Fourier Analysis is a mathematical tool which can do a number of things: separate out signals from noise; help identify patterns or trends in data; filter out all unwanted data and focus on a single signal; use approximations to make generalizations; make approximations of real world signals (think electronic music); combine harmonics to get a stronger signal. That's what I'll be trying to do here!! Won't you join me with your comments?

Monday, September 10, 2007

Drivin' 'Cross Texas

Since I had a hot new car (see previous post) my Dad wanted to take a trip to visit his Mom and sister and her family. They lived in Texas as well, but if you know Texas, you know that it is the size of a medium size country (in fact, several small countries can fit inside it!). So from where we lived it was a good 8-hour drive. We set out early in the morning, making good time on the wide Texas highways. After a stop for lunch, I let my Dad take over driving. Now really, this car was a man's dream car. When you pushed down the accelerator, it responded and handled great speed with ease.

Unfortunately for my Dad, Texas is not Germany, and there are speed limits. So on a long stretch of road, where there are few cars and a fairly barren landscape, it is really easy to lose track of how fast you are going. Which he did. And of course there was a state trooper with nothing to do who happened to be parked under one of the few shade trees that were alongside the road. Dad did not see him in time, and knew that he had been caught speeding.

Sure enough, the trooper came up behind us and flashed his lights. Dad stopped and got out of the car to give the trooper his license (this was before the days before law enforcement was afraid of people getting out of their cars). He also needed the registration, and I got it out of the glove box and went to give it to him.

Now as we were traveling in Texas during a pretty warm late spring day, I was wearing shorts and a tank top. I had not received the nickname "Legs" in college without reason! The trooper asked me if it was my car and I said yes. He asked about the engine size and I gave him the specs. He joked with my Dad about how easy it was to speed in a car like that! I got back in the driver's seat while my Dad was still talking to the trooper.

The way my Dad tells it,"That trooper admired her. He admired the car. He was smilin' ear to ear. Musta made his day. And he still gave me a ticket!"

At least he did knock off some miles from his actual speed so the ticket was not so expensive.

10 comments:

Jen said...

LOL, this sounds like such a Texas story. Did you see Little Miss Sunshine? There's a priceless scene with a trooper in that one...

soccer mom in denial said...

Well now - you GO Ms. Thing, errr Legs.

Anonymous said...

I'm lovin' these hot car stories.

Virtualsprite said...

I love it! It is just so perfect. Reminds me of my own dad's midlife crisis when he bought a 1986 Camaro Z-28. I think the same damn thing happened.

Mom not Mum (Sandy) said...

LOL The nerve of that trooper! My mom and I got pulled over once in Idaho and when the trooper stepped out of his car with his smokey the bear hat on we lost it. We thought for sure he was going to give us a sobriety test because we just couldn't quit giggling.

anno said...

Now, that was a hard-hearted trooper for sure. Only in Texas...

Adventures In Waitressing said...

LOL.. that is a really cute story. Thanks for sharing

Karenkool said...

Baaahh! They ALWAYS get ya in Texas!! Dem troopers ain't got nothin' better to do.

Unknown said...

I have never driven across Texas, but did drive from Dallas to Minneapolis one time. You're right, it is easy to speed. I recall averaging 85 mph. Fortunately, we didn't meet up with any hard-hearted Texas law-men!

Jeff and Charli Lee said...

I tried showing the cop my legs one time - and he increased the ticket!