One man's voice Thoughts, rants and commentary of a simple man

Do they really have to drive this way?

I have been noticing lately quite literally every day there is an accident on some major traffic artery in my area. Usually the accident is on highway 880 near Oakland, or Southbound highway 880 near Dixon Landing Road. There is almost always something happening on 580 West near Livermore and there is almost a certainty that there will be an accident near Main St in Walnut Creek on Southbound 680. Really now, is all this necessary?

I don't have the longest commute or the hairiest commute in the Bay Area. In reality my commute is rather smooth. One of the main reasons I didn't walk away from the offer for the job that I am currenty doing is that my commute is completely against the typical Silicon Valley commute. In fact I get to watch, daily, the people sitting in the opposite side of the freeway traffic as I hear on the radio that there is yet another accident on their commute.

Today for example... if it wasn't bad enough that there had already been a bus fire on Southbound 680, it seemed like a good time for four cars, completely unrelated to one another, to smash into each other at the peak of my homeward commute. It normally would take me 35 minutes to get home under normal circumstances. Today it took an hour and fifteen minutes. WTC?

Yesterday there was a major accident on Southbound highway 101 and Westbound highway 92. That happens to be a major traffic artery for folks that work on the Peninsula. Thanks for getting in these accidents. Everyone that drives the freeways is much appreciative.

And if it sounds like I have no sympathy for these folks that are wrecking their cars... it is mostly because I don't. Well, let me rephrase that. I have contempt for those people that are eating a bowl of cereal while they talk on their cell phone and shave at 80 MPH. Or for those that have to put face cream on while smoking a cigarette and drinking coffee. God gave you two hands. At least one should be used for driving. Neither of them should be used for double duty while you are not paying attention to the roadway in rush hour traffic. Please, you don't have to drive this way.

/ Steps off soap box

I say tomorrow, since it is Labor Day weekend and all, that everyone drives a little slower and a little nicer and tries hard to make the drive something we can all tolerate. If not, get out of my way so I can get to work since I will probably be late and eating breakfast while talking to my boss on my cell phone explaining how my cat ate my dog and my dog ate my homework.