Either there are some really tired people on the road, some really drunk people on the road, some really, really bad drivers on the road, or text messaging and driving — though illegal — is quite popular in and around Scott County.
Last week on Tuesday morning while heading down Highway 21 from Sebastopol to Forest, I found myself behind a fellow in a well-worn Toyota pickup who either thought he was in Europe, was drunk, was tired, was a really bad driver, or was text messaging, because he was in the left lane of the highway practically the entire route until he turned off on Old 21. And since he turned off on Old 21 via the north entrance lane from Old 21 to 21 I’m voting for drunk.
At one point just north of Steele Town I held my breath and hit the breaks as he swerved all the way over and across the left lane and then back just as a line of traffic was headed head-on our way. I hope he made it home.
Then the next afternoon as I was headed back up 21 from Forest to Sebastopol the same scenario happened again but this time it was a small compact car — I didn’t get the make because I was afraid to watch — doing the same thing. I’m pretty sure this one was texting and driving because I could see the driver’s phone in her hand through the rear window. Maybe she was taking a selfie!
Not long ago, same scenario again, headed north on 21 behind another beat up compact truck and two guys were having a grand conversation about something and not paying any attention to the road because they were laughing, and looking at each other, and waving their hands in the air, the entire time. I know drinking was involved in that case because they threw a handful of beer cans out the window at one point.
Regular readers of this column know my feelings on litter so I won’t even go there right now.
This past Thursday between Lake and Forest on Highway 80 a fellow passed me and a slew of other vehicles on a double yellow line. Highway 80, double yellow line, narrow road, even narrower bridges, deep gullies on either side. Stupid, terrible, horrible, driver!
Friday I was pumping gas at Cox’s and out in the turning lane on 80 a fellow pulled out from behind the first car at the red light, over into the oncoming traffic lane, whipped around that car, punched it and headed up and over the overpass and south on Highway 35. What’s that about?
Sounded like he needed a new muffler too!
And then on Monday morning I was cruising on cruise control at my regular cruising speed of 59 miles per hour along scenic Highway 80 between Morton and Forest and everybody and their brother passed me at well over the posted 55 miles per hour. What’s the hurry?
Heck if everybody but me is running late going everywhere they are going then everybody needs to wake up a little bit earlier or skip that extra cup of coffee.
It seems to me that there is a wreck, or fender bender, or ditched vehicle on the side of the road just about every single day. So much so these days that I even called my insurance agent to make sure the coverage on my vehicles was what it needed to be.
I sure hope everybody else has the same coverage, because the day is coming. Yes, I’m afraid that the day is coming!
