An Endangered Species

chevy at a light
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

Everyday another endangered animal is added to the endangered species list. Well, today, I'd like to add another one:

The Good Driver

I haven't been able to find a good driver in their natural habitat for some time. And I find that odd because unlike other endangered species, their habitat is growing larger everyday. It's not like they are running out of highways and roads to drive on.

Still, good drivers are really hard to find.

At 6:30 a.m. I passed a commuter doing 35 in a 55 mph zone. As I passed him I noticed that he had earbuds connected to his handheld device, was bent forward engrossed in adjusting his GPS, and his interior light was on. He was busy doing everything except driving. It's my conviction that he thought he had already arrived at the office and just forgot that his foot was still pressing the accelerator in his car.

Last month I saw a guy do a u-turn at a red light in front of our four lanes of traffic. Our light had just turned green. He was driving one of those low-slung modified Hondas with the the cigar muffler. He gunned it at the turn but the torque was so great it sheered off his lug nuts and spun the tire off the rim. The back driver's side frame hit the pavement and his car stopped in an instant. The loose tire spun out past him and joined our approaching traffic. He looked a little disappointed as he sat watching our cars navigate around him.

Yesterday I saw another guy eating a sandwich out of his lap while driving past me. He was pressing out the sandwich wrapper across his knees and up under the steering wheel while negotiating a turn through a yellow light next to me.

This morning, as I pulled up toward a Mc Donald's drive-thru, another driver pulled in front of me. They had come through the Exit Only access, did a three-point turn, and then pulled up to drive-thru. They actually had to back up to make the turn to avoid hitting the drive up squawkbox.

What is wrong with these people? Hungry, I guess. Hungry, scavenging animals do crazy things.

We need more good drivers, there are so few of us left. We are a dying breed. I feel so all alone. But I guess endangered species naturally feel lonely.

...dave
If everything seems under control, you're just not going fast enough. - Mario Andretti

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• Stoplight Sketching
  

Stoplight Sketching

VW at a light
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

chevy at a light
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I've got an addiction. I've been sketching while waiting at stoplights. I may need help.

stoplight sketchbook
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

I bought a small sketchbook and a ZIG Millennium pen and started sketching bumpers and it blossomed from there. Now I sketch stoplights, telephone poles, and cars. I guess it's a harmless addiction but it's an addiction all the same.

What this means is that I'm not reading at the stoplights but instead I'm sketching.

It's a tricky thing, this sketching at stoplights. I keep a watchful eye on the car in front of me. I don't want people beeping at me when the light changes.

I bought a little 3.5 x 5.5 book with 128 pages. It's small and handy and I use the small elastic band to hold two ZIG pens.

The sketchbook I bought was a Handbook sketchbook.

If you're going to try this, I have a few suggestions:

Sketchbook
Originally uploaded by daveterry.

1) Never try to draw (or attempt to finish a drawing) while driving. Resist the temptation. Otherwise your next sketch will be your crumpled hood.

2) Have several sketches in progress. Don't worry about unfinished sketches when the light changes. You can always add more detail on your next commute. And that's the beauty of stoplight sketching when you commute, you can finish the next time through. You finish the sketch when you've added enough detail.

There you have it. Drawings from a red light stalker.

...dave