I do it. My wife does it. I'm sure all of us have done it. I'm sure all of us do it everyday.
Guilty in the first degree...
EWD...Eating while driving. If you keep one hand on the steering wheel while you stuff your face I see no problem as long as you keep an eye on the road, too.
Now, here is what we witnessed this morning on our commute to work this morning.
An Acura merged on to the southbound 41 just north of the Fresno County line. I moved over to the number one lane to allow it to merge.
I caught up to the Acura. I noticed out of the corner of my eye a woman eating. Not a sandwich. Not a burrito. Not a banana.
She was eating a BOWL OF OATMEAL! My wife verified that discovery.
My wife and I have see women applying mascara while driving, we see people STILL talking on their cellphones, dogs riding in the driver's lap (I actually witnessed a parrot on a driver's shoulder just last Saturday), but never, and I mean never, had we ever seen anyone eating a bowl of oatmeal on their way to work.
What compelled this driver to eat her breakfast on the road? I do not know. Maybe she hit the snooze button on her alarm one too many times. Maybe it was a way to enjoy a meal in solitude while listening to talk radio. Maybe she does it all the time. Who knows? Anyhow, I wished I had my camera to record this event.
Anyhow, where was I? Oh yeah...
While cruising at 70 mph (yes, I was speeding), she had her bowl perched in the center of the steering wheel above the airbag. Her little fingers were holding the steering wheel while her forefingers and thumbs were balancing the bowl. She was eating with her right hand. She was eating as if she were sitting at the breakfast table. Whether she had a crossword puzzle, raisins and cinnamon, and a glass of orange juice to go with that breakfast is anyone's guess.
I passed by her as she slowed down, then she speeds up and passes me in the number two lane. I was still going 70 mph and she had to be doing 80 while still eating. We started to come up on slower traffic and she almost rearends a white Honda. Oh no, there goes the gene pool. I pass by the slower traffic and noticed in my rearview that she moves over to the passing lane with one car between us.
Maybe I should slam on my brakes? Naw. Maybe she is done eating? I wonder if she packed along a toothbrush.
Anyhow, my lane proceeds along and when we got into Fresno where the freeway becomes three lanes I stayed in the middle lane and I see the Acura in my rearview. Yes, she is still eating. I didn't ask my wife how big the bowl was. Must be a slow eater. Cold oatmeal. Yuck.
As we make our way to the Shaw exit and she comes whizzing by me STILL EATING!
A chuckle for the day.
Now, what if she spilled that bowl of oatmeal in her lap? What if she was going to meet with a very important client at 8:00 a.m.? Try explaining the blob of oatmeal on your dress!
Cellphones. Texting. I bet "eating" hits the lawbooks in California.
A bill is being proposed in the state of Texas. It is HB 738.
"Inattentive Driving."
Hmmmmm...
What is "interacting with a vehicle passenger?"
Guess that is what the rest areas and turnouts are for!
I am going to leave it at that!
I'm hungry...
Maybe a breakfast burrito from Whole Foods!
