Drive By Shootings Part 1: Talking, Picking, and Smoking

For years, I have pondered setting up a camera in my car so that it points straight out the passenger window. With a remote control, I could snap photos of interesting drivers as I cruise down the freeway. This has come to mind because I see so many crazy characters as I while away the 30 minutes to work, and 30 minutes home.

 I haven't set up such a camera yet, but I was the passenger on a recent trip to Las Vegas with my wife. I decided to grab the camera and snap a few test photos so I could see how feasible my idea was. I mean, I need to figure out whether it will work before going through the trouble of rigging up a camera. So on Interstate 15 between approximately Ontario and Barstow, I took the photos of 75 drivers. Let me know if you find these photos interesting or boring.

 Some drivers attempt to hide covert operations such as cell phone use - a big no-no in California. Yes, dude, you are stealth. But the camera sees all!

...and dudette, if you wanna slow down traffic please do it in the slow lane, not in the #2 lane. Thanks.

 This guy was in the slow lane, and I'm not entirely sure he was on a cell, but it sure looks like it to me.

 And not even deeply tinted windows (I've lightened things up in Photoshop) can hide that finger in your nose! Yessirree Bob, we see you!

 Not positive about this one either, but Mr. Trucker could sure be searching for gold. I don't know.

And not to be forgotten is the sheer elegance of holding a filtered tobacco cylinder while cruising down the turnpike. Aaaaahhhhh, refreshment!~

Drive By Shootings Part 2: Interesting Driving Styles

 Here are some drivers who have some very interesting driving styles. We'll start with Mr. One Finger. I don't know about you, but driving 5000 pounds of steel (this was a big SUV) with one finger doesn't exactly make me feel comfortable.

 You have to enlarge this photo and look closely, but to my eye it looks like his glasses aren't connected over his nose and are almost dangling over his left eye. I'm hoping I'm wrong as this is a semi.

Not too radical here, but the earpod is still pretty interesting so I included it here.

 This gentleman. What exactly is he doing with his tongue on the inside of his mouth?

 Now, I would think it goes without saying but if you have to raise your chin to see over the dash, I would think you'd need to buy a different vehicle. Just a note for next time.

 Though you can't tell it because I lightened the photos, many of the photos in these posts had windows tinted so dark I couldn't see in. But through the magic of Photoshop, we can see most of these people in full color! Except for this person. This car was just a small part of the photo I took, so I used Photoshop to zoom in on the driver and lighten the photo due to the deep tinting.  Unfortunately, what I see makes me a little uncomfortable. Can you make out any facial features? (enlarge the photo). Neither can I.

 And of course if 1 finger driving of 5000 pounds makes me uncomfortable, so does 2 wrist driving of 10000 pounds. Also, the Hallwark card in the window is a nice touch.

 The couple in the foreground are A-OK, but take a look through the window at the chap in the next car. I think he's friends with Mr. One Finger.

 The Shrek Driving Position.

 And yes, we did indeed find him. Here is Joe Cool, alive and well. I included his whole car in the photo because it adds to the persona, don't you think?

And finally, one last interesting position: using your car as a hat. Maybe this guy is really 6 foot 6, I don't know. But it appears to me that if he leaned back a little bit, he wouldn't be leaving that oil stain on the headliner.

Drive By Shootings Part 3: Caught In The Act!!!

 Out of the 75 photos I took, 4 people caught me taking their photo. I find that to be a surprisingly high number - is there something to intuition and that feeling that someone is watching? Grandpa caught me first....

 ...then this inquisitive (or worried) soul....

 ...daughter peered around momma to get see the camera lens...

...and she darn near posed for me. Hmmm, an idea for the next series...

Drive By Shootings Part 4: Ten and Two'ers

I also find people who hold the steering wheel and 10 o'clock and 2 o'clock pretty interesting. Yes, I know, that is what they teach you in driver's training, but most people I know give that up after a year or so. And today with airbags and all, they tell you NOT to hold the wheel that way anyway! But some people are slaves to habit and here are a few of them. My observation has been that is practially all females who hold the wheel this way, and these random shots show that is is indeed mostly, but not exclusively, females.

 Grandmas do it...

 Middle-aged women do it....

...and Asian women do it....

 ...but so do Asian men!

 And grandpas. Let's not forget good old Granddad.

 Okay these next two are 10s only, the leave off the 2s. And this first one is a 10 in more ways that one...

Tunes, Honda Jalopy, and the open road. What a country!

Drive By Shootings Part 5: Roadhogs

 While I was passenger and holding the camera that day, we encountered exactly 3 roadhogs who were exercising their God given right to park their rears in the fast lane and go at or near the speed limit, oblivious to anyone who may approach from the rear. Here's the first one...

 ...and the second, though unfortunately the A pillar blocked the view of the driver....

...and lastly the third one. Two of three where huge full sized SUVs, which doesn't really surprise me.  They own the road.

Drive By Shootings Part 6: Everday Drivers

 ...And just so you don't think that everyone burning up our roadways is odd or hillarious, here are some drivers that appear to be on the normal side. Takin' care of business, getting on down the road.

 Can't really tell what this driver is doing: yawning, laughing or just bored. Passenger appears to be uninterested.

  Average Joe driving Average Car down Average Freeway.

Average Trucker driving Average Rig down Average Freeway.

 Just your Average American Couple, bored out of their skull, on their way to Vegas to do Unaverage Things.

 Another totally bored driver. At first I thought I had spotted Mickey Ears on top of the rock pile...until I realized they were actually on this dude's antenna. Obviously he has a fun, innocent side.

 Can't recall, but I would bet he's either got a utility bed or off road vehicles or motorcycles right behind him.

 Now here's a woman who looks totally content with herself and the world. In total bliss. Enlarge the photo and you'll see what I mean. The world is her oyster.

 I would kind of like to know what exactly is hanging from this man's mirror. Also note the open mirror, the rose above the visor, and the tissues tucked above the window.

 Get ready for that bachelor weekend in Vegas, boyz. The wives and kids will be waiting for you back home on Sunday evening. Smelly diapers and all.

 I'm always suspicious of people who are smiling when by themselves in the car. Either she has the radio on to an interesting conversation, or we don't wanna know.

 That's a big warning sign on that window. Either he's afraid of everything, or maybe that's a list of things he is supposed to do that day.

 Stealth black sedan complete with radar detector, to prove to any cops that I wasn't even thinking about speeding. Nope, I never speed.

 Grandpa Jones in either his Buick or his Lexus.

Aaaahhh. A trip across the desert in my vintage Mercedes station wagon, straight out of the 70s. Son, reach over there and hand me that Bee Gees 8-track.