Two incidents driving today in Kansas City, north–as opposed to North Kansas City–made me shudder.

The first, at 0925, came on Interstate 35 south when a white Ford F-150 pickup, Kansas license plate 337 LMX, was driving 55 MPH (89 km/h). Normally, that would not be a cause for concern in an urban area, but (a) he was doing 55 in the LEFT lane and (b) he was doing 10 MPH (17 km/h) UNDER the posted speed limit. I honked and flashed my high beams, but this driver refused to get over. This went on for three miles before I said enough was enough and got over to get around him.

The left lane on a controlled-access highway with two lanes in each direction is for passing. There are signs in every state in which I’ve driven which state explicitly “SLOWER TRAFFIC KEEP RIGHT” and/or “LEFT LANE FOR PASSING ONLY”. This person thought differently and claimed the left lane like he owned it.

Those drivers are a catastrophe waiting to happen, and not necessarily for themselves, but for the other drivers who are doing the speed limit in the right lane and trying to keep traffic moving. People who drive slow in the left lane do not need to be on the road. They are deadly.

Speaking of deadly, a driver’s worst nightmare came up at 1545.

Driving south on Ambassador Drive between 112th Street and Tiffany Springs Parkway, I noticed a large white Ford Expedition from Iowa driving the wrong way in the left lane.

Lucky for me, nobody was on my right, so I could quickly change lanes.

The Iowan did not see ONE WAY signs in the median on Ambassador. Wow.

Today highlighted why driving defensively is the only way to go. I haven’t been in an accident with another vehicle since I lived in Louisiana, and I would like to keep it that way.

Between road incidents, I stopped at Buffalo Wild Wings Zona Rosa to see if Larry were there, like he usually is on Friday. I snuck into the restroom and played trivia in the stall. He wasn’t there, and he texted me he was at the BWW at Shoal Creek (Liberty). I sped there (I’ll admit, I did over the speed limit, but slowed down when it got congested) to meet him. Hadn’t been to that BWW in over a year. Glad I got to see him.

It’s warmed up some in Kansas City. But another cold front is coming. Those who forecasted a colder than normal winter are turning up prophetic. I like it colder. Just as long as I can drive and not slip on ice.