Miata Mailing List: October 1998, Message #59

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While I do not condone road rage, I have found something very 
interesting yesterday.  You see, ever since I have owned my '91, it 
seems that people in "other" types of cars (especially SUV's), seem to 
always treat my car as a bump in the raod and try as they might, always 
tailgate me for some reason.

DISCLAIMER: I am not trying to suggest that EVERY car behind me does 
this, but it is a daily situation here in Atlanta that is getting on my 
nerves.

There is nothing like Mr. Lexus / Landcruiser / Navigator / BMW/ 
get-the-crap-out-of-my-way arsehole who hugs your bumper while doing 
75mph and all you see is either the holy lights themselves in your eyes 
or a very larger-than-life looking Toyota embelem.  What is one to do?  
Here's what I finally did:

Instead of slamming on the brakes and fighting it out in court, try thsi 
one for size...I was in traffic yesterday when this woman was hugging my 
behind for life or death (hey, it sounds better than it was).  I just 
about had it and went to move over (as I have been doing for about four 
years now), when I accidentally hit my windshield washer arm.  Before 
you knew it, a streak of old water and pink-washy stuff shot our of my 
nozzles and went right over the roof and onto her wonderful (and clean) 
BMW.  It was like god himself sent down an extra bit of wind to carry my 
fluid-of-fightning right into her windshield.

Boy was she pissed!  I could see her screaming and cursing and hitting 
her wipers, etc.  She got so fustrated since this stuff did not help her 
view (remember, it was some weird residue-sludge stuff at the bottom of 
my container that attached itself to her car) that she swerved right to 
go around me, almost hit another Mercedes, and pissed off the other 
driver.  Before you knew it, both of them took off in a rage and dooked 
it out in 6PM traffic.  I didn't like the idea of them driving off like 
that, but hey, she was gone from my sights.  

So now I started to think....is there a way that you can mount another 
single nozzle (under the rear bumper line?), fluid container and washer 
motor all contained in the back trunk?  And in turn, mount the direction 
of the spray up at a 45~ angle so that it sprays a fine mist directly 
behind your car.

I have seen Pontiac/GM cars that have a mist-type sprayer that covers a 
bigger area.  When activated at 75mph, your tail-hugger friend will not 
even notice where it came from...possibly kicked up off the pavement?

The catch here is this....I know that you could probably dilute the 
solution with 75% hair spray, thus, when it hits air and glass it will 
become more sticky...and when your tail-hugger freak decideds to hit 
his/her wipers, it will just smear across the board.

Of course, this does sound dangerous and I in no way want to create 
accidents, but when you think of it...isin't the guy on your butt almost 
doing the same thing my limiting yoru rearward vision?

Anyway, I am working on a prototype, and wheather it is leagl or not, 
you never saw this post from me.  Of course a Stage III turbo would do 
the trick, but with todays higher speeds from other luxury burners, they 
hang right with you and I am not the type to start and break the 100mph 
barrier on the highway.

Ideas, comments, stories, or suggestions?



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Peter Brusa/Peachtree Miata Web Editor <repete@hotmail.com>
1991 Classic Red Miata/Team R-Speed
Home Page: <http://www.geocities.com/motorcity/garage/4991>           
Peachtree Miata Club: <http://www.mindspring.com/~peachtreemiata/>
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PS: sorry for the misspellings

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