[keylime]

How's this for a perfect weekend...

Larry and I win an overall pairs, and a Bracket I KO as well.

The weather was excellent, and I didn't get one single rain drop.

My sweetheart is very happy that I am home.

And finally, my Pittsburgh Steelers found a way to win against a determined and guiled opponent in the Arizona Cardinals.

I am so finding a way to get to the 'Burgh for the victory parade.

Needless to say, I am on cloud nine and then some.

[kenberg]

And congratulations to everyone in sight! Very definitely including the Cardinals. And your sweetheart.

A last play of the half and an almost last play of the game, both showing the critical importance of inches and the overwhelming skill of the players! I think you have to call it a good game.

[Winstonm]

I want some of whatever it is that John Madden smokes.

[keylime]

I listened to the game on radio (was driving back from the Raleigh tourney). Marv Albert doing play-by-play was a rather surreal experience. However, it reconnected me with my roots so to speak, having to visualize the entire game. That, and the 80+ mph speeds everyone was carrying through Richmond helped (made the 280 mile drive in 4 hours and 3 minutes with a stop).

[kenberg]

keylime, on Feb 2 2009, 08:49 AM, said:

I listened to the game on radio (was driving back from the Raleigh tourney). Marv Albert doing play-by-play was a rather surreal experience. However, it reconnected me with my roots so to speak, having to visualize the entire game. That, and the 80+ mph speeds everyone was carrying through Richmond helped (made the 280 mile drive in 4 hours and 3 minutes with a stop).

The Highway [atrol was no doubt watching the game!

[keylime]

Let me tell ya, coming into Petersburg, VA, the speed limits slowly come down from 70 to 65 to 60 before heading north on 95 (was on 85). The train of cars I was with, one of them actually joined the interstate where I did outside of Durham so we literally teamed up all the way up to the Mixing Bowl, were going at least 80 (I had the cruise set for 82 mph - 130kph for the metric fans) and was getting passed a lot! I did not see any cops except one guy, who had his lights off and was eating dinner in his car. That was it. I was hustling and then some to get back. Sleeping in my own bed - priceless!

[Winstonm]

6 wins in 7 attempts - that is the impressive part.

[keylime]

Many of the pundits have failed to realize that the Steelers don't win pretty, they don't win with elegance, they simply grind it out. It really does make for good television - call it, the masculine soap opera that is actually real, unlike wrestling.

[jdonn]

Winstonm, on Feb 1 2009, 11:11 PM, said:

I want some of whatever it is that John Madden smokes.

Tough actin Tinactin.

[Gerben42]

Say you're speeding by 10 mph, what would the fine be in the US? What about 20 mph?

[keylime]

Well, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, any offense that is I think 15 over the limit, OR, any speed over 80 mph, is reckless driving, and it can get pricey.

[Lobowolf]

Great game...I think I'd have gone with Harrison as the MVP. That interception return to end the first half was HUGE.

[keylime]

Harrison was a monster. But that final drive of the Steelers, classic, epic, wonderful.

[kenberg]

Gerben42, on Feb 2 2009, 01:33 PM, said:

Say you're speeding by 10 mph, what would the fine be in the US? What about 20 mph?

It varies a lot by state. In Maryland (where I have lived for 40 years now) they do not stop you unless you are going more than 10 mph over the limit. If you are, and if you get caught, you go to court and they reduce the charge. You are supposed to give some sort of explanation, but the first time I did this the judge announced to everyone that he had a busy day and he would listen if we felt a need to explain but he would prefer it if we didn't. The big deal is that your insurance goes up.

In New York, just after I crossed in from Canada, I was stopped for speeding at a spot I would call a speed trap. The officer noted that I had also not been wearing a seat belt. He offered me a choice. I could have a ticket for speeding or for not wearing a seat belt. The fine was the same, maybe $80 or so, but the seat belt violation carried no "points" which meant it would not affect my insurance. Basically there was just an $80 charge for driving through his town. They didn't want to screw up anyone's insurance.

Virginia is different. Very different. I was following a slow car and when there was an opportunity to pass I did so, reaching about 6 mph over the limit as I passed, slowing back down to the limit right after. A cop stopped me and gave me a ticket. I was so pissed that I (very unwisely) didn't pay it. The next time I was stopped in Virginia I was handcuffed, searched for weapons, and taken to jail. Maybe they could tell I was from the north (I grew up in Minnesota). Fortunately my daughter was with me (I had picked her up at the airport) and could drive a stick shift so she followed me in the car and got me out of jail. Don't mess with Virginia.

[orlam]

Gerben42, on Feb 2 2009, 01:33 PM, said:

Say you're speeding by 10 mph, what would the fine be in the US? What about 20 mph?

It depends. If EVERYBODY is going exactly 15 mph over the speed limit (happens e.g. around the big cities when the freeway is free at night), nobody will be stopped (I hope). 20 mph you may have to pay 200$ (plus the increase of the insurance premium).

[keylime]

Don't mess with Virginia is right. I have a close friend that went to traffic court to deal with a suspended license and bam! into jail she went for 3 days.

[Gerben42]

Quote

Well, in the Commonwealth of Virginia, any offense that is I think 15 over the limit, OR, any speed over 80 mph, is reckless driving, and it can get pricey.

Sounds like I chose the right country for driving - ugh!

80 mph = 128 kmh, that's not very reckless on an empty highway.

BTW all this court business sounds like a LOT of needless paperwork. Here they don't care about your motivation, they just say 21 - 30 km/h too much is this amount of fine + so many penalty points, 31 - 40 is another, etc.

[keylime]

Gerben in the U.S., the tickets given are a major source of revenue for rural counties, hence the enforcement.

FYI, the victory parade is today, starting at noon, using the St. Patrick's Day route.

The parade begins at Seventh Avenue and Grant Street at noon. It will then wind its way down Grant Street to the Boulevard of the Allies. The parade will end at a big reviewing stand at the Boulevard of the Allies and Stanwix Street.

They are expecting 250,000 people.

[Winstonm]

keylime, on Feb 3 2009, 08:23 AM, said:

Don't mess with Virginia is right. I have a close friend that went to traffic court to deal with a suspended license and bam! into jail she went for 3 days.

So you admit you've been palling around with SpeedOrists.

[keylime]

I admit only that after bailing them out, I gave them the coming to Jesus talk, and then some. Gave them the "I went through 2.5 years of rehab due to..." speech. Message received.