The Near Death Experience Of A Stranger

Imagine I am driving on the highway above. It's dark because it's after 6:30pm. It's also drizzly and cold and the traffic is a lot worse because it's rush hour leaving the Atlanta Metro.
I'm listening to the station that is playing Christmas tunes and singing along. In front of me is a big old tractor trailer that keeps sort of trailing over that right lane on the right. Just a foot or two over. Then he corrects. This goes on for a couple of miles so I am kind of keeping my eye on him.
The rain picks up a bit and the semi again slips to the right, the entire rig crossing the white line onto the shoulder and then suddenly makes a swerve so hard to the left that the trailer bounces.

Walking along the road is a hitchhiker. Exactly in the path along the shoulder where that semi was.

I SCREAMED.

For a split second I saw the cab plow into him and throw him under the wheels/to the side of the road/back at my van and then I realized he was fine. The truck driver had missed him. By what had to be inches.

He didn't even turn around. He kept his thumb up, his jacket blew as the trailer rushed past him and then me.

I nearly watched you die dude. I wonder if you even care.

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The Near Death Experience Of A Stranger

Imagine I am driving on the highway above. It's dark because it's after 6:30pm. It's also drizzly and cold and the traffic is a lot worse because it's rush hour leaving the Atlanta Metro.
I'm listening to the station that is playing Christmas tunes and singing along. In front of me is a big old tractor trailer that keeps sort of trailing over that right lane on the right. Just a foot or two over. Then he corrects. This goes on for a couple of miles so I am kind of keeping my eye on him.
The rain picks up a bit and the semi again slips to the right, the entire rig crossing the white line onto the shoulder and then suddenly makes a swerve so hard to the left that the trailer bounces.

Walking along the road is a hitchhiker. Exactly in the path along the shoulder where that semi was.

I SCREAMED.

For a split second I saw the cab plow into him and throw him under the wheels/to the side of the road/back at my van and then I realized he was fine. The truck driver had missed him. By what had to be inches.

He didn't even turn around. He kept his thumb up, his jacket blew as the trailer rushed past him and then me.

I nearly watched you die dude. I wonder if you even care.

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Welcome To Atlanta Part Two

You know the the story - Atlanta traffic is appalling. Every day your commute is attrocious and that's just how it is and what we live with - right? The old joke - that even on your way to hell, you have to go through Atlanta - well that's par for the course.

It's the only place that I've ever lived that the traffic report is 100% a must when driving to and from work. You HAVE to listen because the information is VITAL to get yourself from point A to point B in less than a billion hours time.

If I listen to CDs to or from work, I always end up rolling up into a 8 lane parking lot with no exit in sight.

But you get a bit numb to it, every day rolling in to work. So imagine my surprise when the DJ this morning doesn't pass it to the traffic guy but instead decides to do traffic himself.

"Our traffic advise this morning - IS GET OFF THE INTERSTATES!

575? 675? 75? GET OFF OF THEM! Now ! You know alternate routes! There are other ways to get to work! Are you on 78? WHY? Why are you on 78? And OH MY GOD YOU PEOPLE ON 20!!! WHY WHY WHY? Why are you STILL on the interstate?!?! GET OFF THE INTERSTATE NOW! Folks heading down 85 southbound or coming up 85 northbound - TAKE AN EXIT NOW!

Come on, you know some side streets! Let's take them! do it! Get off the interstate or I swear to GOD you are going to regret it!"

I dunno. I didn't think it was all that bad.

This may be a sign that I've gone native...........

Welcome To Atlanta Part Two

You know the the story - Atlanta traffic is appalling. Every day your commute is attrocious and that's just how it is and what we live with - right? The old joke - that even on your way to hell, you have to go through Atlanta - well that's par for the course.

It's the only place that I've ever lived that the traffic report is 100% a must when driving to and from work. You HAVE to listen because the information is VITAL to get yourself from point A to point B in less than a billion hours time.

If I listen to CDs to or from work, I always end up rolling up into a 8 lane parking lot with no exit in sight.

But you get a bit numb to it, every day rolling in to work. So imagine my surprise when the DJ this morning doesn't pass it to the traffic guy but instead decides to do traffic himself.

"Our traffic advise this morning - IS GET OFF THE INTERSTATES!

575? 675? 75? GET OFF OF THEM! Now ! You know alternate routes! There are other ways to get to work! Are you on 78? WHY? Why are you on 78? And OH MY GOD YOU PEOPLE ON 20!!! WHY WHY WHY? Why are you STILL on the interstate?!?! GET OFF THE INTERSTATE NOW! Folks heading down 85 southbound or coming up 85 northbound - TAKE AN EXIT NOW!

Come on, you know some side streets! Let's take them! do it! Get off the interstate or I swear to GOD you are going to regret it!"

I dunno. I didn't think it was all that bad.

This may be a sign that I've gone native...........