Twelve Minutes Faster

[mws]

Feel free to cross post!

Good morning everyone,

Listen, call me "sappy" if you want but please - if you're driving out to Brandon for the shows this weekend, take a moment to read this before you do... I wrote it about two years ago to Charles Adler on CJOB and he read it on air - but its always applicable... The forecast on the radio says we may all be driving through a storm - this is the first of the season so some of us forget our "driving legs". This is dog related in the sense that it won't only be "humans" hurt - it'll be our beloved "fur children"... Take care, be safe and see you out there!

Twelve Minutes Faster - an important message from Auntie Karen

IS YOUR LIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S WORTH 12 MINUTES?!?

A Letter from Auntie Karen

I work at a company in the city, and I live out in the country so every day I commute back and forth. On a summer's "perfect driving" condition day, it takes me 26 minutes to get home with me speeding a tad (maybe 10 km over the speed limit).

I'm writing because some drivers are OUT OF THEIR RIGHT MINDS AND IT NEEDS TO STOP!!!

Yesterday I almost turned around before getting to the outskirts and came back to work because of the poor visibility issues but like everyone else I really wanted to get home. On the highway I drove at 80kms/hour and passed NUMEROUS people in the ditch. Further to that, 80kms/hour was going too fast and in some areas could have been deadly but I did make it home. I write because of the people that passed me like I was standing still. I write you because of the truck that passed me and gave me the finger. I write because of the Ford Focus that passed me but while he was, he was swerving all over his lane barely keeping control of his vehicle. I write because the SUV that passed me and had to swerve into my lane virtually cutting me off because there was a car half in the ditch on his side that he didn't see until it was almost too late. I don't know if anyone died on the highways yesterday - but it's only by the grace of God that it didn't happen.

I experience this EVERYDAY. I also drive past road side crosses marking the spots where people have lost their lives. I pass accidents that have just happened and people are hurt. My friend who drives on the highways everyday tells me not to cry because it's "their own damn fault and just wait until you see the crash where the body is hanging out the windshield onto their hood - that's really gross". He says this while sort of laughing. He says "you get used to it after a few years".

I don't want to get used to it.

Here's the numbers : It's 33 kms from my work to my house and it normally takes me about 30 minutes on a relatively good "snow day" - dry roads, good visibility with me driving the speed limit in ALL zones (that's 4 minutes slower than speeding as mentioned above). When I have driven 10kms slower in all speed zones - it has taken me 36 minutes. That's an increase of roughly 6 minutes. Yesterday it took me about 42 minutes to get home - that's 12 minutes longer than normal and I was going substantially slower. I say this as my life is worth 12 minutes - why isn't yours?!?

Who am I? My name is Karen and I'm 37, no, I'm not married with children (haven't been blessed with that yet), but I have a mom and a dad who I love and they love me. I have a sister and brother-in-law that have given me two gorgeous little nieces who I enjoy immensely. I have a God mother who calls me to tell me to bring mittens as it's cold out and she always has perogies and kielbasa ready for me to take home. I have numerous aunts and uncles, friends, and extended family. I have dogs that I love. I work full time, pay taxes, and make donations to various charitable organizations. I would be missed if you caused my death because you NEEDED to get home 12 minutes faster.

For those who need to get home 12 minutes faster - here's my promise : If I see you crash, I will stop to see if you need help (and I have). If you die and they put up another cross, I will slow down when I pass it and think of you. If I see you hanging out of your windshield, bleeding all over the hood, I'll try not to "get used to it". If you die because you needed to get home 12 minutes faster : I'll think of YOUR family, friends, co-workers, pets etc - and I'll try to imagine how they miss you and feel empty - the kind of person I am - I'll probably feel a little empty too for a moment and I'll shed a tear - almost as if I knew you. And then I'll think how sad it was because all this pain is over a stupid 12 minutes.

For those who need to get home 12 minutes faster - promise ME this : If you put me in the ditch, please call help for me - I'll probably need it. If you kill me (and that's what it is sure as if you pulled a trigger), please go to my home and feed my dogs because no one else will for awhile. Please call my nieces and explain to them (being 3 and 1.5 years old) why Auntie Karen can't come by anymore and watch them jump on the couch. Please call my mom and dad, tell them I'm sorry, they were right - I should have taken another route home because it is a little slower. Please call my Auntie Mildred and tell her I won't be needing my mittens anymore. Please call my work and tell them that they need to find someone pronto to handle the financials, payroll etc. If I'm left hanging out of my windshield, bleeding all over my hood - please don't get used to it - I was a PERSON who was loved.

I listen on the radio everyday and your traffic watchers etc. You always say "slow down" or "take it easy".... Maybe read this letter a few times and then start asking your drivers :

IS YOUR LIFE OR SOMEONE ELSE'S WORTH 12 MINUTES?!?