You'd be amazed

I’m amused, but many times frightened by the things I see when I’m being passed by an automobile. When My eyes are 10 feet off the ground, it’s very easy to see what’s going on inside the car that’s going by me. I’ve seen instances of what people are doing to themselves and to others and that’s as far as I’m going with that one. I’ve seem people reading newspapers, maps and even paperbacks while traveling at 70 to 80mph. I’ve seen drivers actually working on a computer in the right seat. Text messaging and emails on a blackberry or other similar device are common and more and more chatting on a cel phone. All scenarios are scary but I think the one that causes more and more problems are cel phone users. How did we ever survive before they came along?

I can usually spot a cel phone user driving in front of me before I actually see them using it. Their speed and direction is erratic. I have the greatest urge when one is beside me to hit my air horn, but I’m afraid they’d have to clean up a mess on their seat cushion or be under my wheels or both. I’d love to put a sign on the back of my trailer that reads, “if you’re using a cel phone please stay behind me. I can’t pay attention to your driving too.”

This is sort of a truck driving story and of course true. Several years ago I was on the New Jersey Turnpike on a Sunday Morning and traffic was light. The roadway was 3 lanes wide and I saw a sign that the center lane was closed 2 miles ahead. In the center lane was a red BMW. At the 1 ½ mile warning I was closing on the red car. As the driver was using the center lane I passed on the right at about the 1 mile lane closure sign. When I passed I looked down to see the young lady driver reading a book perched on the steering wheel. As I got closer to the closed lane I looked in the mirror to see the car still in the middle lane. Ahead the middle lane was blocked with orange barrels and cones and additional warning signs. When was the BMW going to change lanes? She hit the first few cones dead center, sent them flying and created a cloud of blue smoke as she locked up the brakes. Needless to say, I had my chuckle of the day. Fortunately there were several factors in place that prevented this from being much more serious. The brakes did lock up as this was before ABS. Thanks to good automobile engineering the car stayed straight and I’m sure the driver froze holding the steering wheel too. There was no traffic around the mishap.

Sometimes we have to learn the hard way. I only hope this young lady became a smarter and safer driver.

Enjoy the day

Geezer

Category Posted: General