Check Your Blind Spot

You probably think that the title of this post is some kind of metaphor about how you should be more aware in your life, and look for the areas where you are not seeing reality.  That would be a great blog post for the future.  This one is just a rant about drivers.  Is it really that hard to check your blind spot?  Considering the number of times that I've seen people not do it, you'd think it was some kind of Herculean task.

There's one particular individual I'd like to rant about that personifies mankind's inability to turn their head slightly before moving their steering wheel.  I have affectionately named our villain, "GMC Sonoma license plate 2469G".  That's just a name I came up with.  I call her Lil' 9G for short.

A few days ago, I was driving along on the freeway, minding my own business.  Lil' 9G was passing me in the lane to my left.  Here's the thing about passing me.  9G came from behind me, that means there was no way she didn't know where I was.  As she passed me, she got to the point where I was in her blind spot.

A normal person would think, "That person that was in front of me a moment ago is not visible in my mirror.  I bet they are in my blind spot.  I should keep moving forward until I can see them in my mirror.  Then I should check my blind spot to be sure it's safe before moving over."  But that's not what Lil' 9G thought.  Being the wise person she is, her thought process went something like this.  "Just a moment ago I saw a car in front of me.  I went forward a few feet, logic would say that person is now to the right of me, but since I can't see them, they must have magically vanished.  It's like when I was little and I would close my eyes to make everyone else vanish from the world.  Well, I guess I better crank my wheel to the right."

As Lil' 9G began entering my lane, I pondered my options.  To my right was a giant semi, so I couldn't go there.   I did crank my wheel a little to the right to avoid a collision.  I came within a few inches of the semi.  I also laid on my horn.  Lil' 9G said, "I hear a loud sound.  I guess I better keep going."  I slammed on my brake and 9G just came right on in.  I'm pretty sure the person behind me had to slam on their brake to avoid hitting me.  I almost spun out from swerving to avoid 9G and then swerving the other way when I realized I was about to hit a semi.

You want to know the worst part of the whole ordeal?  Well, I suppose the worst part is that I came within inches of death.  But the second worst part is that Lil' 9G was completely oblivious.  She could have actually killed me and been none the wiser.  In fact, I choose to believe that Lil' 9G has already killed countless millions.

The moral of the story is that Lil' 9G is still at large.  If you see her, stay far away, she might kill you.  Also, if you have the option, feel free to slash her tires.

The second moral of the story is that you should check your blind spot.  It's really not that difficult.