Category Archives: car

Feb27

road rally.

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*mongolian rally car (not us, but similar situation)
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okay, so it was not an intercontinental road rally
that speeds through tough terrain
in a variety of countries over a number of days
but
i went on a nighttime road rally scavenger hunt
that went through a few cities for a few hours
 (or more if you got lost or had an inside track on where to find something)
a wonderful adventure with a great team and lots of laughs
including:
a marriage proposal, a virgin mary statue, a condescending best buy nerd,
a welcoming fast food worker, a parking lot dance-off
swinging on a swing set with a group
ending with a dinner with people i had never met before.
no bumps in the road, just pure fun.
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“there is always strength in numbers.
the more individuals or organizations that you can rally to your cause, the better.”
-mark shields

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*The Mongol Rally is an intercontinental car rally that begins in Europe and ends in Ulan-Ude, Russia. The rally originally ended in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. However, to avoid punitive costs and taxes associated with vehicle imports and disposal, the rally now passes through Mongolia and ends in Ulan-Ude. The principal launch is from Goodwood Circuit in the United Kingdom, with subsidiary starting points in the Czech Republic.

Dec29

just stop.

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for those who may be unsure

i’m going to just go ahead and say it:

a stop sign in not meant to be a suggestion. 

(good thing there’s a backup here for a second chance to get it right)

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‘if you want a happy ending, that depends, of course, on where you stop your story.”

-orson welles

Aug28

first one.

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just got my license plate renewal notice in the mail

wish i could get this one.

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A rare, first-of-its kind Chicago license plate, ‘the holy grail’ is up for auction

A black-and-white aluminum plate stamped with just the single numeral “1” gives bidders a chance to earn a piece of automotive history. The plate was made in 1904, the first year that Chicago made metal license plates, and the only year the city made plates from thin, stamped aluminum.

“Only a handful of these were made,” said Mike Donley of Donley Auctions. “And it’s number 1. It doesn’t get any lower than that.”

Before Illinois began making statewide license plates, Chicago issued its own plates between 1903 and 1907, Donley said. From that era, auctioneers said, those made in 1904 are the rarest. For the next few years that followed, the flimsy and damage-prone aluminum plates were replaced with heavy-duty solid brass. Even more rare, this plate is graded “VG,” or very good condition.

This particular plate was issued to prominent Chicago lawyer and art collector Arthur Jerome Eddy, who in 1900 became the first person in Chicago to receive a license badge for a motor vehicle. Before plates were distributed, license badges, meant to go on drivers’ coats, were issued to drivers as a way to tax city residents for funding road projects, Donley said.

Eddy was an early adopter of automobiles, Donley said. He set an auto distance record in 1901 by driving 2,900 miles from Chicago to Boston and back over two months, The New York Times reported. He even published a book about it the following year — one of several he authored — titled Two Thousand Miles On An Automobile.

Eddy also helped found the Chicago Motor Club in 1902, to advocate for driver rights and promote safe vehicles and roads. That club has since evolved into the American Automobile Association (AAA). He’s also credited with putting Chicago on the map of the modern art world, according to auctioneers, by drawing interest to the Art Institute of Chicago.

More recently, this plate belonged to Lee Hartung, a well-known collector of motor vehicles, who died in 2011. Much of his personal collection was auctioned off years ago but, when his partner was preparing to sell their house, she found a stash of more auto memorabilia — including the No.1 plate.

Donley estimated the plate will sell for around $4,000 to $6,000 at the auction, which ends today. But the intrigue it has garnered could hike up the bids. The auctioneer took the plate to a license plate show over the weekend, where he said the item attracted collectors from out of state to see the plate and gauge its authenticity. “There’s a lot of interest in this,” Donley said.

as close as i can come, is owning this foam fan finger

 

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“you have to be odd to be number one.”

-dr. seuss

 

 

 

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credits: emma bowman, npr, donley auctions, new york times, cpr news

Jul17

rolling sculpture.

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this one shares my vintage

 

the return of

the rolling sculpture car show

where whimsical art and classic style share the road

 

this one shows its true colors

“whither goest thou, america, in thy shiny car in the night?”

-jack kerouac

Feb7

whimsy’s on its way.

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note to this townie and his car

who’ve made so many smile:

Shout out to the person driving the smart car that looks like a little tykes cozy coupe! 

Everyone loves it and it brings all of the smiles and laughs every time you are spotted! 🙂

 

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“whimsy doesn’t care if you are the driver or the passenger; all that matters is that you are on your way.”

-bob goff

Dec11

to park or not to park? that is the question.

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i am endlessly amused by conversations that happen on my local nextdoor site.

here is one of my recent favs.

 someone is reaching out for parking advice about the sign above

and gets a whole lot of answers (100+),  yet no one knows for sure.

below is a sampling of responses for your reading pleasure:

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The original question: What does this sign mean? Can you park for 15 min without being ticketed?

No Parking alone means no parking (like bottom sign to left of the signpost) No parking with frame below it describes the “no parking conditions” within the red frame the added tow threat makes it more confusing.

I just wouldn’t park there🤣

15 minute parking allowed from the sign back. The parking enforcement, when they come around, will take photos of your cars location and of a tire and it’s valve stem location. They come back 15 minutes later and issue ticket if not moved. If it’s one of the really crabby patrol people they will come back 15 minutes later and issue a second ticket.

 BEWARE THE KING CRAB!

every 14 minutes jack up ur car+ spin wheel to put valve in diff spot (see above)

Just like NYC – hand over your keys to a car jockey to move your car to the alternate side of the street on Tuesdays!

There was a sign just like this outside the old Kiwanis building, and for a long time that space was left empty because people didn’t realize they could park… 

The wording of the sign pointing to the right is inconsistent. I did not find an interpretation of the sign in the Uniform Vehicle Code. Like, “Are you going to walk to school or…

Why is it inconsistent? As I see it, the sign says, “to the right of this sign you can park for 15 minutes between the hours of 6 am and 6 pm; you will be towed…

It means exactly what it says “no parking”

Could be a fund raising effort for a parking garage.

It means don’t park there regardless

“Can you park for 15 mins without being ticketed?”  The answer is yes, if the question means whether it’s possible.

I’d trust the bottom line. See the tow truck picking up the vehicle 😂

My interpretation is that it really does mean no parking 6AM-6PM. The 15 minute limit is for standing (driver remains in vehicle). In practice, it is effectively a 15 minute limit…

I think the key is that the arrows on the signs point in different directions.  So  no parking at all from the sign  and then to the left.   The 15 minute no parking sign points to the right  so the limited parking is  from the sign  and to the right.

Well, just visit – https://mutcd.fhwa.dot.gov/ , a mere 862 pages! I think the first rule is read from top to bottom. Then execute like a computer interpreting code; don’t try…

Seems perfectly logical! Good to know. Thank you!

You can not park there unless you have a loading zone (commercial) plate, and then only for 15 minutes. Most loading zones have unlimited parking for those with loading zone… 

I disagree. The sign in this post does not say anything about commercial permits or plates.

My interpretation of the originally posted sign is it’s basically a no parking zone, but they will let you park for 15 minutes during business hours. I’ve gotten away with parking…

But you can park for longer on Sunday?

Don’t think you can park there on Sunday

The sign is basically offering you an opportunity to bet; the city is betting you a parking space against a $25 ticket that you can’t figure out and execute what they meant…

This looks like East U adjacent to the business school. Isn’t it a bit cryptic? Appears to mark two zones, one to the left of the sign (see the arrow) in which there is no parking… 

I love how everyone says it means something different and is 100% confident about it.

The last comment, from the original question poser:  Being part of “everyone” I am not 100% confident.

 

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‘nine out of ten americans believe that out of ten people, one person will always disagree with the other nine.’

-colin mochrie 

Dec1

running on empty?

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missing the point: man in germany drives to driving test

A man in Germany has discovered the hard way that it’s best to get a driving license first before trying to use it. Police in Bergheim, near Cologne, said Tuesday that the 37-year-old drove himself to his driving test, parking an Opel Zafira outside the test center in front of an astonished examiner.

They said he told police officers who were called to the scene on Monday that he had only driven because he wanted to make sure to get to the driving test on time.

His test was immediately called off. The man now faces an investigation for driving without a license. Police also opened an investigation of the car’s owner.

 

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“perspective is worth 80 iq points”

-alan kay

 

 

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source credit: ap- berlin

Aug3

middle of the road.

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road plan haiku

this plan gives me pause

some things better on paper

may not go as planned.

 

 

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“the middle of the road is where the white line is – and that’s the worst place to drive.”

-robert frost