Well-meaning but an accident waiting to happen

Chateau Almond today as snow began to fall. Chaos predicted.

Although the name of my blog may suggest I’m something of a stay-at-home sort, I do occasionally embark on forays into the outside world.

Today’s subjects of my well-thought through and balanced offering, or rant as some like to call it, are the muppets, or car drivers, who are, to put it simply, stupid and dangerous.

As the strains of Led Zepp 2 wafted gently out of my 8-track, I was a happy little soul driving home this week from my regular get-together with Sidney. If you’ve forgotten who Sidney is, please refer to my blog of November 12 last year (Spending cutbacks always hit those in need).

I became aware of a blue, strobing light behind me – and then just as Whole Lotta Love was reaching its climax the sound of an emergency vehicle siren reached the lugs.

Glancing into the rear-view mirror, I spotted the source of the racket and the throbbing light – an ambulance was coming up behind me, at some speed but still three or four hundred metres away.

Returning to eyes front, I had to swerve as the car in front of me pulled off the road into a rural layby, or muddy grass verge as we yokels know them. I gave him a Suffolk wave and went past him.

Glancing in my rear-view mirror again (yes, I know, twice in one journey) I noticed the overtaken driver gesticulating at me in a more foreign manner. What’s his problem, I thought.

And then I realised – he was throwing himself off the road because of the ambulance, still some two hundred metres away. Better starting pulling over, I thought – as several cars in front of me veered onto the verge, brake lights blinking madly. I had to slam on the brakes at the sudden action.

Now, this all sounds perfectly reasonable – road users making sure an ambulance can have a fast passage through the traffic.

But it should also be safe. You don’t have to throw yourself off the road in a dangerous manner when an emergency vehicle comes up behind you – just pull over safely and ensure you don’t cause another accident. Thank you.