Minor victory thread

Can number three be satisfied with all wheel drive?
All wheel drive is primarily concerned with safety, stability, and performance on regular road surfaces compromised by rain, snow, etc, and doesn't help much in off road scenarios. The two main issues are that it doesn't usually a low speed high traction mode, and main differential (that divides power between the front and back wheels) cannot be locked, allowing any single wheel slip to render the vehicle tractionless in a muddy off road session.

Of course there are some implementations of "AWD" which might be useful off road, but generally "AWD" is considered an inferior form of 4 wheel drive meant, again, for stability and safety rather than off road or off highway use.

http://4x4abc.com/4WD101/awd.html
 
off road or off highway
I'm just curious about your motivation for this pendantry, why specify both instead of just saying "off road "

(Motivation and pedantry aren't really the right words here, but those were tbe first to come to mind, and I'm too lazy to rack my brain for better choices.)
 
I was fairly convinced AWD was just another way of writing FWD. Huh.[DOUBLEPOST=1477425730,1477425172][/DOUBLEPOST]
I'm just curious about your motivation for this pendantry, why specify both instead of just saying "off road "

(Motivation and pedantry aren't really the right words here, but those were tbe first to come to mind, and I'm too lazy to rack my brain for better choices.)
Reasons for specificity?
explanation for choice of words?
Balnibarbi of Glubbdubdrib?
 
Oh God! He's having another stroke! Quick, dial zero something something twenty-one twelve.



. . .

:notes:oh, We've taken care of everything
The words you hear, the songs you sing:notes:
:notes:The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes
It's one for all, all for one:notes:
:notes:We work together, common sons
Never need to wonder how or why:notes:


Wait. What was I doing?
 

GasBandit

Staff member
I was fairly convinced AWD was just another way of writing FWD. Huh.
4 Wheel Drive puts equal power to all 4 wheels using 2 differentials and a transfer case. The differentials alter power between left and right, but are mostly locked to turning concerns, and not traction.

All Wheel Drive uses 3 differentials (front, rear, center). This means that, unlike a 4WD which puts equal power to the front and rear axles, it can put more power forward or aft (and left and right) depending on which tires are gripping better at the moment.

AWD generally isn't as powerful for offroad applications as 4WD, but generally performs better on roads in inclement weather than 4WD/RWD/FWD.

During my time in Colorado I saw a WHOLE lot of 4WD vehicles in the ditches (or on their sides) during snow and ice type weather, it's not uncommon for people to not know the difference.
 
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During my time in Colorado I saw a WHOLE lot of 4WD vehicles in the ditches (or on their sides) during snow and ice type weather, it's not uncommon for people to not know the difference.
It's no different in MI. People think 4x4 is some talisman against stupid, and they're proven wrong again and again.
I remember Mazda had an implementation of AWD in the late 80's that would always drive 2 wheels. Sometimes it would be the front two, sometimes the back two, and in "extreme" situations it would drive the two wheels diagonal from each other, but it was always two wheels.

--Patrick
 
I'm just curious about your motivation for this pendantry, why specify both instead of just saying "off road "

(Motivation and pedantry aren't really the right words here, but those were tbe first to come to mind, and I'm too lazy to rack my brain for better choices.)
Off road typically specifies a vehicle that is road worthy and off road capable.

Off highway typically specifies a vehicle that is not road worthy, and is off road capable.

So, for instance tanks, excavators, and bulldozers are off highway - the treads tear up typical roads. They are usually allowed on gravel/dirt/unimproved roads, but are disallowed (except under temporary permit or in an emergency) on paved or otherwise improved roads. Similarly "Monster trucks" are considered off highway - they must be trailered to locations where they will be used, and cannot be driven on common roads.

You can buy diesel fuel without paying most state's gas tax. The gas tax is for roads, but there are enough off highway vehicles (tractors, construction equipment, etc) that don't use the roads the taxes were meant for that people demanded to be able to purchase fuel for them without paying taxes for roads the vehicles would never travel on. The diesel is dyed a different color, though, so if you use it in an on-road vehicle, in theory, you could be caught and fined for trying to avoid those road fuel taxes. They still charge sales tax, though, just not the "fuel surcharge".

And unless a vehicle is actually caught in the act of tearing up the road the police don't often ticket off highway vehicles on roads. That's because a lot of farm equipment has to travel via improved/paved roads due to many places paving a lot of rural areas despite the amount of off highway traffic they get.

You also don't have to get a license plate for off highway equipment (try to find one on a tractor or excavator), but in some states if you operate one near or on a paved/improved road you might be required to have insurance for it even if they don't require it be registered.



The above post is rated PEDANTRY INTENTIONAL.

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It's no different in MI. People think 4x4 is some talisman against stupid, and they're proven wrong again and again.
I remember Mazda had an implementation of AWD in the late 80's that would always drive 2 wheels. Sometimes it would be the front two, sometimes the back two, and in "extreme" situations it would drive the two wheels diagonal from each other, but it was always two wheels.

--Patrick
I like to count how many SUVs are in the ditch after the first slippery snow. I remember one year there were about a dozen in my 20 mile drive, and they were all SUVS - no other type of vehicle. Just stupid drivers who assumed their SUV made it so they didn't have to change their driving habits based on the weather.
 

fade

Staff member
Yeah, good for off-road doesn't necessarily mean good for ice on roads. A limited slip, for example, is great for getting traction in loose stuff or when a wheel is in poor contact when on hard rock. But it sucks in icy or wet conditions, because cornering off a stop light can lock the diff, and cause the rear-end to skitter around.
 
There are 4 supermarkets (5 if you count target) closer to me than the nearest Walmart. I knew I'd be able to find them, but I'm lazy.
 
Job interview went surprisingly well. If the interviewer says you hit all the marks, possess all the qualities they're looking for, seem like just the kind of guy who'd fit in great in the group, and you're the best candidate they've seen with no-one coming up with a resume near yours, I'm going to guess you'd have to be doing ok. It also turns out that, while they listed "willing to work nights/weekends in shifts" in the ad, that was to scare off people who might never want to do it, because there might be the occasional once or twice when someone falls ill, but it's not actually the intention and it'll be mostly steady 9-5ish hours. I may have low-balled my expected/desired pay check, though....When they asked me what I was earning now (yeah, yeah, they're not technically allowed to ask that but anyway), and how much more I expected to start making, I gave slightly-higher-than-my-actual-current-pay as current and "at least worth the risk of changing over, so at least a couple hundred a month more", and the answer was "oh, that's no problem, sure". Man, I was kind of on the fence before this interview but with better hours, a better (2 miles instead of an hour+ each day) commute, higher wage, more benefits and a job description that couldn't fit me better if I'd written it myself, I'm actually cautiously optimistic and having to work at keeping my enthusiastic side down.
Got the job! Well, an offer, anyway, haven't accepted yet.
 
Chocolate pudding was on sale, so I am having pudding for lunch.

I also have the extra pudding stored in secret locations throughout the house.


Muhuhahahaha.
 
The pudding is safe today. I'm a hurting unit and watching the Price is Right thinking that the stair lift from the ad is looking pretty sweet.
 

fade

Staff member
Our company like many in this business downsized. It is amazing to me how much stuff you can score just by asking nicely. I asked for a partly used contractor pack of cat6 cable and used it to set up a home network. Went from a weak wireless connection in my media center to an 8x faster wired connection. Nice.
 
Our company like many in this business downsized. It is amazing to me how much stuff you can score just by asking nicely. I asked for a partly used contractor pack of cat6 cable and used it to set up a home network. Went from a weak wireless connection in my media center to an 8x faster wired connection. Nice.
Whenever someone is let go, it is like a pack of vulltures descending on a carcass.
 
I don't think this SK-9920 that came with my first Gateway is technically "mechanical", but it's close enough that I've kept it through three computers.

My typing accuracy hasn't improved, thought...
 
I often buy breakfast for the cleaning lady at work. I get my own breakfast, and buy an extra one of whatever I got, and she'll reimburse me for the breakfast. It's convenient for her because then she doesn't need to go hunt for breakfast after her morning cleaning duties are done, while I'm getting breakfast anyway so it's no bother to me to pick up an extra.

Cleaning lady didn't come in today. Two breakfasts for me, woo hoo!
 
I often buy breakfast for the cleaning lady at work. I get my own breakfast, and buy an extra one of whatever I got, and she'll reimburse me for the breakfast. It's convenient for her because then she doesn't need to go hunt for breakfast after her morning cleaning duties are done, while I'm getting breakfast anyway so it's no bother to me to pick up an extra.

Cleaning lady didn't come in today. Two breakfasts for me, woo hoo!

How this tradition started:

Cleaning lady: Wow, did you bring me an extra breakfast?

bhamv3: Oh... yes, of course, I wasn't going to eat both of these... :ninja:
 
Bought my first safety razor/blade (wet shave) and some nice hand made shave soap and stuff. just waiting for it to get here in the mail. I'm really looking forward to it. Hear it's really pampering to yourself if you do it right.
 
Bought my first safety razor/blade (wet shave) and some nice hand made shave soap and stuff. just waiting for it to get here in the mail. I'm really looking forward to it. Hear it's really pampering to yourself if you do it right.
My wife got me one a few years ago. I've got this shitty combination of tough beard but sensitive skin, and shaving has always left me really broken out. I've tried electric razors, and every combination of disposable razor there is, from shitty one-blade dollar-store razors to 5-blade goo-striped super-expensive disposable razors.

With a safety razor, I can shave quickly, smoothly, and with a minimum of irritation and breakouts. And changing the blades is cheap. I'll never go back.
 
The *newest* safety razor in my collection is a Slim Adjustable from 1968. The Adjustable (aka Fatboy) I'm using now is from 1960. The Super Speed Red Tip I use a lot is from 1957. All in near perfect working order. :D


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Nifty :) I personally don't really get invested in the "coolness" factor of most stuff--even whistles (where different makers have cultish fanboys just as bad as the apple vs pc crowd). I'm more about performance--and if I can get that cheaply, that's a bonus. :D

My grandfather and great grandfather used Norelco electric razors, so unfortunately, there were no safety razors to be had when they passed on. :(

I have a relatively cheap new safety razor. You have to disassemble it by taking the handle off to change the blade--no cool twisty-handle head-opening gear system. Probably cost all of $5, if that. But it works just fine, and I have no complaints. I just can't justify the craziness of spending hundreds of dollars on this stuff like some people do. I will admit, though, that I recently replaced my super cheap boar-hair shaving brush with a more expensive badger hair brush. Being softer, badger hair takes a little more work to make a lather, but is much more pleasant on my sensitive skin. But I certainly didn't get the super-expensive "silvertip badger" grade. hah

At the time she got me the razor, my wife also got me 10-pack of Feather razor blades, and I haven't gone through them all yet. I find that the blades last me 2-3 weeks since I only shave my neck and cheeks. I'm on my last pack. Take that, Dollar Shave Club. Nor have I gone through the shave soap she got me. Maybe only a third of it is gone. I'll probably have this shave soap for another 5-6 years at least.

So, not only am I getting a better shave, I'm saving hundreds of dollars a year that I'd have been spending on blades, shaving creams, and stuff. It's all-round a better choice for me.
 
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Well.. I guess um not first in the bandwagon here lol. And to whoever asked because I'm not scrolling up, yes, I bought a brush as well

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I got my safety razor back in the early days of college when I got pissed at the expense of gillette heads (and the shoddiness of bic disposables). The barber in my hometown recommended Merkur platinums, and that's all I've been using. I might change the blade every 2-3 months.
 
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