Thursday, 23 June 2005

Saint Paul the Auto Repairman

Record highs today in Minnesota when I pulled over for an en route police car complete with lights and sirens. As I stopped, the tire jumped the curb. I didn’t think anything of it until I couldn’t move after the squad car passed me.

Now, I’m stranded yards from one of the busiest intersections in Minneapolis on the hottest day yet this year with a dead front passenger wheel. Completely unresponsive to the steering wheel.

After calling for a tow truck (“all my guys are pretty busy right now”) and pondering my next move, a mechanic from the near by semi-truck repair shop stops by.

“Hi, I’m Paul. It looks like you popped a tie rod end. I think I can pop it back into place.”

He came back with a hammer and got the wheel back on. Then, he blocked traffic as I slowly backed up into his parking lot.

After we’re safely out of traffic Paul continues, “if you can pick up a right tie rod end by 3:30, I could probably install it for you.”

Jen picks me up, we run over to a car parts shop, pick up the part and give Paul my keys, phone number, and the new tie rod end.

A couple hours later, Paul calls and I ask him what I owe him.

“Whatever you’d like.”

When we exchange car key for check, he shrugs, “the Lord told me to fix your car.”

Thank you Lord and thank you St. Paul.

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Tuesday, 29 March 2005

Auto Insurance Companies Gamble Double or Nothing

This morning, NPR reported on a study finding auto insurance rates in No-Fault states 20% higher and rising more quickly than in “Fault” states.

In a No-Fault state, each driver’s insurance pays for their claim. Elsewhere the accident-causing driver’s insurance pays for both claim.

This means insurance companies prefer the double-or-nothing gamble over having to always pay something. Rather than having an incentive to make the roads safer as a whole (No-Fault), insurance companies are betting their customers to never be at fault. The end result – a greater chance the most dangerous drivers have no insurance (no one will carry them or they can’t afford it) and a lower chance your rates will go up. Seems to me, this keeps accident rates steady.

Wednesday, 9 March 2005

Gas Prices are like Bad Haircuts

Overheard at the Dunn Bros in downtown St. Paul:

“It’s like gambling, losing all that money at the gas pumps these days.”

Complaining about gas prices is like complaining about a bad haircut. Each of us has the power to change the impact it has on us. In the case of cars; drive less, use public transit, bike, buy a car that gets better than a mile per gallon, or just stop whining.

Similarly, it should be illegal to complain about traffic and gas prices. They’re directly correlated.

To finish the metaphor, in the case of bad haircuts; get it re-cut by the same stylist, get a wig, re-cut it yourself, get a new stylist, let it grow out.

Saturday, 20 November 2004