The street that we live on is not a busy, major thoroughfare but it’s not a quiet little country lane, either. It’s busy enough that I would never dream of letting the pets outside unleashed, even if I were supervising. So it was rather a disconcerting feeling as Alan and I headed out to run errands, drove up the street and were met by a guy in a new, sparkly Mustang backing up along the street. He backed up the street a bit, then backed into a driveway, all the way up the driveway and stopped by the garage. Don’t ask me why this seemed like a better option than pulling into the driveway and then turning the car around, which there was plenty of room to do.

But wait there’s more!

We made a couple of turns, placing us on the access road running beside the interstate - kind of a major artery fraught with businesses and traffic lights and cars and whatnot. We top a hill and slam on brakes to avoid the SUV that is backing up along the access road just before the Georgia State Patrol station. He backed into a driveway, then pulled out to head in the opposite direction. There were at least four businesses, not counting the state patrol station, in plain view a few yards away in which he could have turned around, but no, somehow in his universe it made more sense to back down the access road. Right in front of the Georgia State Patrol. Although I guess that wasn’t a bad risk to take because none of them seemed inclined to ticket him or anything.

After errands, we were heading back home when we got trapped behind a diesel construction truck. This aggravated Alan because dude was going about 25 mph and there was nowhere to pass him. Alan said, “You know by the size of that thing that he has to have a V8 in there...you’d think he’d at least go fast enough that I could put my Saturn into third gear!”

I replied, “Don’t complain, darling - he may be going slow but at least he’s headed in the right direction!”

Alan looked at me in disgust and said, “You just HAD to say it, didn’t you? Just HAD to say it...grumble grumble grumble...”

The big truck didn’t throw it in reverse, however, and eventually went straight when we turned. But then Alan told me about seeing a guy in a new Volvo SUV backing down the exit ramp of LaVista Road, off of I-285 - a major, busy, highly trafficked area. What could possibly go through their...their whatever these people have that passes for minds? Why does it seem like a good idea to throw it in reverse and ease on down the highway backward instead of turning around at a light or into a parking lot?