Hello Mr. 2010 Black Camaro, It's Me, the Silver Stratus

Your car is sleek and fast and a pleasure to ride in, I am sure, but I think you need to know a bit of what happened this morning as you blasted past.

We were on Highway 280 heading south, just past the Saratoga exit, I think. The weather was bad and for once, the traffic matched it. This part of the freeway, heading into downtown San Jose, is normally light this time of the morning, around 8 o'clock, but this morning was very different. This morning, Mr. 2010 Black Camaro, the traffic was very heavy; bumper to bumper in the rain. I do not know if you listen to traffic reports, but there was a two car accident, a couple of miles up from us, near the merge of Interstate 880/Highway 17 and south 280, and it was blocking the two right lanes of the four lane highway.

I was in the carpool lane cautiously driving past the bumper to bumper traffic. Yes, I know I was driving a bit slow, but the conditions called for it. The rain soaked road and heavy traffic would not allow the standard 65 mph. I was doing about 40-45, carefully watching for cars darting in and out of the carpool lane. I also watched behind me to make sure that I did not hold up any traffic. The white SUV behind me was a good 10 car lengths back and seemed to be doing the same thing I was. Safety first.

As I glanced in my rearview mirror, I watched the white SUV driving safely behind, and the cars to the right of me were starting to move a bit quicker. Apparently it was not quick enough for you, Mr. Black 2010 Camaro. In a blur, you appeared behind me, almost taking off my right rear bumper, cut off the car just behind and to the right of me and squeezed through a space not big enough for VW Bug. Instead of slowing down, you gassed it and almost clipped my right front bumper along with the car in front of you. In shock, I watched you dart ahead, oblivious of the weather or traffic conditions. Oh, and by the way, by law in California, if your wipers are on, your lights are to be on. Yours were not. Your dark car disappeared into the rain mist... no rear lights on.

I think there is something else you were not aware of. That accident ahead, the reason for the heavy traffic, could have happened again, the moment you blasted past. See, I was in the carpool lane, legally, and you were not. The white SUV behind me was also legal, and again, Mr. Camaro, you were not. (It was obvious by the way you darted in and out further down the freeway.)

If you had looked, there was not another adult with me in my silver car. No, no adults. Maybe you thought I was a cheater, like you. No, no adults in my car.

Sitting behind me, safely strapped in her bright pink car seat, was my 2 year old daughter sleeping off the last of her morning nap. As you chanced the small space to gain the extra five minutes, my little girl snuggled into her car seat and sighed. Her favorite little fedora on her head, her new pink Wiggles nightgown still on. Did you see her? Heck, did you see me?

The five minutes of commute time you were trying to save could have cost a lot more that you think. If you had clipped my bumper, you would have sent me into the cement divider, bouncing off and then hydroplaning across the 4 lane freeway. I can't imagine what would happen to the other cars involved, or the little ones innocently strapped in, or what would be left of me or my daughter.

The accident that caused the backup was gone by the time I drove past, but did you cause the one a few miles up? Did you stay or did you speed off? I was concentrating on the weather and cars around me, but I did see some carnage. Was it you?

I fully understand, Mr. Camaro, that you are probably not reading this and never will. Maybe your mistake can help someone else realize that trying to save the extra five minutes of commute time is not worth risking someone else's life.

Yours truly,

The Silver Stratus