Irony

Yesterday morning I was driving to work in my mom's Jeep (I borrowed it to get some big things to her house from my almost-former apartment) and, since I normally drive a small Acura RSX, I was enjoying the extra road-view provided by the lifted SUV. I like watching my fellow commuters while stuck in traffic. Since I leave approximately the same time every morning, I often see the same cars when the traffic is bad. (Actually, they're probably almost always on the road with me, but I only notice when in first gear for 55 minutes). There's the slightly balding guy in the convertible BMW who shaves around the Union tolls. And the hot purple Jeep Wrangler with the rainbow sticker, driven by a remarkably corporate looking lady. There's more I can't think of at the moment, but would recognize (the cars) if I saw them.

I didn't see any of my regulars on this commute, but I did see one gentleman READING THE PAPER. Now I'm not talking skimming directions, checking a text, peering at your teeth in the rearview...this guy had the morning paper fully opened on his lap. The other sections were in the passenger seat, awaiting the rest of the drive. Granted, traffic was moving at about 5 mph, but come on! We were in traffic waiting to pass accidents at the 280 on ramp and an overturned vehicle at the Essex tolls! Was he TRYING to be major accident #3 of the morning? arggh.

On a different note, I also noticed that there's hardly any American cars on the road around here. I was in a Jeep, and saw a few, and a couple of random Fords and Chryslers, but the vast majority of the cars were foreign. I love my little Acura...but this kind of startled me. I also remembered that when I lived in Peoria, IL, there not only wasn't an Acura dealer, I had one of 3 foreign cars in the entire parking lot at my plant. Perhaps the Heartland is more patriotic. Or the coasts just have better taste in cars ; )