Holly's Notes and Condition

Oh, The Stuff I Ponder Sometimes

Fri Mar 14th - I took off down Los Alisos to my appt with Gina for physical therapy. Good that I was not in a rush. There was a sheriff's car cruising in the lane next to me, and as happens, everyone slowed down, as we passed the high school with the 25 mph zone and then with the traffic speed monitor showing that the speed was supposed to be 45 mph on the downhill, and traffic flowing at about 48 to 54 mph, as we made our way down to the 5 freeway before 9 am.

Here's what happened: I was traveling behind a bright red Prius with the 'eco' stickers on the bumper that allows them to travel in the carpool lane, even if they are driving solo, because well, they are a fuel efficient car. (That eco-sticker by the way, was a total marketing coup for Toyota, as people snapped up Prius' just to be able to drive solo in the car pool lanes.) So we pull up to the light and an arm flicks an ash out the window, the driver is smoking - then before we take off from the light and as the sheriff's patrol car turns off the street, the Prius driver flicks the cigarette butt out the window and starts to go. I can't tell if it is a man or a woman driving at this point.
So in one of those moments of idle curiosity, I make my way around the Prius and I'm betting that it is a man driving. Sure enough, my curiosity satisfied: it was an older man, dressed nicely in a business suit and tie, getting ready to head south onto the 5 Fwy into major traffic, with 15 minutes before 9 am.
OK, why did I figure that it was a man driving? Because, usually a man can compartmentalize easier than a woman, the (2) incongruous acts: of driving an eco -friendlier automobile while still damaging his own ecology - his body and then topping it off with littering.

I was so proud of myself. Then I laughed out loud at myself, as here I was driving solo in my Expedition SUV, which seats 7, and gets about half the mileage of the Prius, heading down to my appt, with my sticker on the back saying that I 'Support Our Troops' !
If I really supported our troops, I'd be driving a small, eco-friendlier automobile that required that I was less dependent on foreign oil to get from point A to B.
I need a new sticker - 'I support the American Worker.'

I consoled myself with the fact that I only drove my Expedition not even 3000 miles last year during my treatment, and besides, there are times still that I carry (7) people worth of stuff in the car, not today, mind you, but sometimes. And yeah, its American made and has been a very reliable car for us and the justifications could go on and on.
I arrived at my appt and finally was able to find a nice 'compact' space to park in.
The stuff I ponder in traffic, sometimes - and that's just in the mornings, I get even deeper philosophically come the night time! Just ask Dave how many times I have kept him awake at night with, "Honey, why do you think such and such?", as he is trying to fall asleep.

I guess I can compartmentalize incongruous acts, just like the smoking Prius driving man - ahhh, maybe it was his wife's car!! But that still doesn't explain the whole littering thing - I mean COME ON!!
I should be allowed to drive in the carpool lanes, solo then, as I don't litter, I don't smoke, I am supporting the American worker and the longer I'm stuck in traffic the more pollution I end up making, the Prius on the other hand, wouldn't make nearly that emission, so they'd be OK sitting there twice as long. And you can fit two Prius' in the road space of one Expedition.
I think Ford Motors needs to go to court and pitch that case for an 'eco-sticker' for their trucks and SUV's, so that I can feel I'm being 'eco- conscious' and going 'green' and drive in the carpool lane solo, who knows, maybe I'll take up smoking and littering while I'm at it.

posted by Holly @ 7:10 PM