Vehicular Menace

There is much to comment upon last Thursday's Seattle City Council meeting.  Though I was still back in Toledo, Ohio I heard all about it.  Later this week I will again examine the issues, today instead concentrating upon inherent dangers surrounding a cabbie, this past weekend a case study concerning reckless and foolish drivers.  And given that the full moon won't be smiling for another couple of weeks, what was everyone's excuse?  A passenger said it was due to an unprecedented second new moon. 

That I know nothing about but lunacy was in the air and visible upon the local streets.  The Seahawk Super Bowl victory added more downtown pedestrians to the mix, joyfully pounding on hoods and generally playing the boisterous fan.  After taking a Virgina Mason nurse down to the ferry terminal I got the hell out of there.  Later there were reports of minor rioting.  Why not is what I say!

Immediately Saturday it was clear that something was terribly wrong with the local drivers.   Having just driven with the Toledo speed demons in snowy Ohio I was again taken aback by the lack of common sense and skills demonstrated here in good old Seattle and area.  Is it that difficult to turn right upon a red light or respond when a signal turns green?  Clearly, in Seattle it is a task beyond many.  Why, I can't tell you.

Close call # 1 occurred mid-morning Saturday while proceeding south-bound down Rainier Avenue South.  It was raining lightly when the signal turns yellow and a foolish driver decides to make a left turn directly in front of me.  Simultaneously applying my brakes and horn I thankfully convinced the driver to stop short as I slid past and through the intersection.  One second more and I am afraid that "she-who-can't-be-named" would have posted that I was unfortunately dead and no longer available to continue my weekly postings.  That near accident, my friends, got my attention, reminding me never to hurry because the next moment might very well be my last.  Sobering to say the least, and I haven't had a drink in months.

Close call # 2 occurred on a stretch of Martin Luther King Way (State Highway 900) running through Skyway.  I was south-bound taking two older ladies back to their Renton hotel from the VA Hospital, both of their husbands having recently undergone stem-cell transplants.  That part of MLK is a fast roadway and wouldn't you know it, an idiot driving a Chrysler 300 pulls out of gas station on my right, cutting in front of me and making an unadvisable U-turn.  Hitting the brakes and going into a controlled left leaning slide I safely avoided a collision.  I jokingly told my passengers that "it was a text book maneuver" in how to avoid a crash.  They agreed and heaped on the praise. 

Incident # 3, also in Renton, this time next to the Renton airport, happening when I pulled onto Rainier Avenue North, which somehow offended a driver who proceeded to chase me.  Putting on 478's four-way flashers I came to a stop, wanting the driver to just give up and drive away.  Becoming obvious I was dealing with a truly deranged soul, I dialed 911 and lifted up my telephone to indicate I was contacting the police. 

As I was receiving instructions the driver decided that inviting the police to the party was inadvisable and pulled away, clearly nervous that the cops were on his tail.  Giving the operator the car's license plate number I drove on knowing the fool would be looking "over his shoulder" for the next few days.  Complete silliness is all I can say.

Incident # 4 was your basic drunk or druggie cutting me off on University Way NE, the passenger sporting sunglasses at midnight.  Never saw the driver but I am assuming he or she was similarly fashionable.  Such nonsense upon a NFL holy Sunday!

The weekend was busy, filling three trip sheets plus ten or so.  Favorite passenger of the weekend was Cricket, a small black and white pooch about the size of a Manchester Terrier who politely licked my hand, displaying the best of manners. 

                      If only my fellow humans were as wise and good,

                      barking a hardy cheer yes I would,

                      wishing everyone a canine mind if I could,

                      a little common sense idling beneath their cranium hood!

Woof! Woof!