo by Tracy Le Blanc on Pexels.com

I have got to say, we are some kind of stupid trend as a society.

There are people (trolls) out there scouring the historical Twitter posts (or other social media) of “celebrities and stars” so they can be “outted” as having offensive ideas/beliefs or having said something offensive.

Really? Like no one has times in their past where they said something offensive? Like no one has had an episode in their lives where they had poor judgement? Like no one has said something in jest or made a statement about something while they were showing off to their friends? Or, like no one has ever said something they didn’t believe just to get a reaction out of other people?

If this is going to be the trend and we are going to go back and vilify people for things they did in their past, then we better just fire EVERY comedian alive, even our favorite ones. We should scour every past performance and just ax them on the spot – because I am sure they probably said something insensitive, politically incorrect, racially or sexually offensive, ageist, blah blah blah…

How about we judge people on their present rather than their past? And, how about we leave history as history – then learn from it rather than scrub it clean or hide it.

#smh #thisisridiculous

Motorcycle riders are the worst

Posted on July 29, 2018 by backuphill

Photo by Pete Johnson on Pexels.com

Ever been so irritated at something that you just want to scream? Yeah, me too.

Motorcycle riders are the worst. They are the worst because the constantly break the law. They break the law because they feel they are entitled to. That must be the case or they wouldn’t do it.

I commute 88 miles to and from work five days a week, so I am on the roads a lot. I was also a driver’s ed instructor for 6 years and a state license tester for 5 of those years (those were my side gig). So, I think I have a pretty good idea of the law. And let me tell you, motorcycle riders break the law on a regular basis. I am sure, if you drive a vehicle, you are well aware of this already so maybe I am preaching to the choir here…

Motorcycle riders routinely roll through stop signs, because putting your feet down to actually come to a complete stop is apparently to big an inconvenience. Of course, they exceed the speed limit, but not at the same level you are exceeding the speed limit because they have to go faster. They weave in and out of traffic, cutting people off as they go. They lane split (ride between cars on the white line). They ride on the shoulder in traffic jams. They tailgate you when you are too slow, but actually doing the speed limit. They park their bikes in places that aren’t parking spots. I could do on, but I think you get the picture (and you probably already knew all this).

When you ask (or confront) a motorcycle rider about it they almost always come up with the excuse, “It is safer for me if I do it that way.” Oh, ok, so you are more important than everyone else? I get it.

If you are a motorcycle rider, the rest of the commuting world is tired AF of you. You aren’t special. Obey the damn law!

*Yes, I realize some of the things mentioned are legal in some states – all of the things mentioned are NOT in my state.