Sending out my prayers

                We passed a horrific accident returning home from the ward luncheon.  I don’t know how many people were involved or how many hurt.  I saw a stretcher out by a car in the ditch.  Ahead was a van all smashed up.  It had to have been going pretty fast to have been that smashed up – or perhaps it had been the other car that hit on the way to the ditch (I guess I don’t even know what direction the ditch car was facing)

            We had to slow down as we passed.  Tears formed in my eyes.  I don’t know what happened.  I would guess it could have been prevented.  I feel bad for the victims.  I hope things will be resolved and health will be restored.

Discover a Reason

        I just read my brother’s latest post in which he mentions paying fees towards a park that he never uses.  It is annoying paying fees for something in which you don’t feel a part.  For example there are many paying taxes for schools when they have no children.  Those who reside in Myrtle Creek pay taxes on a small airport.  I remember a man complaining about it. At the time I didn’t even realize there was an airport in Myrtle Creek.  And though it’s true that no commercial planes will ever land here, and I will never personally train to fly, I do reap benefits of having an airport so close to my house as I had mentioned in this post.

        My brother took a picture of himself at the park – I don’t know from the photo how big the park is or if there is a playground or walking trail available.  If so, I would think that it has the potential of being a good source of giving children or walkers a place away from traffic – more importantly a place away from mischief.  If the park didn’t exist, what would become of those who attend?  I have been to Las Vegas.  There is no way on God’s green earth that I would ever think of driving there!  I might not even feel safe as a pedestrian.  But I would be willing to take a stroll in the park.

        There are still a handful of children who can have fun without electronics.  I would rather have them playing at a designated playground than wandering in my yard out of curiosity.  I’m not saying having the park there will protect them from acts of crime, but think about it.  There is a reason.  Perhaps it isn’t as popular as it was when it was initially proposed . . . but still . . . just a thought really.

        Some drivers have complained about traffic lights and sharing the road with buses or trains or trolleys or whatever.  And yet, what if we didn’t have them?  How much heavier the traffic or more accidents as suggested in this post?

        If we didn’t have an airport in Myrtle Creek, where would the helicopters park during fire season? The heat gets unreal in the summertime – but not as bad as Las Vegas.  I have suggested to Steven several times that he and Isaias should move to Ashland.  I am certain that both could get jobs there and he would be more comfortable than in Vegas – though I don’t know if Isaias would feel the same way.  He would rather do the city driving than the country.  I’m sure he’d find his niche though.

More Triggered Memories

 

            I have used the above picture in an earlier post.  My first post in February 2012 – the year I started my blog.  The post itself had nothing to do with the picture.  Let me relate what really happened and why Jenna is making this face.

            As I mentioned in a more recent post we used to walk everywhere – though Kearns offered more destinations than anything in West Valley or Myrtle Creek.  We did not walk to the library often as we had to cross a busy street, but Jenna had not taken a nap and would be in need of one and usually the walk to the library and back wore her out. 

            I would always hold Jenna’s hand when we were out on walks – especially when crossing streets – especially the busy one. She insisted on crossing 5400 on her own.  No way!  What kind of a mother would I be to allow my five year old cross 5400 by herself?!?  I forced her to hold my hand the return and may have even carried her across at one point.  What a brute, I know.  Anyway, she made that face because she was upset with me.

 

            Many times Jenna and I have taken walks that will trigger some kind of memory – for instance yesterday I posted about my first car.  The trigger happened when we first saw a Volkswagen Beetle.  It was the same shade of blue as the car the Gus drives in the TV series Psych.

http://imcdb.org/images/123/174.jpg 

         I told Jenna that it was a Beetle and when she started calling it a bug I told her that I thought the bug was bigger than the beetle – she thought I was joking about the names but shortly afterward a Volkswagen Bug came up the street as we were walking and I told her I used to have a Volkswagen Dasher.  I also shared a story about my sister Kayla who always seemed to have a fondness for the Volkswagen Bug and said she planned to buy one when she was old enough to drive (I think she was younger than 8 when this experience happened)

            My brother  and I planned to go to Trafalga Family Fun Center with a few friends.  I don’t remember how many went, but we had to take several cars in order to fit us all.  A friend picked me up in her Volkswagen Bug and we took Kayla with us.  I don’t remember all of what we did but do remember that miniature golf and bumper cars were offered in addition to water rides.  After we had returned home I remember telling mom what we did and she asked Kayla what her favorite part of the day had been. 

            “We got to ride in a bug!” she beamed proudly.  I had to explain that Janice had picked us up in her Volkswagen Bug.  I hadn’t thought about it as a highlight but it had been for Kayla.

 

            When we lived in Kearns I used to walk to the gas station near our house.  I would push Jenna in the stroller and go in to fill up my 32 ounce cup with soda.  Jenna always had her sippy cup which would sometimes need a refill – but I didn’t want to give her soda.  They had a watered down juice – I don’t even remember what it was.  I think it was Sobe some raspberry flavored liquid.  I saw it as a safe bet and would fill her cup half way and add some more water.  The gas station attendant never charged me for it but had always encouraged me to take it.  I’m guessing it wasn’t a good seller and he wanted to get rid of it.  

Decisions and Ripple Effects

          How many of our decisions affect others?  Choosing to have a peanut butter and jelly sandwich over tuna fish may not have any kind of a ripple effect as making a choice to drive or walk toward oncoming traffic. 

          Yesterday morning Balras Sing Dhillon had stopped his car just outside of Myrtle Creek.  Whether it was a conscience decision or not is unknown. 

Police received a call about a vehicle stopped in the northbound left lane of the interstate approximately six in the morning and went to investigate. When they approached the vehicle, the driver took off. 

The driver continued for another mile before crashing into the medium.  He must have climbed over the medium after he abandoned his car.  Was he running from the police?  Was he so disoriented that he didn’t know what he was doing?  I believe the latter as it is said he ran onto the freeway and was struck by multiple cars that were going southbound.  Just before he died several people were affected by the decisions he had made.

Drivers between Exits 119 and 113 had nowhere to go.  They were stuck in traffic – lives were changed.  I do not know how many jobs were affected.  I know there were schools that were missing a number of instructors for one to three hours (depending on what time each school started).

The decision made created lost time – not only for the teachers but their students as well.  In one school the students of the absent instructors were required to go to the gym.  There they were given the choice to participate in physical activity or watch from the bleachers.  It was suggested they do homework or study – which many were obviously not doing as they surfed on cell phones or visited.

It was a weird day for everyone.  Instructors.  Students.  Aides.  Other community members who had been called to assist until the instructors arrived.

Often the decisions we make – whether consciously or not – affect others. The driver was a 35-year-old man from Lincoln, California.  We don’t know what brought him to Oregon.  That is what the media said.  The fatal accident is still under investigation as so much is unknown.

I am reminded of another incident also involving a car.  The driver had not taken his medication and was not supposed to be driving.  He wasn’t in his right mind when he made his decisions.  He drove onto the sidewalk and hit some students who were walking along 4000 West as they were returning home from Kearns Junior High.  Some media indicated there were seven students.  Other said five. 

I don’t recall the year it happened.  But I remember seeing the emergency lights spinning in the dark.  The road had been closed for more than 24 hours.  All the students involved had been taken to the hospital.  None of them were kept overnight as I recall. I don’t know what emotional scars were created or how long they lasted.

The one thing about Utah is there are alternatives.  There are back roads and exits that will still allow one to go in all four directions.  Here, in Oregon, there are not a lot of back roads or options.  We may think our decisions might not matter – but they do.

Once a Year

Once a year

downtown parking

is over flowing with cars

More cars than

I ever see in Myrtle Creek

at any given time.

Parked in streets and

all around the park.

People will walk two

or three blocks even

when it’s hot.

Saturday is the day.

The last Saturday in July.

People come to watch

crawlers, participate in

sporting events and

to walk around.

The later it gets, the

more cars and traffic.

Fireworks start at 10:00.

This year there were two lots
reserved for the handicapped.
Sunday morning is when the

vendors remove their tents 
followed by a worship service. 

I love this town!

From Where I Stand

          I try to keep the room cool so I can fall asleep more easily.  Last night it was cold.  I still managed to sleep.  But I felt overly warm at 3:30 this morning.  When the heat kicked on I moved into the bathroom and stood by the window until the heat shut off.  I then wrote the following:

From where I stand

I can hear the traffic

moving over I5

but I cannot see it

Even if the fog wasn't there

From where I stand

I cannot see Old Pacific Highway

I can barely see the street

where I live

From where I stand

I can hear the trains

I know the tracks were not

completely abandoned

But had never seen a train

in Myrtle Creek

until the other day

when I went to meet my friends

for coffee.

I parked between Good Dogs and

the park and I saw the train

passing the tracks where Jenna

and I have explored and

taken several pictures.

From where I stand

I somehow seem to always hear

more than I can see

You May Want to Rethink That Name on Your Trailer

        Although the definition for Express means "to convey", I often associate the word with speed or convenience" - such as in "American Express" or "Federal Express"  or even the express lane on the freeway or supermarket checkout. 

I find it ironic that an "Express" would hold up the line of cars.

        I couldn't take a picture of the vehicle in front of the line as I wasn't directly behind it.  It wasn't a big deal really.  Eight cars driving 20 on a 45 road is no big deal. After all, the daily traffic in Salt Lake - which accounts for more than 8 to 10 cars - is a big deal.  8 - 10 cars would be neighborhood traffic,  but not a main road.

        I don't think I would have thought that much about it had I been in Salt Lake,  but 8 backed up cars is quite heavy traffic for MC - so I thought there was a bus making stops and possibly picking up students.  But I finally got a glimpse of the truck pulling trailer.  My view was the back of the trailer which read:

        I laughed.  Had it been in Salt Lake, I can guarantee you that most drivers would have been stressed - but then again in Salt Lake, one has the option of driving around - which they normally do at high speeds flipping off or honking at the lead driver who is slowing everybody down.

        Between 2:30 to 3:00 after school is definitely the heaviest I ever see with traffic in this area.  And still, it is less traffic than even the quietest streets in Salt Lake.  I like that!

High School Reunion Without Internet

          My dad graduated from high school in 1954 or 1955.  I think he attended every class reunion there was until he got sick.  I think my mom must have attended all of his high school reunions as well. She has never gone to her own.  Nor have I.  Mostly I didn't care.  I didn't even like high school.  Why would I want to go back?

          I believe the first high school reunion offered a barbeque at a local park I believe on a Saturday afternoon - and may have attended that one had I been in town, but I was on my mission at the time.   The second reunion announced was located at some prestige resort in Park City.  I didn't have that much money to spend nor did I believe there would be many there that I would want to see for that much money anyway.  I don't remember being invited to another reunion after that - not that it would have mattered.  I hung around seniors all three years in high school - and more in the first year than the last two combined.  My senior year was actually a lonely memory.  Not a lot of good memories there.

          Roland and I have a friend in McMinnville who was in Roland's graduating class.  Enthusiastically she had contacted us both to say that there was a reunion in New Jersey on September 16, and perhaps the three classmates who ended up in Oregon could meet at Beth's house and talk to their former classmates through Skype.

          Roland, Jenna and I left the house just before 8:00 a.m. and headed toward McMinnville.  We  stopped at the Costco in Salem.  Every Costco I have ever been to doesn't open until 10:00.  The Costco in Salem opens before 9:00 - that would explain the overly full parking lot at only 10:20.  I felt like I was back in Salt Lake with the heavy amount of traffic and somehow felt like an even larger sea of people in the aisles.  Did not care for that at all.  Don't think I would like to live in Salem after all.

          We arrived at Beth's before the other couple.  Their former classmate has the same first name as I.  Roland did not remember her.  But they did remember all of the same people for the most part.  They reminisced about those they knew from high school and what things are going on now.  Beth could not get her server to work the entire time we were there.  Just as well.  The phone never rang and so they didn't get to talk with any of their other classmates.  But I think they actually enjoyed it more than they would have with wall-to-wall faces and no breathing room.

          Graham had prepared a really nice meal for us.  There was London Broil, tuna steaks, potato salad, and assorted vegetables.  I think the others brought the cheesy potatoes.  Graham had also made the best avocado dip I have ever tasted.  There was a trifle for dessert.

          Beth had asked if we'd be staying overnight.  We had packed a bag thinking we might stop in Salem on the way home, but for some reason the car ride home always seems a lot quicker than the destination from home.  Roland drove straight to the house.  We had only stopped one time to use the facilities. 

          Between Salem and Eugene Jenna and I watched the sunset for forty minutes.  I wish I had pictures of what we saw - but at 65 mph and a point and shoot, I knew the pictures would not capture the true beauty that we had seen.

Not Quite the Same Ratio

          Since living in Myrtle Creek, I have NOT missed the horrible traffic accidents that we encountered on a daily or weekly basis - some just fender benders, but some involved lost lives - not to mention totaled cars. 

My son lived not to far from this accident and was interviewed about what he saw

           We've been in Oregon for almost two years now.  I have been in one line of slow moving cars as there had been an accident in one of the intersections in Roseburg.  I can also remember an employee at Figaro's pointing to the line of cars on I5 and reporting how far ahead the accident was.  I would have never noticed the line of cars on my own.  Perhaps my eyes believe it appears more in the distance than younger eyes do. 

          We ran a few errands last yesterday.  After we had crossed the parking lot and had gotten out of our car, Jenna and I noticed flashing lights and went to investigate.  I had seen police cars and sheriff cars before - but never with lights on.  It looked like a fender bender.  Here in Myrtle Creek.  On Old Pacific Highway.  The first I have known about in the last two years.  I like that ratio much better than in Utah.

This is the accident that held up traffic for my sister and Brother-in-law last night.

"Your husband is going to be late."

            A facebook friend had been sitting in heavy traffic.  He must have been bored out of his mind.  He actually made a comment on one of my posts - which in itself was out of the ordinary.  But the post was over four years old.  That's what really threw me.

            I had not even started my blog yet.  Jenna was taking a theatre class near my sister's house.  Our house was two hours north of the elementary school that Jenna attended, and Kayla's was two miles west.  On Wednesdays I would just drive to Kearns and park in my sister's driveway.  We would walk around the neighborhood and visit others until it was time to walk to the high school where she had her class.  But on that particular day, we had little time to spare before making our way to the high school.  Who knew that the heavy traffic between three and four would still exist (and actually worsen) three hours later causing the instructor to be late also.

            I had even considered calling her when it was 3:30 but chose not to believing the delays would be cleaned up by then.  I was wrong.  She contacted me after 7:00 because mine seemed to be the only student phone number that she had in her cell phone.  The class had decided to play a game of "duck duck goose" while they waited.  I had mentioned the accident before.  I reconfirmed it.

            The accident had happened on 5400 and 3200 W.  I'd been hit at that same intersection just six months earlier - but there hadn't been enough damage to cause a major back-up.  But there were major delays that night.  It didn't matter where in the city I happened to be driving or at what time.  Traffic was a bear.  It reminded me of a Friday.

            5400 is not the greatest street.  I have always hated it.  The decades has just made me hate the street even more - especially after all the "improvements" that were made. Dorky traffic lights and lane change lights that made me feel like I was driving in a video game.

            Evidently last night's traffic was a repeat (or worse) than what occurred on the night I asked the question on my facebook post "Does anyone know what happened?"  because generally when one is stuck in backed up traffic,  it is unknown why.

            A couple of friends responded that a collision took place involving three cars and that someone had been flight lifted.  Three cars were involved in last night's crash as well.  5400 - but further west of the high school.  I looked it up last night.  There really wasn't much to the story.  And I could only find one source.

            Meanwhile, I had called Kayla, who is a mother to three who are six and under and at least one was screaming.  It didn't seem like it was a good time for her to talk, but at least she understood why Bill might be late (or was late) getting home. 

            I really don't miss the traffic that I had to deal with in Salt Lake.  Thus far I have not seen much in the way of collisions or heavy traffic in Oregon - except in Portland.  But I am so far from Portland that the traffic there doesn't affect me.  Heavy traffic in Myrtle Creek has been eight cars behind the school bus.  I think a collision in Myrtle Creek would be embarrassing for those involved.

            Funny how somebody from Oregon was able to tell someone in Utah that her husband would be late due to slow and heavy traffic.  The wonders of modern technology. 

It's Snowing in Utah

Whenever my phone rings

Or signals that I have received a text message

Jenna jumps

Like Pavlov’s dog

Usually I don’t mind

I am not a slave to the phone

Though she seems to be

She’s always excited when she learns

That it is one of her brothers

Today she answered the phone with excitement

“Randy!” she yelled.

It isn’t any wonder that none of her brothers have gone deaf

First thing he asks her if it is snowing

He says that the Utah snow seems harsh today.

I remember waiting for the bus in killer snow

The snow seen in this part of Oregon is rare

Or so we’ve been told

We saw it fall for two days

But it was never like Utah

Buses were delayed for two hours

But Jenna did return to school

After the snow

We had our power back on

But some people did not.

Those who live in Tiller

Were without power for six days

To a week.

Mostly it rains.  The creeks and rivers rise

The grass turns green and

The earth is drenched with moisture

The Internet tells me

it is much cooler in Salt Lake

than it is in Myrtle Creek.

I do not miss the snow.

I don’t miss the biting cold.

I miss visiting with my family members

In person.

Surely the Drivers in Oregon are Better

         I don’t recall having seen a car accident the entire time that we were in Oregon.  That doesn’t mean they didn’t exist.  I did see one patrol card on the side of the road had pulled someone over.  I saw one other police car.  But that was it.

         Someone had burned down the High School in Albany the night before we arrived.  We didn’t see the High School.  We just heard about it.

        Exactly one week ago, when I took Jenna to school, the sun was so bright in the morning.  I generally stay in the parking lot an additional 30 – 40 minutes allowing the sun the rise further up in the sky before I get back on the road.

         There is no normal in my routine as I haven’t been driving for that long and had forgotten how I did things a year and a half ago. Having spent spring break in Oregon had actually thrown me off remembering anything really. So I turned onto the main road instead of going around – not even thinking about it one way or the other – not until I approached the intersection and saw what looked like the rear end of a fire truck.  Perhaps I was wrong.  I just saw traffic at a stand still.  Many impatient drivers turned around – including me. 

         If I had thought about it, I would have just stayed put.  I really wasn’t in a hurry.  I just don’t care for traffic.  I’d rather spend an extra 20 – 40 minutes taking a less traveled route than to be bumper to bumper waiting to move.  But my decision caused me to slow for two different school zones.

         When I had gone to elementary school, students were given the opportunity to patrol – not only at the school but at the crosswalks as well.  I haven’t seen students as crossing guards for quite a number of years.  I saw it that day.  One school had students patrolling the neighborhood streets.  I wouldn’t want my student out there!

         When I passed the street with plugged intersection, I saw a ROAD WORK sign.  I questioned whether I had seen a fire truck or not – or was that a utility truck I saw that carries the poly cones?  Is my eyesight getting so bad that I can’t even tell the difference?  But then I was never actually that close to it to examine the details.  There had been several cars in my way.

         Shortly after I returned home, the Internet went out.  It was a pretty off chance that the road work/accident would be related.  I had no way of looking it up to find out – though I considered going to the library to see if service was working there.

         Several years ago (long before marriage – still in high school) I remember listening to the radio in another county.  The power flickered and I remember the DJ announcing the freakish outburst of power surge. 

         “That’s a coincidence, “ I thought.

         Really, power outage from one intersection to another seems rare – but from one county to another?  No way.  Turns out that the power outage had affected the entire state of Utah, some parts of Nevada and Wyoming.  I had never heard of that before, and yet I was around when it happened. (article about it can be found here and here )

         My aunt and uncle had tickets to see “Annie” that night.  Of course it was cancelled and they didn’t get to see it. 

         My brother, Patrick, picked up a newspaper and announced, “I am going to read my horoscope just for the fun of it”

         I don’t actually know anyone who puts faith in horoscopes – though I know there are people who do. We just don’t happen to take the entire zodiac thing seriously.

         Patrick read his horoscope out loud.  It said that he would be experimenting problems with electricity today.  We all laughed and then the lights came on.  The lights came on in our neighborhood.  We had been listening to a transistor radio for updates.  According to the announcer, the state was still without power.  But we had power!  I don’t know how many people on our street or in our neighborhood.  But some of us had power.  I don’t know why.  That entire event was just so odd.

         When I left the house to pick up Jenna, we were still without Internet service.  I passed an accident in the lanes going the opposite direction as I. At least two cars were involved.  One had tried turning left (or so it appears) There were no signs of whatever incident took place in the next intersection that morning.

         Jenna and I stopped at the library.  The internet was working there.  Our house was without for almost ten hours.  We had called on it more than once.  We were told that it was the area we were in and that they were working on it. I would like an explanation on why it had gone down for so long.

 

         A few more people now know that we are moving to Oregon.  Jenna is excited to have a yard sale.  We haven’t much time, really.  I have actually wondered if the neighbors from across the street moved while we were gone.

Move Out of the Way!

I have heard that Utah has the widest streets in the nation.  Neighborhood streets are only two lanes – generally.  Still most seem big enough for cars to get by other cars that may be parked on the side of the road. 

Our main streets consist of 6 – 8 lanes – perhaps not for the entire road, but at some points.  I’ve gotten used to really wide roads.  As a pedestrian, I find I have only a few seconds to cross before the light changes.  It’s not like that all over the city – but enough to me that it feels that way.

Roland and I noticed the streets in Oregon were quite narrow in comparison.  We had a strange encounter at Fort Grove because of it.

Fort Grove is very pretty, almost story book looking, very secluded though.  Not a lot of shopping convenience.  I don’t know how far the firehouse is, but apparently they have access to one.

As we were driving around and looking at houses, Roland saw the fire truck behind us.  When we see that in Utah, our reaction is to pull over and let anything with a siren pass us.  Even with neighborhood streets, or the not-as-wide streets downtown.  There’s still enough room to pull over and pass.

Aside from Portland, I didn’t see much in the way of being able to pull over in order for any emergency vehicle to pass.  Certainly not in Forest Grove.  If we had pulled over, the fire truck would not have been able to pass.  The streets were too narrow.  I felt in the way as we continued to move and try to get out of its path.  It didn’t matter if we turned or went straight, it seemed to follow us – and there was nothing we could do but continue moving in a neighborhood that we weren’t even familiar with.

The two pictures don't  show the true narrowness of what was felt

 

Slow Down, People – seriously – SLOW DOWN!!!

The weather the past few days have made for awesome biking weather, driving weather, walking weather . . . except for one thing.  There are some drivers who think they own the road and that the rules don’t apply to them.  They can drive as fast as they wish, as reckless as they wish and ain’t nobody in the path that is going to stop them.  Oh, whoops – there was.  Most of this could have been prevented.   

I was at the front of the school yesterday – and have to walk a ways to the bus stop and make at least three transfers.  I make my first transfer at the college.  I decided to take the 41 in whatever direction came first.  The first one to come was going eastbound and then I made my final transfer to the 217 – which is the bus I normally take.  But there was a blockage that prevented both northbound and southbound traffic.  The bus had to turn back and take a long detour around that area.  I was at a loss at what might have taken place.  The blockage was between intersections.  I couldn’t even visualize an accident.

Seven hours later I was on the bus going southbound.  Same detour.  What the heck?  I was reminded of this incident – when Roland and Jenna and I were returning to the house when we lived in Kearns.  

         It was after 8:00 p.m. when we made our turn off 4000 W onto a neighborhood street that would take us home.  We could see the lights up ahead from all the emergency vehicles that were there.  We watched the news and heard this story.  The number of children varied with each report.  Some local authorities said as low as five were hit.  Some said seven.

         I’m certain that it was not the intent of the driver to plow down those students – or was even aware that he was off course or where he was or what was happening.  It was later explained that he was driving with or without medication that caused a reaction. 

         The next morning that part of the street was still closed down – over 15 hours after it happened.  It had remained closed due to investigation on what was considered a crime.

         I actually hadn’t thought too much about it after we had left Kearns.  Not until yesterday when I learned that Redwood was still closed in that same location as it had been that same morning.  I know that being without power is quite painful, but I felt relieved to know it was not as serious as accidents causing injuries or death – or even worse, a crime that had led to murder.

         Roland was to meet me at Jenna’s school as we had an appointment with her teachers.  He wouldn’t have been able to go home his usual way anyway.  I told him about the blockage and he sent me a list of five different accidents taking place all throughout the valley – all at approximately the same time – all causing backed up traffic, detours and delays.

         The day before, police were out patrolling – looking for speeders and evidently meeting their goal.  I saw the same police officer pull over a second car after driving away from having written up someone else.

         There was a police truck behind a civilian car blocking the bus stop at the college.  It doesn’t happen often that a vehicle blocks the pathway of the bus.  But I have seen it three or four times where the bus driver becomes angry and will honk and shake his fist at the driver.  The bus driver was ticked but decided not to provoke the police officer (I guess)

         I suppose accidents at this time of year are common – but in the past it’s been due to ice and snow – not totally to stupidity.  Why drive so recklessly?  Why not enjoy the weather?

         Even some bus drivers have been known to have led feet.  Shame on them for flying from intersection to intersection, zooming past three or four other bus stops along the way – only so they can wait 3-5 minutes so they won’t be “ahead of schedule” – I don’t have the strength to run to the corner and across the street.  I’m an old woman!

         Just slow down.  Don’t go over the speed limit.  Don’t speed up for yellow lights!  Is your being in a hurry really worth the delays you create for others?  Is it worth risking others’ lives? Or even your own?  Leave early if you must.  But don’t speed.  Please slow down.