Monday, September 20, 2010

Breaking The Rules

I don’t follow the speed limits
posted. Nine miles over the posted
speed seems about right to me
you can’t call me a fuddy-duddy
if I’m cruising above the limit.
Police officers won’t take note
of me speeding nine miles
over, rather than forbidden ten.

If I get behind a truck that is
speeding I can go whatever speed
he chooses because he’s much larger
than I, so he’ll be the first to fall
to the radar set up by the smokies.

If I’m in the flow of traffic,
I have a back door and a front,
I will go whatever speed the lead
car chooses because I’m the middle
of this convoy, numbers one and
two are the ones to be pulled over.
I also slow down near rest stops
near truck weigh stations
and through the state of Georgia.
Those are the likely spots for detection.

Rules weren’t meant to be broken
anywhere families live, children play,
and people walk. I go the speed limit
through towns, school districts
and neighborhoods, all sacred territory.

My husband says I have a lead foot
yet he has been issued more tickets
then I over the years. I don’t like
breaking rules, I’m a law abiding citizen.
A risk taker I’m not, however, thirty
miles an hour is insane. They know
this rule will be broken. Surely.

10 comments:

Diane T said...

Judy I drive as you do LOL. 9 mph over the limit is nothing stop you for but 10 mph... In town here they have on a major road police constantly monitoring. I try to drive 30 mph but it frustrates everyone else LOL. Obviously you wrote a poem I relate so well to. Great job!

Mary said...

Judy, your rationale makes so much sense. When I drive, I go with the flow and definitely don't want to be the fastest driver and the one at the head of the pack.

Elizabeth said...

I like your take on the prompt. So common, yet easily relatable to many other things. We do make exceptions, hedge a bit here and there, and certainly not only when we are driving,

Elizabeth

Anonymous said...

When I still drove a car, this poem narrates exactly how to follow the other 'rules' of highway driving, like following the lead trucker. I so smiled at reading, enjoyably recalling highway miles. Appreciate how knowledge of the alternative 'rules' compressed into this one poem. Thank-you.

flaubert said...

Judy, I like your take on the prompt! And the two worse states are Georgia and Texas for speeding, just ask my husband!
Pamela

Linda said...

This is perfect.I underline your sentiments. Love the way you said it all.

Anonymous said...

You reminded me of what I used to do when I drove. I think a lot of us could relate to this poem.

-Nicole

gautami tripathy said...

What a different take. I liked it!

ode to un-punctuated verses

neil reid said...

A well drawn outline of a rational thought! Oh my! :) And seems we can see what the jury says! You got company.

Anonymous said...

Hello

Looking forward to your next post