Crunch

So...after 25 years of driving, it finally happened. My first accident. I was on my way to work this morning. It was beautiful...sunny. I had the top down on the Jeep, singing along to Extreme's Hole Hearted. There was one car in front of me doing about 30mph when the light turned yellow...and it appeared she wasn't going to stop, so I figured I'd follow right behind her. Mistake. She DID decide to stop. She rode her brakes pretty hard...and I slammed on mine. Only my big bruiser jeep has anti-lock brakes and 33 inch tires. It wasn't going to stop anytime soon. It felt like an eternity. I put all of my weight into both feet on the brake pedal as I focused on the back end of her brand new, shiny silver 2008 Nissan Sentra. CRUNCH! "*&^%$#!" Yeah, I said a few things I'm not proud of. I immediately jumped out of the car to ask her if she was okay. She said "Yes." Thank God. I asked her to pull over to the shoulder and she did. I called the police. It took forever for them to get there. Meanwhile, there's that feeling of being on display for everyone else who's driving by. The shame. I exchanged information with the other driver. I got a ticket. The back end of her Nissan with the temporary paper plates was scrunched...caved in. Undrivable. My Jeep, on the other hand, looked like it had nothing wrong with it. Except the license plate was a little bent. After all the dispensing of information, I drove away...leaving that poor woman crying there. But thankfully her husband had arrived to console her. Ugh. What a crappy way to start the day...for both of us. Thankfully we both have insurance. More importantly, thankfully, no one was hurt.

The 5 Worst Drivers

I hate to drive. Which is sad, because driving should be an enjoyable experience. And it is…when I’m the only one on the road. It’s the other drivers that drive me nuts! Here are the top 5 types of drivers that really get under my skin. Can you relate? Or are you on this list? “Life in the fast lane.” Okay, newsflash people: THE LEFT LANE IS THE FAST LANE! If you are driving in the left lane and people are passing you on the right…you’re holding up traffic. If you want to drive in the fast lane, fine…but you have an obligation to keep from holding up traffic. And don't give me this bull about "But I'm driving the speed limit!" I DON'T CARE! If you're holding up traffic...you're holding up traffic. You can drive the speed limit in the right lane...or the "granny lane" as I like to call it. If only grannies knew to use it. Here’s another news flash: There will ALWAYS be someone who wants to drive faster than you. When that person comes up behind you, get over. Let them pass. Then you can get back into the fast lane. “Go ahead…you can cut.” One thing that ticks me off more than anything is the driver in front of me, who no doubt is holding up traffic in the fast lane, decides to let someone else cut in front of them from the right lane. It amazes me how much people will complain if a person tries to cut in line in front of them to get a burger at the Tastee Freeze, but they have no problem letting a total stranger cut in front of them on the road. Hey…I’m behind you! I don’t want more people in front of me! You didn’t ask my permission to let someone cut! What’s worse is when the driver in front of me lets someone else cut in front of them…then I get stuck at the next light. “Braker Braker” Your car has two pedals…three if it’s a stick. The one on the right makes it go. You should try using it every once in awhile. Why is it so many people insist on riding their brake the entire time they drive? I swear, Colorado drivers have found a way to brake uphill! The worst are those who ride their brake through a green light….just in case it turns yellow! Ugh! Give me a break. “Oh, it’s green?” I don’t care what you do in your car while you’re sitting at a red light. Put on your lipstick, shave, discipline your unruly children…whatever. But pay attention to the light! Green means go! And if you’re the first car in line at a light, it’s your responsibility to pay attention. Don’t make me honk behind you. It's so selfish for you to take your time going through a green light. Think about it. Someone about 10 cars behind you wants to make that light too. Your dawdling will mean they have to sit through another one. “But it’s a sport version!” One of the worst cars to get close to in traffic is a mini-van. Not just because of distracted moms—but the dads. I can accept that moms can’t always haul through traffic at the speed limit while three kids scream in the back seat, but get out of the fast lane for crying out loud! But by far the worse mini-van drivers are dads. I get it…you gave up your sports car for a mini-van. Good for you for putting family first. But why do men who drive mini-vans insist on racing? I don’t care if it’s the “sport version”…it’s a mini-van. Give it up.