Some serious concerns about driver distracting behaviors on our work bus

Update, September 16, 2019:

This past May, beside submitting these unwelcome driver-distracting concerns, I submitted this (below) to the bus company and two social services agencies. Though I haven't noticed any results yet, it's possible that this is something that various managers handle discreetly. Every agency I submitted this to, at least replied to the message, acknowledging this is something that should be looked into, except for no reply forthcoming from the bus company. Skills Management claims that they can't really doing anything about events on the bus - it's "out of their jurisdiction."


Yet, when I witnessed an actual assault on the bus by one of the Skills workers upon another and tape-recorded this, they acted more concerned.  Skills management later told me that the bus management (instead of thanking me) is most concerned about me filming on their buses! 


It feels like someone is getting "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" confused with "If you see something, say something." What if someone assaulted a member of their family? Would they not hope for the best evidence? 


Delegating authority should not be equated with passing the buck and I keep feeling as if I'm getting lip-service over these various bus concerns, with limited actual change or improvements of the important issues.
 JB

Original post: May, 02, 2019:

Skills of Central Pennsylvania, Benner Pike, State College

Centre County Transportation, Milesburg, Pennsylvania

To whom it may concern,

I have pressing concerns about unwholesome habits being demonstrated by some Skills workers on our Centre County Transportation work commuter bus. These have become so out of hand that they frequently distract our dedicated bus drivers.

As a Skills Program worker over the past year, I’m grateful for the training I’m paid for, as well as the supplementary bus rides between my residence and work. This has made a big difference and improvement in my life.

And I like to think I can carry these precious skills onward and upward to other aspects of my life. I believe positive attitudes and outlooks can overlap, influence and rub off onto fellow colleagues; therefore it strikes me as disheartening when I experience negative ones as manifested in the following scenario which repeats itself so much that it’s become predictable:
 

First, the bus driver travels over a bump and somebody sitting in the back shouts over our whole group that he’s going to kill, strangle, beat, or otherwise disfigure the driver if they don’t slow down more. Then, others chime in angrily, saying it can’t be helped and that they will then kill or maim the complainer someway. Everything heats up more, as riders commence shooting personal insults to each other from several angles. Often this unhealthy banter gets recharged over the next bump and continues boisterously for the full bus ride or at least until involved passengers depart. Not only that, but there are other standard protocols of politeness that some Skills workers disregard daily, such as leaving the aisle seat open and properly securing their safety belts, even after the driver asks for this.

On the bright day I learned of my bus riding approval I received a memo which included the guideline: “Passengers must conduct themselves in an orderly and polite manner when riding in county vehicles.”  Presumably, the other riders and / or guardians received the same memo.

I feel that if I say nothing about this unacceptable societal failure, then it follows I’m giving my sanction that it’s okay. The last straw occurred recently at lunch one day when a Skills staff manager made a similar comment in jest about killing someone. This was in response to a minor question from a co-worker when Ms. ____ __ answered “I’d tell you, but then I’d have to kill you!”  An old worn out joke for sure, but not one that everyone at Skills comprehends. Half-shocked to hear this myself, I sensed the surprise and confusion coming from the young woman who asked the question, and then soon left (to cry?) And certainly a grievous trigger point for others who have lost loved ones to violence. Indeed, our widespread TSA agents arrest and interrogate glib travelers for lesser offhand ‘jokes.’ about violent acts.

If integrating Skills workers into the community is still part of Skills mission, as I’m told it is, then I would like to point out another pertinent observation: In my vast experience of finding respectable employment over the past forty-five years the majority of the better jobs I’ve discovered came through personal contact or via word of mouth. Many workers I’ve met have experienced this same serendipity. Even now, it’s likely that someone on the bus or even the driver is or knows of homeowners or businesses looking for decent help with various chores, e.g.: gardening, grass cutting, dog-walking, gutter cleaning, cooking, leaf raking, trash- recycle sorting, garage sweeping, knitting, vacuuming, sewing, fruit-picking, stable cleaning, fetching tools, folding tarps, painting, snow-shoveling, furniture rearranging,  brush removal, etc. The odd job list is long...

But if potential employers sometimes we encounter on the buses experience a constant sea of Skills disharmony; seeing perpetually rude and disorderly behaviors, this impression immediately dissuades those prospective employers and that bad imprint gets shared with others.

I have faith in my work colleagues that several of them will see the light right away when this is explained by someone with the proper timing and authority. Other good news is that at least one bus driver has already vowed to keep the bus atmosphere ship-shape, and starting by requiring window seat placement for those first on, when additional riders are expected. 

Posting a sign on the bus could help remind riders that bus privileges come along with the responsibility of respecting other commuters. 

At Skills we have occasional days off when no work is scheduled, and here we help with volunteer projects instead. Why not consider a few hours of one of those days for training or a refresher course about courteousness, even if it’s just done in small groups? Tacking on a small challenge for Skills workers to use to their imaginations to say something complimentary about each other would be a nice start.

I’m impressed by the safety standards our Commonwealth of Pennsylvania uses in other important niches now, such as automatically cancelling registrations when drivers insurances lapse, and implementing brief back road closures for migrating turtle egg-layers. Bus services themselves may have already set aside funds for safety programs which dissuade driver distraction, and if so, may offer to go in half when approached with an idea for a brief annual refresher meeting or class to remind riders of their respectful responsibilities. Such a gesture could go a long way in helping mend these inappropriate and outlandish driver-distracting behavioral patterns.

Thank you,

JB 

c.c. Centre County Transportation

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, safety division.

Immediate benefits of bus riding

Immediate benefits of bus riding

(And some hidden costs of not)

draft 2 

Being new to Centre County I was surprised by the limited scope that bus services offer between Penns Valley and the bustling State College community. But after riding to work for a year aboard the efficient, but thinly spread transport system that Centre County offers Centre Hall, I gathered a few observations about why this might be.

*

My fellow passengers pointed out that our county commissioners have long sought to expand Penns Valleys ride services. But our transport managers believe this won’t work when they’ve held discussions and conducted feasibility tests, because commuters quite enjoy the freedom of driving their own cars and have tight schedules to keep. Driving one’s own car may give a strong sense of independence, but I wonder how many of these commuters have conducted their own comparative studies?

*

For instance, how much do you think you’ve invested in your own vehicles maintenance, bodywork and upkeep over these last decades? What about fuel costs and insurance?  Moving violations, parking tickets and meter fees? Car depreciation costs? And what about folks who gamble driving home after some drinks? And what then if they crash into somebody and hurt them? That shaky decision can prove to be more costly than the value of a new car.

*

Besides these sometimes unconsidered price factors, people who choose mostly not to ride buses miss out on other enhancements: Riding the bus helps ease road rage. We create time to get to know each other better, and discuss community issues. We can take quick power naps. We listen to educational recordings and music playlists through earbuds. Without distraction, we conduct business and make personal phone calls. We experience freedoms of cloud watching and daydreaming. On the bus we make book annotations and concoct riddles with gag prizes. We playfully share go-to jokes, solve crosswords and contemplate mindbenders. 

*

Other frequent treats we share in this merry commute include creative poetry sessions, seasonal songs in unison, catchy limericks rehearsed, and bus Haiku’s spoken. Spring brings colorful natural photo ops and wildlife watching. Just yesterday two smiling passengers shared interesting stories about their recent spring bear encounters. Overall, this multitude of options gives riders broad ways to smooth out and balance our characters. And we find this wholesome fun more apparent now, when we compare it to most of the times when we drove alone.  

*

Many bus services provide convenient aps, which indicate if particular buses are running on schedule. Seniors, children and disabled folks frequently qualify for discounted or free rides. On rare occasions when a bus breaks down, fresh drivers soon appear with relief buses. If additional commuters decide they want to be part of the solution for traffic-jams and pollution bytaking the bus, the higher demand will open the possibility for expanded bus routes with frequenter stops.

*

Provo, Utah’s Transit Authority encouraged more bus riders by making its service free for a while. This increased their ridership fivefold in the first month of their new rapid transit route between Provo and Orem. Most riders quickly become more comfortable with using buses after simply going through the ritual of trying them out for a few times.  We too, can make similar improvements here, around our cutting-edge college town, when more of us decide to become a viable part of the solution in this modern bus era.

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/09/25/uta-finds-way-fill-buses/

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Let's make certain to utilize the futuristic safety tools we already have

Final Draft:

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: JB
Date: Wed, Sep 18, 2019 at 6:22 PM
Subject: Opinion / Letter of Public Interest / Re-submission /  Let's make certain we're utilizing the futuristic safety tools we already have
To: <letters@pennlive.com>

Hello Editor,

I received a call from your office this afternoon to confirm this letter and I believe this new draft will show more strength and understanding. You have my permission to edit this as you see fit. Thank you for your consideration of publishing this. I will try to call your office in a short while to confirm this letter as well.

Best regards,

JB.

Let’s make certain to utilize the futuristic safety tools we already have

Dear Editor,

I’ve been living in Central PA for two years now, after relocating here from Idaho. Out West, I worked driving large trucks for 20 years, and also focused on aircraft safety at Horizon Air for six. In addition, I’ve been a frequent newspaper opinion contributor, sometimes writing with a strong emphasis on transportation safety issues. 

Now, as a disabled person, I’ve been working at a Work Skills Program since 2018, and am grateful for this type of productive work. From my house, I catch the bus to and from work, and though I’ve been impressed with every parameter of their excellent, efficient and friendly service for thousands of miles, a handful of times I’ve sensed danger that we can avoid better. 

The majority of my fellow bus passengers are also disabled and some don’t have much of a voice there, since their guardians or advocates are seldom aboard. Some may not have enough experience or the ability to notice every hazard, so I try to speak up for them and their equal rights for harmless environments.

 

My top concern for now is this:

 

While riding in a crowded Public bus in spring of 2018, the driver hit a long undivided two lane straightaway and sped up. Soon she was exceeding 80 mph in a posted 55 zone, and continued this rate steadily over our next 5 to 6 miles. I wish that my camera then would have been of enough high quality to zoom in to show this clearly.

A Mobile Logic Unit being assembled

Months later I experienced a synchronicity when work management trained me for a new task of assembling “Mobile Logic Units” for bus fleets. When I asked our bus drivers about the inner workings of these black-box-like devices, they told me that these recorders transpose and save tremendous amounts of data. For instance, in areas where commercial motorists exceed speed limits, the variegated maps are programmed to mark these spots, and indicate them with red flags.

I’m curious though if busy bus managers make time to address these warnings about bending or breaking speed laws. Because by many standards operating a commercial vehicle at 25 mph over the posted limit is consider reckless driving – and with a bus full of nearly voiceless disabled people to boot!  

Coupled with some previous driver-distracting concerns, to which bus management inadequately responded*, my intuition niggles at me rigorously that perhaps they do not. And if PennDOT has authority to conduct audits for such vital bus information, I suggest they investigate bus and other transportation services to detect if there’s a pattern of missed warning flags, After all, why would our tremendous public bus services invest in such expensive cutting-edge safety features if managers might be too busy to notice them, or even worse: willfully ignoring these?

Indeed, endangering already disabled passengers like my colleagues should be held as an uppermost consideration to be avoided at all costs. 

 Note to Editor: Last week I sent this suggestion to PennDOT in a similar message.  

Thank you,

JB

Let's be certain to utilize the futuristic safety tools we already have

1st working draft

Dear Editor,



I have been living in Central Pennsylvania for two years now, after relocating here from Idaho.  Out West, I worked driving large trucks for 20 years, and also focused on aircraft safety at a busy Airline for six. In addition, I’ve been a frequent newspaper opinion contributor, sometimes writing with a strong emphasis on highway safety issues. 



Now, as a disabled person, I’ve been working at a Work Skills Program since 2018, and am grateful for this type of productive work. From my house, I catch the bus to and from work most days and have made some noteworthy observations along the way.  



The majority of my fellow bus passengers are also disabled and some don’t have much of a voice there, since their guardians or advocates are seldom aboard. I have noted some safety concerns, which fellow work colleagues rarely address (or perhaps simply don’t notice,) so I try to speak up for them and their equal rights for harmless environments. 


A top concern is this:  

One spring afternoon in 2018, while riding aboard a nearly-loaded public 12-passenger bus, the driver hit a long valley straightaway and sped up. Soon, on this undivided two-lane she started exceeding 80 mph in a posted 55 zone, and continued this rate steadily over our next 5 to 6 miles. I wish that my camera then would have been of enough high quality to zoom in to show this clearly. 

 Mobile Logic Unit assembly

Months later I experienced an interesting synchronicity when work management trained me for a new task of assembling “Mobile Logic Units” for bus fleets. When I asked our bus drivers about some of the inner workings of these black-box-like devices, they told me that these recorders transpose and save tremendous amounts of data. For instance, in areas where motorists exceed speed limits, the variegated maps are programmed to mark these spots, and indicate them with red flags.


I’m curious though if bus managers actually address any of these warnings about bending or breaking speed laws. Because by many standards operating a commercial vehicle at 25 mph over the posted limit is consider reckless driving – and with a bus full of nearly voiceless disabled people to boot! 


Coupled with previous bus experiences, my intuition niggles at me rigorously that perhaps they do not. And if PennDOT has authority to conduct audits for such vital bus information, I suggest this is something they consider investigating deeper, if they do not already do so. After all, why would our tremendous public bus services invest in expensive cutting-edge safety features if the management sometimes overlooks these, or perhaps willfully ignores them?



Indeed, endangering already disabled passengers like my work colleagues should be held as an uppermost consideration to be avoided at all costs. 

Thank you,
JB

Unconsidered benefits of riding the bus

(And hidden costs of not)

Being new to Centre County I was surprised by the limited scope that bus services offer between Penns Valley and the bustling State College community. But after riding to work for a year aboard the efficient, but thinly spread transport system Centre County offers Centre Hall, I gathered a few observations about why this must be.

*

My fellow passengers pointed out that our county commissioners have long sought to expand Penns Valley ride services. But our transport managers believe this won’t work when they’ve conducted feasibility tests and discussions, because commuters quite enjoy the freedom of driving their own cars and have tight schedules to keep. Driving one’s own car may lead to a strong feeling of independence, but I wonder how many of these commuters have conducted their own feasibility studies?

*

For instance, how much do you think you’ve invested in your own vehicle maintenance, bodywork and upkeep over these last decades? Fuel costs and insurance?  Moving violations, parking tickets and fees? Car depreciation costs? And what about folks who gamble driving home after some relaxing after-work drinks? And what then if they crash into some body? That shaky decision can prove to be more costly than the value of a new car.

*

Besides these often unconsidered price factors, people who choose mostly not to ride buses, miss out on other enhancements: It has erased our road rage. We create time to get to know each other better, and discuss community issues. We can take quick power naps. We listen to educational recordings and music playlists through earbuds. Without distraction, we conduct business and make personal phone calls. We daily riders experience freedoms of cloud watching & daydreaming. We make book annotations, puzzling riddles with gag prizes; share go-to jokes, solve crosswords and other mindbenders. 

*

Other frequent treats we share in our merry commute include, creative poetry writing, seasonal songs in unison, catchy limericks rehearsed and bus Haiku’s spoken. Spring brings colorful photo opportunities with wildlife watching. Just today two passengers smiled while sharing stories about their recent bear encounters. Overall, this multitude of options gives riders chances to develop our characters more fully; and more so doable when compared with traveling alone in a car. Moreover, many bus services provide convenient aps, which indicate if particular buses are running on schedule. On rare occasions when a bus breaks down, fresh drivers soon appear with relief buses. If additional commuters decide they want to be part of the traffic-jam and pollution solutions by taking the bus, the higher demand will create the possibility for expanded bus routes with frequenter stops.

*

Provo, Utah’s Transit Authority encouraged more riders by making its bus free for a while, which increased its ridership fivefold in its first month of the new rapid transit route between Provo and Orem. Most riders quickly become more comfortable with using buses after simply going through the ritual of trying it out a few times.  We, too, can make similar improvements here, around our cutting-edge college town, when more of us do decide to become part of the solution in this ongoing challenge. 

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2018/09/25/uta-finds-way-fill-buses/

-->

Immediate benefits of bus riding

350 word version

New to Centre County I was surprised by the limited scope that bus services offer around Penns Valley. After riding for a year aboard the efficient, but thinly spread system, fellow passengers shared some observations.

They said our commissioners have long sought to expand these ride services. But studying feasibility tests, the managers don’t believe this will work because commuters enjoy the freedom of driving their cars and have tight schedules. Driving one’s car may give a sense of independence, but I wonder how many commuters have conducted self-comparative travel studies?

For instance, how much do you think you spend on vehicle maintenance, tires, tolls, bodywork, upkeep, fuel, depreciation, insurance, violations, parking tickets and meter fees? What about folks who drive drunk and hurt someone? That decision can prove more costly than the value of a new car.

Besides these much unconsidered factors, folks who don’t ride buses miss out on other enhancements: Riding the bus helps ease road rage. Neighbors get to know each other better and discuss community issues. We listen to educational recordings and music. We conduct business and hold undistracted phone calls, while cloud watching transported-daydreamers contemplate curious mindbenders, concoct riddles and share fitting bus witticisms.

Spring brings photo ops with wildlife watching. Just last week two passengers shared stories about their smiling spring bear encounters. These options give riders broad opportunities to smooth out and balance our characters, with wholesome fun more apparent now then compared to when we drove home alone.

Bus services now even provide convenient aps, which indicate if they’re running on time. They discount seniors, children and the disabled. On rare breakdowns, fresh drivers soon appear with relief buses or vans. In a social experiment for their new rapid transit system Provo, Utah’s Transit Authority increased their ridership five-fold in the first month. Riders generally become comfortable with using buses after simply trying them out a few times. When more folks here decide to become part of the traffic-jam and pollution solutions, the higher bus demand will then open expanded routes with frequenter stops.

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Why are we still trashing so much perfectly good food?

Recently on the bus, our work crew engaged in an interesting discussion about food donations. A man who is employed with a local school said “It’s such a shame about the multitude of good food we just toss away into school dumpsters each day.” He added that “Between our school district cafeterias and supply centers we probably throw away tons of good food every week.” Moreover, his school administrators enforce a strict rule, where if he ate or tried to salvage any small food portion marked for trash, he could get fired. 

Our bus driver chimed in, saying that restaurants and food stores don’t donate surplus food nearing expiration dates, because they’re fearful of being sued. Our bus riders seemed unaware of The Federal Bill Emerson Good Samaritan Food Donation Act, even though in 1996 Bill Clinton signed this act to encourage companies and organizations to donate healthy food that would otherwise go to waste. The law
protects you from civil and criminal liability should the product donated in good faith later cause harm to the recipient.

As for myself, I only remember reading about this act recently, which made me wonder if other people, especially food store managers and such had forgotten this 23 year old law. Perhaps reminding food administrators of this protection now and again will help them see that they have no good excuses for tossing away perfectly good edibles and may consider reassessing their waste policies to help our poor and hungry destitute neighbors.

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Second thoughts on doppelgangers

After reading this About.com story about doppelgangers it reminded me of some uncanny incidents of my own. One April daybreak, a dozen years ago, while delivering newspapers in Gimlet, Idaho I saw a mountain lion wisp by the Big Wood River Bridge. This got me thinking about the small children, who would soon be waiting at bus stops and how they could be easy prey, for the fat cat. So I rang the Sheriff’s department. The dispatcher replied, “Oh, we get calls about Mountain Lions all the time." So I asked, “Then what about the kids, who will soon be playing at the bus stops? This momentarily stopped the dispatcher in her tracks, but it didn’t sound as if they would to send an officer to investigate the threat.

This made my blood boil, because I sensed that the danger was real. While wrapping up the news route, I thought of an acquaintance that lived in one of Gimlet's few ramshackle houses –she was a lot like me. Her kids would soon be scrambling around, waiting for the bus. For several minutes, I strongly considered tapping her door, as a precaution, even though it was only 5 am. Although I didn’t knock on her door, I focused deep within, questioning if I had made the right decision and hoped hard that her precious kids would arrive to school unharmed.

Two days later, I crossed my friend’s path, while I was lurking around a furniture shop. She approached me, remarking in a thankful tone, “Somebody tapped on my door the other morning to warn me about a Cougar. Was it you?” The startled look on my face must have made her think that I was I was lying, when I claimed, ‘It was not I.” -Although then I started wishing that I had been the one to awaken my friend, the sleeping beauty.

I’ve reflected about this incident now and again. In the seven years that I served morning papers in the Gimlet area, I seldom I saw anybody jogging about. Unless they worked out in such a stealthy manner that I did not notice them. The question remains, twelve years later: Who or what tapped on her door that early April morn?

~

This extract from “Jay’s”About.com post is a prime example of a good Doppelganger mystery:

“Then after a while I was talking with my friends and I said, "Remember how you kept saying you had seen me in Ellsworth but I wasn't there, several times over the past year or so?" And my friend said, "What are you talking about?" I said, "You know, you kept saying you saw a guy who looked just like me in Ellsworth, in stores and stuff, and he always looked exactly like me down to the last detail." She said, "No, I don't remember seeing anyone who looked like you." I said, "What are you saying, don't you remember how you kept seeing me in Ellsworth and waving at me, and I always ignored you or acted like I didn't notice you at all?" And my friend said, "No, I never said that. I didn't see anyone who looked like you in Ellsworth."”

~

Shortly after I moved to Idaho, I experienced several cases of mistaken identity. Sometimes people would call me by somebody else’s name or say that there was another person in town who bore a striking resemblance to me. Sometimes I was mistaken for a utility worker, a ski patrolman, or another delivery person. This happened enough times that it began to feel eerie. The rational explanation, I thought, was that in Rocky Mountain ski resorts, there are probably numerous tall looking white males of European ancestry, bundled up in heavy clothing, who look much the same.

Nonetheless, the mistaken identities continued at a rate high enough, to tweak my curiosity. Never had I actually met one of the people that supposedly looked like me, although once somebody pointed “him” out at a medium distance as we drove by a lumber store. In my brief glimpse, I could see he was wearing construction overalls and yes he had a remarkably similar build to mine, but at the time, we were in too much of a hurry to investigate this double in depth.

Finally, as these circumstances continued, I vowed that whenever someone mentioned similar resemblances, I would instantly jot down all the peculiars to get to the bottom of this mystery. I would talk to whoever this person is, and compare our backgrounds and tendencies, etc. Indeed, three more times this was brought up, and though I fastidiously jotted down the known details, it was never enough information to go on. I began to wonder how my doppelganger could be so perpetually elusive.

Then one day, I was sitting in Hailey’s old hospital emergency room, to get some X-rays for a minor injury. A middle-aged woman waiting in the reception area recognized me with such warm aplomb, that I thought I should know her from around town. Not instantly recognizing her, I didn’t want to be rude, but figured that once we started conversing, I would be able to piece together from where I knew her. During the course of our long wait, she mentioned several people whose names sounded familiar and a couple of incidents around the valley that I might have known about. It was probably five minutes into our conversation that I realized that she must have been mistaking me for someone else. At this point she asked, “Remember that boat trip we all went on, down to C.J Strike Reservoir? You and Ted and Mary and me, and you said all those funny things?” Well, it sure sounded like me, but I had to deny remembering anything about this. She took a very close up inspection of me while saying, “You don’t remember that?” I simply repeated, “No, I cannot remember that.” Then, I will never forget the piercing look she gave me -as just then I was being called into the hospital examination room, which is well known for being a portal to the unknown. Her look held the thought that I was certainly the same person who traveled with her family on their boat and I must have been either drunk or insane not to remember…

Second thoughts on doppelgangers

After reading this About.com story about doppelgangers it reminded me of a couple uncanny incidents of my own.

One early April morn, about ten years ago, while delivering newspapers in Gimlet, I saw a mountain Lion wisp right by the Bigwood Bridge. I started thinking about the small children, who would soon be waiting at the bus stops and how they could be easy prey, for the fat cat. So I rang the Sheriff’s dept. The dispatcher replied with, “Oh, we get calls about Mountain Lions all the time." So I asked, “Then what about the kids, who will soon be playing at the bus stops? This seemed to momentarily halt the dispatcher in her tracks, but it didn’t sound as though they were going to send out an officer to investigate this threat.

This made my blood boil, because I sensed that the danger was real. While wrapping up papers in the area, I thought of an acquaintance that lived in one of Gimlet's few ramshackle houses –she was a lot like me. Her kids would soon be playing outside, while waiting for the school bus. For several minutes, I thought it important enough that I should go up and tap her door, as a precaution, even though it was only 5 am. Although I didn’t knock on her door, I focused deep within, questioning if I had made the right decision and hoped hard that her precious kids would arrive at school unharmed.

Two days later, I crossed my friend’s path, while I was lurking around at the furniture shop. She approached me asking, “somebody tapped on my door the other morning to warn me about a Mt. Lion. Was it you?” The manifestation of my startled face, must have made her think I was lying, when I claimed, ‘it was not I.’ I didn’t mention how badly I did wanted to tap her door that morning, but as far as I knew, the potential lifesaver, wasn’t me. Although now I wished I had the horse sense to awaken my friend, the sleeping beauty.

I’ve reflected about this incident now and again. In all the years of delivering early morning papers in the rich Gimlet area, it was seldom that I saw anybody jogging about. Unless they were working out in such a stealthy manner that I did not notice them. The question remains, ten years after, who or what tapped on her door that early April morn ?

~ ~ ~

The extract from “Jay’s”About.com post is a good example of a Doppelgaenger mystery elusively hanging on the periphery:

“Then after a while I was talking with my friends and I said, "Remember how you kept saying you had seen me in Ellsworth but I wasn't there, several times over the past year or so?" And my friend said, "What are you talking about?" I said, "You know, you kept saying you saw a guy who looked just like me in Ellsworth, in stores and stuff, and he always looked exactly like me down to the last detail." She said, "No, I don't remember seeing anyone who looked like you." I said, "What are you saying, don't you remember how you kept seeing me in Ellsworth and waving at me, and I always ignored you or acted like I didn't notice you at all?" And my friend said, "No, I never said that. I didn't see anyone who looked like you in Ellsworth."”

~

Shortly after I moved to Idaho, there were several cases of me being mistaken for somebody else, or somebody seeing who they thought was I elsewhere in the valley. Sometimes I was mistaken for a utility worker, a ski patrolman, or another delivery person. After this happened several times, I thought it a bit uncanny, but figured that there are probably numerous tall athletically looking white males bundled up in heavy clothing, who look much the same in Rocky Mountain ski communities.

Nonetheless, the mistaken identities continued at a rate high enough, that it began to tweak my curiosity. Never had I actually met one of these supposed people that looked like me, although once somebody pointed “him” out at a medium distance as we were driving by a lumber store. In my brief glimpse, I could see he was wearing construction overalls and yes he had a remarkably similar build to mine, but of course we were in too much of a hurry to investigate this double in depth at that time.

Finally, several years ago, after this happened a few more times, I vowed that whenever someone brought up my similar resemblance to someone else, that I would instantly jot down all the particulars and somehow instantly get to the bottom of this, talk to whoever this person is, and compare our backgrounds and tendencies, etc. Three more times this was brought up, and although I jotted down the known details, it was never enough information to go on.

Then one day, I was sitting in Hailey’s old hospital emergency room, to get some X-rays for a minor injury. A middle-aged woman waiting in the reception area, recognized me with such a warm aplomb, that I thought I should know her from around town. Not instantly recognizing her, I didn’t want to be rude, but figured that once we started conversing, I would be able to place from where I knew her. During the course of our long wait, she mentioned several people whose names sounded familiar and a couple of incidents around the valley that I might have known about. It was probably five minutes into our conversation that I realized that she must have been mistaking me for someone else. At this point she asked, “Remember that boat trip we all went on, down to C.J Strike Reservoir? You and Ted and Mary and me, and you said all those funny things?” Well, it sure sounded like me, but I had to deny remembering anything about this. She took a very close up inspection of me while saying, “You don’t remember that?” I simply repeated, “No, I cannot remember that.” Then, I will never forget the piercing look she gave me -as just then I was being called into the emergency examination room, which is well known for being a portal to the unknown. Her look held the thought that I was most certainly the same person who traveled with her family on their boat and I must have been either drunk or insane not to remember…

Statewide Movie Signage Proposal

With the bill pending in our Legislature to fund film industry incentives within the state, Idaho leaders could further bolster this opportunity by asking that our Transportation Department, revisit Professor Tom Trusky’s innovative “Statewide Movie Signage Proposal.” Expanding our already successful Idaho Highway Historical Marker program to include tributes to films made in Idaho could be next logical step in this popular program’s evolution.

To quote Professor Trusky from last year, “The tourist / publicity value of such signage is apparent – and locals might appreciate such knowledge, too, if they are unaware of their cinematic heritage. As well, given the recent interest in bringing film production to the state, such signage would not only be public acknowledgement of Idaho’s considerable contribution to the film industry but also serve as a reminder to contemporary filmmakers of the Gem State possibilities.” As it stands now, every day, thousands of travelers drive directly past Highway 75’s old North Fork Store, unmindful to the fact, that in one of her best performances, Marilyn Monroe starred there in Bus Stop.

Who knows to what high level such a pioneering program might soar? Perhaps one day we will create interactive signs, offering holograms with brief clips for tourists to enjoy.

To thwart vandals, we could program Clint Eastwood’s voice, to sternly announce, “Go ahead! Make my day! Because you are now being filmed by an interactive sign, commemorating Idaho films!”

Let’s not miss this important bus, because by merging the information superhighway with our back road signage, Idaho could show the rest of the world how we stand on the cutting-edge, as well as being capable to cut though bureaucracy, when truly original ideas like Professor Trusky’s crop up, like some of the diamond blockbusters filmed in Idaho’s hardscrabble rough.

Footnote: Last year, the Director of the Idaho film collection, Professor Tom Trusky assisted Brad Nottingham and I in our successful quest for a historical sign commemorating the filming of Clint Eastwood’s Pale Rider in Idaho. Although, the highway department did not construct a sign up by the Boulder Mountains as we had hoped, they did amend the Wood River Mines historical marker sign, north of Bellevue, to include a tribute to Mr. Eastwood’s groundbreaking Idaho film.

A Miracle on Library Place?

While riding our bus Jackie, one of our handicapped handi-capable students suddenly dropped Michael Talbot’s groundbreaking Holographic Universe book onto some molecules in the wheelchair aisle.

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Notably, the book spilled to a page that covered both miracles and time. This opened a discussion where Jackie mentioned the curious book was overdue, and she hesitates to check out any more books, because she often loses track of time.

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A couple of us told Jackie that a lot of librarians like to forgive. They might waive the late fee if she mentions the fact that she was snowbound the day it was due and the roads were closed. Not only that, but we found out that Jackie was unaware she could easily extend her borrowing time over her phone or even online – that is, so long as somebody else hasn’t already reserved the insightful holographic book for their borrowed time, and if Jackie has her library card number ready.

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I disliked seeing humble Jackie still hesitate over this small change issue, when considering checking out another book. 

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Conspicuously, the next day I read that some libraries have developed innovative methods for encouraging poor people to comply with late fees. Following that, even waste-transfer and dump stations often give mulligans and occasionally designate specific drop-off dates for unwanted items and hazardous materials. 

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Besides what I unearthed about libraries providing occasional amnesty days (which doesn’t address the issue of existing overdue fees) some libraries have initiated a popular food-for-fines program, which helps by having a particular day where patrons bring food items in for local homeless shelter donations, giving one dollar credit of waived library fee per item. Sometimes they’ve found they need to apply a cap on the total amount they allow waived. 

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I hope this good news helps Jackie some with her decision. Her fellow bus riders wouldn’t like seeing her allow a few dollars to subtract from her important investment in our wide-reaching reading universe.

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Related link:  http://publiclibrariesonline.org/2012/12/fine-forgiveness-for-all/

Pete Banholzer’s 1949 V.W. Convertible and other folksy Volkswagen ruminations

In the spring of 1965 when my father was towards the beginning of a long career selling Volkswagens with the Horst B. Lantzsch dealership in Fairfax, Virginia, he came across a unique chance to buy a 1949 Beetle. This model was the first year that Germany’s small affordable car for the masses was permitted for import to the United States, as WW2 had just ended a few years before.

“An egg with wheels and flying saucer appeal”, is how some have described this small wonder. The early versions looked like a Beetle and Carmen-Ghia hybrid. During the Bug’s heyday dad once sold 200 vehicles in a single month. Great photos of 1932-1979 Volkswagens are online at: www.oldcarandtruckpictures.com/Volkswagen

The air-cooled engine afforded easier parking in the elements for those without garages. But the defrosting system left something to be desired. In winters Dave Banks, a VW mechanic would attach a rubber tube to the one tiny heater outlet behind the driver’s seat of his VW to blow warm air up the back of his uniform for the duration of his Berryville to Fairfax commute.

H.B. Lantzsch had owned an Eastern Germany Chevrolet dealership in the 1930’s until the Nazi’s confiscated it. Working a series of hardscrabble woodworking jobs alongside his wife after immigrating to the United States, Horst eventually parlayed his earnings and connections into his own Volkswagen dealership by 1959. Hiring mostly German mechanics, English was a second language in his shop for many years. I polished up my German while shining cars alongside some of these same mechanics on the improved pollution controlled Volkswagen’s of the early 80’s.

In our shop we took out the trash with a 1960’s era VW bus that appeared as though the top half had been cut off to convert it into a pickup truck. It had multiple toolboxes built into the sides. I wondered why I hadn’t seen more of these, as they would have been the perfect light trucks for carpenters, electricians and other handymen. The shop foreman, Werner Kulbe told me that these trucks were extremely popular when they first came to America in the early 60’s, but around the same time the European Economic Community had raised tariffs on imported chicken, effectively cutting off the United States from this lucrative market. In what became known as “The Chicken War”, our Country soon responded with a 25 percent tariff on various items including light trucks. This tariff continues over 40 years later even though Volkswagen no longer produces trucks.

Dave Dando used to help me take out the trash in the chicken wagon here, as we started on the “shine and glow” crew around the same time. As one of the most knowledgeable mechanics in the world today he’s had a career encompassing medical research on prions and installed Thermonuclear resistant shields over electrical systems in now unified Germany.

Dads 49er’ originally had a 25 horsepower engine in the rear. The fuel level used to be checked with a wooden dipstick since it had no fuel gauge. There was however a reserve tank, with one gallon of gas that could be accessed by pulling a special lever while you drove along sputtering out of gas. The engine was soon replaced with a zippy ‘62 VW Bus’s, and soon we were floating fast like a yellow hovercraft clipping an hour off from our frequent trips over the Potomac River and through the woods of Pennsylvania to visit Grandma. Like some things today, the paper trail of a speeding ticket could be easily intercepted with the right connections.

Automobile safety wasn’t thought to be much of an issue back then. Speed limits were higher and seat belts were just coming out. (The 1949 Nash had the first ones) It was interesting when my Ecology teacher asked for my opinion of Ralph Nader –an early car safety advocate and author of “Unsafe at Any Speed”- with my father being well known as a Volkswagen salesman in what was then a small community -about the size of Boise today.

Dad took a lot of pride in his 49er and brought it dozens of car rallies, dune buggy races and other shows, which enabled him to meet a wide variety of interesting car buffs with similar interests. Copious car show awards and plaques filled the walls of our basement between the pinball machine and the pool table.

My brother David and I had similarly narrow escapes while taking Dad’s prized VW out for joy rides while he was away. Mine involved almost ramming into the basketball pole while getting used to clutch driving, backing out of our Whitefield Street driveway. David’s entailed finding our parents coming home a day early from vacation while he showcased the convertible on a wild ride for a gang of neighborhood kids.

April’s fool’s pranks have often been played with lightweight VW’s. One of our teachers told us about his college days when his buddies pushed a 50’s era Bug onto an elevator. Bribing the elevator operator with some whisky they rose up to their professor’s unlucky 13^th floor and blocked the apartment door with his own car.

Cramming people into a VW is another fad that occasionally gets broken. The current confirmed Guinness record is 25. This may be difficult to beat anytime soon in our super-sized fast food nation!

A less tasteful caper is one that National Lampoon ran in the 1973. Spoofing a Volkswagen ad they featured a picture of a VW floating in water with the caption reading, “If Ted Kennedy drove a Volkswagen, He’d be President today”. Ted Kennedy didn’t sue, but Volkswagen almost did. A shocking aspect of this ad was the powerfully different future this country might have had if the Chappaquiddick incident had a less unfortunate outcome.

My friend Tiss and I used to ride his 60’s era VW back home from basketball practice. His car even wore “Famous Idaho Potatoes” plates just like the ones online at: http://www.idahohistory.net/plates6.html

His father; a Colonel in the Air Force had recently transferred from Mountain Home, Idaho’s base. If the weather was cold this Bug would catch a virus, because the horn would start honking on it’s own like a sick Trumpeter Swan. “HRMMMUPHH! HRMMMUPHHH!” It squeaked. Always while turning the steering wheel slightly to the right. This gave us an excuse to travel home in a roundabout fashion taking only left turns to avoid the unnecessary horn blowing. We discovered escapades on our new path more attractive than our awaiting homework. Tiss later bought a VW Scirocco from my dad and sometimes drove through town with his head sticking out of the sunroof, since he was over Zwei meters tall. Today Dr. Tissaw still occasionally enjoys a VW ride –as long as his fly rod fits aboard.

In 1974 Dad displayed a VW with good old number 53 emblazoned on the sides in a movie theatre lobby for the Washington area premiere of “Herbie Rides Again”. It’s a famous story where a living Volkswagen helps a lady protect her home from a corrupt developer. In the snack area my brother, sister and I were stunned when we dropped a dime into the Tab soda machine and a robotic voice said “Thank You!” Turned out it was the theatre manager. Whenever he would hear the change drop into the back part of the machine built into his room, he would play jokes on those of us recently indoctrinated to Herbie type personifications of machines!

The first Herbie the Love Bug movie from 1969 contains a scene with the actors talking on a cell phone as they carefully drove along. These guys were ahead of their time! Disney this summer is bringing out a hot new film: “Herbie Fully Loaded”

There is a nice young girl in town that drives a decorative Doodlebug of the 21^st century. I’ve nicknamed her VW “Herbaceous”. The other day I saw her buzzing down Highway 75 with what appeared to be one headlight flickering. Was her light really going out or was this just another VW with a sparkling personality winking at me again?