11 Comments
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it's just Boris's avatar

The person I feel sorry for here is the truck driver. Not his fault but he was behind the wheel and a person is dead. That can mess a person up for a long time.

Steve S6's avatar

But was the CDL issued to an illegal? Inquiring minds want to know.

Dale Flowers's avatar

Florida? Probably not.

Paul Koning's avatar

The problem is that unqualified people with CDLs from far left states can drive into Florida and not be stopped early enough.

Dale Flowers's avatar

Too true. But Florida makes an effort.

Betsy's avatar

I wonder if he wasn't the Mexican equivalent of a far-holler hillbilly. In Peru particularly in the outer provinces there used to be a terrible problem with country people unused to traffic getting injured or killed because they'd close their eyes, put their hands over their ears, and dart into traffic - on the theory I guess that "if I can't see or hear it, it won't hit me." It's hard to believe it's still a problem today with the ubiquity of screens but back in 1980 it was still occasionally happening, usually to children, and it was pitiful.

Dale Flowers's avatar

That's an interesting anecdote, Betsy. My own gene pool hales from Appalachia, Oklahoma and the Ozarks. Guess we was luckier. They didn't marry first cousins or the Scots-Irish that I know of. We were told that when crossing a road it was just like crossing a railroad track. Stop. Look. And Listen. Turn yer head both ways and take a gander before you cross. I can certify that it works.

Betsy's avatar

Oh, me too, Dale. Just exactly the same gene pool except we truly are mostly Scots-Irish. I can't imagine any American being this unexposed to traffic and it was hard for me to believe in Peru in 1980 but the truth - one of my husband's friends was devastated because she killed a child who darted into traffic with ears covered and apparently eyes closed. Now, it's possible the child was just being a child, and not someone unaccustomed to traffic - but I will say based on my experience with some of the younger maids in my husband's home that these kids not only didn't speak Spanish yet, they didn't know how to operate kitchen appliances. It was mind-boggling and sad and made me despair how unprepared for and vulnerable to city life they were.

Dale Flowers's avatar

I've seen a lot of the Third World up close between 1965-1991 when I was deploying. I hesitate to make any value judgments and acknowledge that we are just some of the lucky ones to be born in different circumstances. "There, but for the Grace of God..."

Dale Flowers's avatar

Oops, that Scots-Irish comment. Welsh-gutter English here. Sorry, I guess it shows. ☺

Betsy's avatar

LOL my friend Dale - we are also Welsh and (I am sure) gutter English. Seriously mixed ancestry over here. Go Lions on Saturday!