The Fast And Oblivious

(sung to tune of "Itsy Bitsy Spider")

Silly, speeding driver...on the interstate
Down came the rain and....now you may be late
So down goes the gas pedal...so you'll get there quick
Silly, speeding driver...the road is effin' slick!

Dang that blasted Peeve again! He's always up to no good it seems. Sigh. This pet Peeve of mine has yet another behavior that irks me. This particular one only seems to happen at certain times which is good. I think any more than this and I would probably lose my mind. People who speed when it's raining cats, dogs, cows and Fat Alberts out there make me furious. Especially when I'm on the highway.

(sung to tune of "Baa Baa Black Sheep")

Nascar Reject....what's with all the speed
Is there...a death wish.... to fulfill....you need
The road is wet...thanks to all the rain
That puddle on the side...can make you hydroplane
Nascar Reject...we share the road with you
But we won't mind...if...we'll never have to...

Now, I'm not talking about a-sun-shiny-day-sweeping-the-clouds-away-on-my-way-to-where-the-air-is-sweet-on-to-Sesame Street-where-it's-all-dandy day. And suddenly, a light sprinkle comes down and people start driving way BELOW the speed limit (40 mph last time I checked here). No, not this kind of day. This however, is another situation which is equally annoying.

Yet, the situation that really drives me crazy, mark my words, is when the heavens are letting loose all their fury on the earth and the speed demons decide to come out to play. The darkened skies and white sheets of rain already make it impossible to see the car in front of you or the lines on the highway. Shoot, even the front of your own car! Yet, these fools think it's fun and cool to switch lanes like the Geico gecko switches accents in every other commercial. Did anyone else notice that? Good thing, 15 seconds no (not or) more is all I can take of that little green twerp.

Anyway. I used to think it was okay for trucks to do it because I deduced that although they're heavier and have a larger momentum that they could still chance to speed up in the rain. The main factor here was probably that they have bigger tires with plenty more traction. And, I've always noticed that during heavy rain when mostly everyone else drives slow, truckers take the chance to overtake and pass traffic. Yeah. I believed this alright. Though, this was until I heard about an accident with a truck skidding on a highway during rain. Dang. And the driver was going over the speed limit too.

But those sedans and even SUVs that are always determined to speed past me when everyone else is trying to drive cautiously (at least until the rain subsides) annoy the rational thinking out of me. I wonder if it's wrong that a part of me sometimes wishes that they skid off the highway (accident-free of course!) and then, their car gets stuck there till the rain stops. Speeding while the rain is gushing down will definitely get you on TruTV along with those idiots in the police car chases. If you're lucky you might make it to the fame level of Jackass TV - which is undeniably one of the best shows ever made on Earth and which has won so many awards for its creativity, family-oriented humor and....Okay, I could only BS so long. It's a dumb show that should never see the light of day ever again. Or any of the gasp! movies that were made of that show. Just as dumb are those who speed in this manner in this specific situation.

It doesn't matter if you just bought the new Michelin or Firestone tires with the double-threaded interlocking traction and channeled grooves to direct water away from the surface contact of the tire with the road. Others around you are driving slowly and you trying to speed only helps to further disrupt the already molasses-motion traffic. Yes, you in that white Ford Explorer. I can hardly see with all this rain but I can clearly see you're driving like an arse and you swerving too. That's not okay. Zero cool points.


Hopefully as winter approaches, there will be less rain as the place gets colder. One thing in my opinion that is even dumber and certainly more stupid than speeding in the heavy rain is speeding on the slick, partially frozen, somewhat iced highway. That will truly be a case of the fast, oblivious and ridiculous (depending on how it turns out perhaps even hilarious or notorious). But, I'm sure if I keep my eyes open that I'll be sure to see even this...

It might even end up an installment in the "Samsung Camera Never Lies" series! We'll see...

Aargh!

P.S. Google research (most credible source in the universe) suggests driving with shades on during heavy rain to see more clearly. No lie. Seems to confirmed by some men in blue and you know the cops never lie. Try it next time, it's crying a river while you're on the black carpet...

The Fast And Oblivious