Felicia+P's+Op-Ed+Article



=media type="file" key="feliciap-muckrakers-2012.mp3"=

**Are your headlights attracted to the back of my car? Because if I get rear-end one more time...** –
Over the past two months I’ve had two very unfortunate events occur while driving around Ventura. Two incidents involving another car ramming the back of my beautiful Volkswagen Jetta for no apart reason. The first accident was the most bizarre. I was at a complete stop at a red light on Ralston waiting to go home with the entire family in the back seat when a white car slammed into the back of my car and when the light turned green I proceeded to pull over to the right off the road while the other car involved fled the premises. What bothers me more than this person’s lack of paying attention to the road in front of him is the fact that he got away with the entire thing. My father got his license plate number and there was plenty of evidence to prove that car made a hit and run but upon speaking with the police they made no effort or interest to pursue this man. He got off scotch free and I was left scarred. To make matters worse, while driving to Chipotle at lunch a car proceeded to turn into the gas station at the 76 station and all car slowed but the guy behind me wasn’t as keen on the frequent stops in this lane and his lack of attention to the cars in front landed the front of his little old Honda underneath my newly repaired bumper. This time the damage was much worse. This time instead of a couple scratches and minor damage my bumper was destroyed. This man, thankfully, had some sense of responsibility for actions and pulled over. I rightfully am flabbergasted by peoples’ lack of driving skills and attention to the road. Why can’t drivers’ attention be to the road? A simple sense of focus to the important task at hand would have easily prevented both cases in which men continued into the back of my Jetta. What was it that called their minds off to wonderland? Was it the all consuming text message or phone call? Was it the glimpse of something intriguing off in the distance? That I will never know, but all I beg is that drivers would pay more attention to the road. So next time that shiny object on the side of the road calls you name, think about the consequences for you and others before taking your eyes off the road.