There’s a difference between that and what this person described, which was nailing the brakes without surrounding traffic having begun to slow in the hopes that by the time you creep there, the stoppage is clear.

“one of 75 people that were given a ticket for simply using the left lane on the interstate”

You know the story about some swords. You can’t sheath them if they haven’t been anointed with blood.

I’m also wondering why that owner turned off the traction control on a snowy hill climb. I’m in SoCal, so my snow knowledge is out of date.

The utilization argument is flawed generally. There are actually 2 things to look at - likelihood, and consequences, or to say it another way, importance. I think people use the utilization argument and only look at likelihood and call the outliers “edge cases” and that’s missing the point. I don’t need to go to the…

In MA, most towns are paying independent operators with their own trucks up to $200/hr. I think last time I checked, an F350 with a sander would get you $150/hr. They are paying operators ~$35/hr to use municipal equipment.

The deaths, while awful, don’t remotely account for the declining workforce.

It’s called subsidized labor, and it’s the core of every labor shortage going on right now. Wages so low for the job that the people doing it are only doing it because they’re being subsidized by some other external factor that isn’t in the control of the employer. A lot of people just said ‘fuck it, this isn’t worth…

That first millimeter of movement is probably like seeing your newborn child for the first time.

I only did a rough estimate of fuel cost to point out it is a minority fraction of the $300/hour quoted. I’m not sure unleaded would even cost more, but it could be.

Absolutely.   The Bronco has been no exception to this rule either.   

Ford is consistent in fucking up.  No matter the years in production. 

“And no most folks aren’t rich kids learning to fly as hobby theres a lot of young folks looking to make careers and older folks switching careers.”

*SIGH*

Yup.  Water pump is an absolutely trivial job on these L15 Fits.  As is basically all of the work described.  You’ll have a hard time finding another car with as low of running costs (Honda parts are generally pretty cheap too)

Ordering a car you have never driven is in line with another rule I have, which is to never buy a new car in its 1 year of production.

YES.  I don’t like that somehow businesses have forced their expenses upon the public.  It’s ridiculous.  It isn’t as if they reduce the cost of their food.   Pay your people what they are worth.  

If you are a hedgehog, don’t try and be a bird. Know the hedgehog, be the hedgehog. Be the best damned hedgehog.

Which is absurd. I tip wait staff, but nobody should have to rely on tips solely for their wages.

I think I would have been mortified to be caught in one of these at one point in my life. Now, as a miserable old fuck, I’d probably relish being the one to kill it for the workers’ sake. Take the free coffee and throw what you were going to pay into the tip box.