Almost seeing an accident can be just as scary as almost being in one

Last Wednesday I was in the car with my folks on our way down to Joplin for a funeral. We left early in the day, so it was daylight out and we were making good time. It was a pretty uneventful trip considering we took the 'back' highway. (Its not the same as it used to be, they widened it and construction is over so it is actually somewhat nice to drive on now...still not for me, but anyway..)

This all changed though a few miles outside of Pittsburgh, KS when we got on a one lane highway. A four door car got on the highway in front of us. This was a point in the trip where I couldn't focus so much on the book I had so I was just watching the road with my dad. The car then swerved a bit into the other lane. Then it did it again. Then again. My dad noticed it too so he backed off a bit more. The car then looked like it was going to be ok. I chauked it up to him doing something and that all was ok. I tried to start reading again.

Fifteen minutes later I had that same 'ugh' feeling about the book so I looked up at the road in front of us. The car that had been swerving was currently in the far left shoulder of the opposing traffic and swerving right to get back in our lane. "Wow! What the hell!" My dad of course noticed it too and backed off more.

A few seconds later we noticed cars in front of us and also cars coming in the Northbound lane coming our way. The car was swerving again. Speeding up. Slowing down. Swerving. Then WOOSH! It swerved into the oncoming traffic lane about 20feet before a car to pass one of the cars in our lane! The oncoming car moved onto the shoulder to avoid him.

Unfortunately for everyone, a lot of traffice seemed to show up on the highway in both directions. This car didn't seem to care though, he kept swerving in and out barely missing cars. After the second close call I actually picked up my cell phone to call the police on this asshat. I was shaking I was so freaked out that I was going to see people splattered on the highway.

By this time my dad was really trying to put some distance between us and the crazy guy. The county dept took the info, but I had no liscense plate number and no make of the car, just the color, but they were going to keep an eye out.

When we hit the town, we had caught up with him. He was still swerving in and out of his lane, generally again into oncoming traffice. I had his liscense now, but felt silly calling back. Decided if he did something crazy or made it through town I would call again. Thankfully about a mile before we hit open highway again a cop pulled up behind him, followed him a bit and then pulled him over. I hope that got him off the road.

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What's there?

Such small things
Unnoticed when walking by
Commonplace and normal
The backdrop or scenery
Turn into focus
Develop into meaning
Can become center stage
If you just open your eye