Would You Freakin' CUT IT OUT?!?

I was going to post about a party we went to, or maybe about something the Pipsqueak said last week that stopped me in my tracks, or maybe about this being National Adoption Month.

Instead, I have to vent for a moment.

AJ is the MOD (Manager on Duty) at work today -- it was supposed to be my turn, but there were schedule problems so I took her day a couple of weeks back and she went in to work for me today.

Last weekend, AJ & Miri had their little automotive adventure, where someone turning into traffic against a red arrow T-boned the SUV and left them hanging upside-down. (The SUV has since been officially totaled by the insurance company.)

Well, on the work today in a rental vehicle, stopped at a red light with other vehicles stopped in front of her... AJ got rear-ended by a woman who was too busy talking to her passenger to notice the light had changed or that there was a double line of motionless vehicles in front of her. (Turns out she has the same insurance company as last week's idiot.)

AJ is physically alright, was even able to continue on her way after the police had taken their report, but she is badly shaken... and so are the rest of us.  The Pipsqueak will still occasionally stop to talk about "I upside down, car broken" or "I on the roof!" and AJ's bruises are just barely beginning to fade, and all of us (except for the Pipsqueak, who thankfully doesn't really understand) are still reeling from the very real possibility we could've lost my niece, my sister, or both just a few days ago.

And now this.

People, when you drive, you have ONE priority, ONE thing to do, ONE subject that should occupy ALL your attention: DRIVING.  Your passengers will understand if you don't look at them while driving (if they don't, then they shouldn't be in your car). Your cell phone should stay in purse or pocket, and even with a hands-free system your conversation is secondary to your driving. If you need to discipline your kids, find something you dropped, eat or drink, look up directions, or anything else that takes your attention away from driving, then pull of the road at a safe spot to do what you have to do.

Please.