What Grinds My Gears. Part 1.

I saw a traffic jam today. Actually, I got into one. But while sitting in the bumper-to-bumper flow, I remembered something outstanding.

Approximately two months ago, I was traveling on I-43 northbound. When I reached Mequon, the traffic slowed down and then halted. "An accident ahead," I thought. However, there were no emergency vehicles in sight - I judged by the absence of sirens and police lights.

Then, as I had moved closer, I noticed a stream of black smoke rising behind the tree line ahead. "That's it - the accident for sure," I figured. "The cops are probably farther down."

But when I finally reached the spot (40 minutes later), there were no cops, no emergency vehicles, AND NO ACCIDENT!

The black smoke was coming out of a chimney of a house on the opposite side of the road. I had no idea what the owner was burning in there, but a bunch of idiots in cars ahead was definitely burning my time and patience!..

The smoke was thick and black - what else is new? But, it did not block the traffic. However, almost every car stopped for few seconds so that the moron behind its steering wheel could stare at the fume. Duh!.. Then, they would continue full throttle on the absolutely free highway leaving the long traffic congestion behind.

This is how people create problems out of nothing! And this, my friends, is what grinds my gears!