Photo-A-Day #299 02/01/06
I demonstrated in Paris today. When demos were done I headed back to Nashville to rest up to head out downtown. So why is today’s photo of Ruby Tuesday curbside pickup? Well, today’s word is precision people. I say it again, precision. I was going to go and meet another demonstrator in the lobby of our hotel and go to dinner downtown. We are both staying at a Courtyard by Marriott. However, we both assumed it was the same hotel. Nope. Hers was downtown and mine was by the airport. So I’m picking up some take out and going to hang at the hotel. This is fine, because I have been fighting a cold and need to get some rest. If I has asked and made sure of the hotel I would have tried to get over to the Opryland hotel earlier to see if I could see the hoopla around the President’s speech today. I’m certainly not into politics as Neil and Derek can attest to. However I’m in the same state as our President is visiting and I can try to see what’s happening. That and check out the Opryland hotel. I hear it is awesome inside.
And maybe I don’t feel much like driving tonight because I got pulled over on my way up from Paris. Okay here is what happened: in Tennessee and other states Big Rigs can drive in any lane. This is a problem because many Big Rigs drive too fast. They also cannot slow down when coming down hills and you had better get out of the way if you find yourself in front of one on a downhill haul. Had they been driving the speed limit this wouldn’t be such a problem. However the speed limit here is 70mph. Couple that with many hills and tight highway lanes and many, many, many of these trucks all over the highway barreling along well above the limit makes for some scary driving.
So, I tried to drive the speed limit of 70 mph because states that have that speed limit are a bit tetchy about people driving above that limit. In Mass, hitting 70 mph in a 65 zone isn't even a blip on the radar but you go over the 70mph in a state with that limit and they don't like it. I was ahead of a Rig bearing down on me and so I ramped up to 80 to put some distance on me and as I came around a bend there was a speed trap set up in the median. I slowed down and moved to the slow lane and coasted by the trap at about 68mph. The damage was done. I continued on and watched my rear view, no movement by the police. I continued on till I was out of site and got back to 70mph. Next thing I know the police car came up behind me and followed for a while and then pulled me over. Apparently when I moved to the slow lane I didn't use my directional. I can't believe it either, it is one of my biggest pet peeves about other drivers and I use my directional EVERYWHERE. Ask Allison she will vouch for my driving skills. Anyway the police officer was very nice and let me go with the understanding that I use my directional when changing lanes. So, thanks Tennessee highway patrol.