Today I have to vent. Lately I have witnessed to much stupidty. Therefore I can no longer be quiet about it.
All over the news for the last couple of months, locally atleast, there have been stories about auto accidents related to drivers texting while they are driving. Okay, to me this rates right up there with the intelligent people I have seen drive down the road while reading a book.
Typically the stories that have been on the news involve younger people, teens and twenty somethings, who were answering a text instead of paying attention to the road and low and behold the cars in front of them have stepped on the brakes… while the texter is typing away at the same speed… and crash! I am here to tell you that it is not just teens and twenty somethings out there on the road wrapped up in technology instead of paying attention to the road.
Last weekend as I was driving back from Indiana I was first behind, then next to, a gentlemen… from Philadeplhia, driving a nice car at about 80 miles an hour (I know this cause I was doing about 80) who started vering to the left towards the cement wall that divided the highway. It was rather late so at first I thought he may have fallen asleep. Until he did it again… and again… and I decided I would rather be in front of him when he caused an accident instead of being part of the accident. So I made my move to pass him. Now judging by the hair and face of this man… he had to be in his 50s. He had a passenger in his car, in the front passenger seat who was on his cell phone… the driver, this 50 something man… was reading either emails or texts on his phone while he was driving! Now after I passed him he decided he would get in the right lane. I suspect because the sound of the serated road would alert him while he was reading and that would be less surprising then the big white cement wall! Did he stop when he moved over? Of course not!
For five miles he did his texting! From mile marker 90 to mile marker 95 on I75 South. He went off the road over the serations about 6 times before he was done… and then decided that 80 miles an hour while reading was just not suiting his purpose so he sped up to 90 something and took off.
People, when you are driving a vehicle down the road, this is not the time to be reading emails or texting a friend! If it is that earth shattering that it can’t wait until you stop the damn car dial the frickin phone number of the person you want to talk to and talk on the phone. I would rather see that then a person that didn’t even have thier eyes on the road! Not that I think you should be driving down the road on the phone either, because people tend to get more involved in their conversations then focusing on driving.
I have even driven by a man on a motorcycle riding down the road, which had a speed limit of 35, doing about 10 mph… why you ask, because he was reading his messages on his cell phone. I give him credit for driving slow, but come on!!!
My next issue to vent about. This is to parents. More then once in the last couple of weeks either myself or my husband has been trying to back out of a parking space. No one is there when we start to back up, then all of a sudden there is a family with children. No one is holding the kids hands… the parents are going one way oblivous to where thier children are or the fact that they themselves are walking into a moving vehicle… but they don’t even grab thier kids to get them out of the way! Parents if you are not going to pay attention to where your kids are… LEAVE THEM AT HOME! If you want to risk your own life due to not paying attention fine, but don’t do that to your kids.
Finally… this isn’t really a venting topic, but more an observation. Last weekend my husband and I went to a casino for a poker tournament he was in. While he played, I played a few penny slots… walked around and did some people watching. Which offered up a lot of entertainment. Understand, that I am not saying that I don’t make excellent foder for other people watchers at times… but really, this was funny.
First, to all of the women out there that go to the casinos either alone or with your galpals… dress warm! Casinos are cold, so wearing your skimpy outfits to attract male onlookers while you stand and shiver with your arms crossed over your self is really just entertaining. You can wear a light sweater over your spaghetti strapped paper thin top and still look attractive and intelligent.
Second, I found it absolutely hilarious that people in a casino can be looking right at you and walk right into you. My husband calls it the “lost all my money to drunk to realize it” walk.
Thirdly, this more a bit of advice, don’t gamble more then you can stand to lose. To often I have seen people go to the ATM machine and draw out money until there isn’t any money left. Now, my husband and I have walked out of the casino empty handed… but not out of money. Agree to a limit that you are going to spend and only take that much money with you. Hide your ATM card in your car or leave it at home. Don’t walk into the casino going “I need to win to pay the bills.” There are other ways that will actually generate you money without you risking every penny you have. Professionally gamblers don’t leave a casino broke. If they leave because they lost, the only lost the money they walked in with, not the bank.
Final piece of advice on casinos. One that I desperately try to stick to, but then I play the penny slots and think “It’s only pennies!” When you win, so that you have doubled your money, CASH OUT. Keep your winnings and only play with the original investment. That way you walk out with money.
The Original Wisdom of Jen 