Slow Down
The View from my rear window
We may name the puppy "Lucky" but my speeding luck ran out -- I was caught and ticketed yesterday at 4:30 a.m. driving between Rochester to St. Paul campus. Usually I assume I can drive with impunity between about 3:30 and 5:30. In those early hours I can drive 40 miles (out west) without meeting another car. It's quite pleasant.
Even as I merged back onto the highway I wondered to myself whether I would really slow down. It's not that I'm a compulsive speeder (ok maybe I've become one), it's just that I feel I can't afford to slow down. Hell, with some much going on in my life, I don't feel I can afford to slow down on any front.
Mike often asks of my blog entries "what's that have to do with resettling Big Stone County?" I guess the point is that living in rural areas often requires a lot of driving. I was at a meeting yesterday in St. Paul of about 15 people- one from SW Minnesota. She made a point of saying "why don't we meet in Slayton next time?" Then she laughed. The roads seem to only go in one direction for such things.
Living in Big Stone County is a choice I made and the cost is a lot of windshield time. Lately, I've taken to driving in complete silence- not flipping through my 300 satellite radio stations. Maybe it's a kind of meditation... with my eyes on the road, and my foot on the pedal- perhaps just a little too heavy.
Comments
you know that each county offers a class to keep the ticket off your record. Just ask speed racer at my house he just got another one 72 in a 55. The one before was 100 in a 55.(was on the donor bike) he took a class and payed 100 and not on his record. That was in Wabasha county this last one was in Dodge. You only get one ticket per year per county, You go through alot of countys. Slow down your moving to fast gotta make the morning last. You have the title now with me as Speedette the future speed racer.
Posted by: kelley | October 28, 2009 6:25 PM
We may not be blood sisters, but I think our lead feet were cut from the same cloth. We have photo radar here and I'm very worried that my luck is going to run out. I've been "flashed" (and I don't mean a naked butt!) about 6 times and yet, have never received a ticket in the mail. It keeps happening because I drive on one particular highway every week, fairly late at night and the speed limit changes about every 50 feet (a slight exaggeration but it feels that way). To make it worse, there are so many semis on the road at that time of night, I can't even see the speed limit signs. I got flashed last Thursday. I had just set my cruise on 66...thought I was being a really good girl cuz I thought the speed limit was 65. Guess not! I was looking right at the camera too...like, "HA! Didn't get me this time". I hope all those flashes don't catch up to me someday, I'll probably go to jail!! Who is going to bail me out??? Kagney and Charlie have to money!!
Posted by: Kathy Jorgenson | October 29, 2009 2:24 AM
I use my cruise control a lot- even for short trips.
Less tiring driving and no tickets.
Posted by: ej | October 29, 2009 3:57 PM
maybe I'll have to pull back on that advice I gave on "John Denver's" song "EAGLES AND HORSES".== That was "4 windows down,pedal in the carpet and the music loud enough to dround everything out!(it helps to have a 96 Impala ss)
Posted by: Evan Schmeling | October 29, 2009 7:59 PM
Got my ticket in the mail yesterday....a mere $181.50 and I'm off the hook. Not even an opportunity to go to driver's school, maybe they think I'm a lost cause!!
Posted by: Kathy Jorgenon | October 31, 2009 11:16 AM
Evan-- I even had the music OFF when caught speeding.
Kathy- Ouch! Mine was only $69.
Posted by: Kathy D | November 1, 2009 8:52 AM
Slow down, you have a family who loves you including all of your extended family we do and wish to keep you around! Life is too precious!
Blessings, Great Grandma BD
Posted by: Anonymous | November 3, 2009 2:52 PM
I don't have far distances to travel, but I do tend to keep the radio off. I like being alone with my thoughts, since that doesn't happen very often!
Posted by: kathy springer | November 5, 2009 1:32 PM