I had stepped out this evening to run an errand. While returning home I was driving on a road that ends into a T Junction, with a left and a right turn lane. I am behind a car, whose driver is rather erratic and is totally disregarding the lanes. I am not sure if it is a senior citizen or a drunken driver. But this happened between 6:30 to 7PM, which is too early to have drunken drivers so I tell myself that it must be a senior citizen. Before I know it, the years will whiz by and I will be playing for that team myself; therefore I better be considerate and not lose my patience.
I am not a very patient person (those of you who know me, stop chuckling) but for some reason since childhood I have had a lot of empathy for elderly people and I always go out of my way to help them. Sometime back my boss had noticed this about me and had told me that it is called “Mitzvah.” It is a term in Judaism to describe any act of human kindness.
Anyway I patiently follow the car albeit at a safe distance. So at the T-junction the driver, who is towards the left hand side of the two lanes suddenly makes a right turn. I am in the right lane but since I am following at a safe distance, the driver missed hitting my car. By that time my heart rate was dangerously high. I gingerly follow the car anticipating the driver’s move. We were in a 25 mph zone and this car is in the center of the road (I am not exaggerating) moving at 15 mph. The oncoming traffic virtually pulls over to let the car pass and we finally come to a light. Fortunately the driver gets on the left lane while I get on the right lane. I am completely relived that I won't have to follow this driver. By that time I wasn’t in any mood for “Mitzvah” or “Punya karma” (good deed in Sanskrit).
Anyway I pull next to the car to make a right turn and look to my left for any oncoming traffic when I notice the driver, a young woman totally engrossed in a cell phone conversation! I am furious because women like her give the rest of us, female drivers a bad name. I cuss at her like a sailor but fortunately since my windows were rolled up no one but the Almighty and my conscience heard me! *blushing*
3 comments:
Amazing.. the number of drivers on cell phones is just nuts. Glad you came thru without a scratch!
Thanks! I just couldn't believe how irresponsbile and dumb that woman was!!!!
Sai, I feel your pain! I have noticed that the number of people driving while having animated conversations on their cellphones is increasing and it bothers me no end. I have a practiced dirty look or scowl that I give these drivers. I'll bet they don't even notice it, but it makes me feel a whole lot better! :)
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