[FCG] Re: [FQP]FQP Mobiles

[Bob Patten]

K1to at aol.com wrote:

Lemme 'splain where I'm coming from with my seemingly ballistic comments 
regarding drivers...
I first suggested writing "Rules of the Road" into the FQP rules 2-3 
years ago following a write-up by one
of the out-of-state mobiles (I don't think it was even the one you 
listed below).  The impression left was that
the pair spent most hours speeding through the state, and even gave an 
account of passing an 18 wheeler on
the shoulder at about 100 MPH!
Then there was last April...  My wife and I both have some minor damage 
remaining from that motorcycle accident that
shut down my mobile plans in last year's FQP.  This was caused by 
another idiot FL driver who made an illegal
left turn close in front of me.  Not long after that, you probably heard 
of K4PG's mishap on the drive back from the
Keys following Field Day.
Wonder if you have seen any of the polls on the internet about drivers.  
I've seen several, all of which point out that
Florida has the worst/rudest drivers in the country - with SFL being the 
worst of the worst.  Having spent the better
part of 35 years driving 70 miles/day from home to WPLG-TV, most of it 
on a bike, I KNOW the preceding to be
true.  Over those years, I've avoided hundreds of accidents, but finally 
got caught last April...
So if I seem overly sensitive to other people's driving, perhaps it is 
with good reason?

>The ONLY mobile operation that I know of that has abused anything was a 
>certain team that (several years ago) sped westbound across I-10 to reach their 
>47th and last county in time.
>
>Team N4TO/m stops frequently to make sure that each county has a minimum 
>amount of time.  Our stops easily total to over an hour each day.  We spend very 
>little time on the highways, instead looking for back roads to cut through 
>county corners on.  It is the efficiency of our route that allows us to hit 44 
>counties, not our reckless driving.  900 miles in 20 hours does not constitute s
>peeding.  
>  
>
So far, you, I, and N4KM have at least inferred publically that we 
followed the FL traffic laws.  I would still like to see it as
a requirement in the rules for the FQP with it's adherence included in 
the signed declaration at the bottom.

>Another mobile team hit more counties than we did this year, employing a 
>strategy of moving all the time.  One member of that team strongly urged that we 
>add language to the FQP rules suggesting safe driving, so I doubt that they 
>abuse the rules of the road either.
>  
>
This is really all I'm asking!  I see it as a positive for FQP PR, "The 
Florida Contest Group promotes safe driving by
it's mobile operators in the Florida QSO Party".  And from the above 
quote, add one more to the mobiles who
probably did follow the traffic laws this year.

-- 
73,     Bob Patten, N4BP                Plantation, FL

E-Mail: n4bp at arrl.net                   Website: http://www.qsl.net/n4bp
QRP ARCI #3412    SOC #1    ARS #799    Whiners #6   FISTS #7871