"Go on and write me up for 125 Post my face Wanted dead or alive Take my license and all that jive I can't drive 55!" Sammy Hagar from 'I Can't Drive 55'
Yeah, I saw your head bobbin', mouthin' the words with an angry Red Rocker look on your face, maybe even pumpin' your hand in the air at the make believe judge. Don't deny it. It's one of those tunes that just gets into your head and won't let go. Sammy at his best!
You've probably guessed it, but I can't drive 55. It was more like 70. Or so the local police tell me...
I was running late Monday morning, thinking about the various things I needed to get done that day, kinda in my own world. The road from my house into work starts off with a 5 mile stretch of country road - your standard Illinois rock-chip and oil variety. The rest is about 11-12 miles of nicely paved road. There are very few dips, twists, turns and trees as well. It's pretty straight and flat - another central Illinois fixture. So it's extremely easy to get ramped up for the ride into work - especially if you have a lead foot like mine. It also means there are not many places a police car can hide. Quite a combination. Almost makes you feel untouchable. Almost.
About 1 minute into my drive (which means about 1 mile from my house - how stupid am I?) I notice a pickup that I normally encounter headed the other way flashing his lights. This should have tipped me off right away that a smokey lay in wait up ahead. But I was so deep into my own head that it took a moment to "get" his signal. By then it was too late. The cop was sitting in the only green spot along the road. And he had me dead to rights. His lights went on and I pulled over. He asked if I knew how fast I was going. I knew I was going 70 (I glanced at speedometer right when I saw him - but until then, I had no idea), but felt I should give him a range - just in case his gun was running slow. So I told him 65-70. "Yeah, you were doing 70", he said. So if I don't learn anything else from this experience, I know that my speedometer is accurate. I was as polite as I could be, and he was friendly and nice in return. If it wasn't that I was $75 lighter, I'd say it was a pleasant transaction. For some strange reason, that wasn't enough. I had to share the story with the boys at work. During the rest of the day Rudiger, Ed and Pik made sure the wound wouldn't heal. Can't say I blame them. I'd have done the same.
After 7 tickets in 27 years, I think I've finally learned my lesson. But just in case, check back in 6 months and see what my top speed for the day was...
I Can't Drive 55 - Sammy Hagar
I think my favorite thing about this video is the dialog between Sammy and Claudio.
Sammy: "Ooowww! This thing is running great! Its running great. Runnin' smooth into the the curves! What did you do, Claudio?" Claudio (in his best Italian Kermit the Frog voice): " I just adjusted the cassidy cavern and the tire pressure."
No idea if he actually said "cassidy cavern", but it works for me.
Now to end this on a musical note (sorry, the bad pun came out before I could stop it). Which do you prefer?
- Sammy Hagar as a solo act
- Sammy with Van Halen
- Diamond Dave with Van Halen
- None of the above
5 comments:
*ouch* Sorry dude.
My spot is a couple of miles from my parent's house. It's this twisty, hilly two-lane road through the woods that I've been driving since I was 16-years-old and so I know all the places to press down on the gas or let up to get the maximum speed without touching the break...
*sigh*
But to answer your question: none of the above.
Hey, speaking of music, did you see that the Police were getting back together for a performance?
Yes I did! It might be the one thing that makes me watch the Grammys! There's even talk about a reunion tour. I'll be singing "Roxanne" the rest of the week...
I prefer Diamond Dave with Van Halen and Sammy as a solo act. Although Sammy with Van Halen wasn't bad . . . Sammy sings better but Diamond Dave looked WWWAAYYY better in spandex. Yes, I'm a child of the 70's!!
Have you heard that Van Halen with Diamond Dave is going to tour this summer. Michael Anthony has supposedly been replaced by Eddie's boy Wolfgang. I'd love to be able to see that show!
Oh, and I can't drive 55 either. If we were supposed to drive 55, then the cars wouldn't have been built to go so fast. =)
None of the above.
Saw VH at the US Festival in 82. I went to all 3 days. VH sucked, mainly because DLR was so drunk he didn't remember the words to any of their songs! The Scorpions ruled that day.
Sammy is just OK. His tequilla mix is pretty good though.
I saw The Police twice in the 80's. Both times Oingo Boingo opened for them. GREAT SHOWS!
A speeding ticket? Man, that sucks!!
On a side note, I had a reddish colored cat once, I named him Hagar, after the Red Rocker... much to my suprise, Hagar turned out to be a boy (hehehe, must have missed that day in school) so his, ummm, her name become Annabelle.
Have a happy one tomorrow, my friend!
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