Pull Over! Pull Over! For Pete's Sake!

This is for all the people who fail to pull over for emergency vehicles:

You.

Suck.

Yes, I realize that is not a very refined phrase. But people! When the doohickies are flashing on the top of a firetruck, TURN THE VOLUME DOWN ON THE RADIO and listen for the siren! Then? Pull over.

I used to think people stopped pulling over for these things because they just didn't care. But I honestly now think that people just don't notice. They are so tuned into the tunes or NPR or whatever book they are "reading" that they don't notice traffic around them. Even when it's barrelling toward them with lights and sirens flashing.

What prompted this tirade? No, I have no tragic story of "failure to pull over." But you know, it coulda bin a little tragic.

Yesterday, I'm driving along to have lunch with a friend. I see the lights of a firetruck coming toward me. Maybe it's 1/4 a mile away. I start to slow down. Guy in the car behind me creeps up to my back bumper. I start to pull over. Guy in the car behind me gets so close that I doubt a slice of bread could be slid between our cars. He jerks his wheel toward the center line...obviously thinking he's going to pass this nut in the green van that has suddenly, inexplicably decided to pull over on a busy street.

Just in time he sees the firetruck.

He yanks back.

We all breathe.

I mutter "idiot."

Firetruck passes by and life goes on.

Pay attention people!