Although automobile technology has advanced light years ahead of what any driver even can understand, a car can still only—for all practical purposes—do only one thing at a time; this being: Go, Stop or Turn. Many people who think they have years and years of experience, in reality have very little, and have a poor understanding as to what a car is capable and not capable of doing, and put all those around them at risk.
Now combine this "inexperience" with the new construction in process on the Taconic State Parkway, the detours, and just thank God the icy winter is over, and the wet leaves are up on the trees for another few months. I'm having a bad feeling that state budgets have greatly diminished the ability for the State Troopers to be everywhere they need to be, as is evident by some of the parked, unmanned police cars on the side of the road obviously put there to scare people into slowing down. Unfortunately, these ghost cars can't pull over the aggressive drivers, and the show that goes on daily as people scramble to speed down to the southbound bridge and "get their spot" in line to cross over at "35 mph"—yeah that's a good one—is scary to say the least. What is the rush? To get to work? I know, I get it, I'm in the same boat, but all this means is that the alarm clocks need to be set 15 minutes earlier and a little responsible driving needs to take place.
I know we all have anti-lock brakes, computerized braking, superior handling, traction control, low profile tires, and Mario Andretti personalities (although he wouldn't be so stupid as to take racing onto public highways), but you can't make sharp turns at high rates of speed from the right lane onto the shoulder, and back to the right lane just to get in front of the next guy who is already speeding anyway just because you need to get to work faster. Did you ever notice that so many of the flower memorials on the side of the roads are at turns? It's because tries do still slide, and no matter the sales pitch at your dealership, cars have a real hard time turning, braking, and following a course all at the same time. And there is a reason why insurance companies won't even listen to your excuse if you are the one who is suffering from a blown air bag after your rear end collision. You can't follow someone 5 feet behind them and expect to have time to handle an emergency. And you surely can't do all this and text, read the paper, check through Sirius channels, or set up your "cordless" phones for a nice conversation on the way to work. But then again, I guess that is why Oscar said to Felix: "That's why they call it gambling". Yep, gambling, because I guess it is more important to take the risk, hope that your next call isn't to the insurance company, or worse yet 911, or to your Mom or Dad with terror in your voice.
Slow it up people on the Taconic! It's just not worth it, and life is too short. There is no need to make it even shorter, but if you still want to gamble, do me a favor please; post on this site when you will hit the downhill before the bridge and what type of car you are driving, so I'll be sure to keep my distance. Or better yet, forget it. I'll leave my house 15 minutes earlier and miss all the lunatics on the road. And State Police—PLEASE—a few more days of your already effective mass surges to round up all the "experienced" drivers on the road would be much appreciated.
