LA to Oregon at Mach 9

Kallahar writes "Last April I hooked up a video camera to my front bumper and drove from Los Angeles to Oregon. The video is finally done; it's sped up 95x which makes the trip a mere 6 minutes long. To do the recording I hooked up a VCR inside the car and recorded in real time, then captured the entire thing to the hard drive and changed the framerate of the avi. The camera and VCR only cost about $50 total, which makes for a fairly affordable hobby/art project."

Comments

Thanks

[BitHive]

I enjoyed watching your video. Thank you for making it!

He seems a dangerous driver (serious)

[Anonymous Coward]

You made a good joke, but having watched the video, the guy does appear to be a very impatient driver. Time after time after time, he runs right up to someone's bumper in the left lane, follows very closely for some time, then winds up passing them on the right.

I spend a lot of my time doing interstate driving. As such, I realize that there are plenty of assholes out there doing 65mph in the passing lane where the speed limit is 70. But drivers who tailgate in the passing lane (or any lane, really) are IMO just as much of a risk for accidents.

When you're in the far left lane, and you're gaining quickly on the car in front of you, you should either move to the immediate right lane and complete your pass at a safe distance, or if conditions don't allow this, slow the fuck down and back it off. Riding the bumper of the person in front of you because they're driving too slowly is NOT the proper response. Nine times out of ten, the driver in front of you is not going to "get the message" and yield his position.

This is a great video, I just wish it didn't depict so many examples of poor and unsafe driving.

Re:He seems a dangerous driver (serious)

[RichardX]

That really makes you a bit of a twat then, doesn't it. You realise you're just increasing that driver's frustration, making it more likely an accident will occur?

And be very careful. Should an accident occur while you're pulling this stunt, even if it's through no fault of your own, you may end up taking the blame, as you were deliberately blocking another driver. The "Yeah, but he was being an asshole!" defence doesn't tend to stand too well

Re:He seems a dangerous driver (serious)

[revmoo]

If anyone flashes me (UK) in this fashion I deliberately make their task of passing as difficult as possible.

Hey, why do you suppose it's called the passing lane?

People accidentally loiter in the passing lane all the time, it's easy to drift off and not realize where you are, but when you are reminded nicely to get out of the way(flashing lights), and you not only refuse, but start being an asshole about it you deserve be pulled over and fined.

Being passed in the passing lane is illeagal here, and for good reason. How would you feel if you were being taken to the hospital with a critical illness, only to be held up on the way by some idiot with a sore ego and something to prove?

Pride in Road Rage

[handy_vandal]

If anyone flashes me (UK) in this fashion I deliberately make their task of passing as difficult as possible. The flashing is normally accompanied by excessive speed, and tailgating.

This is a profoundly Bad Idea. You're setting the stage for a deadly accident -- perhaps involving you, perhaps involving others.

Pride in road rage is the Devil's work -- you're making the world a worse place for everyone to live. The world is bad enough already, without such needless provocation. Please think about the dreadful consequences of your actions.

-kgj