I left my Mom’s house about 7:00 pm last night. Just after Biff’s home town I could see some headlights making there way up behind me. They weren’t moving too fast but it was noticeable. About 2 minutes it took to narrow the km or so between myself and ‘him’ (maybe a her but let’s just assume a him). I had been only going about 95km so I wasn’t at all surprised.Â
By the time he had caught up, I was the last in a line of about 4 cars going about 90km. Not surprisingly as I assumed he was an aggressive driver, he was right on my tail looking to make a pass. He was tailgating fairly close but not enough to alarm me. Unfortunately for him (and I guess me), there was no opportunity to make the pass before the next town.Â
Through the town we lost a couple cars in the line but gained a couple more. So, for the next 10km to the next town he did not have a chance to make the pass and he was now tailing me closer than my comfort is accustomed to. As I am a fairly aggressive driver I can relate somewhat to the driver behind me, but this was closer than I’ve ever experienced and closer than I would ever do myself. With OG in the car it was somewhat disconcerting.
There were a couple of times where I could have let him pass me and begin his leapfrog but my foolish pride prevented that. I just couldn’t make the gap between me and the car in front large enough for him to make an attempt. In fact, we were tight enough that he would have had to pass 3 cars to succeed and this road doesn’t really provide that opportunity.
So in town, still behind me, I could sense something beyond simple frustration. When we got to the only light in town, 1 car peeled into the right turn lane and 2 of us continued through. It looked as if my tailgater was going to proceed to the right as well and leave my life.
Alas, and alarmingly, at the last second he swerved back into the through lane and proceeded to ride my tail as we proceeded through town. I contemplated turning off to a side street or just pulling over but quickly shooed the thought from my mind.Â
As we worked our way to the edge of town, eventually I became the lead car. Nobody in front as far as I could see, but somebody behind me. Right behind me. As we left town and the speed limit bumps to 70 he was still unable to pass (and I’m not sure now if his motive is to even pass anymore). And just before it hits the 80 again the road is ALMOST clear to pass. One more car. My tailgater nudges ever so close in what appears to be an anticipated pass although it seems odd that he’d be so close just in order to pass.Â
It’s at this moment where I think of all those times that I hear people say “Damn I wish that guy could get burned by the cops. Where are they when you need them?”. And then, out to the left at the crossroad I see what is usually the disturbing and familiar reflections of an O.P.P. cruiser. Still in the 70, I’m going 100 so I have this uneasy feeloing that he’s not just going to sit there.
And I was right. As I’m passing I notice 2 things: 1) The cop pulls out from the intersection and 2) The tailgater is STILL riding my bumper. The next thing I see are the cherries flashing. The tailgater slows down and nudges to the side, clearly to me he’s assuming that the cop is about to nail me. Through the rearview mirror I see that the cop is following the tailgater over to the side and clearly it’s time for my friend to pay the piper. As I had thought, if the cop is gunning me at 100km but notices somebody INCHES behind me, he probably has more interest in that person as should be his wont.
Now, at night in the boonies with a daughter in the back seat, the imagination can run a little rampant. But I can’t help wondering how this roadtrip would have panned out if the friendly neighbourhood smokey hadn’t been at the right place at the right time for one of the rare goodside karma O.P.P. moments in my life.