Lesson Learned: Safe Merging

I was pulled over today for unsafe merging. I wanted to get off the freeway, so I looked for a place to move into the right hand lane and signaled. There was not enough space as everyone in that lane was practically on top of each other - tailgating - so when the sheriff seemed to be the only car providing enough space, I merged. Lights flash, what the hay?!? I got off with a warning that there was not enough space to merge.

There is a quite a bit of irony in this event. I rant and rave over the idiocy of people merging in this area. I was taught that when you merge into oncoming traffic, you accelerate. I was apparently taught incorrectly. On a somewhat daily basis one of two things happens: (1) A car in front of me on the on-ramp putters into oncoming traffic reaching a maximum speed of about 50mph, or before reaching max speed is seized by the fear of rushing traffic from behind pulls into the shoulder and brakes - what the holy Hannah?!? (2) Cars merge into the fast lane on the highway and fail to accelerate or better yet, BRAKE!

I merged into a space of about 2+ cars, having previously signaled for almost a quarter mile to indicate my need to do so, and maintained my speed at a reasonable pace so as not to interrupt the flow of traffic. And I get pulled over. Ah, the irony. Wish that numnut sheriff was following me when people merged in front of me because most of them scare the living poo out of me!

To put my karma back in the balance and also to repay an overdue debt to the powers that be, I did a good deed. After my run in the forest, a woman at the parking area asked if I might give her a ride because she somehow dropped her car key on her walk. Since this has also happened to me, yet during a race when I fell, I knew my time to restore the balance had come. I had the good fortune of someone recovering my key by sheer luck and coincidence, so even if the gods were not looking out for her today, at least I felt good that I could.

On another note, I am currently listening to the State of the Union address and trying to decide if I can stomach anymore of it or if I should just turn it off. It is truly annoying the way they stand and clap after every point. Why have we reached a point when mediocrity is met with resounding applause? Crikey.