Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with fools that drive motorcycles. Not everyone that drives a motorcycle is a fool. I understand that Florida does not require you to wear a helmet and that's okay we need organ donors. If you ride a bicycle you have to wear a helmet - makes sense to me?
I watch you weaving in and out of traffic almost clipping that car that is 10 times the size of you and your vehicle. You run the red lights and take the corner on such an angle it makes the hair on the back of my neck stand on edge. You do a wheelie when the light turns green. The weaving scares me the most. For some unknown reason the traffic rules do not apply to you.
I have seen the remains of motorcycle accidents and none of them look good. I'm sure the fatality rate is extremely high. This doesn't seem to bother you as you and your friend weave in and out of traffic with total disregard to double solid lines and traffic. Your little chickie perched behind you with her backside in my face.
There is nothing wrong with motorcycles just the fools who are not responsible and I have a feeling that they don't last long in this world. Living on the edge must be exhilarating for you. For me, every time I see a fool like you - I cringe - and hope we don't meet down the road with you splattered across the intersection.
There are so may alcohol commercials today that say - 'please drink responsible.' A public service message that most likely goes unnoticed - but maybe not. We should have commercials that say, "drive your motorcycle like your life depends on it.' I'm sure not too many would listen.

Sincerely,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is with fools that drive. Every time I hit the highway - there you are. Don't you ever stay home? How did you get that license. I can't believe you still have a license. This gripe is for you -whoever you may be. I'm sure you are CLUELESS about the world and how to survive.
The scenario. ---------------
I-95, a treacherous highway to begin with
Pouring rain - buckets like cats and dog rain
Road slippery like a politician
Dark and foggy like your brain
Heavy traffic and road congestion along with my head
Road construction - miles upon miles of orange barrels and cones
Reduced speed limit due to construction

This is you
Breaking the sound barrier with your speed (in a construction zone)
No lights on? (I believe that's a law when raining)
Looking in your rear view mirror and not at traffic
Putting on your lipstick
And driving a car????

Here's your sign -------- "I'm not with STUPID I am STUPID!!!!!!!!!!

I wonder if you made it safely home? I wonder if you caused any accidents for others? I hope I never see you on the road again!

Truly ticked off,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe 2008

Hello, my name is Stu. This is my first gripe for the year 2008. Happy New Year and happy griping. My gripe once again concerns our roadways. I have just returned from a 10 hour road trip from Key West. The roads in Key West are a major gripe but I will address that situation at another time. Right now - I am tired, cold and hungry. One can eat only so much from the $1.00 menus at fast food establishments. It's usually to go because i'm in a hurry and the dog is in the car. Can't leave the little beast in the car or PETA will be after me. And then yell at me for eating meat!!!

So off the exit I go toward fast food heaven/hell (you choose). I am thinking ? it's easy off easy on. No. No way, no such luck. So I head on down looking for that girlie fast food burger, you know the one. I'm in the right hand land of a four lane highway. There's the red haired girl herself smiling at me from the left side of the four lane highway. Did I mention bumper to bumper traffic. Can I get over? No!!

So I turn in a shopping plaza and spend 20 minutes trying to get back out to the road. Whew. I get in the right hand lane because I need to go straight across where the little red head is smiling at me. It's a turn only lane. So I turn and go for what seems miles before I can make an illegal u-turn. If only I had one of those 4x4 off road vehicles. Fast track back to the pigtailed girl.

I make my usual choice from the $1.00 menu and off I go. Trying to drive, eat, spoon out my frosty and toss pieces of burger to the pooch in the back. I need to get back on the interstate. Big orange sign - DETOUR - on ramp closed. I have all the good luck. I'm in a strange place wanting to go home and crash but I can't find the correct on - ramp. I realize i'm heading south - I need to be heading north. Here I am wishing for that 4x4 off road mega truck again. So another illegal u-turn on the interstate. Look both ways for YOU KNOW WHO.

The mustard drips down my chin and lands on my shirt. The dog is howling for beef and in my haste I knock over my frosty. I see another exit and more fast food emporiums. I go for it.

Truly yours,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is travel by car. I have just returned on a whirlwind trip from Florida to Virginia and back to Florida. Traffic!! Headaches!!! Crazy drivers!!!! Road construction!!!!! You know it's a bad sign when you leave in the pouring rain, in the dark and it's almost freezing. The lines painted on the road are fading. I don't know exactly what lane i'm in? The downpour does not help the situation. Cars are whizzing by my leaving me completely in their wake of sloppy rain.
By the time I hit North Carolina the rain has leveled off but still dark and gloomy. I can live with sprinkles and dark and gloomy. What is impossible to accept is the traffic jams. All through North Carolina I am traveling at a parking lot pace. South Carolina brings an end to the drizzle. Still dark and gloomy and still I95 looks like the mall parking lot the day before Christmas. I don't see any accidents. I don't see any speed traps. Like anyone could speed! What's the problem?
Georgia has a bit of sunshine and apparently has chased away the gloomy darkness. Still, the creep mode along I95 continues. I have been in the car for 11 hours. I'm cranky, hungry and have drivers cramps. The last three miles to the hotel exit is excruciating. The cars are at a total standstill. My temperment is ready to explode.
Finally, finally, the hotel looms in sight. I can feel the soft comfy bed beneath my road weary body. The parking lot at Cracker Barrell is only 3/4 full. That means the hour wait is only 15 minutes, if we are lucky. I check into the hotel and flop on the bed. AAAHHHHHH.
A good meal and a great night sleep and I can get up and start the road rodeo all over again. I ask myself? Why don't you just fly? But I have no patience for sitting in an airport dealing with delays, late departures and expensive cardboard food.

travel on,

Mr. Pid

Daily Gripe

Hello, my name is Stu. Today my gripe is once again before the event. I know it will happen so I will spout off now. Traffic construction - on roadways. This construction or lack there-of sometimes - always – always - takes place on the roads that I travel. Why is this?
I will see the sign, “Right lane closed 1,000 feet ahead." The flags, the orange cones line the shoulder. I budged over into the left lane. Cars and TRUCKS go barreling down the almost empty right lane. And here I am clogged in the slow moving responsible lane. Traffic in my lane moving slower than a snails pace: speeding vehicles in the right lane making tracks leaving me in the wake of their dust. I love those signs in the water –No Wake Zone. People always obey that sign. Minutes turn into frustrating eons as cars on the right still speed by. Why am I still in the left lane?
So, I go for broke and ease over into the right lane. I have broken free, spit at the rules and followed my own destiny. INSTANTLY. The right lane is blocked by orange cones and signs. What happened to all those speeders? It’s almost as if it was a mirage. Perhaps I was hallucinating. Did I really see all those cars rolling past me? Now here I am STUCK in the black hole of travel construction. No one absolutely no one will let me budge back in. Time is like watching water boil on a turned off stove. A lesson learned well.
A few miles down the road in another state the signs appear again. The orange cones are striking against the bleak roadside scenery. This time I will stay in the proper lane: for miles upon miles if necessary. The sun begins to dip behind the horizon of stopped traffic. Cars fly by in the right hand lane like demons from the deathly hallows. Did I tell the hotel I may be a late arrival? Will they give my room away to one of the demon drivers in the right hand lane? I would call to verify but my cell phone is dead and the car charger has been missing for weeks.
Darkness floats across the quiet highway. I hate driving at night. My contacts turn the night lights into a festival New Year’s celebration. I can’t take them out as I left my contact case packed in my luggage. I can’t toss them out the window as I only brought one pair. I am always so prepared for life.
My stomach growls in protest. I see the exit sign and feel some relief. I ease over into the right hand lane to make my turn. And where oh where is – was that construction? I sat patiently in that lane with gazillions of other responsible road warriors - for WHAT? You stopped construction at noon and never took down those &*@#%^& signs. There should be a law against such abuse.

Forever in my pure thoughts,

Mr. Pid