Random Thought for Thursday 11/28/13

I learned a new game, whilst driving to Baltimore and back a month ago ... a game I remembered when doing the early morning drive to my Indiana family for the Tgiving holiday (and, therefore, something that fits nicely into my ongoing "distracted driving" series that demonstrates, when it comes to those long long road trips, how my mind does randomly wander as it wonders [ooh ... working in a Christmas music reference to celebrate the holiday season ... so festive of me]).

I call it "turnpike chicken".  And let's get something out of the way right away.  My use of the qualifier "turnpike" is because I grew up in central PA.  Depending on your part of the country, you might substitute "freeway" or "toll road" or "highway" or "bypass" or "interstate" (I think you get the point).  Regardless, I'm referring to a multi-laned road where traffic is all going the same way (as opposed to the more classic game of "chicken" where you drive head first toward an approaching car to see which vehicle is the last to move out of the way), and to the fact that the po-po may or may not be in the flow of traffic ahead of you (I use the phrasing "po-po" in a desperate transparent attempt to establish some street cred, so you might substitute "state trooper", "police", "cops" or "coppers" [you know, if you're a film-noir aficionado]).

This game of "chicken" involves those drivers who are either oblivious to the fact that they are passing an unmarked vehicle (and speed past to get pulled over immediately -- we'll call them "fried chicken"), or who start out oblivious and then slam on the breaks when they put two and two together (so so obvious to all involved, so we'll call them Colonel Chicken, since KFC is the obvious chicken choice), or who "fall in line", too "chicken" to make a move, destined to drive for miles obeying the speed limit and being a good, but boring, road citizen (chicken dancers, a la the wedding classic).

In conclusion, because I've gone on too long as it is, drive safely out there this holiday weekend.  In addition to the daytime drunks (it's a holiday!), there are also crazed shoppers who didn't sleep, and the heightened presence of the po-po.  And ... Happy Thanksgiving weekend to you and yours!

ANY TIME I MENTION TURNPIKE, I THINK OF THE "ABANDONED PA TURNPIKE":
http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/infrastructure/back1007.cfm

OH THE WIKI ... LISTS FOR EVERY SCENARIO:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_slang_terms_for_police_officers

A GUIDE TO ASSIST YOU AS YOU PLAY "TURNPIKE CHICKEN":
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_slang_terms_for_police_officers