Author: /u/StinkyDogsRule

Flash mob turns I-45 into parking lot as drivers do donuts for social media stunt

I don’t know what I’d do if I were stuck on the freeway because of this, but I’m pretty irritated just reading about it.

The ballot machines I used today use a sheet of paper that prints your vote. You then scan your paper into another machine. Has anyone used these machines prior to the 2020 election?

I’m not complaining, but as long as I’ve been old enough to vote I only used the machine with the scrolling wheel. I think having hardcopies is good, but I wish it printed a copy you can keep. When you scan your sheet into the second machine it keeps your sheet.

I hope this doesn’t become an issue in the future because of supplies. I couldn’t tell if the machine used toner or if it was a thermal printer. Either way, we wouldn’t want polling locations “running out” of the special paper they used, and we wouldn’t want them running out of toner if the machines do use toner.

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P.S. Remember to vote! We’re voting for state constitutional amendments. In my opinion, Prop 3 is particularly important.

We were fortunate to stay employed throughout the pandemic (“essential” business), but now people at my job are leaving droves. The business is hurting bad for workers, but they’re stubborn and not wanting to raise pay.

Many were leaving since last year because unemployment paid the bills better than the job. But even with King Abbott getting rid of the extra unemployment money people are still leaving for better paying jobs.

Are you noticing wage increases, or are people finally negotiating?

We are hearing about drivers being found shot to death on the roads in consecutive days, and we are hearing a lot about people brandishing firearms at motorists and shooting at each other. It is way out of hand. I’d like to just start a conversation and spitball ideas because bullets flying out of vehicles on the freeway can hit any one of us or people we love.

We have a situation where a lot of people have guns, a lot of drivers in Houston suck at driving, and our freeways suck ass. I don’t blame anyone for being angry when some asshole in front of you is driving 40mph on a 60, or some asshole is tailgating you with their high beams because “75mph is not fast enough.”

Our road rage incidents are coupled with firearm popularity. I suggest reading into Malcolm Gladwell’s “coupling theory,” which he covers in his NYT bestseller “Talking to Strangers.” In a nutshell, coupling is when certain circumstances are met and people are inclined to do something because it is easier. In other words, A + B = perfect storm. Road rage + lots of people with guns = road rage shootings.

Before we get into politics, ideologies, etc., let’s be honest about the two big problems we cannot fix: gun regulations and our freeways. Yes, we can fix them in theory, but let’s talk about stuff that does not take acts of Congress.

In my many travels across the U.S., I have yet to experience drivers as shitty as Houston’s. And, I also have yet to experience such lawless freeways as Houston’s. You can drive 80mph + on any freeway for weeks or months without getting pulled over. When you see cops on the freeway, they are speeding as fast as you are. It’s the wild west on our roads because traffic laws are taken as recommendations.

I believe what needs to be fixed is the lack of traffic law enforcement and the lack of police presence on busy roadways. People need to be more conscience about tailgating, impeding traffic by cruising too slow on the freeway, and more importantly, thinking they can get away with shooting at anyone.

An example of this is when a cop is parked at the double-white lines at 59N and 45N at downtown. You see less people trying to cut each other off. Another is when a cop is parked near the ramp at I-10 E and 45 S. Drivers are not as inclined to cut each other off. I’m sure you have seen something in other points of friction. Less cutting off = less pissy drivers.

Of course, I’m all ears.