davidambro's Blog

Now that gas is going up again and people are looking for cheaper ways to get to and from work; is anyone writing our politicians to get them to build enough bike paths?  I haven't biked in years.  Scared!  Idiot drivers who have no respect for the laws or other people.  They are safe in their cars, too many of my body parts are at risk.  I need to lose a huge amount of weight, bicycling might do that, but fear of getting hit by a car or truck has me on the sidelines.  No idea where to look for laws regarding bikes riding on the sidewalk, where it is safe for them but may not be safe for pedestrians walking.  What to do?  Also, too many bike choices.  I weigh over 300 lbs and am 5'8" tall.  I'd want a all around bike, something that would be ok on the street and on bike paths in the country.  Just now thinking about it, may do something about it next summer.  Plenty of time then to read up on bikes, bike safety and other issues.  Still looking for that perfect club that will answer all my questions.  Oh, and I am not willing to pay a huge amount for a first bike right now, after all, I might give it up and paying over $500.00 for a bike seems a bit high.  Anyway, I just don't feel like driving my bike to a safe metropark and then taking it off my vehicle to pedal, how far???  Would like to simply pedal to the safe bike path, SAFELY; and then go however far I feel like going.  Dave

In the news I read of two 3yo twins having been left in a hot car for two hours, they died of course.

My idea; sensors in the car that set off a loud alarm if someone leaves anything in the back seats when the driver leaves the car.  I suppose one could say the driver and the driver side passenger???  Well it would put off putting groceries there etc... but would save lives...

Either that or make intelligence testing madatory for having children(?)

 

Dave

Amongst the other crisis we are going thru, gas too seems to be news.  I know that being able to afford and drive a SUV has always been a choice of freedom, but...  Maybe it is time we began to meet our neighbors, get to know who they are, get to know their names?  Take walks, ride bicycles...car pool?  Our society has hit bottom I think.  Crime is very high, just like job losses.  Illegal drugs is the choice method for escapism from the worries of today, and like most bad choices makes things worse.  Go to the library, lots of free stuff there, free movies, books, read something...  Go back to church, synagogue, mosque...  Meet people there too.  You'd be surprised how helpfull new friends can be, it's reciprocal of course, help them they help you, you help someone else...  Things have gotten out of hand and life seems to always get to a point where adjustments are forced upon us.  So to now.  Make the best of it.  Get to know  your kids too and what they are in to.  It isn't often we are given a chance to change our lives for the better.  Why not use it while we have it.  Less use of gasoline, less cars, less pollution, less greenhouse gases, less CO2 imprint...  We Americans always used to pull together during crisis.  What makes this any different?  Let's make Ohio a bicycle safe zone, put in bicycle paths right alongside all our streets?  Ours is the fatest country in the world, with a huge population of overweight people, Ohio is ranked what in this?  Here is another chance to change, lose weight, get healthy...  Only positives if you look for them and use them.  Right?  Of course, this advice won't be for everyone.  Sometimes I wish I could delete my other blogs...

December of 2006 I bought a Ford Explorer XLT from Bob Gillingham Ford.  Two months later a drunk driver crossed my lawn to hit it while it was parked in my driveway.  I sent it to Bob Gillingham Ford's Autobody (Dave Zubar).  He kept it for three months awaiting parts, till I contacted www.Ford.com and complained.  When we got it back the computer didn't work right, the gas mileage went way down and we noticed the body repairs were shoddy.  So my son took it to another Ford dealer and lo and behold they found that the clips were missing on the front end.  Also the molding hadn't been glued properly.  They did not give it a thorough check though.  My son rear ended someone and it needed front end work.  Bob Gillingham again did the body work.  We once again were disappointed.  So recently my son took it to the Brookgate Tire & Auto place in Brookpark.  The technician there said that it was odd that the rear rotors were worn and need replacing while the brake pads appeared to be new.  Surprise!  Surprise!  I had suspected the automotive technicians were swapping parts from my truck while it was there and this proves it.  I will never buy Ford again.  My son then made plans to have Liberty Ford in Parma give it a thorough inspection.  I drove there with the truck and waited for my son but soon tired of waiting for him to arrive, I went in and talked to Art.  Art seemed to be against doing a checkup.  He is a technician and doesn't know what checking a vehicle out thoroughly means.  He wanted me to give him some explicit areas to look at.  If I wanted more than that he would charge me $500.00 for a  limited once over.  A very limited once over.  My son finally got there and went in.  Art and his associate laughed at the way he walked, my son has Cerebral Palsy; I don't see anything funny with that.  He told my son the same thing he told me and we left.  My son talked me into going to Halleen Cheverolet in N. Olmsted.  I told him I had been there before, when he was a toddler; and that they are very hard nosed salesmen who will not come down on the MSRP price.  They try to get money on both ends of the deal, on the trade and the sale.  Then they laugh at the idiot who paid it!  Lo and behold I was right again.  They offered me $8000.00 for my 2006 Ford Explorer XLT that has less than 23K miles on it.  I couldn't buy a used 2006 Explorer similar to mine for anywhere near that!  We left and had a nice dinner at Bob Evan's.  American car manufacturers wonder why they are not selling cars?  It is because of two very important things.  First when the sales people refuse to sell the vehicle at a reasonable price because most people are ignorant as to what the car is actually worth.  Second when the auto technicians steal, swap parts and do shoddy work.  Both these two issues are important but neither has been addressed by American auto makers.  I will never buy FORD again!  I told my son about Halleen, and I had sworn before I would never buy from them.  I am glad they helped me keep that promise.   We'll have to live with this vehicle, I have no choices here.  I am on a pension and don't have the money to do any better for now.  When this truck is paid off in about two years, I am going to get rid of it but I will be looking on the internet instead of going to dealerships.  The internet will give me the best deal and I can pick it up at a local dealer.  Saving me thousands.  I hope to be laughing at them come that time.