How (and why) to Ramble on your goat sideways
06-01-2011, 05:40 PM
#8301
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I'm so fricking tired of covering other people's smoke breaks and hour long lunches when I don't take breaks and I eat my lunch at my desk while I work*. I need a vacation.
*Yes, I realize theirony hypocrisy of complaining about this while browsing mt.net from my desk at work.
*Yes, I realize the
Thanks Sawyer
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06-01-2011, 10:59 PM
#8302
your new (post 2011 ) car is the governments new revenue stream
http://www.examiner.com/finance-exam...mment=33589026
http://www.examiner.com/finance-exam...mment=33589026
I wonder, what's to stop someone from finding that little black box and ripping it out? Will the car still drive? Will the authorities punish you if they discover it's gone? Can you give it a lobotomy and play dumb?
Or, I wonder, will the insurance companies incentivize its use with policies aimed at goody-two-shoes drivers who can prove their innocence?
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06-02-2011, 09:13 AM
#8304
The black box thing isn't a requirement yet, it's a proposal under consideration. The examiner and other similar articles got their information from Wired Autopia which states:
http://www.wired.com/autopia/2011/05...e-black-boxes/
That being said, the NHTSA will probably still try to implement it. Not to mention that many cars in production already have some variation of a black box.
Update 5:30 p.m. May 24: An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration will require that all new vehicles have an event data recorder. The agency is at this point only considering such a requirement.
That being said, the NHTSA will probably still try to implement it. Not to mention that many cars in production already have some variation of a black box.
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06-02-2011, 09:57 AM
#8305
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They're called "Event Data Recorders", and are typically integrated into the vehicle's existing control electronics such as the airbag control module. (In other words, it's not a discrete device which you can remove easily.) GM, Ford, Toyota, etc., have been doing this since the mid 90s. They didn't need a government mandate, they did it out of self-interest (ie: to defend themselves against claims of vehicle malfunctions such as the recent "unintended acceleration" fiasco.)
As an illustration of how widespread this technology already is, here is a list of all vehicles currently supported by the Bosch "Crash Data Retrieval" system. It is shockingly extensive: http://www.cdr-system.com/pdf/CDR_v3...erage_List.pdf (Note that Toyota is absent from the list, as their system is closed-source and proprietary; it has been reverse-engineered by other companies, but is not supported by the Bosch system.)
These devices record continuously into conventional RAM, and then perform a flash-dump of the RAM into nonvolatile storage at the moment an airbag deployment occurs, so that you wind up with a permanent record of the last few seconds of data prior to the event. Data recorded varies by manufacturer and model, but typically includes things such as speed, rate of acceleration / deceleration, brakeforce input, throttle input, steering angle, status of seatbelt (fastened or not), etc.
In the US, there are several companies which specialize in the retrieval and analysis of this data for the purpose of event reconstruction. One such company, Atlanta Engineering Services Inc., has this to say about the applicability of its services:
Court Admissibility
There are many highly visible precedents which clearly show that the courts readily accept EDR data. Even as far back as 1992 in a case involving Jerome Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, the court denied a claim by his family that his car had hit a pothole and the airbag deployed prematurely causing him to lose control of the car and his life. Reconstructionists, using the EDR, proved that Brown was speeding, lost control and struck a tree before the air bag deployment. More recently, in February of 2003, the court accepted EDR evidence that a woman in Ipswich, Massachusetts was speeding when her car slid off an icy road, struck a tree and killed her passenger. Then, in May of 2003, the EDR was used to prove that a Pembroke, Florida man was traveling at nearly 120 mph when his car hit and killed two young girls.
There are many highly visible precedents which clearly show that the courts readily accept EDR data. Even as far back as 1992 in a case involving Jerome Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles, the court denied a claim by his family that his car had hit a pothole and the airbag deployed prematurely causing him to lose control of the car and his life. Reconstructionists, using the EDR, proved that Brown was speeding, lost control and struck a tree before the air bag deployment. More recently, in February of 2003, the court accepted EDR evidence that a woman in Ipswich, Massachusetts was speeding when her car slid off an icy road, struck a tree and killed her passenger. Then, in May of 2003, the EDR was used to prove that a Pembroke, Florida man was traveling at nearly 120 mph when his car hit and killed two young girls.
Progressive Insurance, for instance, offers its customers the "Snapshot" Pay As You Drive® plan, which is compatible with all OBD-II vehicles. Basically, they install a black box in your vehicle (it's actually blue, in keeping with Progressive's branding), and this box monitors and records your total miles driven, rate of acceleration and braking, vehicle speed, the times at which you drive, etc. Each time you shut off the car, the box "phones home" via the cellular network and uploads your driving data.
A third-party review of this service notes that:
With data from the blue box, Progressive can tell the miles driven and at what times. It determines how many times you've stopped short or accelerated too fast based on a change in speed of more than 7 mph in one second. Having to stop short can be a sign you're following another vehicle too closely.
(...)
"It's sort of a safety monitor, and we look at hard braking and hard acceleration and time of day as being indicators of that," Hutchinson said. "So if you brake real hard a lot or if you accelerate real hard a lot, we interpret that as saying you're a more aggressive driver than someone who doesn't do that."
(...)
Also, you can help maximize your discount by limiting your driving during the high-risk hours of midnight to 4 a.m. They may be high-risk because of limited visibility, fatigue, and the prevalence of drunken or drugged drivers.
So, accelerating from 0-60 in less than 8.6 seconds is a no-no, as is braking hard into a corner. Were it not for the potentially serious negative ramifications, it would actually be kind of funny to install one of these into a turbo Miata and then take it to a trackday or AutoX event.
(...)
"It's sort of a safety monitor, and we look at hard braking and hard acceleration and time of day as being indicators of that," Hutchinson said. "So if you brake real hard a lot or if you accelerate real hard a lot, we interpret that as saying you're a more aggressive driver than someone who doesn't do that."
(...)
Also, you can help maximize your discount by limiting your driving during the high-risk hours of midnight to 4 a.m. They may be high-risk because of limited visibility, fatigue, and the prevalence of drunken or drugged drivers.
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06-02-2011, 10:45 AM
#8307
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Apparently I just got served.
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=422174
lolz. I was merely suggesting that the better driver would win regardless of the car in post #21. Dude really took offense that I didn't stroke his ego, so started trolling.
sent him the following PM
http://forum.miata.net/vb/showthread.php?t=422174
lolz. I was merely suggesting that the better driver would win regardless of the car in post #21. Dude really took offense that I didn't stroke his ego, so started trolling.
sent him the following PM
Originally Posted by Braineack
hey bro, where is this autocross?
Give me your cell number. I want to meet up and show you how a real man drives. I can beat both you in your miata and your bro in his mustang.
I might use my dad's bmw 330, it has like 240rwhp and like $50 tires. But i did just install tiens on my miata, so i dunno.
Give me your cell number. I want to meet up and show you how a real man drives. I can beat both you in your miata and your bro in his mustang.
I might use my dad's bmw 330, it has like 240rwhp and like $50 tires. But i did just install tiens on my miata, so i dunno.
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06-02-2011, 11:00 AM
#8308
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Re: autocross
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia Beach, Va 12th of June.
You interested or just talking ****?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Virginia Beach, Va 12th of June.
You interested or just talking ****?
Originally Posted by Braineack
I'm going to need you to tone down the disrespect, I do not put up with that **** around here. The last guy that talked **** to me online ended up in prison.
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06-02-2011, 04:34 PM
#8311
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http://forum.miata.net/vb/showpost.p...4&postcount=53
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Old Today, 15:43 #53
Sixshooter
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1991 Red Miata 5 speed, mine
1996 Montego Blue Miata, auto, hers
Do you wear matching sweaters when you go out together?
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'96 Montego Blue
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Old Today, 15:43 #53
Sixshooter
New-tral
Join Date: Mar 2009
Location: Tampa, FL
Posts: 20
1991 Red Miata 5 speed, mine
1996 Montego Blue Miata, auto, hers
Do you wear matching sweaters when you go out together?
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'96 Montego Blue
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06-04-2011, 12:23 PM
#8315
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How do you guys feel about Craftsman tools. I've been let down by them a lot over the years, but for the price and warranty, it's hard to hate them for it. I need to buy me a new set of tools to get me by until I can afford some baller *** SnapOn. As well as a decent looking cabinet/box.
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06-04-2011, 12:31 PM
#8317
How do you guys feel about Craftsman tools. I've been let down by them a lot over the years, but for the price and warranty, it's hard to hate them for it. I need to buy me a new set of tools to get me by until I can afford some baller *** SnapOn. As well as a decent looking cabinet/box.
Depends on your budget. If you have a budget of say $1000, go to sears. If your talking $2500 or more, go inside the Snap-on/MAC truck.
I prefer Craftsman cause they cost less and perform just as well for me. My 3/8 air ratchet is the only MAC tool I have in my box. Everything else ranges from popular online brands, Craftsman and cheap china junk. Most every tool I could need I have and I didnt break the bank for them.
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06-04-2011, 12:45 PM
#8318
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I've never used Snap-On, but I've always assumed most of what you pay for is the name. I can't see where their ratchets are worth $120 where a Craftsman is only worth $20. I know there isn't $100 worth of performance difference between the two. Though I guess it depends on how much that difference is worth. I was planning to get the Craftsman, then slowly supplement them with probably a mix of SK and Snap-On. Snap-On guy of course makes routes by the shop and we get discounts. There are some tools I wouldn't trust the Craftsman name with, specialty tools, electronic equipment, precision tools, ect. but for the basic hand tools, I like them well enough.
The box I was looking at was surprisingly well made. It was an 8 drawer bottom half to a 2 piece set, "griplock" handles that lock the drawers closed, smooth ball bearing drawers, lock of course, nice black finish, large heavy duty soft casters, overall a nice box, for around $400. Should be enough for me, for now anyway. I'm sure I'll end up like all of the other suckers there, with a giant chest filled with half of Snap-On's catalog.
I guess I'm just a bit nervous about making a good impression. Everyone there has the nice ****. Don't want to roll up in there rocking Stanley tools like some noob. Though I guess the tools don't make the mechanic, but they do help.
The box I was looking at was surprisingly well made. It was an 8 drawer bottom half to a 2 piece set, "griplock" handles that lock the drawers closed, smooth ball bearing drawers, lock of course, nice black finish, large heavy duty soft casters, overall a nice box, for around $400. Should be enough for me, for now anyway. I'm sure I'll end up like all of the other suckers there, with a giant chest filled with half of Snap-On's catalog.
I guess I'm just a bit nervous about making a good impression. Everyone there has the nice ****. Don't want to roll up in there rocking Stanley tools like some noob. Though I guess the tools don't make the mechanic, but they do help.
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06-04-2011, 01:00 PM
#8319
I did mechanic work for awhile and hated it. It was probably the worst job I had. When I started and moved my box in I didnt give two ***** about what anyone there thought. I borrowed stuff when I had to and let my tools loose as well if someone needed something.
If someone judges your skills by the tools you carry than they're a ******* nancy and should maybe consider taking up house cleaning.
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06-04-2011, 01:17 PM
#8320
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The tools don't make the mechanic one bit. I've seen guys with $10k worth of tools that can barely handle doing basic tune ups. You should see the tools we have down here at our shop. Granted we're a construction company and we don't work on dozens of cars a day, but we get the **** done.
I did mechanic work for awhile and hated it. It was probably the worst job I had. When I started and moved my box in I didnt give two ***** about what anyone there thought. I borrowed stuff when I had to and let my tools loose as well if someone needed something.
If someone judges your skills by the tools you carry than they're a ******* nancy and should maybe consider taking up house cleaning.
I did mechanic work for awhile and hated it. It was probably the worst job I had. When I started and moved my box in I didnt give two ***** about what anyone there thought. I borrowed stuff when I had to and let my tools loose as well if someone needed something.
If someone judges your skills by the tools you carry than they're a ******* nancy and should maybe consider taking up house cleaning.
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