Road and Track, July 1st, 2006
Lacking in Lodi:
A Lodi, California, man is suing the city for $3600 for driving a dump truck into his car. The only thing is, he was the city employee driving the truck. The city denied the suit because he was, in essence, suing himself. Not to be defeated, the man’s wife filed a new claim under her name. Her claim, currently pending, is for an even larger amount: $4800. She said, “I’m not as nice as my husband.”
Guinness Says:
The longest parade of Rolls-Royce cars on a public highway took place May 28, 2000, when 420 automobiles took part in a two-mile procession outside Chester, England.
Bird’s-Eye View:
A couple was driving along a highway in Wigan County, England, when a buzzard suddenly swooped down and smashed into their car. They presumed the bird had met its maker, so they continued on their journey, according to the International Express. But, when thecouple returned home 50 miles later, they discovered the shocked bird of prey clinging to the SUV’s grille— alive. Staffers at an animal center said the bird “had a fright and was very poorly” but did not suffer any broken bones and should recover despite its hourlong ordeal on the busy highway.
Kids These Days:
A 15- year-old pretending to be a bus driver stole three buses and took dozens of unwitting passengers along for the ride. Police say the Dutch teenager took the first bus in the town of Apeldoorn and drove 40 miles; he stole another one for the return trip. He reportedly stopped several times to pick up riders and deliver them to their destinations. The young man was nabbed while driving the third stolen bus the following day.
Time Well Spent:
Charles Goodyear (1800–1860), the man who developed vulcanized rubber and was first to produce it commercially, began his early experiments in 1834 from a prison cell. He was jailed for not paying his bills! After his release, Goodyear happened upon his innovation quite by accident. He dropped some rubber mixed with sulfur on a stove and found that it did not dissolve.
If You Say So:
A study by The New Yorker magazine cites that 64 percent of those drivers questioned believe they could successfully evade a police pursuit. What makes this so amusing? The motorists questioned were all car chase suspects already behind bars.
Grave Mistake:
One Des Moines, Iowa, woman thought she’d figured out how to avoid paying her parking ticket fines: faking her own death. Police say the woman forged a letter to a local judge stating that she had died in an auto accident; she even included a phony obituary notice. Her story began to unravel when investigators say she was stopped for another traffic violation, a month after the obituary was dated.
Sweet Dreams:
Bill Lester, the first African-American in 20 years to start a NASCAR Nextel Cup race, qualified 19th and finished 38th at Atlanta. But all woes were forgotten a week later when he and wife Cheryl welcomed son Austin Richard Lester into the world. News reports state that 9-lb. Austin is healthy and already has begun posting some competitive nap times.
Nutty Name Game:
An Internet poll, sponsored by Mitsubishi Motors, of the goofiest streets in America came up with several unusual and wacky names, including the intersection of Lonesome and Hardup in Albany, Georgia; Psycho Path in Traverse City, Michigan; Tater Peeler Roadin Lebanon, Texas; Divorce Court in Heather Highlands, Pennsylvania; and another intersection of Count and Basie in Richmond, Virginia
