Car Crashes

I have written before how much I hate stupid drivers. It is mind-boggling how some folks just don't understand that, when they get behind a two-ton machine, they are not protected from others, nor do they own the road. We are all in this together. Every morning, I wake up to the news that somebody has had a car accident. Some are more serious than others. If you have to put on your makeup, do it before you get in the car. If you have to text somebody, pull off to the side of the road. That is what shoulders are for. Except in Mississippi, where they are different colors and keep you awake. And, if you have to change lanes, look before you do. You may be a taxpayer, but you don't own the road and expect others to bow to your needs. And, it goes without saying that if you are drunk, for God's sake throw up on the side of the road. Don't drive. My friend Pam was hit head-on several years ago by a drunk driver. She was in a VW and just two blocks from her home. She broke several bones and had to have reconstructive surgery on her face. The drunk driver was unhurt. My friend Owen reached down to get something and ran into a telephone pole. He was killed. I have had other friends in similar situations. The bottom line here is that we need to pay attention. When I lived in Fort Worth, I was heading toward downtown on a Saturday morning. I was on the freeway, along with many other cars. We were at a speed limit ride, which in Texas means go for it. There are not enough cops in Texas to stop the speeders. So, just ahead of me, a guy decided to change lanes without looking and clipped the fender of the car in the lane he was changing to. Both cars put on their brakes. Everyone behind them jammed on their brakes at once, causing screeching tires, and a lot of smoke, but no one hit anyone else. We all stopped and looked at one another and smiled. Everyone paid attention to their surroundings. After our hearts calmed down, we started up again and moved around the wreck. We all worked together. There is a lesson there. Think about it, and get back to me. I'll be on the phone in the car though, so leave a message.