When Idiots Hit The Road, Be Defensive, Philosophical
It was extremely icy on Interstate 90 on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and I was running late on my way to work, but I wasn’t going to go any faster.
I was due at work at 8 but I knew my boss wouldn’t mind if I showed up at 9. He drives in from Idaho each day so he knows what the roads are like.
It already was 7:45. I - and almost everyone else - was traveling under the posted speed limit.
Ahead of me as I was coming down Sunset Hill into Spokane, two tractor-trailers slowed me down even more. They were hauling two halves of a modular house at approximately 30 mph.
I had been following the trucks for quite a while, and even though I was staying way back, quite a bit of spray from their wheels was hitting my windshield and hindering visibility. I was afraid I was going to run out of windshield cleaner.
A couple of other drivers had crept past the trucks, and when I saw my opening to get around, too, I cautiously pulled into the passing lane. I was halfway around, past the first truck and starting to pass the second, when I looked in my rearview mirror to see the headlights of another motorist who had moved uncomfortably close to my rear bumper.
I realize that I was in the “fast” lane, but the conditions were too hazardous for me to increase my speed. I moved over as soon as it was safe to do so.
I could tell the other driver was angered when she passed me, as she was yelling and shaking her finger in an extremely agitated manner. Actually, she looked rather comical.
Obviously, she had no time to see my side of the situation. My little red beat-up car is the only transportation for my family and is required to get me to and from work. I cannot afford to wreck it.
I have children and a wonderful spouse who depend on me. I cannot afford to miss work due to injury or, worse, to lose my life in an accident.
During the recent inclement weather, I have allowed myself additional time to commute, so I guess I wasn’t as pressed for time as she was. I sincerely hope she was able to make it safely to wherever she was going in such a rush, with her vehicle and blood pressure intact.
MEMO: “Your turn” is a feature of the Wednesday and Saturday Opinion pages. To submit a “Your turn” column for consideration, contact Rebecca Nappi at 459-5496 or Doug Floyd at 459-5466 or write “Your turn,” The Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane 99210-1615.