The old guy across the river is in California with his daughter, son-in-law, and two grandsons, and so I'm watching his place, probably until the end of March. This year, there's a lot less to worry about, because the old mastiff had to be put down some months ago, and the tomcat died, meaning there's just that skittish collie dog and those two brown (golden?) labradors.
I had to use his 2008 Ford pick-up truck this morning, the truck that had replaced the 2006 model destroyed during the floods last spring.
I was driving down the highway, and felt irritable, but fortunately I hadn't driven far before I knew the cause, and so I reached up and yanked off the interior rear-view mirror. Just pulled it off, clean.
For the deaf, things such as light, movement, clutter, are "noise," and sometimes too much of it is distracting and, well, deafening. Every motor vehicle I've ever owned, the first thing upon taking ownership is that I've pulled off that damned mirror.
For the record, I pay the lowest automotive insurance rates of anyone I know--and that's not even for the minimal policy, that's for a couple steps above it--which was $74 for six months, the last time I paid it. I think this says something about my driving skills, which are enhanced by not bothering with toys and gizmos and gimmicks.
Of course, I'll tell the old guy what I did (whatever I do always seems okay with him anyway), and have the mechanic in town reinstall it before he comes back; no big deal.
However, while picking up a package of cigarettes in the big city earlier today, someone--predictably, an 0bamaite--alleged that a motor vehicle without a rear-view mirror is "illegal."
For the record, the 0bamaite, someone on social security disability because of "depression," was driving a late 1990s sedan which seemed to be suspiciously pointed downward too much at the front, as if perhaps (I really don't know) the two front tires were half the size of the two rear tires.
I pointed out the truck has two perfectly good rear-view mirrors, on the outside, and so this interior one was no big deal.
The 0bamaite insisted no, I was wrong; I had to have one on the inside too.
Which of course is utter nonsense, myself being well-versed in the motor vehicular laws of the state of Nebraska; it's not like I haven't inquired about such a thing in the past.
Now I'm wondering. I know I'm okay in Nebraska, but is anybody aware of rules about rear-view mirrors in their own states?