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More random thoughts while traveling.

February 6th, 2023 by Kenneth Abrahams

Years ago, my sister got a ticket. Yes, an actual ticket from a police officer for eating while driving. To add insult to injury, it was a moving violation which meant she got points on her license and had to pay an insurance surcharge. Her ticket was for distracted driving. How are others not getting tickets for driving with their Schnauzer or poodle on their lap? Call me crazy but watching someone going 80 miles down the highway while putting on eye make seems a bit more distracting than munching on a Colonel Sanders chicken leg. Passing motorists whose music is so loud they clearly can’t hear anything around them seems a bit more dangerous to me, as well.

I’m sorry, 40 degrees and sunny in January is still too cold to have your convertible top down.

They are rare in New England and near heavily populated cities, but those semis with 3 trailers are impressive, efficient, and scary as hell, if you ask me.

It may not be illegal but how is it that people can drive with their left leg out the window? Is that really comfortable?

Speaking of distracted driving, how is it that billboards are legal? Especially the new electronic ones that have multiple things to advertise. They are great when you are in traffic because they give you something to look at, but when you are driving 65 or higher. Mom always said 2 eyes on the road and 2 hands on the wheel.

Not that I am a big fan, but if you haven’t traveled in the South or parts of the Midwest and have never been to a Sheetz or a Wawa, they are interesting places. It is a gas station but with better, made to order, food. The last thing that I want to eat on the road is the Wawa brisket mac and cheese, but a lot of other folks seemed to like it. The closest thing we have up here are the Alltown markets at Mobil stations, they are in the junior leagues compared to Sheetz and Wawa. Saw on one of the gas pumps that Wawa will cater your next event. Yep, that is what I want for my next gala, Wawa, and Taco Bell to handle the catering.

I drove by a Perdue chicken processing plant and overhead there were literally thousands of birds flying around the plant. If I hadn’t been in a rush to get home, I would have pulled over to take a picture. It reminded me of the 1963 Alfred Hitchcock movie The Birds. That by the way is not a good thing.

Whoever came up with the marketing for Steven Singer jewelers in Philadelphia is brilliant. When you drive through Philly there are a number of billboards that just say I hate Steven Singer.com. So of course, I looked it up. Pretty smart campaign if you ask me.

Stopped at a rest area on the Massachusetts Turnpike on the way home around 11:30pm, which I don’t think is that late, and other than the little convenience store none of the food places were open. I was just using the restroom and stretching my legs, so I didn’t care but that seemed a bit early for everything to be closed.

If you have never driven on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge and Tunnel System, you are really missing something. It is a system of bridges and tunnels that gets you across the Bay heading to and from Newport News. When you cross on a sunny day it is spectacular.

When I drove to Alexandria, Louisiana in the Fall of 2021, I was struck by the number of signs for personal injury lawyers south of the Mason Dixon line. Now, they are everywhere; north, south, east, and west. I’m not sure if Morgan and Morgan started all of this but they are certainly a major contributor.

My kids refer to my car, which is wrapped with FUN colors, photos, and logo, as the Clown Car. One of the good things about having a car that is wrapped is that it is easy to find in a parking lot. It is also easy to spot on the highway. Driving in Connecticut recently, there is a car pulling up next to me on I-91 and a person is looking over waving at me. It is a client and longtime friend heading back to New York. Bonus on this one, he was driving faster than I was. Those who know me will tell you that almost never happens.

College students still make me smile. They are a great combination of youthful exuberance, tenacity, aloofness, smarts, and whimsy. There is still something uplifting about being on a college campus and interacting with them.

Just over 40 years ago, I was on the programming board at Connecticut College. It was so much easier to program back then. Our big concern was making sure that people had a good time. We didn’t need to worry about assessments, learning outcomes, hitting certain metrics, creating a safe space for people, and nobody talked about engagement. It was hard before the pandemic, but it is much harder now. There are so many options for entertainment right in the palm of your hand. Why go see a comedian you have never heard of, live on campus, when you can stream thousands of hours of well-known comics? Bonus for us back then, parents never called the school asking about why there wasn’t more to do on campus.

Speaking of all those personal injury lawyers on billboards, if I am driving on the highway reading one of those signs and I get in a crash, can I call one of the other lawyers on another sign and sue the lawyer whose sign I was reading? Asking for a friend.

Technology has made these drives far more interesting with all the different services that offer music, podcasts, and books on tape. Gone are the days of dead zones where you can drive for half an hour with nothing but static.

When they work, GPS systems are great but why are they always trying to take me over the George Washington Bridge in New York City? Not sure if there is ever a time, other than very early on a Sunday morning, when there isn’t slow traffic.

How long will they provide free charging stations for electric vehicles? Just waiting for someone to come up with a rapid charging system for EV’s but you will need to pay for it. If I had an electric vehicle and I could get “filled up” in 5 minutes for 10 bucks, count me in.

When I grew up, our parents smoked and drank, they fed us TV dinners, tuna packed in vegetable oil, and there weren’t health clubs on every corner. Now we have so much information on healthy eating, gyms everywhere, and diet plans galore. While driving, I heard a report that childhood obesity in this country is at an all-time high. One of those things that make you go hmm.

Driving through New York City on a sunny day is still an awe-inspiring site.

Although I love the drive from Boston to the Norfolk Virginia area anytime, I prefer it in the late summer / fall when there are still roadside stands selling peanuts, fruits, and hams. I rarely stop but love seeing them.

Clearly, when I drive, I have a lot of mental free time. Hope you enjoyed this week’s ramblings. If you know of any good podcasts let me know.

About the author

Ken Abrahams has been working with colleges for the better part of forty years. Pre-pandemic his travels were confined primarily to the New England area but with the current staffing situation he is on the road a bit more and traveling farther. He loves meeting new people and visiting different college and university campuses.

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