Saturday, September 09, 2006

Tales from the road. . .

I read this today… I’m not sure if you’ll be able to see it, but it’s an interesting read if you can.

It has me thinking about my 2 hours (or more) on the road each day and some of the things I’ve seen just in the past few months.

Take Friday morning for example. I’d been driving, in the same line of cars, for at least ten miles. When I’d slipped into the line it was moving at about 72, maybe 73mph. I noticed a car that had pulled from the line and was coming up very fast on my right. I looked at the dash and saw we were moving at almost 85mph now, and this clown was attempting to pass the entire line and had to be doing close to 95 when he passed me.

About three months ago, I was driving in the ‘slow lane’, moving at a little over 70 (the speed limit on this road is 65),, there’s a semi behind me and a line of cars in front of me… Suddenly this pickup truck passes me on the right, yep he’s on the shoulder… he went by me so fast, I’m guessing he was doing close to 100 that he was out of sight nearly as fast as I realized I was being passed.

This summer, as I’m heading into work, the weather is switching between a light rain to heavy, torrential type, downpours. As I’m approaching one of the really heavy traffic areas I notice there’s been an accident on the other side of the interstate… Someone in an SUV had tried to ‘slip in’ in front of a semi, but, hadn’t quite cleared the front of the big truck… that SUV was wrapped around the front left corner of the semi… and the semi was still on the ‘on ramp’!

Everyday, there’s a driver that makes me wonder, where they could possibly be going at 6:30am and be in that big a hurry! Take those types of chances with not only the lives of others, but, with their own life as well!

I’d like to say that every single one of them has also been yacking on their cell phone, but, only about half are. Most of the cell phone talkers have trouble maintaining a ‘steady speed’… At least once a day, one of these mobile communications obsessed drivers will pass me on the right, pull in front of me and then promptly slow down 5, or more miles an hour, prompting even more folks to attempt a ‘right pass’…

Earlier this week, one nearly rear ended me as traffic came to an abrupt halt… I stopped, and checked the rearview mirror… I could see her closing on my at speed, and was trying to decide to stay put, or pull around the car in front of me and on to the shoulder, when I saw her drop the phone, grab the wheel with both hands and the nose of the car drop as she hit the brakes… she eventually came to a stop, alongside me as she’d pulled on to the shoulder to avoid hitting me.

The cars behind her, were all over the place as well, but, as far as I know, no one hit anyone…

So… what I’d like is you folks to share with me some stupid things you’ve seen on the road… this week, last week, when ever… the worst, the best, anything… I just want some tales of yours… from the road!!


Technorati Tags: - - -
-IceRocket Tags: - - -

2 comments:

Greg said...

And on the road again! Perigrenation- indeed perigrine nation! Maybe we'll see ya?

Tao - is the foot and head of a warrior - yes on the way!

Dizzy Ms. Lizzy said...

There are idiots out on the roads everywhere, Bill - - even here in the so-called "Heartland" - -

I work at a Community College, right across the road from Archer Daniels Midland ("The Supermarket Of the World"),and between the idiot student drivers out here, and the semis hauling grain for ADM . . . well, it's a situation of taking your life in your own hands every single day!

I'm getting WAYYY too old for this . . . :-)

Liz