Thursday, December 13, 2007

Angry Man

There are many things that upset me. You might even say I can be passionate in my anger. Well, the other day, I encountered something that made me supremely angry and deeply upset. Now, you may ask, what could it have been?

You might think it is the Israeli – Arab Meeting to Discuss the Possibility of Peace. You remember that I have written Op Ed pieces and many emails on this general subject. You ask "how can you not be at the blood boiling stage when there are a number of Op Ed pieces where wonderful individuals will with their presumed insight write at length on how all world problems would be solved if only Israel would just go quietly into the night?" Now all of this certainly raises my blood pressure level but it was not the startling emotionally distressing issue.

Then, you would presume it might be the current ongoing Four Year Presidential Campaign and its long list of non impressive candidates from either party but again, I have spoken about it a length but even that more puts me to sleep than raises my blood pressure. Most discussions have been reduced to who do I dislike the least and if that’s not bad enough, keep in mind that in all likelihood the next presidential campaign will start November 2008.

Oh, you think you have figured it out. Of course it is the state of Florida politics and education system. We all know that its great that Florida has its wonderful weather to entice people to move here because if you had to consider this state on the merits of the education it provides at the elementary or high school level … well it is 47th and the intelligence of the state politicians … well, consider how they are dealing with the property tax issue. Enough said but again, you are wrong.

So, I guess I will have to spell it out for you. This week I had occasion to be driving on different days both to north Palm Beach County and south through Broward and Miami-Dade Counties. Two separate matters almost drove me to stop and seek out a source to purchase a shot-gun to solve these major serious issues.

The first, of these critical issues is the HOV lane. The High Occupancy Vehicle lane on the highway is intended during clearly labeled hours in the morning and afternoon to be for vehicles carrying two or more breathing people. In addition, if you have overspent for a hybrid vehicle you are allowed to use this lane during the restricted hours. This is a separate issue that has its own problems but not my issue on these particular trips. I was driving by myself so I could not use that lane. The lane I was using moved at its faster than crawl but less than the even the potential speed limit. At the speed I was driving, I was able to clearly see into the many cars and trucks utilizing the HOV lane. I wanted to know where the highway patrol was and why it was not monitoring the many single drivers, non hybrid cars using the HOV lane. There are an enormous number of cameras on the highway. These cameras are used on the turnpike to catch people going through the Sun-Pass Only gate without a working Sun-Pass. These drivers were moving at a substantially faster rate and no one was stopping them. I was extremely agitated. You wonder why if this was such an egregious wrong but people were getting away with it why I did not take advantage of the lack of supervision? Well, that is because I know my history. The moment I would move into the HOV in the restricted time the “no where to be seen policeman” would materialize. So, I was forced to merely utter a long stream of unsavory words that only my radio was there to hear.

Now, that would have been merely bad by itself had I not encountered the second major crime. Driving on I-95 at a good speed, I am routinely passed by individuals on motorcycles. Now, I am not speaking about my driving 70 and being passed by a biker going maybe 80. These bikers are flying by and bopping and weaving in and out of lanes leaving no margin for error. Just recently, I had to opportunity to be speaking with a motorcycle owner. He was not driving when we were speaking … just enjoying a wonderful dinner together. Before I knew he was a biker, I mentioned my experience. He told me that most likely the biker passing me was traveling between 100 and 120 miles per hour and might have been as fast as 160 mph. He told me it was okay because motorcycles have more control and respond so much better than a car does. I gave him my friend Dennis Maimon the neurosurgeon’s name so when his “better handling vehicle” did not perform as planned he could have someone to put him a back together. Again, where is highway patrol?

If I roll a stop sign and there is no pedestrian or other car within three miles, there will be a police car there to point on my major moving vehicle violation. If I drive on a license plate that was not two months past its renewal date, there is a policeman close enough to see that 1” x 1” sticker on the back of my car. When somebody violates the HOV lane during the busiest time of the morning or late afternoon, where are they? When that motorcycle rider with the death wish drives like there was no one else on the highway, why do never see them pulled over by the highway patrol?

These are major critical issues. I am not talking about arresting people who litter. I am not talking about rounding up and confining those people who take up two parking spaces in the mall parking lot. I am not even talking about the lady who took fifteen minutes to pay for her pizza the other night while eight people stood in line waiting for her to complete her major financial transaction. Our highways need to be protected so that I can go back to be oblivious while I drive and merely concentrate on the crazies calling into talk with the even more insane liberal and conservative talking heads. Save me.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...
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Anonymous said...

Your writing style defintaley goes well with your title. I really enjoyed your nostalgic story telling and bittnerss.