Mr. MC's Blog

The Marukai Japanese supermarket mall parking lot in Cupertino CA is always full. Most drivers then choose to park away from the mall in the residential area. However, driver should make sure to check for the signs and its parking restrictions to avoid parking tickets. If the signs were blocked by the bushes, or trees, or other taller vehicles, we can still fight those parking tickets. But, you must take a photos of it and send it to me, and to show the Judge in your Trial By Written Declaration (TBWD) to proof that it was really blocked. With those photos, there is a high chance to beat your parking tickets!

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

Today around 1:30 PM, I was driving southbound of North First St towards Hwy 880. I was following an Audi A4 about 3 cars from behind, and right after I cross Brokaw Rd, the Audi suddenly stopped, and was attempting to turn into a gas station. However, since there was a pedestrian crossing, it stopped there to yield for the pedestrian. And, I was like 2-car length behind, and I had to turn my wheel to the left so that 25% of my car is occupying the lane at my left in order to avoid rear-ending the Audi. The Audi should have signaled at least 50 feet prior to the stop, but it did not at all. Not even when it has already stopped, and was waiting for the pedestrian. I hate those behavior, and it’s annoying and dangerous!

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

Last evening, I was visiting a friend nearby Brokaw Rd -x- Hwy 880. As I exit the freeway, there was a car tailgating me. I was already at 60 MPH while “exiting” the freeway for which most car would only drive at 40 MPH. At that moment, I remember how I learned to do APEX at my previous Go-Kart racing classes. So, I stepped on the gas pedal and accelerated through that APEX line, afterwards, the tailgating car behind was like 40-50 feet behind me. It’s amazing how many like to tailgating others at a high speed but those people had no idea how to drive at the APEX line.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

Today at around 6:30 PM when I drove by Hwy 84 eastbound -x- Newark Blvd, I saw a three car accident blocking at the fast lane. First, there was a white Caltran-like pickup, followed by a Ford, and then, a Toyota Prius. The pickup rear bumper has minor damage, and the Prius has no damage. But, the Ford is about 30% damaged. It’s front hook has folded up, water or coolant is all over the freeway, and it was stopped perpendicularly on the road. I have no idea how that happened, but the Ford has the most damage. All three drivers were not injured, and one of them were on the cell walking back and forth outside his car on the freeway.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

This evening while I was driving home from work on Hwy 880 southbound, I was at the fastest lane trying to merge one lane to the right. I saw a 1997 black Honda Accord was trying to merge to the left from the most right lane (or, slowest lane). It seems like it had just entered the freeway. As I have already posted in yesterday’s blog post, you MUST speed up if your speed is slower than the traffic flow. There was a big truck at 60 – 65 MPH driving on that lane the Honda intended to merge into. The Honda merge right in front of the big truck without knowing how dangerous it was. The big truck had no time to slow down, or flash high beam light to warn that Honda, it just merged to the right immediately, and I saw that there was an SUV right at the blind spot of that big truck, that SUV had to merge to the right immediately to avoid being hit by that big truck. You see, this whole thing was caused by that stupid Honda driver!!! And, I think that SUV had to merge right to the “emergency lane” to avoid an accident. The Honda should have sped up immediately, and should not merge into a faster lane if it had no intention to speed up to avoid blocking traffic. If a CHP Officer was at the scene, he would have ticketed the Honda driver with CVC 22400 for impeding the traffic flow.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

If you are merging into the freeway, or a bigger road, and you see that the heavy traffic are approaching about 1/2 miles down the road, and if you have no patient to wait for such heavy group traffic to pass by until you could merge in, you MUST speed up to avoiding blocking them, or even being rear-ended. If you are to be hit by them, you are at fault since you are from a small road.

This morning while I was driving eastbound on University Ave. towards Hwy 84 to Union City, CA, I got a phone call. So, I pulled over into a safe area under the Hwy 84 (Dumbarton Bridge), and continue my phone conversation. Afterward, I had to merge back into Hwy 84 eastbound. However, there were a huge group of cars approaching about 1/2 mile down, and they were at around 60 MPH. [Note: you MUST be able to estimate the speed. Otherwise, don't merge yet !!!!] Since I don’t want to wait for them, I merge in front of them immediately, and sped up to 70 MPH within 10 seconds (No, my car is not a sports car, but it has a 20 yrs old V8 engine with 250 HP and 250 lb-ft of torque). I could see the RPM went up to 7000 or 8000 RPM. Oh, I should have turned on that “ETC Power” which will allow the engine to go crazier and remains at a higher RPM for a long period of time. (Wait, this sounds like the Viagra commercial, heh huh!) Anyway, I should get a sportier car next time.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

Again, two drivers slowed down suddenly in front of my car for a right turn. And, both did not signaled. It was on University Ave of Palo Alto, CA between Hwy 101 and Hwy 84 (Dumbarton Bridge). Then, the 3rd driver with a middle size truck almost did the same thing to me. He stepped on the brake a 30 feet before each intersection for a a few intersection, and again, without signal lights on. I was not tailgating any of them, I was about 2-car length behind them at 30 MPH. So, for this truck, as soon as I figured out his intention without signal light, I just changed lane, and cut in front of him. My prediction was right, the truck driver turned right into some street without signal lights on. Annoying !!! Man, I used to turn or switch lane without signal lights when I was a teenage or early-twenty driver, but I figured out that is impolite, so I stopped that ill-habit.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

Please check your tire pressure every two weeks. It is good for you gas mileage, and tires. Also, it is a safety issue. It would also be nice to check your tire and its pressure when you just arrived home. You never know, perhaps, you drove by a construction site, and your tire already has a nail on it, and the air is leaking a little bit by a little every day. If you pump your tire a week ago, and you find that you tire is getting close to flat, you know there must be a nail somewhere. How to check ? Use soap water, spray on the tire, and you should see bubbles. If you live in a quiet place, you should be able to hear a little bit of air leaking sound at 1 AM in the morning. Anyway, also remember to do tire rotation every 3000 miles. I have been buying tires from American Tire Company since the sales are honest, and the price is reasonable. My friend had a bad experience at Costco where they did not balance your tire after an installation of all 4 new tires. Costco is always busy, and if they don’t do certain things, it will be a total WASTE OF TIME when you have to go back, and ask them to re-do what they are SUPPOSE to do!!!! So, I won’t border to buy new tires there. Let’s get back to the flat tire thing, most places like American Tire Company or Gas Station (with mechanical shop) will fix or patch your tire for $10. Remember, the best way to patch a flat tire is to put a think piece of rubber inside your tire to cover the hole, or holes. The tire has to be complete TAKEN OUT of the rim in order to perform this step. Most people just don’t do it, and they just put a small rubin-like plastic from the hole to stop the leak. I know that’s bad since it may still leak. If they did not fix your flat tire completely, don’t pay for it, or ask for a refund after a few days if it flat or its tire pleasure is un-reasonably low again.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

Recently, I have been pumping gas from one of the two gas stations on McKee Rd -x- Hwy 101 (N 33rd St to be exact) of San Jose, CA. The price today is $2.79 per gallon for CASH price. Since there is always a LONG LONG LINE at these gas stations, you should only go there in the morning before 7:15 AM. If you miss that time frame, then, don’t border to go there.
The gas station with the red roof has three types of gas: Octane 87, 89, 9x, and the one with a blue roof has only Octane 87. Since you have to pay cash before pumping, make sure you ask for the receipt, and make sure the Pump # is given correctly. They are no responsible if someone pump the gas from your Pump #. If you are planning to bring a few portable gas container to take extra gas with you, make sure you ground your gas container on the ground, or appropriately. And, please don’t talk on the cell while pumping. It’s dangerous!!!

Finally, Happy Pumping…..

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com

This evening while I was traveling on the northbound Hwy 280 from Hwy 880 towards Lawrence Expwy, there was a long line at the exit lane. To make the situation worse, everyone were facing the sunlight, and no one was able to see clearly at the front. Also, there was an accident at the opposite direction of Hwy 280 (southbound), and there were a couple fire trucks, and CHP blocking a few lanes. So, most drivers were checking out the accident over that side, and with sunlight blocking their eye sight, it was extremely had for drivers to stop on time behind the long line at the exit lane towards Lawrence Expwy. It was the same situation for the exit lane towards Saratoga Ave southbound. I saw a Toyota Corolla had to change lane to the left quickly to avoid rear ending another car.

Mr. MC
The Founder of MotherCopper.com