[themeatmanlandry]

Alright, here's my story . . .

Remember the bonehead that hit me and totalled the truck? No, no . . . not the lady with the door ding, that's over . . . I'm talking about the guy that hit me two days after the lady ticked me off royally . . . yeah, that guy. Anyway . . .

To refresh you, the insurance company totalled the truck and I bought it back. It has a few dents in it, but it gives me peace of mind (not to mention a little more self-control when someone gets near it). So, I've been driving it while waiting for the salvage title to arrive. Well, the freaking tags expired during my wait (December 31), and the state (of TN) tells me that it's going to be 4-8 weeks to get the title. That's a month or two kiddies, so guess what?

I'm a full-time biker. The wife has a car ('03 Accord . . . 240hp . . . oh . . . yyeeeaaahh), but I'm not comfortable using it for work for a variety of reasons, first and foremost she may need the stinking thing for an emergency, and secondly, if that b!tch had put a ding in my Accord . . . well, you get the picture.

So, now I'm, a full-time biker. As in "rode-to-work-in-the-cold-rain-this-morning" full time biker. I love it. I've always ridden year-round, even when the temps drop into the 20's and such [Sidebar for northerners: It only gets down intothe 20's a few times a year here and it usually only stays low like that for a day or two . . .it ain't like I think y'all are sissies for winterizing . . . if it were in the 20's (or lower) every day for 4 or 5 months, I'd park it], so I'm not breaking any new ground.

The only changes I've made so far have been to get thicker gloves ($5 at Wal-Mart . . . I know, I suck), I got a backpack (to expand my carrying capacity beyond that provided by the duffle bag/bungee cord setup in the tail area), and I ride a little more sanely since I'm in traffic instead of the curves. By sanely I mean I pay attention to little details like the speedometer.

Traffic is a totally different beast than curve strafing. I've always considered myself a poor driver. I may be the only poor driver in America that;'s willing to admit it. If more folks realized they're no Bobby Rahal we'd all be better off.

I don't consider myself a poor driver due to the actual control of the car, I can sling 'em around fairly decently. I consider myself a poor driver because of traffic. I'm talking about rules, signage, lookout, defensive driving . . . for some reason, I can notice the most mundane things in life, but I can't use my superhuman skills of observation in traffic.

I have to say, though, that being forced to ride everywhere is kind of neat. I feel . . . (what am I grasping for here?) . . . independent? Sort of like I'm leaving on a little camping trip everytime I commute. I know it sounds geeky, but I'm having a ball.

To quote Frank Costanza, "I feel like a Phoenix . . . RISING out of Arizona."

 

[bat4255]

It is fun, for a while, (a year or so). You do get a different look at life in general that way. Like finding out you really don't NEED that much, to live, and the smallest things can be really cool. Like a heater in a old P.O.S. car that works when it's below zero.
Have fun
Jim

 

[tlwisner]

I ride a little more sanely since I'm in traffic instead of the curves. By sanely I mean I pay attention to little details like the speedometer.

;-) Very nice!

I ride as much as I can, but I'm a wimp for rain and I won't touch snow or ice. Next week may have one or two riding days if I luck out. Having to ride everyday in Central Kentucky would have meant replacing my saddlebags with pontoons lately.

 

[Va bene]

...I have to say, though, that being forced to ride everywhere is kind of neat. I feel . . . (what am I grasping for here?) . . . independent? Sort of like I'm leaving on a little camping trip everytime I commute...

As a new rider this year, I can totally relate. I hadn't made the camping connection but it makes sense. I sorta have that feeling whenever I get on my bike... Who needs a roof, windows, a heater and fancy seats... I am one with the elements and nature! It is nice to be a minimalist sometimes. Makes you feel more free. Ride on!

 

[LayinLo]

Ok.

 

[themeatmanlandry]

I'm a wuss.

It's sleeting here today, and I decided that my daughter may need a father for a little while longer, so I rode in to Memphis with my buddy. He lives a mile or so away, so I drove the old truck over to his house and caught a ride.

I'm sure the bike would do fine in the sleet, but panic stops would be a definite issue. Memphis is ALL ABOUT panic stops in when it's wet, so I decided I would put my ego on the shelf and catch a ride.

I have jury duty today, so I'm catching another ride to jury duty, and the wife's coming to pick me up afterwards.

Did I mention I was a wuss?

 

[bat4255]

Not a wuss, Smart!

 

[inspiron]

Jury duty ... oh yea, that's good.

You got busted at work for "insufficient anger management", have had your truck totaled and are having problems with the registration, and now they expect you to sit on a jury and give some poor slob a fair trial?

J/K, Mark ... I hope you've taken a good book or motorcycle magazine along to help pass the time ...

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

So, do you have to wait until the salvage title comes in before you can get your tabs? Here in MN, all we have to do is go to the DMV and buy the tabs, we only show our license and that's it. We don't even have to have proof of insurance at the time we purchase...

Do you have to dress up for work? That's one of the reasons that I didn't commute very often to work...that and I'm scared of all the yahoos on the freeway in the morning! At one point in my commute there are three lanes of traffic all merging into one lane and crossing over each other. I almost get nailed there every day in my CAR, so it makes me shudder to think about trying to handle that on my bike every day!

 

[inspiron]

Do you have to dress up for work?

Just a little white makeup and a rubber nose ... but the wig may suffer a bit under his helmet ... :lol:

 

[themeatmanlandry]

The title problems stem from the large amount of vehicle theft and the various tricks they play to 'launder' the VIN. In TN, all trucks are high-theft vehicles, as are vehicles less than 5 years old. My truck fits both categories. I have to have it inspected (they shroud it with safety, but what they're really doing is checking that all VINs match . . . I'll confirm that after the inspection), and then they hand over the paperwork and I go get the tags.

I used to dress up for work. Dress pants, white shirt, tie, etc. Since they hit me so severely and did nothing to the lady I got into it with, I've gone out and spent $150 on some Khakis and some embroidered shirts. None of which have to be starched and ironed. Now, I just throw on an anonymous pair of Khakis, pick a shirt color and go to work. Looks be damned. I'm thinking of not cutting my hair anymore, and re-growing the mullet. What can they say? Nothing. That'll teach them to take the word of a desk clerk over an engineer. Her job doesn't involve the media, or really any outside exposure other than, "Hello? Yes, please hold. I'll transfer you."

My department is somewhat high-profile. We get the lawsuits, the press coverage when we screw up, the press coverage when we get a grant, the press coverage when there's an emergency involving air contaminants. I have just assured myself that I will <most likely> never have to speak to the camera-goons again at this job.

Me . . . on jury duty . . . yeah, right! Let's do the math:

1 Gov't job + 2 college degrees + big mouth on the selection stand = NO GO

Today is just the day where you pick out a week to attend the selection process. The actual fun won't start for a month or so.

 

[Clint]

We don't even have to have proof of insurance at the time we purchase...

:?: I've always had to show proof of insurance for my vehicles. :?:

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

:?: I've always had to show proof of insurance for my vehicles. :?:

Really? I never have...wierd. I'm sure you're probably supposed to, but maybe they bypass that whole deal down here?

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

I have to report for jury duty on Monday...I've never had to serve before, it'll be interesting!

 

[Va bene]

I've done jury duty. Ended up serving on a murder trial. Not an experience I'll soon forget. I believe in the system, though, and if called I'll go again.

 

[themeatmanlandry]

I have to report for jury duty on Monday...I've never had to serve before, it'll be interesting!

Oh, dear God . . . you're kidding me . . . right? I believe I jinxed you, girl. I just went today. In Shelby County, we have to go to an extra day, before actual jury duty, to schedule the week that we would like to attend the jury selection process. My week is the week of January 28th.

I look forward to incarcerating my fellow countryman.

 

[SuzukiGirl1]

Nope...not kidding. I got the letter in the mail a few weeks before Christmas. I've got to report on Monday. I'm not sure how they do it here yet...if I'm "on call" or if I have to sit and wait?

 

[Freakinout]

I've only been selected for jury duty once, and I got out of it because I'm a student. Go me.

 

[c50tiger]

Only time in my life I've ever been called for jury duty was when I was a graduate student. First case they were selecting for I probably looked like I wanted in on too much and wasn't chosen. Involved a rider suing the lady that had pulled out in front of him for medical and property damages. (recall that Alabama has only had mandatory liability insurance for a few years, and I'd guess the poor guy had only liability and not collision). I had to show up every day that week, wait an hour to be told I wouldn't be needed, and then go to work or class. Last day I was on duty I got picked for a lousy small claims collection suit. Took all of 2 minutes to vote for the plaintiff.

 

[themeatmanlandry]

Thread resurrected!!!!!!!

So, it looks like the end MAY be in sight for me . . . and only eight weeks later <haha :roll: e . . . heh>. A "Major So-and-So" of the Tennessee Highway Patrol is coming by tomorrow to inspect the truck and okay it for use on the highways. He's from Anti-Theft, so I guess there's some scheme to be played by laundering titles with salvage titles or something. Anyway . . .

He says he's going to be here 'early' tomorrow. Hmm, he's a cop . . . is that drug-raid early (3 am) . . . lieutenant donut early (9-ish) . . . inspector early (whenever you'd least like him to show up) . . . or patrolman early (before midnight)? I'll find out. As long as he doesn't make a SWAT entrance, we'll be fine. :mrgreen:

I took the day off, so I can immediately go down and get some tags after his blessing. I can't wait (I hope I don't cry when I get them).

This truck's got 84,000 miles on it, I bought it brand new, it's had the oil changed EVERY 3,000 miles like (clockwork), and it only cost me $7,700 by the time the dust settled. I mean $7,700 for the truck all together, as in that's the amount of cash I've paid out for it, excluding maintenance and fuel. Here's the figures:

$~14,000 new ($12,988 + tags, title and license)
-$9,200 (insurance pay-out for total loss)
+$2,900 (what I bought it back for, pocketed $6,300)
-----------------------------------------
$7,700

It's a:
2001 Dodge Ram 1500
Black/Silver
2-DR SWB PU
3.9L V6
5-speed
Factory AM/FM/CD/Cassette
AC

The damage that resulted in the total loss is merely dents and scrapes along both sides of the truck (pole-left, idiot-right). The scrapes all buffed right out. The doors/windows still operate normally, and the rain seals still seat correctly. Everything works, it just has a few dents.

I looked at the truck, thought about the wife (who is in school,and not working) thought about the (then) 4-month old baby, and decided that that truck's still got another 50,000 miles or so of life left in it. I jumped on it.

I'm going to do all of the maintenance on it that I can:

distributor cap/rotor
spark plugs
spark plug wires
ALL of the fluids (and any gaskets that go to hell in the process)
thermostat
radiator cap
hoses
PCV valve
serpentine belt
crankcase inlet filter? (not sure if i even have one <errrrr>)
windshield wipers

That should tide it over 'til the wife goes back to work next year.

I'm going to type the next sentence slowly, so it is not misunderstood:

I am already pre-approved (w/the wife) to purchase THE BIKE OF MY CHOICE upon her successful completion of her bachelor's degree and subsequent placement into the workforce.

The bike of my choice. Then, she gets the Bandit, so she can learn.