Yesterday, while on a very busy road merging on a bridge off ramp onto another very busy road, some idiot behind me, who almost drove into my rear Johnny side (clarification: Johnny is passenger, Reese is driver), was listening to his headphones. Not for nothing, but I really feel like when Stephen King decided to put Tommyknockers on tape, he wasn't expecting he'd scare the pants off you WHILE DRIVING. So you can't pay attention because you are freaking out in your car, and you can't hear anything going on around you (although the little voice screaming in your head probably isn't helping). Take the headphones out dummy.
On that note. When you see an ambulance or a police car, get the hell out of the way. Seriously. Believe it or not, this is not a law, only a courtesy. Well, can you imagine if, God forbid, it was you or a family member waiting for that ambulance, and some crappy person decided he didn't feel like being 'courteous'. Or it was your house being robbed, or on fire, or any other number of horrible things, and the police or firemen couldn't get there because someone wouldn't move over on a one way 35 MPH road? I invite you next time you see police, fire, EMT or any emergency responder; MOVE OVER IMMEDIATELY. jerk.
Speaking of jerks. In the case of funeral processions. A hearse is not equipped with the special signaler that makes the lights change. Trust me, where you are going is not as important as where the cars following the hearse are going. I remember going to a friends father's funeral. I had recently moved to the area, and really did not know my way around. I met John at the church because we both went to work and took half days. The cemetery was about 20 minutes away from the church, and this was a very very large funeral. I understand getting a little frustrated when you are on a very major road and there are cars not paying attention to 'every other', but realize that so many of those people are paying respects to lost loved ones, and you need to get over yourself.
I love the bumper sticker, "honk if you love Jesus, text if you want to meet him." Now, I didn't sign Oprah's 'No Texting' promise, but I like to think that I am a fairly safe driver. Sometimes I even get in a zone and go under the speed limit (whatever, I have precious cargo). I know I piss people off, but I don't care. What, am I going to be late for a playdate? I'm usually the first one there anyway, so really I'd just be on time. I can't say I've never texted while driving. I'll get texts sometimes, and if I'm expecting something I might peek at it, but usually it's at a stop sign or light, and as many of my friends will tell you, usually I don't have time to text back and I forget that I got a text and never respond. But that idiot that does the whole, hands at 10 & 2 but I've got my QWERTY keypad so I can text and drive and I'll just lean my head down so I can see the screen AND the road; newsflash, that doesn't work. You are not that important and everyone and everything can wait, because otherwise, you might have to be referring to the previous paragraph.
I can't even believe that I saw all of these things in a week. It makes me sad to know that all of the campaigns and all of the PSA's and all of the knowledge that we have now haven't stopped so many of these things. Next time you get in the car, put your phone in the back, turn down the radio, and by all means, thank God that you are here another day to drive wherever it is you are going.
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