Now I'm completely scared of you

[Big Wallaby]

AK to TTC runs, repeatedly running from AK to TTC all night from about 7:30 to 2:00 in the morning. Lots of running empty. Gets old quickly. There's what being a TTC driver means to me in a few words.

So on one of my runs, I am coming off Osceola onto World headed for TTC, and at the light, this lady in a little mini SUV thingie darts out in front of me (I had the green light, and they were almost up on two wheels to get past me), speeds up, and as soon as we get to the World Drive merge (where the speed limit goes from 45 to 50), she slows down almost to a stop, with me doing everything I can to not hit her as I've been speeding up for the merge (it's a short merge area and people can be completely brutal on World if you don't merge in there doing a little faster than the flow of traffic).

So I get around her and out into traffic, and she stays behind me for the most part until the MK Toll Plaza.

As we're heading up World Drive, she keeps flashing her high beams, for no really apparent reason. It's at uneven intervals, and it always seems she catches up to me just in time to come to a screeching halt on World Drive and turn up her high beams again, thus providing me with a nice blinding effect in my rearview mirror. By about Epcot Center Drive, I figure out what is going on. This lady has two things going against her.

First of all, she's lost. Of course, I knew that when she stopped at the on-ramp.

Second, she doesn't have good night vision. I would go so far as to say with the night vision she apparently had, she couldn't read reflective white on purple with the existing light (which should have been plenty). Bottom line, this lady didn't belong on the road at that time of the night.

So when we got to the Magic Kingdom Toll Plaza, she went on into the MK parking, while I am sure she was probably going to Contemporary, Polynesian or someplace like that. I wonder if she ever found it.

Ladies and gentlemen, if you have poor night vision, I feel for you, I really do. I love being able to see well at night, and I know I see very well at night compared to other people my age. I can't imagine what it is like to have such vision that when twilight hits you are blind. I would find that downright awful.

But at the same time as I feel for you if you have bad night vision, I really, really don't want to spend any time interacting with you on the road with you driving a car. Please, have someone else drive, or wait and go when you can see where you are going.

[Princess Susi]

I used to drive at night all the time, when I was much younger. Loved night driving. I especially loved driving to work for my midnight to six shift, because the roads were empty and I loved jst cruising along the country roads where I lived with no traffic and the quiet night. Now unfortunately I can't see squat at night! I do NOT drive at night. It scared the bejeezus out of me the first time, I noticed that I could NOT see well at night behind the wheel. It kinda takes you aback. You are driving and realize that everything is blotted out by bright light and the lines disappear and you have trouble discerning distance. I stopped driving at night right then. That was it for me.

Over the years, my vision has gotten progressively worse. I have worn glasses since I was 6. I could always see at night until my 40's and then it started to change. I just can't get the depth perception and the lights in my eyes cause big problems with seeing the lines on the road and seeing oncoming cars. Suffice to say, Ralph who has excellent vision, drives at night. I will not get behind the wheel. I am too scared to do that. It is weird when you realize you have problems with night vision after years of being able to cruise around everywhere at night. The change is astonishing.

Yeah, Wallaby, she should NOT have been on the road, way too dangerous for everyone!
soosy*sad that she can't drive at night anymore :( *slicker

[mechurchlady]

Susi you could get a car with a second wheel like in driving schools. Take the car out on a highway and drive. "I love a rainy night" blaring on the radio and if you go too far off the road then the other person could take control. I would do that for you if I was rich.

[Princess Susi]

Why thank you Churchy, that would be a sight, the two of us singing "I love a Rainy Night" at the top of our lungs, in a car with two steering wheels, taking turns driving cross country! Actually it sounds like great fun! The two waddle butts drive to WDW in a special made vehicle!! :driver: And they make it cause I can drive during the day and Churchy can drive at night and see :bugeyes:
Susi*let's do it!*slicker

[mechurchlady]

But I wanted you to drive nights, lol.

[goofyjoe]

AK to TTC runs, repeatedly running from AK to TTC all night from about 7:30 to 2:00 in the morning. Lots of running empty. Gets old quickly. There's what being a TTC driver means to me in a few words.

I'm not sure if I missed something, but doesn't AK close around 6pm usually? (I know with EMH it sometimes stays open till about 9, at least at the times of year I've been - late winter and late fall). Wonder why you would be making that run until so late at night, unless you were taking all the marsupials to Pleasure Island by way of the TTC :twisted:

[Big Wallaby]

It's so that people can park at AK, take a bus to MK (or somewhere else) and they are not stranded away from their car. However, the trams stop running about two hours after AK closes.

If the Magic Kingdom stays open until 12:00 AM, then I will drive for AK until about 2:00 AM., until MK is clear of guests.

[goofyjoe]

It's so that people can park at AK, take a bus to MK (or somewhere else) and they are not stranded away from their car. However, the trams stop running about two hours after AK closes.

If the Magic Kingdom stays open until 12:00 AM, then I will drive for AK until about 2:00 AM., until MK is clear of guests.

AK is rather remote on WDW property; I'm assuming Disney Security is on hand when people there are traveling to their cars after dark?

[Big Wallaby]

Security is out there, yes. When it is a lady and her daughters, I have been known to break protocol and rules and take them to their car. Guest safety above all else in my mind.

Plus, the Security cars aren't always visible.

But I don't know who might have come up there from 192, so I am not leaving them at the bus load zone.