Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Open Letter to the Distracted Driver at Second and Wisconsin

What the bleep bleep bleep were you thinking?! At exactly 7:53 this morning you ran the stop sign at the intersection of Second and Wisconsin streets, a mere three blocks from the grade school. Had I not been paying attention, I would have entered the intersection at precisely the same time--just in time for you to ram into the driver's side--my side--of my little white Hyandai with your big black Dodge Ram (aptly named) at approximately 50 miles per hour.

With your cell phone smashed firmly to your right ear by your right hand, you glanced over at me from the center of the crossroads. Your face barely registered recognition of the fact that, had I been on the phone as well, had I chosen that city block in which to look for something on the seat next to me or to glance over and change the radio station, had I been doing anything other than giving my complete concentration to the road, you would have crushed and killed me. Killed me.

The corner is a blind one, you idiot. What could possibly have been so important that you drove at a ridiculous speed in the direction of a grade school, so close to the grade school, a mere seven minutes before school started and failed to even notice a stop sign?! What if I had been a ten-year-old truckin' it to school at the last minute on her bicycle?

Use your brain, get off your cell phone and pay attention. At least get a Bluetooth or a hands free headset. Or give up your right to drive. You sicken me...but at least you didn't kill me.


Barely still breathing,
Angela

2 comments:

Tara R. said...

Oh my! That had to be both frightening and infuriating. I just want a big sign that reads 'Shut up and Drive' every time I see someone aimlessly driving while talking on a cell phone. Glad you weren't hurt or worse.

Laurie said...

NOTHING gives me more primal rage than a$$hole drivers. Which then reduces me to JUST BARELY superior to them, as I seek to quell my instinct for retribution. What I really want is one of those scrolling lighted signs that you can program with messages, a la scoreboards in stadiums. I would put mine in the window of my car, and the message would read, "You are a bad driver and a rude person." I see that you have attempted the same release. Didn't help that much, did it?