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tugrikOn Tuesday I was headed back from a dinner out with ![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
reality_fox and revar at McCarthy ranch, riding on my goldwing. As I headed through the tunnel of the 17s->85s exit ramp, a motorist in a red car flicked his cigarette out of his window. It sailed expertly upwards, around my windshield, and impacted my face-shield in a glorious shower of sparks. I was notably pissed and gave them a brief flash of the brights to let them know that someone was back there, but nothing more. I thought about many rude gestures, but I kept my cool. Then it occurred to me... hey, they have a license plate number and I'm close enough to read it...
I got home and jotted it on the whiteboard. Not only is throwing a cigarette from a moving car littering, it's also a special no-no in the Bay Area. They've made laws about cig-butts in particular due to the number of roadside fires started that way. The Sunol Grade and suchlike areas burn at least once every other year due to motorists. I tried calling 311 (the non-emergency police number) but their phone-maze was anti-obvious in where to report it. Instead I went to their website and used their "cybercop" system to jot a quick email note about it, with the car's license plate.
Today they both emailed and called me back. They reaaaaly want to talk to this fellow. It seems they're cracking down on what they call "23-111" violations -- items thrown from a moving vehicle. My guess is that they want to hammer it into people's skulls while it's still wet and low-risk outside, to help the "please don't" sink in before it's all dry and tinderboxy this sumimer. I feel a little guilty somehow 'turning someone in' like this, but at the same time it's a constant motorcycling hazard that really should get dealt with. I'm already no fan of smokers and having their waste bouncing off my head really cuts it. Were I little less experienced of a biker it could have caused me to panic or weave unsafely.
If you've ever travelled on two wheels you're probably experienced some form of this. For those of you who toss butts out the window without thinking it's a problem, you should see it from a motorcycler's viewpoint. The smouldering cig gets a nice burst of oxygen and usually breaks open when it hits the ground at speed, making for a nice sparky blossom that ruins paint, singes riding jackets, or (if my face-shield had been up) can burn skin. At night it's pretty freaky, actually. I may feel guilty for a little bit... but I still hope the guy gets a ticket.
reality_fox and revar at McCarthy ranch, riding on my goldwing. As I headed through the tunnel of the 17s->85s exit ramp, a motorist in a red car flicked his cigarette out of his window. It sailed expertly upwards, around my windshield, and impacted my face-shield in a glorious shower of sparks. I was notably pissed and gave them a brief flash of the brights to let them know that someone was back there, but nothing more. I thought about many rude gestures, but I kept my cool. Then it occurred to me... hey, they have a license plate number and I'm close enough to read it...I got home and jotted it on the whiteboard. Not only is throwing a cigarette from a moving car littering, it's also a special no-no in the Bay Area. They've made laws about cig-butts in particular due to the number of roadside fires started that way. The Sunol Grade and suchlike areas burn at least once every other year due to motorists. I tried calling 311 (the non-emergency police number) but their phone-maze was anti-obvious in where to report it. Instead I went to their website and used their "cybercop" system to jot a quick email note about it, with the car's license plate.
Today they both emailed and called me back. They reaaaaly want to talk to this fellow. It seems they're cracking down on what they call "23-111" violations -- items thrown from a moving vehicle. My guess is that they want to hammer it into people's skulls while it's still wet and low-risk outside, to help the "please don't" sink in before it's all dry and tinderboxy this sumimer. I feel a little guilty somehow 'turning someone in' like this, but at the same time it's a constant motorcycling hazard that really should get dealt with. I'm already no fan of smokers and having their waste bouncing off my head really cuts it. Were I little less experienced of a biker it could have caused me to panic or weave unsafely.
If you've ever travelled on two wheels you're probably experienced some form of this. For those of you who toss butts out the window without thinking it's a problem, you should see it from a motorcycler's viewpoint. The smouldering cig gets a nice burst of oxygen and usually breaks open when it hits the ground at speed, making for a nice sparky blossom that ruins paint, singes riding jackets, or (if my face-shield had been up) can burn skin. At night it's pretty freaky, actually. I may feel guilty for a little bit... but I still hope the guy gets a ticket.
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Date: 2003-02-15 07:12 pm (UTC)Since its sometimes difficult to remember a plate number and sometimes impossible to jot it down, how tough would it be to have a small digital camera pointing forward over the main light (or some other location).
Someone flips back a cig, swerves around the road.. etc. You have a pic of the car and the plate. I know I've wanted to do this when I've driving in my car and been cutoff from the inside lane a few times.
If you could make it detachable it could come in handy for minor bang-ups too. (At least it would prevent inflated insurance claims).
Thoughts?