PennSilverTaco's "Perfect 5-Lug Regular Cab" Build, Aspergers, and General BS MegaThread!

The guys from Synergy Project came to Puck to collect the canned goods for the local food pantry...

They drive a 2012 FJ!

 

What I'm about to say is especially true if you not only live in Pennsylvania, but work in the bar business as well...

The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board is a lot like a port-a-potty...

You'd rather not use it, but you could get in a lot of trouble if you get caught doing your business outside of it!

 

My boss has recently started listening to music on her noise-cancelling headphones while working. I thought this was annoying at first, since she'd shout at me because she had her music really loud, and she'd have to shut off the music to hear me.

One good thing has come out of it, however...

When I have to fart, I don't have to make any effort to hide it!

 

Drop an SBDF (silent but deadly fart), and walk away.

 

My current steering wheel cover...

 

@MikeCB600F
@PROseur
@98tacoma27
@Plain Jane Taco
@ChadsPride

Here's a Thanksgiving story (or at least a pre-Thanksgiving story) for y'all.

This happened right before Thanksgiving in 2010...

Throughout 2008, I was a part of this group for young adults with Asperger's. It is called New Horizons, and it is still in existence. I know they are still in existence because my cell phone must still be on their list, and every year I still get a phone call inviting me to come to their annual "Beef N' Beer" charity event. I stopped going to New Horizons for a number of reasons. The biggest reason was that they didn't cater exclusively to people with Asperger's and other forms of high-functioning autism. They accepted people with lower-functioning forms of autism; they also accepted people with mental retardation and Down Syndrome. A lot of the members also seemed to have mental problems that went way beyond Asperger's/autism, mental retardation, down syndrome, and related disorders. I do not have a problem with people who have these disabilities, but one thing that everybody needs to know is that high-functioning individuals like my friends and me require a different curriculum than lower-functioning individuals. It pisses us off when we are grouped together with lower-functioning individuals, and treated as a diagnosis and not a person. In late 2008, I found out about Coffeehouse Center of Bucks County, was accepted as a member, started going in January 2009, and never looked back. Within 3 months I had more friends than I'd ever had in my life. Within 8 months, I had my learner's permit. Within 9 months, I had my learner's permit...

THE STORY:
Anyway, I decided to go to the 2010 "Beef N' Beer" with two of my Aspie friends from the Coffeehouse. At the same time, I was taking a "responding to emergencies" course at Bucks County Community College, so I could get CPR certified. As part of the course, each student was required to create a simulated emergency scenario, and render first aid to their "victim" using whatever was available. We were not allowed to use classmates as the victim. I decided to use my friend Doug, one of the aforementioned Aspies who ended up accompanying me to the Beef N' Beer. Doug, who has been into stage acting for much of his life, was perhaps a bit too excited to take part in this. Finding a victim to practice first aid on was the easiest part...

The Beef N' Beer has always been held at a VFW Post in Glenside, Pennsylvania. 2010 was no different. I decided to use the VFW Post as my accident scene, and got the okay from staff to go ahead with the project. The scenario was that we were trapped at the VFW during a blizzard or bad storm with limited first aid supplies, and EMS was unable to reach us. The injury I decided on was a badly broken arm, and I fashioned a splint from two sticks and strips torn from a disposable tablecloth if I remember correctly. I then made a sling out of another larger piece of the tablecloth. I say again that the right people at the VFW were informed of what I was doing. The actual project went flawlessly...

THE GOOD PART
After we were all done and my friends Doug and Mike had gone back inside. I headed to a dumpster on the property and through out the ripped up tablecloth, and right near the dumpster I came across an elderly Vietnam veteran getting into his white Buick LeSabre. I knew he was a Vietnam vet because of the stickers in the Buick's rear window, and the hat he was wearing. Normally I would not have done anything beyond saying "Hi," but the GM nerd in me overrode my common sense. This guy's 1987-1991ish Buick LeSabre was exactly like the 1988 LeSabre Limited my Grandma owned from 1988 to 2000, and I attempted to strike up a conversation with the guy about his Buick...

To be continued...

 

@MikeCB600F
@PROseur
@98tacoma27
@Plain Jane Taco
@ChadsPride

I don't know if this guy was drunk, had some sort of mental problem, or both...

But, something about me didn't sit right with him. I don't even remember what I said or asked about his car, but I know it was something perfectly innocent. This car was probably about 20 years old, but it was in near-mint condition. I think it was something like "Is that a 1988 Buick LeSabre? Nice car! My Grandma used to have one just like it!" I said this on my way to the dumpster,

I don't know what he initially said, but he acted like I was trying to carjack him or something. Keep in mind that it was dark outside and probably about 9pm-10pm, but I had permission to be on the property since I was there for a charity event, and I was not taking pictures or anything. As soon as I toss the remnants of the makeshift sling and splint in the dumpster, he more or less went nuts...

Mr. Buick started ranting and raving, demanding to know what I was doing on the property and why I was using the VFW's dumpster. I very politely explained to him why I was there and what I was doing. Not only was he not having any of it, he seemed oblivious to the fact that there was a charity event going on at the VFW. I explained the situation to him two or three times and got nowhere, and he had no idea what I was talking about when I told him about the Beef N' Beer. Mr. Buick accused me of trespassing, and even threatened to call the cops at one point. I eventually gave up trying to reason with the guy and walked back up to the VFW building to meet back up with my friends.

My friend Mike's mom was also there, and I explained to her and my friends what happened. Mike, who didn't (and still doesn't) have a driver's license, was going home with his mom. I was going back to Mike's house with Doug, who was one of the first members of the Coffeehouse who didn't initially have a license to get one, in his 2007 Camry Hybrid. I was told not to worry about this guy, but as I talking with my friends and my friend's mom, I can remember seeing that old white Buick creeping through the parking lot, and I know the old man was shadowing me. I'm still dumbfounded, to this day, about what exactly I did to incur this old fart's wrath...

IT DOESN'T END THERE:
Mike went with his mom to their 2008 Nissan Versa. Doug and I walked back to his Camry. As we were walking to the back lot where Camry was parked, I suddenly saw the white Buick appear out of nowhere and circle around. The guys stops, rolls down his window, begins shouting at us about trespassing, and demands to know what we are doing on the property...

Not wanting to deal with this guy anymore, I tell Doug to just ignore him, but Doug isn't having it...

Doug is notoriously stubborn, has trouble dealing with authority, and in general always has to have the last word...

Doug walks right up to this old guy's Buick and starts arguing with him, saying we weren't doing anything wrong. Doug forced my hand, and I walked over to the Buick to intervene. I don't know how I diffused the situation, but I did...

I told Mr. Buick yet again that we were allowed to be there, and at this point we just wanted to leave. He kept ranting and yet again threatened to call the cops. If I remember correctly, I took out my cell phone and actually told him that if he didn't leave us the hell alone, I'd call the cops on him. I then grabbed Doug by the arm and dragged him back to the Camry. By the time we exited the lot, Mr. Buick was nowhere to be seen.

I've never had an incident like that one since...

What do you think was up with Mr. Buick? Drunkenness? Mental problems? Dementia?

 

I don’t like Nissan Versa

I do like Buick lesabre

We all are a little mentally ill

 

@Plain Jane Taco
@98tacoma27

Here's another one...

This happened back in like 2011-2012, when we lived in the townhouse. I know I had my driver's license at this point because I was driving by myself when this happened. It was in my Tacoma, which at the time was totally stock and in mint condition (Now my truck has custom rims, a custom grill, lots of bumper stickers/magnets, and a few dents). I believe I was driving home from the gym, and I decided to stop in a neighborhood near mine to look at some new construction. This neighborhood, built by now-defunct Heritage Homebuilders, was a combination residential/commercial development. It consisted mostly of townhouses, but there was a business complex in there as well. I wanted to check out the progress on the commercial section. I forget when exactly this was (I'm pretty sure it was during the summer), but the sun pretty much down and it was getting dark. I pulled into the parking lot of the business complex and started driving around, looking at the new buildings...

A guy in a black Lincoln Navigator who worked in one of the offices there was leaving, and I happened to cross paths with him. In my rearview mirror, I swear I saw him ponder the situation briefly. He then turned left and followed me at a distance. Keep in mind that I was in an upscale neighborhood/business complex in Central Bucks, not some commercial property in North Philly. Also keep in mind that I was driving a 2-year old pickup truck and not some sketchy-looking piece of shit. I was also dressed in my workout clothes, as I was on my way home from the gym...

I was not taking pictures, and I did not come to a stop, nor did I ever even get out of my truck! I was just driving through the parking lot looking at the buildings. These were brand new buildings, so some of the spaces were still available for lease. For all this vigilante in the SUV knew, I was a prospective buyer/lessee...

Once it became obvious that this guy was actually following, I buried the accelerator and sped off. This probably made me look even more suspicious, but he can go fuck himself as far as I'm concerned. This is America, access to the property was not restricted, and I don't think I was doing anything wrong...

 

The Versa is gone now. They traded it for a new Ford Focus SE in like 2014 or 2015...

 

A post from a member of Tundras.com in MY THREAD on that forum...

 

There have been times when I wished I had power windows. This is especially true when I'm trying to talk with somebody who is standing at my passenger window...



However, in my opinion, the benefits far outweigh the negative aspects...

1. With the exception of Kermit (my Uncle Craig's 1971 VW Bus, which I have driven), I've never seen manual windows actually break or otherwise have problems...

2. If your vehicle's air-conditioner breaks, you'll always be to roll down the windows and get a cross-breeze (I know people who have vehicles with power windows that won't go down all the way or at all, and their A/C happens to be broken; my cousin's husband had this problem with his old 1980s Volvo when he was in college back in the late 1990s! The A/C didn't work, only one window went down, and he had to drive to Bakersfield in the summer!)

3. If you lock your keys in the vehicle, you have manual windows, and the window is partially down, it's not as hard to get in as it would be if you had power windows.

4. Electrical problems...? What electrical problems?!?!

Even our believed Tacomas have not been available with manual windows since 2014.

 

Thanksgiving Eve begins...

There's a reason it's also known as Blackout Wednesday!

So, I encourage all my fellow Tacoma owners who live in my area, or who may be visiting my area for Thanksgiving, to come to Puck! That's Puck on 1 Printers Alley, in Doylestown, PA!

However, make sure you leave you Taco at home and designate a driver! Don't drink and drive! Use Uber or Lyft, or get a cab! Don't drink and drive!

Local taxi services are All 3's (215-333-3333) and 215-GET-ACAB.

Look forward to seeing you!

 

ehhh I'll still take my power windows any day

 

A special message for anyone (drunk or sober) who messes with my truck tonight...

 

Really glad I don't live in Adams, Lancaster, or York County...

I just read a Fox News 43 article stating that there will be numerous DUI checkpoints in those three counties. As a barback who will be working a full shift tonight, I think it's safe to say I will be one of the few people driving home from a bar after midnight who has any business behind the wheel.

Don't get me wrong...

As previous victim of a drunk driver, I think it's great that police are doing what they can to discourage impaired people from getting behind the wheel, and working hard to catch those who are dumb enough to drive drunk. However, as someone who has vowed to never drive drunk, I will say again that I think the DUI checkpoints are a pain in the ass...

 

I've been through three DUI checkpoints in my whole life; two were as a passenger with my dad driving, and one where I was driving; Two were in Pennsylvania and one was in Maine.

As far as DUI checkpoints go, Pennsylvania's seem to be the most unobtrusive. All they care about is that you are sober.

One time a guy I know who was in his early 50s at the time hit a DUI checkpoint on his way home from work, after he'd had a number of Guinnesses. The cops suspected he'd been drinking, and gave him a breathalyzer. He blew a .06, but he was polite and cooperative, his driver's license was valid, and his truck was registered, inspected, and insured. They let him go...

When I went through a DUI checkpoint at about 11pm on my way home from work, on St. Pat's this year, it went like this...

I turned my dome light on, retrieved my registration and proof of insurance from the glovebox, took my license out of my wallet, and laid it all on the seat next to me in case I was asked to show any of it...

I was asked in this exact order:

Cop: Where are you coming from?

Me (wearing a shirt with the logo of the bar where I work): Puck. I work there.

Cop: Where are you headed?

Me: Home.

Cop: You had any alcoholic beverages tonight?

Me: Nope.

Cop: You sure about that?

Me: Yes.

Cop: Okay sir, thank you for not drinking and driving. Have a good night and drive safe.

 

For all the police knew, I could have been driving an uninsured and unregistered vehicle on a suspended driver's license.

DISCLAIMER: My driver's license is valid through March 2019 and has never been suspended or revoked, my driving record is clean, my truck is fully insured, my registration is good through August 2019, and my inspection is good through October 2018.

In other states, like California for example, drivers do not have it so easy. Even if they are completely sober, they still have to show their driver's license, registration, and proof of insurance. In my opinion, this constitutes unreasonable search and seizure because they are stopping people when they are not suspected of a crime.

I believe Ohio and Tennessee are the same way as California. Some states call them DUI/Driver's license checkpoints. I don't agree with this, because like I said, I think it constitutes unreasonable search and seizure unless you and/or your vehicle matches the description of a suspect or a vehicle used in the crime, or if a police officer has actually seen you doing something wrong and pulls you over.

 

That's like saying "I wish my truck had a carburetor." You can make up some insane niche scenarios where the old way is better than the new modern standard, but 99.999% of the time... why would you want that?

And by the way, crank handles used to fall off window mechanisms all the time. I bet everyone on this forum that's over 40 had or remembers someone's car that had a vice-grip clamped to the window crank nub.

 

Are you posting a cassette deck appreciation thread next?

I miss nothing about crank windows.