Q: You asked for a name for those numbskulls who weave in and out of lanes at excessive speeds. I suggest Road Zombies since they have no brains.
Walter D’Ardenne, Cupertino
A: And away we go in the Roadshow contest to come up with a fitting nickname for speeders, tailgaters and drivers who veer from lane to lane. These drivers are very different from Road Boulders, the moniker Mrs. Roadshow came up with years ago to describe drivers in the fast lanes going slower than the flow of traffic.
Q: My dear mother did not like “zip-zip zoom-zoom” California traffic and might have called them Zip Zip Zoomers or Zig-Zag Zoomers.
Mrs. Roadshow, San Jose
A: And …
Q: I go with Ricochet Rabbit. I’m sure you remember him.
Ward Loveland, Redwood City
A: I had no clue but dug deep to discover that Ricochet Rabbit worked as a sheriff in the town of Hoop ‘n’ Holler in cartoons. Ricochet would bounce off stationary objects, yelling “Bing-bing-bing!”
Q: Flying Squirrels because they’re nuts.
Ken Sweet, Santa Clara
A: That fits.
Q: How about Carpool Cheetahs?
Richard Swent, Palo Alto
A: They do move fast, like cheetahs.
Q: Just a thought on what to call the opposite of Road Boulders: Bumper Biters.
Dave Pennypacker
A: And …
Q: For your contest to name speeding drivers who weave in and out of traffic, I like the old-fashioned name: Lane-Hoppers. Not as colorful as road boulders, but descriptive.
Lynne Ellinwood, Richmond
A: Another one that fits.
Q: I label drivers who dart in and out of lanes dangerously Flea Flickers. In football, a flea flicker is a high-risk play that often results in disaster for the offense but occasionally results in a big gain.
Bill Hilton
A: Flea flickers seldom worked for my high school football team and often ended in a mid-field pileup.
Q: My wife Joy has come up with a good name for speed demons: Tarmac Terrors.
Dinesh Desai, Los Altos
A: It can feel as if they’re speeding for takeoff, yes.
Q: It seems that so many drivers love the excitement of taking chances and disregard all the unexpected things that can happen when charging full throttle from lane to lane that I often call them Lunatics or Lane Loonies.
Charles Vadney, San Jose
A: Good ones! Coming Monday, more on this pressing contest and naming debate. I’ll pick a winner soon after.
Join Gary Richards for an hourlong chat noon Wednesday at www.mercurynews.com/live-chats. Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow or contact him at mrroadshow@bayareanewsgroup.com or 408-920-5335.
