A loaded-up Prius climbing a hill is not much peppier than a Smart car. But they seem to be driven by morons with left-lane blocking permits. One was followed so closely by a rusted Ford F-250 that you might have been able to slide a credit card between the bumpers. Took a while for the Prius driver to notice that all he could see in his rear-view mirror was a truck's grille.
I did not see a single truck on I-70 in Illinois that was exceeding the speed limit. On the other hand, trucks in Connecticut routinely push it up near 80 MPH on I-84 and I-95.
This cross was erected at the intersection of I-70 and I-57.
Feelings of inadequacy, maybe?
Connecticut built a third slow-vehicle lane on every little pissant grade along I-84. Pennsylvania couldn't be bothered to do the same along I-80, except for one grade eastbound in the Alleghenies.
Sunrise along I-80 in Pennsylvania:
Postscript: I was on the road normally well before sunrise. I noticed that on the intercity parts of the interstates, there were no trucks on the road. The rest stops were jammed with parked trucks. They were emptying out by eight in the morning and soon after that, the rest stops were mostly used by tourists who needed the break.
On I70 one spring day, we saw a group hanging a human on a crucifix, to get the word out. I almost went off the road, mesmerized by people attaching someone to the cross. WTF!! Stop it for crying out loud! You have nothing better to do than hang your friend from a 30 ft cross? Go play ball, or street hockey, anything.
ReplyDeleteYeah, if I was killed by crucifixion, even two millennia ago, I'd have to consider that one whopper of a threat!
ReplyDeleteObviously, you're headed west and well past Effingham, Illinois. I don't how west you're going but there is 'weather' ahead once you reach Kansas.
ReplyDeleteI'll be turning right off I-57 to go west on I-70 in mid-April when I go to the NRA Convention in St. Louis.
Watch out for the Illinois state po-po, they are a humorless bunch....about speed limits (their governors need the money to make more license plates -- literally!) and especially when it comes to personal firearms in your vehicles.
Safe Travels and Journey Mercies...
All The Best,
Frank W. James
I really am sorry that your traveling has been such a bitch.
ReplyDeletewith all my sympathy
w3ski
Smart cars actually can keep up with traffic, if the people who buy them want to. By and large, they don't want to -- they bought the Smart car to prove they're above all that, otherwise they would have bought a Hyundai Accent (virtually same real-life mpg, much more spacious and comfortable, a "real" car, not a torture chamber). But a Hyundai Accent isn't an ego booster thingy like a Smart. Assholes.
ReplyDeleteAs for the self-righteous Prius drivers, they see it as their *duty* to park in the left lane and slow down all those terrible terrible people who want to break the law by driving even 1mph over the speed limit. They see it as their contribution to saving America from the oil companies. See last word in previous paragraph ;).
Finally, regarding crosses: I'll just quote the late great Bill Hicks here: " Do you think when Jesus comes back he's gonna want to see a fucking cross? ". Heh. Yeah.
- Badtux the Snarky Penguin
Nothing drives me more bat shit crazy than when I'm doing the speed limit and some ass hat in a Prius goes by me doing twenty over !
ReplyDeleteFrank, there were a ton of cops running speed traps in western Illinois.
ReplyDeleteThat's to be expected on I-70 as you get within 60 to 70 miles of St. Louis.
ReplyDeleteBe careful...
All The Best,
Frank W. James