Two questions:

[joshdawg]

One dealing with motorists and the other dealing with computers.
One: What is it with most folks who get some sort of perverse pleasure of riding the bumper of the person in front of them in all kinds of traffic and all measures of speed? Even when there are lanes open for them to go around, it seems they would rather stay on the rear bumper of whoever is in front. Does not make any sense to me for anyone to tailgate. Tailgating, as far as I am concerned, is the worst and most idiotic offense in motoring. Can someone explain why people tailgate??
Two: My computer is Compaq with Windows ME installed. Just recently, I input about 17 meg of data into my hard drive. However, when I checked the available storage space, I found that about 700 meg of space was used up. Why?? Can anyone offer an explanation and/or a way to stop this waste of storage space?
Thanks for letting me rant.

[everythingsxen]

1. Two answers:

One: People are idiots.
Two: Have you defragged lately?

[joshdawg]

3. Defragmenting does not do it.

Have tried deleting all that was safe to delete, and still the space keeps disappearing. "Shrug"

[everythingsxen]

5. So it's just extra space that is being..

eaten by "something"? Have you used ad-aware to see if maybe its some spyware? :shrug:

These are my best guesses.

[joshdawg]

8. Thanks for the input!

Yeah, I have ad aware and it shows all ok. Go figure. I thought it might have something to do with the computer itself (Compaq) or the program (Windows ME). Of course, trying to talk to any of those so-called tech support folks at either Compaq or Microsoft would just raise my blood-pressure.

[Keebs]

2. I have mega road rage

but I don't tail gate when I can go around. Now if someone is going 60 in the left lane and the traffic is moving faster but I can't get over.. oi. Yes, I tail gate, and honk, and flash my lights.

[drfemoe]

4. and I try waving you back

if that doesn't do it, we slow way down. I took defensive driving .. they said if someone tailgates, reduce your speed and/or try to change lanes. I never tail gate. Don't believe in practicing road rage. If anyone has ever been in a serious accident, they don't do stuff like that.

[joshdawg]

9. Yeah, I try all kinds of tactics to encourage

those idiots to go around or back off. Brake light flashing works as well as slowing down for most of them, but there are some who do not understand that they are too close and they continue to tailgate. Then I try sterner measures. I don't like to do that, but I also don't want anyone plowing into my rear end if I have to stop suddenly.

[Systematic Chaos]

6. I don't mean to sound rude, Keebs

but why do you want to jeapordize your life or that of others in 60 mph traffic just because someone doesn't get the idea about a fast lane? I can understand impatience and everything, but that just ain't worth it. And furthermore, you might come up behind some slowpoke with mega-MEGA-quantum-super-duper road rage and find yourself with more than you bargained for.... :shrug:

[Loonman]

7. If they follow too closely

I jam the brakes, and when they rear-end me, I get out with my crowbar.

It's the little things in life that make me smile.

[Keebs]

10. My bad

I didn't realize that I'm the only person in America that doesn't like to be behind some schmo in the fast lane thats going under the speed limit and the rest of the traffic is flying.

Thats why the left lane is the "passing" lane, not the cruising lane.

I would also figure it would be more dangerous to weave in and out of traffic ... "Slow traffic keep to the right" I think most States have that sign.

[ewagner]

14. better than jamming the brakes

turn your lights on and off a couple of times. Just as effective and also doesn't risk a rear ender for you or the risk that the other guy will slam on his brakes.

[T Wolf]

11. I have a Mac, not a PC, but

most computers (and devices) have a default minimum size for the way disk space is allocated. In general, the larger the storage, the larger the default. So, a floppy disk would "reserve" for a file a smaller "area of space" than a 40 gig hard drive.

That being said, the differential should not be as large as you report. You should check the default file allocation size to see if your hard drive is using too-big a default.

The other suggestions about looking for "hidden hitchhikers" is also good advice. Good luck.

As for the tailgating - Americans are assholes and when we get behind the wheel of our own private, movable, personal spaces, the worst of our character traits comes out. I've always felt that we would be much nicer to each other, on the road anyway, if cars were made of brittle glass. Visable and vulnerable.

[BlueJazz]

12. #1: I think some people use tailgating as a control issue.

They are quite aware that it irritates the driver in front and they
"get off" on it.

#2: Inputing 17 meg and showing 700 meg (used) is WAY wrong.
Sounds like your Hard-disk is reporting the wrong usage to the system.
You might want to check your TEMP folder and see (and get rid of the junk) that's probably in there.

Also, go to computing.net and ask the folks there.

[ewagner]

13. Whoa!

This is all too familiar.

We replaced our Gateway running ME just two weeks ago. The hard drive was acting flaky and we started losing storage very, very quickly. Everytime we deleted something and cleared up disk space, we would find hundreds of megs used up again in the next session. We were running adaware but it was more trouble than it was worth.

Also, there were "issues" in running defrag with ME.

[truthspeaker]

15. I have a general answer to your second question

Windows ME SUCKS. Back up your documents, make sure you have install programs for all your apps, then buy Windows 2000, format your harddrive, and start over. If you PC won't run 2000 then install Windows 98 SE; even though it came before ME it's better. ME should never have made it out of testing, much less been sold for money. It's a joke.

[ewagner]

16. Agreed! n/t