Maintaining Speed

One of the things about being a Christian (or a Jew or Muslim or whatever) is that folks notice when you fall short of who you are supposed to be.  You become another one of those Christian hypocrites.  It is tough trying to be a believer in some way of life because we are humans and we are always falling short.

And this brings me to Friday morning.  In retelling this tale I risk falling short, since it pokes at someone else for their apparent failings.

After a meeting in downtown Lowell I headed east on Route 110, along the left bank of the Merrimack River, out toward I-93.  I was a couple of cars behind an Essex County Sheriff's van, which was doing 35 mph.  And collecting a string of cars behind it.  For a while I wondered if this was about a plot by Essex County to slow commerce in Middlesex County, but then dismissed it as being a little too Byzantine.

Then, as we approached the traffic circle under I-93, where Lowell Street widens into two lanes as North Lowell Street comes in from the left we had a right lane for joining I-93 Southbound and a left lane for going under I-93 and continuing eastbound on Route 110 or pitching up onto I-93 Northbound.  Our van hugs the left side of the right lane, indicating that it will be ahead of me southbound on I-93, heading into Andover.  At the last minute the Essex Sheriff's van goes left, under the Interstate.

I would like ot think that the Essex Sheriff's van was transporting a very ill prisoner and the slow speed and the soft wide turn under I-93 were just for easing the discomfort of said prisoner.  The alternative moves them from considerate hero to sloppy inconsiderate driver.

Regards  —  Cliff