Observations from the Road

There have been a few things I have noticed lately while I have been out and about but nothing with which to fill a whole posting so I decided to combine them into one:

• This past Monday I was driving home from the eye doctor trying to be very careful since my eyes were fully dilated and things were extremely bright. As I headed up Rt. 202, I saw a semi truck approaching from the opposite direction. A little before we would have passed each other, the truck started heading over into my lane. The driver was clearly distracted and not paying attention and the truck was heading right for my vehicle. I immediately slowed down and moved over into the break down lane but, unfortunately, unless I wanted to become one with the forest by the side of the road, that was as far as I could go. I leaned on my horn for good measure and the driver finally realized what he was doing and adjusted his truck. Luckily he was able to do it without losing control of this huge vehicle and he made it safely back into his lane. It was one of those moments when time seemed to go a little slower and I was just waiting for the accident to happen. But it didn’t. And I was able to leave the breakdown lane without losing control of my van and headed back up the road. Thank God!

• They’re back!!! Tourists, that is. In the past few days, I have been stuck behind people from away pretty much every time I have gone out. VERY annoying. I have mentioned before in this blog and I will mention it again…tourists irritate me! I realize they are visiting the state whose slogan is “Vacationland” and they are spending their hard earned money which is helping the local economy. But is it necessary for them to drive five or ten miles below the speed limit??? It’s not like they are driving by the ocean or some other scenic vista. They are driving on Route One! Really, not that fascinating of a drive! Woods, businesses, a few houses, even more than a few antique stores and even more woods. Just like most anywhere else in New England, and various other places in the world. Nothing special to see here, People, move it along!!

• A job that I do not envy and I really have sympathy for is the worker who stands by the road at construction area holding the “Stop/Slow” sign and keeping traffic flowing. All day long, standing in all kinds of weather, being glared at by impatient drivers (not me, despite the previous paragraph), and doing nothing more than turning a sign around. Yes, I really do have sympathy for this kind of worker. And I especially feel bad for the poor guy I saw on Route One in Biddeford today. Not only was he standing there with his sign in this thankless job but, a short way away was the carcass of a dead skunk! Yup, one freshly killed (last night from the condition of the corpse) and pretty ripe dead skunk. Complete with accompanying odor. Why someone from the road crew didn’t go over and dispose of the body is beyond my comprehension. After all it wasn’t just Sign Guy who was smelling it but all of the workers. One would think that they would take the time to clean the area rather than smelling that odorous decaying road kill all day.

There have been a few other incidents lately that I could include in this posting having to do with the misuse of left turn lanes but I would like to make those into a posting all their own. Surprising, it is, how many people seem confused by this simple lane of convenience. But that shall wait for a future posting.