Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is once again - gas prices. This weekend is a 3 day holiday weekend. Once I believe it was one of the most traveled weekends. Not so, anymore. This fourth of July - I - will be sitting in my backyard watching and listening to the neighborhood fireworks. Yes, they are illegal but they go on for about a week. Perhaps we could charge outrageous taxes on them to reduce the price of gas. Fireworks are illegal to purchase for recreation. They are legal for agriculture purposes. What a bunch of CRAP.

Back to the gas gouging prices - that impacts all of us, except for the CEO's of fuel companies. I can't afford to leave my cul-de-sac and that has a direct impact on other business's. I won't be going to the grocery store to purchase items for my trip. I won't be buying new clothes, trinkets, and I won't be visiting, parks, cafes and other establishments that rely on my business. Multiply this by hundreds and what happens? Business's raise prices to offset their merchandise decline or just go belly-up. The domino effect. People are laid off due to lack of business and the unemployment rate rises. Crime increases to offset the unemployment. Buildings are boarded up, taxes are not paid, people are homeless and gas gouging continues.

The world is falling apart, decaying and rotting away in deficits. Who suffers? We know the answer to that question and it is not VP's of fuel oil companies. They get richer and the average hard working stiff - gets stiffed. A vicious circle, not even a circle a dead end, with nowhere to go. What happened to all those who praised - thinking inside the box? Well the box is made out of cardboard, you dummy, and when it rains the cardboard gets wet and disintegrates. That is why I have always thought outside the box. I refuse to be confined in small spaces. I will sit in my large backyard and watch with amusement as the illegal fireworks light up the sky.

I cannot afford these high gas prices. Can you?



Sincerely,



Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe 2008

Hello, my name is Stu. This is my first gripe for the year 2008. Happy New Year and happy griping. My gripe once again concerns our roadways. I have just returned from a 10 hour road trip from Key West. The roads in Key West are a major gripe but I will address that situation at another time. Right now - I am tired, cold and hungry. One can eat only so much from the $1.00 menus at fast food establishments. It's usually to go because i'm in a hurry and the dog is in the car. Can't leave the little beast in the car or PETA will be after me. And then yell at me for eating meat!!!

So off the exit I go toward fast food heaven/hell (you choose). I am thinking ? it's easy off easy on. No. No way, no such luck. So I head on down looking for that girlie fast food burger, you know the one. I'm in the right hand land of a four lane highway. There's the red haired girl herself smiling at me from the left side of the four lane highway. Did I mention bumper to bumper traffic. Can I get over? No!!

So I turn in a shopping plaza and spend 20 minutes trying to get back out to the road. Whew. I get in the right hand lane because I need to go straight across where the little red head is smiling at me. It's a turn only lane. So I turn and go for what seems miles before I can make an illegal u-turn. If only I had one of those 4x4 off road vehicles. Fast track back to the pigtailed girl.

I make my usual choice from the $1.00 menu and off I go. Trying to drive, eat, spoon out my frosty and toss pieces of burger to the pooch in the back. I need to get back on the interstate. Big orange sign - DETOUR - on ramp closed. I have all the good luck. I'm in a strange place wanting to go home and crash but I can't find the correct on - ramp. I realize i'm heading south - I need to be heading north. Here I am wishing for that 4x4 off road mega truck again. So another illegal u-turn on the interstate. Look both ways for YOU KNOW WHO.

The mustard drips down my chin and lands on my shirt. The dog is howling for beef and in my haste I knock over my frosty. I see another exit and more fast food emporiums. I go for it.

Truly yours,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is about truck drivers who give interviews to the newspaper. And then, the newspapers publish this so called interview. First of all, your opinion is one sided and it's wrong. Your opinion does not align with mine. Your words and thoughts are based on feelings and emotions.

You claim that the traffic back-ups on roads are caused by cars not tucks. HAH. Your statement about being able to look down into a car is disturbing. We all know why you look down into cars and it is not to see us using our cell phones. Saying all car drivers use their cell phones while driving is bunk - absolute bunk. Maybe you don't have a cell phone but you got that there CB radio hooked to your lips. Telling all the other truckers to slow down - radar ahead or a beaver in a red sports car. Yep you were looking down again.

Then, you have the nerve to complain because some states make you drive in the right hand lane. If I was in charge of that state I would make you'all travel elsewhere - like another country. You belong in the slow lane.

What really causes the back-ups on the highway is when two trucks travel side- by- side - uphill on a two lane highway. Can anyone in a car get by? No! And the speed you are traveling side-by-side - uphill is well below the speed limit.

Tires, tires - shredded all along our major and minor roads. These are truck tires not CAR tires and we have to swerve to miss the sometimes large objects. The county, state or local government has to pay someone to clean up after you. Why can't you clean up after yourself? Or volunteer to adopt a highway.

So, don't be pointing the finger at cars for causing back-ups and traffic delays. Car drivers really know who the culprits are in traffic delays and congestion.

10-4 good buddy,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is a future gripe. It’s an inevitable gripe that will come to haunt me within minutes of my entrance upon the interstate. I am preparing for my road trip physically and emotionally. This gripe is for all the road range warriors terrorizing the rest of us. I will post the notice discreetly at all the over crowded rest areas. I will stand in line to the restroom with the masses of weary travelers. I will tape the notice to the inside of the stall door and search for toilet paper that will be on the floor in a puddle of water. A trick of the traveler trade is to always carry t.p. with you and I will. Preparation is the key to a happy and dry ending. Hopefully you will read the notice and see that it does pertain to YOU!!!! If you must drive - please drive somewhere else. Use your frequent flier miles or take a tour bus. Or better yet - stay home - give me peace for the holidays.

Rules for YOU to follow:

put down the cell phone
read a map at a rest area
move over
travel the speed limit
get out of my way
use turn signals
get off the road
stop text messaging
turn off your blinker
weave a rug not a destination
the lines are on the road for a reason
go home
take a bus, a plane or train
fix a flat on the shoulder of the road
slow down
red lights mean STOP
green lights mean GO
if you miss the exit – take the next one
right turn – right lane
left turn – left lane
sightseeing tours next Tuesday
move over and let me pass
merge is a traffic term - not grafatti painted on the road