Tag: Random Thought

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 4,575

…yeah I know you did not ask!

I’m not much of a sports fan. I used to follow college football some, primarily the University of Oklahoma. Mainly because it is difficult to live in Oklahoma and not follow them, like it is difficult to not follow the Cardinals when you live in St. Louis. However, I have noticed a trend the last few years… guys who are not interested in sports and who are not afraid to say it. It used to be that you were less than manly if you could not cite the latest win/loss record of whomever. What a nice trend.   There is more to life that sports.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 8,331

…yeah I know you did not ask!

I do not know if this inability to observe and learn or an overestimation of one’s driving abilities and reaction times. 031212 carfailure

According to the State Farm website a safe following distance is the 3 second rule, 4 seconds is better.  That is when the car in front of you passes an object start counting.  You should be up to at least 3 before you pass the same object.  Rush hour traffic in St. Louis moves between 0 and 80 mph.  I try to get no closer than 2 seconds. Primary because at 62 going on 69 I know my reaction times are not what they were.  Even at this separation, I have folks pulling in front of me all the time, or trying to whip around me because I am going too slow.  Never mind that I maintain a constant separation with the vehicle ahead.

The percentage of all accidents that are rear-end collisions (termed a shunt in UK) is between 23 and 30%.  I drive 50 plus miles round trip commuting from Chesterfield to downtown St. Louis.  I almost never have a round trip without seeing at least one accident.  Frequently I see multiple accidents, and the accidents frequently involve more than two cars.  My estimation of the rush hour traffic accidents being rear-end collisions is in the high 90s.  Rear-end collisions are almost always caused by following too close.

Let’s get back to my opening statement.  I would think if you see this type of accident repeatedly happening a bell would go off somewhere.    I will vouch that it does not.  Tailgating is an awful problem in St. Louis rush hour traffic.  Maybe there is a reason humanity keeps repeating the same mistakes over and over, century after century.  Meanwhile I will maintain my 2 second separation and if you get too close to my bumper I will start slowing down.

 

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 3,124

…yeah I know you did not ask!

I feel sorry (among other things) for those men in societies that treat women as second class citizens, as property, as less than human.  How wonderful it is to have a co-equal partner to share the world’s joys and sorrows with.  I can only hope that if they had even an inkling of an idea of what a gift it is they would change their behavior.  However, social and religious pressures can be an amazing force for the status quo.

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Rev. Joe’s Random Thought # 1,232

…yeah I know you did not ask!

My morning routine when I first get to work is to go to the company gym.  There I fill my giant economy size cup with ice and water, check my blood pressure, and do a series of exercises for my arthritic shoulders.

This morning I am going through the exercises when a couple of BBW walked through the sliding doors into the gym.  I had not heard the beginning of the conversation, but one woman avowed loudly that, “She did not take it off.”

I so wanted to remark, “Sweetheart,  then you have never had me sweet talking you!”

Fortunately I remembered where I was at, work, and kept my mouth shut.