But here is how fast it is. The other evening. I was motoring sedately down Glebe Road- a major north-south artery here in Arlington. It is an old road, sort of like Outer Drive in Detroit, which isn’t anymore. This one ran to the Glebe House of the Church of England in Colonial times but that died with the Revolution. But the road is still there.Anyhow, though it is a four lane road it is narrow and there are no left turn lanes. So if someone needs to turn across traffic, the let lane stops. I saw it happening up ahead and looked in the mirror to see if I could change lanes. I couldn’t, because a sleek black Corvette was coming up fast. I let him go by then goosed the accelerator and followed him, glued to the bumper, then took the left lane again when it was clear. We were side-by-side at the next light and I saw his window coming down. I didn’t know if it would be a fist or a finger that emerged, but I hadn’t done anything unsafe and had given way. I hit the power button and lowered the passenger’s side window. A young man with long dirty yellow hair was at the wheel. He leaned out and said “Hey, Man! That’s a Syclone. Cool! My buddy had one of those!””You know what it is! Have a great day!” I yelled. When the light went green we punched it of the line and I had him by a half car-length going through 50mph when I shut it down and went back to being a safety concious driver. We waved when he turned of onto Columbia Pike. I heard him shout “I gotta sell this thing- I can’t afford the insurance….”

Copyright 2002 Vic Socotra