Drive Captain Drive

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with drivers that are turn signal challenged. FYI - that cylinder thing on your steering column - the one that moves is your turn signal. USE IT. It was not placed there for aesthetics.

It can be moved with one hand or even one finger. Flick it up if you are turning right. Yes, that would be me the one sitting in the car trying to guess if you are going to turn or NOT and I need to get out in traffic. A flip down if you would be making a left hand turn. If your blinker does not work - change the bulb. Some states require the turn signals to work (the little red light flashing) - even though they need to be manually used by the driver.

And another important piece of information - - - - the blinker does not stay on for miles and miles and miles. If by some chance it does not turn off after the turn it can be stopped manually. That would require you to put down the cell phone and flick that baby into the neutral position. Not the car you maroon.

The picture is what happened when someone forgot to use the turn signal.

Sadly,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with irresponsible pet owners, specifically dogs. I walk through my neighborhood on a daily basis and walk my dog. Sometimes I walk the dog in a local park - where leashes are required.
Most localities have a leash law in effect. This means your dog MUST be on a leash and under control. On a leash running down the street does not comply with the code. You MUST be in control of your dog.

Even if there is no leash law you should have your pet under control and supervised. How many dead dogs do you see scattered along the roadways? Many. Too many.

I have been subjected to wild and angry dogs several times. On a bike ride I took a spill due to an unleashed dog. It weighed about 10 pounds but still did harm when I fell off the bike and bled profusely from meeting the pavement with bare skin. The owner just came after her dog - picked it up and walked away. And there I stood bleeding - no response from her. That same little mutt has come after me two more times. Once it ran across the street (on a leash - not under control) and went after my German Shepard who at that time weighed 100 pounds.

Who do you think would have been the winner if they had connected. My dog was under control. Once again the owner trotted over to retrieve her dog and this time did mumble a "sorry". I can just imagine what would have happened if my dog had connected with hers. I'm sure she would have tried to sue me for having an aggressive dog.

Dogs running wild cause all kinds of trouble and accidents. Cars are much bigger than dogs and the two do not connect well.

Keep your dogs on a leash and under control or in your fenced yard. I am tired of being attacked and threatened by unruly dogs.

Sincerely, Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with people who have a death wish. I see you crossing the 8 lane highway at rush hour and not in the crosswalk with the light. What possesses you to take such chances? You dash like a fool across the lanes where speed demons travel when the crosswalk is only 20 feet away.

Why are you in such a hurry? Can't you walk a few more steps and cross where your safety is a little more assured? Is it uncool to cross at the designated walk? I suspect it would be very uncool to connect with a car doing 75.

Then there are the night crossings. After 2 when the bars begin to close and you have had a few too many, dressed in dark clothing and a little wobbly on the feet - off you go into the darkness. In an instant your life is snuffed out splattered across the highway and the poor soul driving the car has to live forever with the guilt.

with sadness,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with politicians and the public. Geraldine Ferraro made a comment about Obama. A true comment and now has been banished from Hilary's campaign. Why? She made the statement that Obama is getting so much attention because he is black. He is. And he is running for president. That certainly gets our attention. So why can we not say it. It's the truth.

If we do not want to hear the truth from our politicians and elected officials - why do we expect any truth from them? Why are we surprised when some official says "I will lower taxes", and then it never happens. We cannot accept the truth - we accept half truths and flat out lies.

When someone speaks the truth they are slapped down. The fact is Mr. Obama is black and is getting attention because of that. Why is that wrong? It's history making news.

The truth shall set you free!!! Or forever keep you hidden behind closed doors.

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with elected officials who abuse their power and position. Well Mr. Stitzer (EX Governor) life in the fast lane just got a speeding ticket. I don't believe you should be able to resign - I believe you should be flogged in the town square. Or perhaps 'water boarding'.

You spent $80,000.00 for a little pleasure? Do you have any idea how much pleasure $80,000.00 would have brought the homeless, the terminally ill, seniors who cannot afford their medicine, people going into foreclosure? I could go on and on!

How dare you push laws and rules at us and YOU do not have to abide by any laws. How dare you represent us. What you represent is a lowlife, slug, cheating lying hypocrite.

My thoughts - you bare butted in front of the world and me with a paint ball gun. Then everyone can get in line to release their energy. We won't charge - people will pay to participate. We will take the $80,000.00 we raise and and feed the hungry. You - most likely will retire with a HUGE pension and more money to waste on illegal pleasure. Go Spit!!!

Disgusted,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with commercials on T.V. and there are so many of them. On Wednesday nights I watch the Rifleman, it's 25 minutes long with a 5 minute commercial at the end. Watch a regular T.V. program and it's a 7 minute commercial every 5 minutes. Do the math.

I've seen many Bright House Networks commercials lately with the **asteric**. Last night I had a dream (nightmare) about the old **asteric**. One was floating in the water so I slipped my hand in the water and picked it up. Mistake - just like the commercial tells us. The stupid thing stuck me with his lethal spine.

It was about 5 inches long and it was just under the skin on the palm of my hand. Hurt like a demon. So I proceeded to the office on the third floor of a building to find help with a lifeguard. The room was filled with others who had the same lame brain idea to pick up the cute little **asteric**. I had to wait in line for my turn with the lifeguard to remove the offending object.

The foreign object seemed to have a heartbeat as it pulsed pain beneath my skin. The lifeguard reached for a pair of pliers (not even sterilized) and began to pull the sucker out. I screamed a spine chilling death scream. It was such a horrific scream that I woke myself up. I looked at my hand and it really seemed to hurt.

The moral of the story (dream-nightmare) - commercials slime down into the depths of our psyche and cause permanent psychological damage. Now - I'm afraid to go in the water. Is this grounds for a lawsuit?

Disturbed,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with wayward road signs. You've seen them before along the interstate on a holiday weekend when traffic is backed up for miles. There is no reasonable explanation for their existence. Someone - somewhere has this job of scattering useless road signs along our paths.

I'm driving (the speed limit) listening to the radio in morning traffic and there it is - 'Left Lane Closed Ahead'. Exactly what is the definition of AHEAD? I budge into the right lane - like most of the other drivers. Some are oblivious to the signs. Two miles later I realize the lane is not closed.

'Slow Congested Area'? What constitutes congested? It's a four lane highway in the burbs. And a sign like that could be placed on every highway in any city. Congestion is a part of life - do I need a sign to warn me?

Left lane closed AHEAD - after several miles I notice orange cones in the median. They want the left lane closed because they left orange cones in the median? Makes no sense. After awhile you grow negative to all their wayward signs and totally disregard them.

Say what you mean and mean what you say and that includes road signs that have no meanings. When there truly is a lane closure it's sudden, without warning and without road signs.

Sincerely,

Mr. Pid