Stricter traffic laws...

... just means more opportunities for law-breakers and idiot drivers to abound.

While returning to work after dropping Todd off at after-school care, I found myself blocked by an inattentive lady slowly pulling up to a red light (I was trying to exit out of a parking lot onto the street, common courtesy dictates that if you're stopping at a red light, you leave room for people exiting from the side, right?) As I watched her glide in front of me, I noticed that her attention was occupied by what appeared to be a pen. Okay, I've been guilty of jotting down shopping lists while stopped at red lights, so I was slightly irritated but not too mad. The light turns quickly anyway, so I wouldn't have long to wait.

But when the light did turn green and she started driving off, I noticed that it wasn't a pen at all-- it was a knitting needle. Sure enough, she yanked her handiwork up in the air so she could put her hand on the steering wheel. Seriously!? Knitting while driving!? I was stunned, to say the least.

As I made my left turn out of the parking lot, I noticed a motorcycle cop exiting the parking lot across the street from me. As we crossed paths, I saw that he'd turned his lights on, hot on someone's tail. With delicious glee I hoped that he, too, had seen the knitting lady and was chasing her down to at least give her a tongue-wagging! Now that would be justice :-)

As if that wasn't bad enough, though, knitting lady driver just got one-upped. Check out this lovely little news tidbit about a woman breastfeeding her kid... while driving... and talking on her cell phone (which is illegal now)... in the rain!!

http://www.daytondailynews.com/n/content/oh/story/news/local/2009/02/27/ddn022709breastfeedweb.html

Like I said-- stricter laws may enhance safety, but they also seem to bring out idiot drivers in droves (ha!). You just can't win!