The Official Rants and Trolls Thread

I've flown JetBlue a couple of times. They were OK, from what I remember.

Virgin America seems to be a really good airline.

I've never had my bags delayed on any Northwest flight, but I've had ME delayed on the last 3 or 4 flights I've taken by them (and by last I do mean last - they're another airline that I'd walk to my destination rather than take them).

 

I don't fly (since the mid 90's). I just drive my Prius. I have never lost my own luggage. Just say'in. After reading some of these rants, I will make a better effort to never fly again.

 

Ha! I didn't really want to spend the time and energy to drive from Seattle to NYC, Boston, Philly and then back.

I'll be going to Europe soon so driving to my destination is out of the question.

 

Not if you over-inflate your tires. Make sure to gas-up before you leave shore.

Tom

 

And make sure to study the current charts. Otherwise your mileage will be terrible. :madgrin:

 

Unfortunately, the train is a lot more expensive than a Greyhound bus.

I recently took a bus from Philadelphia to Boston and it cost $28. IIRC, Amtrak was a minimum of $118. The bus depot was block away from my hotel whereas the train station was much further away so I'd have likely needed a cab just to get there.

 

Don't trains now offer wireless so you can stay up on all the Prius Chat chit chat?

 

idiot drivers who follow too close when roads are icy

It snowed yesterday in the Seattle area but didn't stick. It snowed today again but started sticking and roads have been getting icy. Snow is fine. Rain or snow turning into ice - > bad.

On the way home, I and everyone else had to go very slow on the highway (<30 mph) and leave a TON of room in front of them. Before I entered the highway, I had bit of a scare... at <15 mph, while braking to stop at a left turn lane to enter the highway, my Prius slid and wouldn't stop. I luckily could steer around the stopped car in front of me to avoid a collision and take a longer alternate entrance.

As I leave the highway, there's is (understandably) slow pickup in front of me but this moron SUV driver behind me decides to keep closing and follows me pretty closely (not tailgating, but too close for these conditions).

When I turned into my apartment complex, I had a bit of a scare again as I was sliding even though I was well <15 mph.

On the local news, a few hours ago, a bunch of highways, tunnels and bridges are closed due to the conditions and accidents from spin outs. No surprise.

 

I believe this was filmed in your area a while back:

 

I remember that video. King 5 is a Seattle station but I'm not sure if it was Seattle or Portland (as one comment claims). I don't recall if I was living up here at the time that happened as I was away from the Seattle area from late 04 to late 09.

One year, I distinctly remember seeing on the news, an SUV sliding sideways down a hill in Queen Anne, an area of Seattle.

 

People are walking across the road, so it can't be that bad. Sometimes in front of my office you can't stand on the road without crampons.

Tom

 

I like that video because I like watching the first SUV run into a pole and then for some inexplicable reason guns it into the car and pole across the street. :madgrin:

 

Sudden acceleration. I'm sure the driver's foot was nowhere near the accelerator pedal.



Tom

 

I just LOVE "all season" tires!

I have been in icy conditions so bad, one could literally NOT stand up. A sudden ice storm last year, when I stopped to take a break, I actually went on my butt





With the tire studs, I could safely go along at 40-50 km/h. Vehicles without studs simply slid off

You will notice in the video that the vehicles sliding down the incline, their wheels are locked. It wasn't the driver being "drunk or stupid" it was incredibly icy conditions

 

Jayman, were those photos taken after the Zamboni went through?

Tom

 

Capitol Hill in Seattle on 11/22/10

Ok, three of my friends have posted

on FB of cars and buses having trouble getting up and down this hill, so I figured I'd spread the word here.

Seems like the favorite for many is ~3 min mark.