Just another manic-depressing Monday

Well, today began like any other - cranky to be awake, a long drive ahead, a million things to do before leaving for work. No worries - tomorrow's May 1, right? I'd like to think that was my attitude as I got ready for work, and most of you will think I'm just saying this now, but I had a premonition that today was going to go badly. Nothing specific, but every once in a while, have you ever almost smelled a tremendously !@#$%$#@&!! day coming?

It didn't take long for my premonition to come true. First, I-476 (a.k.a. the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike) had a major accident in the southbound lanes, which resulted in the shut down of the northbound lanes. Greeeeat.

For those of you not from PA or not familiar with I-476, it's a two-lane bottleneck for the entire 36-mile stretch that I travel it (and it's two lanes each way for much longer than that). Translation: if there's an accident, you'd better hope you have satellite radio, an iPod or a good book, because you are going nowhere.

Anyway, I got rerouted around that disaster this morning, and I was on schedule to be JUST on time for my 11 a.m. class.

Until a very slow-moving 18-wheeler decided that 50 in the passing lane was a good idea. After waiting patiently for him to get over (I'm used to this, since I commute so much), I broke right to see if the coast was clear which it was. The truck had no business being in the passing lane. Since I was running late, I decided to pass on the right, which I know is illegal, but so is hanging in the passing lane. So, call that one a draw.

For reasons only the genius driving the truck knows, he decided to come into my lane when I was about 1/3 of the way past him. The realist in me thinks the driver did it on purpose - I've had more than a few 18-wheelers take perverse pleasure in intentionally swerving toward cars.

Well, there was no way to avoid a crash. It was either hit the truck, or the shoulder and guardrail.

Guardrail it was.

It could have been a great deal worse - the guardrail saved my car from plunging over a pretty steep hill and into God only knows what.

A state police officer who happened to be sitting on the ramp below heard a boom and quickly came to the scene. He was cool, nice and helpful. Although he seemed to take the side of the trucker just a bit when I explained what happened, which irked me a bit, but whatever. I didn't get the license number of the truck, and of course he didn't stop.

The cop helped me change my tire, and luckily, my car is drivable, so it could have been much worse.

Hey, forget the car - I was wearing my seat belt and I was okay - just a bit of a sore neck, but I've been having neck issues for months now.

Anyway, this trucker has some bad karma now, and it's my sincere hope it comes back to bite him in the fuel injector. Nothing horrific - a $500 dollar speeding ticket, or maybe catching gonorrhea from one a lot lizard at a truck stop (my bro used to work at a truck stop, so I've heard the lingo).

Do I wish I could get ahold of the trucker who did this, just like the idiot(s) who smashed my car window last week?

That's a big 10-4, good buddy.

Top pic via Google Search. It's not our cat, but it could be!