the 2014 trivial drivel thread

[Carsman]

Ya'll know that scary feeling when you're stopped in traffic and you look up in your review mirror and see a car barreling towards you? Then that car has to slam on their brakes and go into the grassy median so as not to slam into my car? Yea that happened this morning. PAY ATTENTION PEOPLE!!!!

Many many years ago, I used to take my Bug into my local gas station to have the drum brakes adjusted. They were not self adjusting. Anyway I watched how easy it was, so the next time the brakes needed adjusting, I decided to adjust them myself. OK done, it was easy. Next morning I went on my 46 mile commute to work, and after about 40 miles on the highway and going around 60 mph, all of a sudden the traffic ahead was at a dead stop a quarter mile down in all lanes. I hit the brake peddle and it went down to the floor, not even slowing the car at all.
My life flashed in front of my eyes, so all I could do was to go up onto the grass median, buzzing by maybe 20 cars, before eventually slowing to a stop.
I adjusted the brakes snuggly against the drums as I saw the mechanic do, but I didn't notice him back the adjuster star off one click. Therefore, the brake pads road hard against the drums all the time, and overheated, thus causing the brakes to float and not stop the car. After the brakes cooled down, I drove slowly to the nearest mechanic and had them readjusted.
Lesson learned the hard way.