You get to see many things in Naples, Fla., and now I’ve photographed a rider and horse taking a leisurely trip along one of the busiest highways in the county. I got the shot as I left our community to run an errand on Feb. 12, 2023. I saw the horse and rider once before, but didn’t manage to get a photo. Now I’ve managed to get the shot.
Lightning isn’t easy to photograph. Some amateurs get lucky, but the best images of lightning are the product of the talent of a professional. However, I found a shortcut … and I got this image via my … dash cam! I was driving near our home here in Naples, Fla., on July 13, 2022, when I saw blasts of lightning in the sky. Well, since I couldn’t stop and wait for the chance of the next strike, I did the next best thing: I did a screen capture of my dash cam video!
Here’s my eleventh post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? How to properly increase other drivers’ pucker factor. Driving is stressful enough, but this motorcyclist shows how easy it is to ratchet up the tension for everyone! Just make a high-speed slalom run between vehicles in morning drive-time traffic! It’s simple; it’s easy; and everyone else’s pucker factor will move up at least a notch or two! My dash cam captured this image while I drove to work here in Naples, Fla., on Nov. 27, 2023.
Here’s my tenth post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? How a bicyclist endangers himself and drivers in front of the police. This moron is on the wrong side of the road; pedaling forward into oncoming traffic; and a Naples police officer is at the far left, but does nothing (I hope the officer wasn’t in his or her car and didn’t just ignore the idiot on the bicycle). Actually, I have respect for bicyclists, but not this moron. They have the same legal right to the road as motorized vehicles, but many drivers cannot accept this fact. However, bicyclists earn a negative stereotype when fools such as this goober pedal off into oncoming traffic. Unfortunately, my blog doesn’t support video, or you’d see that I made a right turn and immediately this jamoke was in my windshield. I hope this idiot learns the rules of the road! I got this shot today (Monday, Nov. 20, 2023) off my dash cam here in Naples, Fla.
Here’s my ninth post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? How to properly block other drivers’ view while trying to make a turn here in Naples, Fla. There is a line on the roadway at each traffic light that tells you where you need to stop. In this case, the line helps drivers making a right turn because if you pull up too far in the middle or left lanes, then the right-turn drivers’ view is blocked on oncoming traffic on this busy road. Well, this ignoramus was in a hurry and pulled up so far that I had to wait for a green light to turn because I couldn’t see if it was clear of oncoming traffic. I got this shot on Nov. 8, 2023. Just another in a very long string of examples of the stupidity of drivers.
Here’s my eighth post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? “How to properly block commuters with an iguana.” It’s sad to report, but there are idiots out there who stop morning commuter traffic … for an iguana. Yes, a driver here in Naples, Fla., stopped her car in the middle of three lanes of morning traffic on June 26, 2023, because there was an iguana on the road … and it was a small one. Look close in my side-view mirror. Did she pick it up and carry to the side of the road? No, she sprayed it with water from her water bottle in hopes it would move (it didn’t). What a simpleton. This incredible fool continued to block traffic and I managed to get away and not see what happened to finally clear the highway. One driver tried to cut in front of her and squish the beast, but missed. Well, here’s how you save a lizard at the expense of everyone else.
Here’s my seventh post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? “How to properly block a right-turn lane.” Here’s an entitled driver who changed his or her mind and was managing to block everyone making a right turn. Of course, traffic was light and everyone in the right-turn lane could have been through the intersection quickly except for this fool. Ah well, it’s always nice when one driver manages to block many. I got this shot on June 3, 2023, as I drove here in Naples, Fla.
Here’s my sixth post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? “How to properly block a crosswalk.” The ongoing stupidity and entitlement of drivers continues unabated daily on highways here in Southwest Florida. I got this shot May 19, 2023, while stopped at a red light on my way home from work yesterday. This moron just pulled up and blocked the entire crosswalk as he waited for the light to change. And, no, he wasn’t making a right turn. Hopefully, fate will catch up with this entitled driver in the form of a citation sometime in the future.
Here’s my fifth post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? “How to properly block other drivers when you change your mind.” OK, so this isn’t the greatest example of the entitled driver blocking a lane, but it is a nice photo! Look in my mirror and you’ll see a driver who changed his or her mind and decided to change lanes at a red light. Well, the photo doesn’t show it, but the lane is somewhat narrow only small sedans such as my Civic could get past this idiot driver. Again folks, don’t be an entitled driver. Or, if you are, go all-out in your effort and not just be a garden-variety idiot. I got this shot here in Naples, Fla., on April 15, 2023, as I ran some weekend errands on a Saturday.
Here’s the fourth in my series of “Naples Driving Lessons” … it’s No. 3: How to properly run a red light. Most red-light runners fall into two categories – the first being careless and the second being entitled to a few extra seconds. Then you have complete idiots such as this fool that I caught on my dash cam on Jan. 4, 2023, while driving home from work here in Naples, Fla. The idiot blew the red light really, really late (note the green for traffic headed in the direction I was headed) and entered the intersection two seconds after his or her light went red. This fool is a perfect example why you need to be careful even when you have a green light.
Here’s the third in my series of “Naples Driving Lessons” … it’s No. 3: How to properly bottleneck a merge lane. The photo doesn’t do this justice, but this idiot in front of me makes a left-turn onto a major, busy highway here in Naples, Fla., and promptly stops without driving down the merge lane. Of course, this leaves vehicles behind the idiot in traffic. Don’t worry: sounding your car’s horn doesn’t move them because such an idiot will never get the message. BTW … merge lanes such as this one are SUPPOSED to allow more traffic to enter the busy highway … not stand empty while an idiot is stopped at the beginning of it. I got this shot Dec. 22, 2022, from my dashcam. I was driving near our home here in Naples.
Here’s the second in my series “Naples Driving Lessons” … it’s No. 2: How to drive through a school zone. My blog doesn’t support video or I’d show how this idiot sped through the school zone at Lake Park Elementary yesterday (Tuesday, Nov. 15, 2022) while weaving through gaps in the slow-moving traffic here in Naples, Fla. Instead, I’ll use this screen shot from my dashcam. The speed zone, marked by large flashing lights, was being obeyed by everyone but this fool. It’s too bad that the Naples Police Department, which often runs radar-backed enforcement at the school, wasn’t on hand to greet the moron with a citation. Ah, well, it’s not like that driver won’t speed in a school zone again.
Here’s the first in my series of “Naples Driving Lessons” … at No. 1: Here’s how a driver in Naples, Fla., changes lanes while stopped at a red light. I guess it would be that the driver was entitled if he or she were going to cross over and make a left turn, but, nooooo, this driver just moved over to the other lane after the light turned green and traffic began to move. BTW … the next left turn after this intersection is about a mile away (and the fool couldn’t wait a few moments to merge over). Sigh. I got the shot on Sept. 2, 2022.
You don’t like to see a multi-vehicle crash where there’s serious damage (as well as unknown injuries because of the severity of the damage). However, that’s just what many people saw here in North Naples, Fla., yesterday (Friday, June 30, 2023). I was on my way home from work when I got this shot that shows a mangled pickup truck and you can also see another damaged vehicle behind it. I’m not sure how many vehicles were involved in the crash or if there were any injuries.
At least two people were injured enough to be wheeled away by emergency workers after this nasty head-on crash this morning (Saturday, Aug. 5, 2023) here in North Naples, Fla. I was headed to a family member’s home when the crash occurred, but I didn’t witness it. A car from the other side of the median crossed over and hit at least two other vehicles head-on. Emergency medical services personnel took two people off on gurneys and I’m sure others were injured, too, but didn’t require a gurney. PS: I used Photoshop to remove “haze” from the photo because I was taking a photo into the sun.
You don’t have to go to a car show such as the Cars on Fifth event or the impressive Revs Institute auto museum here in Naples, Fla., to spot a wonderful vintage vehicle! Just check out a parking lot or look around while stopped at a red light. Here’s a shot of a 1967 Cadillac De Ville (the convertible sedan model). This nice piece of automobile history was parked at the North Collier Government Center on June 1, 2023. Previously, I posted photos of a 1957 Ford Thunderbird convertible, a Model A Ford and a 1956 Ford Thunderbird with a Continental tire behind the trunk. Heck, I even posted a photo of a current model Ferrari parked next to a Porsche at a local supermarket.
A nasty crash here in North Naples, Fla., brought a traffic-back up. Of course, the drivers managed to block one of the most-traveled intersection for going-home vehicles on Nov. 8, 2023. Then, a “community service” aide yelled at me because of seeing my dash cam an apparently has no understanding of a “dash cam,” from which these photos were taken. Get a grip! I hope no one was seriously injured in the crash.
A nasty crash here in North Naples, Fla., brought a traffic-back up. Of course, the drivers managed to block one of the most-traveled intersection for going-home vehicles on Nov. 8, 2023. Then, a “community service” aide yelled at me because of seeing my dash cam an apparently has no understanding of a “dash cam,” from which these photos were taken. Get a grip! I hope no one was seriously injured in the crash.
If a FedEx or UPS trucks in 2019 can block a spot for disabled drivers, then obviously the Quest Diagnostics company isn’t going to let a little matter of traffic/parking law stop them from illegally taking up a space, too, now in 2023! I got this shot today (Wednesday, Aug. 23, 2023) at the parking lot of a medical office building here in Naples, Fla. The driver thought that putting on blinkers could change Florida law as to which vehicles can park in a “handicapped” spot. Oddly, the Quest office closed to patients a year ago and the office is up for sale.
I always enjoy that moment when I see a Ferrari in traffic. I had just a moment yesterday (Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2023) here in Naples, Fla., as I saw this Ferrari – a California model, I believe. However, the jarring yellow color doesn’t really fit with the traditional red of the Ferrari stable. Plus, this color is a little too close to that of a different racing organization. In any case, it’s always nice to see a Ferrari … and I get to do that most days in traffic here in Naples.
I always keep watch for interesting license plates. In the past several days, I took photos of these three tags. From “H3ALTH” to “HAM EGG” and “GO2 SEA,” it’s easy to understand what the vehicle’s owner wants to express. I took all the photos while stopped at red lights on my way home here in Naples, Fla. The Porsche with “H3ALTH” was photographed May 21, 2023; and the Cooper Mini with “HAM EGG” and the Kia with “GO2 SEA” were photographed on May 22, 2023.
Today, Jan. 2, 2023, I’m showing you both an example of “The License Plate Game” and my “On the Road (Again)” series in one photo. I got this shot on Dec. 30, 2023, here in Naples, Fla., as I was stopped at a red light while running a weekend errand. This vehicle’s owner from Illinois must be one of our “seasonal friends” with the personalized tag. Of course, Illinois is the “Land of Lincoln” and also called the “Prairie State.” It also has a lot of folks who live parttime in Southwest Florida or have retired to the region.
I always keep watch for interesting license plates. In the past several days, I took photos of these three tags. From “H3ALTH” to “HAM EGG” and “GO2 SEA,” it’s easy to understand what the vehicle’s owner wants to express. I took all the photos while stopped at red lights on my way home here in Naples, Fla. The Porsche with “H3ALTH” was photographed May 21, 2023; and the Cooper Mini with “HAM EGG” and the Kia with “GO2 SEA” were photographed on May 22, 2023.
You don’t realize the size of a fire truck until one sweeps past you on its way to an emergency call. I got this shot yesterday (Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2023) as I headed out of our neighborhood on an afternoon errand here in Naples, Fla. It was a truck from the North Collier Fire Control & Rescue District and it was one of several on a run to a community next to our neighborhood and I don’t know the nature of the emergency.
Here’s my latest photo of a license tag where the vehicle owner is making a statement: “SELFMDE” on a Colorado plate. I got this shot of the self-proclaimed self-made car owner on June 2, 2023, while stopped at a red light on my way home from work here in Naples, Fla.
I’m not sure if this license tag is supposed to mean “luxury” or it is owned by “Lexi” and “Ryan.” If it means “luxury,” then it is being driven in one of the most appropriate areas of the state of Florida: Naples! Of course, ruling the Naples area are supercars from Ferrari and Lamborghini (as well as Aston Martin, Lotus and McLaren), but luxury is luxury. I got this shot on Dec. 26, 2023, as I drove on an errand on my final day off for the Christmas holidays and was stopped for a red light.
It was yesterday afternoon as I drove home from work here in Naples, Fla., when I noticed the reflection in my side mirror of the sun reflecting off every other car at the red light where I was stopped. It was a nice way to start the weekend. I was driving on June 9, 2023, when I got this shot.
I’ve posted photos of other idiot drivers who, with no regard to pedestrians, block a crosswalk while stopped at a red light. However, I always am disgusted to see such an entitled moron on the highway that I take a photo and post it on my blog. I was returning home from work on Dec. 13, 2023, here in Naples, Fla., when I saw this fool in action. The biggest problem is that the driver didn’t need to pull up to check oncoming traffic (this happens) as they were waiting for a green arrow to turn left. Good luck, fool, the rest of us need it while you’re on the road. I’m not including this image in my “Naples Driving Lessons” feature because I’ve already got one for an idiot blocking a crosswalk.
I would have thought the state of Missouri would want to “show me” more with its license tag design than this one, but then I noticed that it’s honoring the state’s bicentennial. OK, that’s an excuse I made up and can live with. Here’s my latest example of the “The License Plate Game” and I got this shot on Nov. 30, 2023, here in Naples, Fla., as I was stopped at a red light on my way home from work. Of course, Missouri is best known as the “Show Me” state, but also has nicknames as the “Cave State” and the “Mother of the West.”
I’ve already posted how I wonder why a supercar maker such as Lamborghini has produced an SUV and today I’m backing up my original thought by noting that Maserati shouldn’t be producing one, either! 😊 Sorry, but supercar makers should remain supercar makers (even Ferrari has a something-SUV in with the Purosangue). Yet, sales show that SUVs are big in for buyers and those supercar makers are business people at the end of the day. I got this shot yesterday (Saturday, Dec. 16, 2023) and I ran an errand from our home here in Naples, Fla.
I’m not sure why, but it doesn’t feel right that Lamborghini or any other maker of supercars should have an SUV model. Well, here’s a Lamborghini Urus that I was behind in traffic on June 8, 2023, here in Naples, Fla. The Lamborghini Urus arrived in 2017, but it still is a bit jarring to see the Lamborghini nameplate so high in the air … and on an SUV. Usually, I look down even from my sedan to spy the “Lamborghini” name on a low-slung, nasty-sounding pavement smasher. Ah well, despite being an SUV, it is a Lamborghini! NOTE: I removed the license tag number for the owner’s privacy.
Here’s my twelfth post in pointing up “Naples Driving Lessons.” Today? How to properly endanger others while making a turn. Check out the traffic signal: It shows a green left-turn arrow and the first driver in the left-turn lane has already moved out. Wait! There’s an idiot who waited for the red light to make his or her turn. Good job! You endanger others while making a blatantly illegal turn because you’re an idiot! I got this shot off my dash cam (that’s why the quality of the image isn’t up to par) from driving home from work here in Naples, Fla., on Dec. 1, 2023. I’ve waited a few days to post it because of another recent entry into my “lessons” series.
When I saw this “POOBLIX” on a license tag, I didn’t understand (and still don’t) if the vehicle owner is making a statement about Publix supermarkets or something else. In doing a search via Google, I couldn’t find any definitive reference. There was one: A Reddit user said that’s how a Canadian friend pronounces Publix. I got this shot June 29, 2023, while stopped at a red light on my way home from work here in Naples, Fla.
I’m guessing the owner of this license tag is playing tonight’s Powerball lottery (Saturday, July 15) and its jackpot of at least $875 million. I got this shot of this plate while stopped at a red light on my way home from work here in Naples, Fla., on July 14, 2023. Not only did I appreciate the tag’s message, but the plate holder was a nice tweak at me, too!
You’re going to have to evaluate this statement-via-license plate for yourself. “Sh1ft” … hmmmm … I don’t have much, if any, of an idea. Ah well, I got this shot while stopped at a red light on my way home from work on July 20, 2023, here in Naples, Fla.
Naples as well as much of Southwest Florida is great for spotting both supercars and vintage vehicles and sometimes you find an example of both. I did yesterday (Friday, Dec. 1, 2023) near our home here in Naples with this nice vintage Porsche 911 with one version of what was called a “whale tail” and a new-model Chevrolet Corvette Stingray. I got this shot off my vehicle’s dash cam in slow traffic in front of Pelican Marsh Elementary School. An interesting sight, even for Naples!
I see a bunch of great supercars around my hometown of Naples, Fla., (Ferraris, Maseratis, Porsches, McLarens and Aston Martins). I also see a bunch of “muscle cars” including GM efforts with Camaros, Pontiacs and Oldsmobiles as well as the great Dodge efforts of the 1960s, including many with incredible hemi engines that became a drag strip legend. However, here’s a back-side view of what I evaluate as a Datsun 260Z that I saw at a red light today (Saturday, July 29, 2023). Of course, Datsun was owned by Nissan, but the brand was phased out in the U.S. In Japan, the 240Z, the 260Z and the 280Z were known there as the “Fairlady.” What a wonderful automotive historic surprise on a Saturday morning here in Naples! NOTE: I used Photoshop to remove the license tag number to protect the owner’s privacy.
I’m giving you a double-dose of license tags today (Sunday, July 30, 2023) that I photographed while stopped at red lights here in Naples, Fla. This one is the reminder that “PCKLE BAL” is a very popular sport right now and the other is a simple statement about the vehicle’s owner. I got the shot of the pickleball plate on July 27, 2023, while driving home from work. Naples has become a hot-spot for pickleball.
I’m giving you a double-dose of license tags today (Sunday, July 30, 2023) that I photographed while stopped at red lights here in Naples, Fla. I just like how folks will broadcast themselves to the world. I got the “NAIL DOC” on July 29, 2023, while running errands on a Saturday.
Is there something missing from this USPS vehicle? Well, it doesn’t have any license plate (tag or whatever you might call it), but that’s not unusual. The USPS has an exemption from being required to have a license plate as long as the vehicle is clearly marked as being one of the USPS fleet. I got this shot yesterday (Tuesday, Dec. 5, 2023) as I drove home from work here in Naples, Fla.
I’m giving you a double-dose of license tags today (Sunday, July 30, 2023) that I photographed while stopped at red lights here in Naples, Fla. One is the reminder that “PCKLE BAL” is a very popular sport right now and the other is a simple statement about the vehicle’s owner. I got the shot of the pickleball plate on July 27, 2023, while driving home from work. Naples has become a hot-spot for pickleball. As for the other, I just like how folks will broadcast themselves to the world. I got the “NAIL DOC” on July 29, 2023, while running errands on a Saturday.
Catching up on my blog: I cannot say for sure why a Miami-Dade fire rescue truck was in Naples on Sept. 29, 2023, but there it was … stopped in traffic. It was most likely a training exercise, although it would appear strange to drive that vehicle from the east coast to Naples, Fla., for training. Still, crazier things have been accomplished by organizations. I got this shot while driving to work that morning.
CUSE? Syracuse? Endless summer? Well, if you’re in a Corvette in Naples, Fla., and are a big fan of Syracuse University athletics, then I guess “Endless summer” sums things up nicely! I got this shot of this nice ’Vette today, Aug. 9, 2023, at a red light here in Naples, Fla. (the Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputy in front got caught napping when the signal turned green and we nearly missed the left-turn signal).
A lot of license tags are an expression by the vehicle’s owner. Many are obvious, but some are open to interpretation. Here’s an example of the latter: Is the owner of his vehicle named “Juliet” and, hence, the “JVL IET” plate or is the owner a fan of William Shakespeare? I’ll never know because I took this photo while stopped at a red light here in Naples, Fla., on Aug. 19, 2023. I’m a little late in posting, but rather late than never!
Look close! You’ll see that this driver left the gas tank door to his vehicle open before heading into the car wash at Sam’s Club here in Naples, Fla., this morning. I was able to get the driver’s attention and point out the open gas tank door. Remember: Always try to be helpful! I was on an early morning errand today (Saturday, Dec. 9, 2023) when I got this shot at the car wash.
OK, so this photo stinks … but that’s because I captured it off my dash cam. Here’s a Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputy parked in the shade on a connector road here in Naples, Fla., where the speed limit is 30 mph because it is two lanes and cuts through several gated communities that have folks walking and biking all the time. However, some drivers are compelled to speed as they try to make time during the day and the traffic enforcement is welcome. I never enjoy seeing someone get a traffic citation, but I don’t feel bad when enforcement is for the greater good and not just some “quota.” I don’t know what the Collier County Sheriff’s Office spokesfolks would say, but I believe it would be something along the lines of … “We don’t have a quota, we write as many as we want.”
I was on an early morning errand today (Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023) when I spied red and blue lights ahead. It was a funeral procession with these two Collier County Sheriff’s Office patrol cars as escort to the hearse with a flag-draped casket in the back. I haven’t seen such a procession on a highway in many years and it was quite a surprise today here in Naples, Fla.
It’s always an interesting philosophical debate within oneself: Is this license tag an expression about someone or is it about something that someone enjoys? Here’s a recent example where the vehicle’s plate says “WNDR WMN” … so, does the owner like superheroes, especially “Wonder Woman;” or is it a statement about the owner? I don’t know! I’m not familiar with the owner of the vehicle despite it being driven into the neighborhood next to ours here in Naples, Fla. I got the shot on Aug. 31, 2023, while on my way home from work.
Two vehicles enter the Thunderdome … only one emerges. Well, not today (Thursday, May 4, 2023). Both these vehicles were towed away after a head-on collision in North Naples, Fla., near our home. I was running an afternoon errand when I got these shots with my iPhone. I don’t know if anyone was injured (an ambulance was there, but left as I was in traffic) and this intersection with merge lane really needs a traffic signal.
I enjoyed the sight of this car as I was on an early errand this morning (Sunday, April 17, 2023) here in Naples, Fla. I’m not enough of an expert on classic cars to say if this is an original Shelby Cobra (or as it was also called in the U.S., the AC Shelby Cobra; or, in its home and founding country of England, it was the AC Cobra) or if this is a kit car version of the Cobra. I’m sure the paint job isn’t original, but an expert will need to tell me if this is a true Cobra. It’s wonderful living in Naples, which is the home to many supercars of all makes and models.
A question I ask myself arises once in a while as I’m driving here in Naples, Fla., but I’ve finally researched and received an answer. I took the photo that you see here on April 11, 2023, as I drove to work and was stopped at a red light. Off-handedly, I asked myself, “Is it legal to ride in the back of a pickup truck?” You can see these company employees are riding in the back of this Ford pickup. Florida law DOES allow ADULTS to ride unrestrained in the back of a pickup truck. Children under the age of 18 must have a secure seat with safety features, according to state law.
It’s not much of a photo, but I got this shot of a CCSO deputy responding to a call today (Sunday, April 30, 2023) as I was on an errand near our home here in Naples, Fla. We’ve had some bad weather today, but I’m not sure what kind of call that the deputy was headed to investigate. Remember: Always to give room for the emergency vehicles to pass …
We don’t usually see too much rain at this time of the year here in Southwest Florida, but there was a welcome rash of showers in the Naples area today (Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023). I got this shot as my dashcam helped me record my driving – I was the victim of a liar who blamed me for a crash and the craven insurance company caved in. Now, I record everything as I drive! I got this shot on my way home from work.
I usually use Photoshop to remove license plate letters and numbers, but I do post when the driver uses his or her tag to make a statement. I was driving home from work today (Feb. 23, 2023) here in Naples, Fla., when I spotted this vanity plate from Maryland. Naples and golf have always gone hand-in-hand and not everyone can putt (although many lie and I’m not using a pun on golf). However, golfers don’t usually broadcast their true handicap!
Do you stop for a school bus as its passengers disembark? For the most part, I haven’t seen many scofflaws who break this rule. However, there’s always an exception to be found. I got a shot of this school bus delivering high school students home shortly before 2:30 p.m. on April 3, 2023, near our home here in Naples, Fla. I was off from work early and was reminded how school buses ply the highways in the afternoons.
The world’s events always arrive with each conflict being spoken about through a sign and I found one such example through this moving billboard on a busy highway here in Naples, Fla., earlier today (Friday, Oct. 13, 2023). The latest conflict in the Middle East has, of course, generated international concern, interest and headlines. This driver makes it plain which side he or she supports.
I always enjoy seeing traffic enforcement at a school zone. I don’t want anyone to get a citation, but there are so many fools who speed through school zones I see each school day here in Naples, Fla., that enforcement is the best answer. Here’s a Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputy in the median outside Pelican Marsh Elementary School today (Thursday, Oct. 12, 2023). I don’t know if he handed out any citations, but I know that the presence of the patrol cruiser with its lights on managed to have at least a few dial back to the speed limit.
It was a citation at sunrise for a driver in North Naples, Fla., today (Friday, Aug. 26, 2022) as a Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputy on traffic enforcement made a stop at Immokalee and Livingston roads a couple of minutes before 7 a.m. However … it was a damn nice sunrise! Yet, I don’t believe it was noticed or appreciated by the driver. The deputy gave me a wave as he returned to his cruiser.
I get to see a horse on occasion in our neighborhood here in Naples, Fla. However, it isn’t because we’re in an area with lots of space to ride horses. A neighbor apparently owns horses because every month or so, a horse trailer is stopped at his or her house and it has … HORSES! I got this shot today (Friday, Sept. 9, 2022) as I was leaving our home to run a late-afternoon errand. There was a single horse out of the trailer and two others in it. Nice looking horses, too (as if I know what I’m writing about!).
I usually blur-out license tag numbers on vehicles in photos I post on my blog as a courtesy to folks for privacy in this social media age. However, I’m making an exception today with the tag on this sweet ’Vette since its obvious anyone can see it. I hope the driver/owner doesn’t believe he or she is cursed and has another meaning for the letters CURSD. I got this shot on Oct. 12, 2022, while driving near our home here in Naples, Fla.
Even on a quiet Sunday morning here in Southwest Florida, you can’t escape an idiot driver. Here’s a wonderful example from this morning (Oct. 16, 2022), with this driver having stopped in the crosswalk of an intersection in North Naples near our home. Gosh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we didn’t have to experience this kind of driver at any time and on every highway? Well, I guess everyone has a dream.
I understand that big trucks cannot brake as quickly as sedans or even SUVs manage to accomplish. However, when I see a lowlife red-light runner, I’m always hoping that a member of law enforcement is nearby. Here’s an image off my vehicle’s dash cam – my blog doesn’t support video, which is much, much more telling. Check out the traffic signal: “red” for left turn. See the truck? That driver blew through even though there was ample time to stop. Here’s the main reason to check for red-light runners: Fools such as this clown make it dangerous for us all. I got this shot today (Friday, Oct. 6, 2023) as I ran an errand on a Friday morning here in Naples, Fla.
Here’s an auto-taken photo while I was running a late errand tonight (Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2022) here in Naples, Fla. I finally have a vehicle back and, while it was being repaired, the battery died and my miles-per-gallon icon reset … so, I’m headed back up to 32-miles-per-gallon. What a beautiful evening for a quick drive!
What’s this? Christmas tree time already? Today is four days before Thanksgiving 2022 and some folks had bought their Christmas tree and was doing the time-honored tradition of hauling it home on the roof of the family SUV! I was stopped for a red light near our home here in North Naples, Fla., when I saw this vehicle with the tree on top today (Sunday, Nov. 20). I had noticed the tree tents set up in their usual spot across from the Headquarters branch of the Collier County Public Library and trees set up for sale, but I didn’t expect to see one headed off for a home.
When you hear the throaty growl of a real internal combustion engine, you check out the vehicle. Well, I wasn’t disappointed today when I enjoyed the sound of a normally aspirated Detroit V-8 and, sure enough, it was in a traditional American sports car: This Ford Mustang. I didn’t have enough time to see exactly what year and what engine configuration it sported, but it obviously sounded like a big-block! Ah, the sights and sounds of great cars is never far away here in Naples, Fla. I got this shot on Nov. 25, 2022, near our home here in Naples. I was stopped for a red light and there was no mistaking the sound! Of course, it could be a small-block 289 cubic inches, but I couldn’t tell.
When I first posted a photo of this “decoy” vehicle from the Collier County Sheriff’s Office in September 2022, I didn’t realize how long it would remain in place. The community service vehicle, which differs from patrol cruisers with the signage and the color of its top lights, was first parked in front of Pelican Marsh Elementary near our home here in North Naples, Fla. I posted a second shot a month later after it was moved about a mile north of the school on the same highway. Well, it’s still there, more than two months after first appearing in front of the school. Sorry, CCSO, but when the weeds are growing up around your decoy, it’s time to move it! I got this shot on Nov. 26, 2022, while running an errand. I’ve photographed some of CCSO’s other decoys (as well as a couple from the Lee County Sheriff’s office to the north of us) and posted the photos on my blog.
Here’s a license tag that extolls water polo. Water polo? Usually, tags have a theme of a sports team or personalized with a quip or initials, but water polo is quite a unique tag for the Naples area. Yes, it’s a sport, but not one that is mainstream. Cool! I like it! I got this shot while stopped at a red light on Jan. 1, 2023, near our home here in Naples, Fla.
With flashing lights and colors, it almost appeared to be a disco party at the Southwest Florida International Airport. However, it was no party: It was the Lee County Port Authority Police having stopped a driver approaching the arrivals pickup area. I got the shot Jan. 23, 2023, as I arrived to pick up a family member who had been traveling.
For my latest posting of Naples Idiot Parking photos (this is No. 22), I managed to get two examples of Naples Idiot Parking with today’s photo. It shows one idiot parked across two spots, but also notice the truck next to the idiot: That idiot parked so close to the right-side line that no one could possible park next to him or her. Ah well, convenience stores are for convenient idiots, too. I got this shot here in Naples, Fla., on Jan. 21, 2023, as a I ran a morning errand and noticed how poorly the vehicles were parked.
My latest example in “The License Plate Game” brings a second version of a tag from Montana as well as it being on a sweet, vintage Corvette. I got this shot as I was driving on a errand on Jan. 29, 2023, near our home here in Naples, Fla. PS: I always erase the tag number with Photoshop for the owner’s privacy despite having taken the photo in a public setting.
With us back on Daylight saving time, it’s a bit … uh, dark as I drive to work each morning. It will also make it more difficult to see law enforcement officers on traffic patrol, but, once they get a speeder, then you’ll see them much further away! I got this shot this morning (Wednesday, March 15, 2023) as I drove to work in central Naples, Fla., and a Naples Police Department officer had stopped a driver. The Naples Police Department routinely sets up an officer with radar on this stretch of highway as a way to welcome commuters into the city!
After getting hit by another driver’s vehicle in traffic a couple of weeks ago, I’ll now always have a dashcam working in our vehicles. My sedan was hit by a pickup truck and my car spun 180 degrees, backing over a median and winding up in oncoming traffic here in Naples, Fla. The other driver lied to our mutual insurance company by saying I changed lanes and hit his jacked-up vehicle with large tires and rims. A dashcam would have easily shown I had not changed lanes. Of course, the company took the easy way out and said we’d both have to claim on our own policies (again, naturally, he had a scuff on the large tire and rim from hitting me on the back quarter panel, while my car remains in the shop). A dash cam would have easily proved my case. Ah, well … I got this shot of my basic model dashcam in action on Sept. 16, 2022, as I ran a late errand in our now-shared SUV.
I always enjoy a view of the newest Chevrolet Corvette Stingrays in traffic. The newest-designed models made their debut in early 2020 and each one is a treat to see! I got this shot on Sept. 15, 2022, as I returned home from work here in Naples, Fla.
It’s difficult to tell from this photo, but this Collier County Sheriff’s Office deputy has stopped a driver in the school zone at Pelican Marsh Elementary here in North Naples, Fla. I always applaud law enforcement’s effort in school zones because so many idiots driving too fast through them either: 1) entitled or 2) ignorant that it’s a SCHOOL ZONE. In both cases, a citation is in order. I got this shot today (Sept. 1, 2022) as I drove home from work. Earlier, just after leaving my office, I observed a Naples Police Department officer nail a speeder in the Lake Park Elementary school zone. Good job by both organizations!
People who own/drive sports cars want to be remembered for their ride, but don’t need the attention of law enforcement. So, I don’t understand how someone would want to have a sports car such as this Audi mid-engine coupe make such a blatant statement with its color. Not only is the car noticeable, but it’s basically a law enforcement magnet, too. Ah, well! I got this shot while stopped at a red light near our home here in Naples, Fla., on Aug. 5, 2022.
Here are the conditions this driver had to make a U-turn here in Naples, Fla.: A red light (check); being in the wrong lane (check); and first waving to the driver next to his SUV (check). You can see where the driver pulled out from with the empty space in the right-side turn lane. Well, at least the driver waited for oncoming traffic to clear … because for some idiots, that wouldn’t matter. It’s astounding how entitled drivers become when they are out of position and need to go another way. Of course, the proper way would have been to make the left turn and then find a way to go the other way, but … heck, who has time to obey the law? Certainly not this entitled driver. I got the shot off my dash cam from July 29, 2022, as I drove home from work.
The driver of this McLaren was off to a quick start on the weekend with the change of a lane to make a left turn here in North Naples, Fla., yesterday (Friday, July 15, 2022). I noticed the vehicle not only for its obvious beauty, but also the snarl of its exhaust as it vrrrooommmed to make the light. It’s always a car show just to drive in traffic in Naples.
It’s been just over four decades since I was a student at my beloved University of Florida, but I always enjoy even just being near Gainesville. I was driving on Interstate 75 today (Thursday, Oct. 26, 2023) and almost turned off onto Archer Road. My college apartment was along Archer and has a bunch of great memories. Plus, it’s even better because coming up in two days is the Florida-Georgia football weekend with the game, naturally, in Jacksonville. All-in-all, a great moment for just a highway sign.
I’m back to basics in pointing up how some drivers cause problems for others. Here’s one example: This vehicle is stopped so close to the intersection that it is blocking the crosswalk as well as the potential view of drivers making a right turn … thanks to this wonderfully bad driver. I got this shot near our home today in Naples, Fla., on July 19, 2022.
Look in my car’s mirror: You’ll see a vehicle that wanted to tailgate me in this slow-speed zone near our home here in Naples, Fla., until the driver noticed that there was a Florida Highway Patrol trooper handing out a citation on the road. The area of Orange Blossom Drive in North Naples has a 30 mph speed limit and it is usually patrolled by the Collier County Sheriff’s Office. However, yesterday (July 7, 2022), the FHP was on the job. BTW … Collier County is part of the FHP’s “Troop F” … and don’t tell any trooper that he or she is part of “F Troop!”
Depending on the source, it appears that license tag covers such as the one in this photo are a no-no in the state of Florida, although you’ll see them all the time in traffic. A Florida Highway Patrol trooper from the Orlando area says that any cover, clear or tinted such as the one in the photo, is illegal. Some sources even note that some tag frames are illegal, too. The state statute includes … “A person may not apply or attach a substance, reflective matter, illuminated device, spray, coating, covering, or other material onto or around any license plate which interferes with the legibility, angular visibility, or detectability of any feature or detail on the license plate or interferes with the ability to record any feature or detail on the license plate.” Of course, some drivers would argue that covers such as the one on the car in this photo does not obscure the tag. PS: I’ve blurred the tag number for the owner’s privacy, but didn’t change the color or opacity of the plate. I got this shot driving home from work today, July 1, 2022, here in Naples, Fla.
I’ve recently posted photos of some outstanding vintage cars just out here in Southwest Florida. Today, Friday, July 1, 2022, I got this shot of a black Pontiac Firebird Trans Am. Although not in the “vintage” class of the first Thunderbird I photographed or the T-Bird and Ford Model A that I shot last weekend, this Trans Am makes you believe in a glance that “The Bandit” is still out on the highway. Burt Reynolds’ iconic movie “Smokey and the Bandit” made the Trans Am itself iconic and boosted sales, even in re-runs on television. I got this shot as I drove home here in Naples and was stopped at a red light.
I recently posted how you could find a nice vintage car show in a supermarket parking lot here in Southwest Florida and today I’m expanding on the idea and noting that red lights, too, offer some views of beautiful vintage cars. Today (Sunday, June 26, 2022), I saw 1956 Ford Thunderbird with a Continental tire behind the trunk.
I recently posted how you could find a nice vintage car show in a supermarket parking lot here in Southwest Florida and today I’m expanding on the idea and noting that red lights, too, offer some views of beautiful vintage cars. Today (Sunday, June 26, 2022), I saw two vintage vehicles within five miles of each other as I drove home to Naples from the driving range. Here is a Model A Ford.
It was interesting to see a dog that is color-coordinated to its master’s vehicle today (Sunday, June 26, 2022). I pulled up to a red light as I drove through Bonita Springs on my way to a driving range in Estero, north of our home here in Naples, Fla., when I spotted this wonderful dog sniffing the air. A nice, tranquil moment in traffic.
I recently posted a criticism and thereby got into a driver’s grill (no pun intended) about pulling up too far and being in the pedestrian crosswalk of an intersection. Well, that driver wasn’t anywhere near as bad as the driver of this public transportation bus I just saw a little while ago. I was stopped at a red light near our home here in North Naples, Fla., when I noticed how this vehicle of the Collier Area Transit was pulled so far up that it totally blocked the crosswalk and then managed to partially block drivers making a turn in front of it. Wow. I respect the work of Collier Area Transit, but this driver didn’t need to do this stopping point.
We live in Naples, Fla., and it is home to many supercars and vintage cars. Supermarket parking lots can give you a view of a wonderful vintage car. I got this shot of a 1950s-era Ford Thunderbird while running an errand at sunset on May 28, 2022. To my untrained eye, it appears to be a drop-top 1957 T-Bird. It was in the parking lot of a Publix supermarket near out home here in Naples. Sweet! I come from a family that had General Motors vehicles, but if you can’t enjoy this vintage T-Bird, then you’re not a car person.
In my driving in the area near our home here in North Naples, Fla., I each time see Collier County Sheriff’s Office cruisers and unmarked units just about every day. Memorial Day, which is today (May 30, 2022), was no exception. I was headed north to Estero to go to a golf driving range when I passed three CCSO vehicles at a stop near the Collier-Lee County border.
It’s usually easy and straightforward to evaluate what someone expresses through a license tag. From fans of teams to aficionados of a sport to a personal philosophy or how you see yourself, you usually don’t have to take long to guess the meaning. Well, I came across this license plate and I’m still ruminating on its meaning. “CREEPRS” … now, is this for Creepers the shoes? Or celebrating the Harry Warren-Johnny Mercer song “Jeepers Creepers?” Or is is something else all together? At this point, I’ll never know. I got this shot as I left work here in Naples, Fla., on March 21, 2023. PS: I usually blur out licence tag letters and numbers, but when the owner of the vehicle is making a statement, I keep it in.
Wow! We got some rain today (Saturday, Nov. 11, 2023) here in Naples in Southwest Florida! What a concept! We’ve been basically dry for too many months now and the rain is a welcome respite from the dry conditions. I got this shot near our home as I ran a late afternoon errand – and the sunset comes earlier now that we’re back on Standard time.
I absolutely applaud the Collier County Sheriff’s Office for stationing deputies for traffic enforcement at schools during openings and closings. Here’s a deputy stopped as an inducement for drivers to be careful in the school zone at Pelican Marsh Elementary here in North Naples, Fla., today (Thursday, Sept. 21, 2023). I always applaud law enforcement’s effort in school zones because so many idiots drive like idiots in school zones – as if they don’t notice the FLASHING LIGHTS and 20mph speed limit.
I took this photo of the aftermath of a crash here in Naples, Fla., on Sept. 15, 2023, as a reminder to anyone who might need such a reminder: Crashes are violent episodes. I don’t know if either driver of these two vehicles was injured, but you can see the front-end damage for yourself. I got the shot after work on that Friday and just now pulled up the photo and posted it.
