Dangerous Driving: Would You Treat Your Kid Like This?

Last week, I attended the Skip Barber School of Racing at Lyme Rock Park.  It was an educational (not to mention insanely fun) day filming for Mazda of Manchester.  I’ll have some videos of driving tips that I’ll be rolling out over the next few weeks, such as this one on distracted driving and driving with pets.

You’d think someone would leave the school and start whipping down roads and trying to power-slide.  Instead, I came away with a deep respect for the power of vehicles and the importance of safe driving.  I also drove away with my eyes opened as to just how many bad drivers are out there.

But let me say this.  There are bad drivers, and then there are IDIOT drivers. 

Driving home from work last night, I encountered a guy whipping in and out of traffic on 291 in Manchester at some 85 mph.  Aggressive driver = bad driver, says Skip Barber.

You’ve seen “that guy” before.  Heck, you’ve probably been “that guy” while running late to work, an event, or Dunkin Donuts.

But here’s what turned “that guy” into “that idiot”.  Take a look at the picture.  Look closely, ladies and gentlemen.  That would be a DOG in the back of his pickup truck.  And no, you’re not hallucinating – the hatch is down.  85mph, weaving, cutting people off – and putting his dog and lives of other drivers at risk.

What if he stopped short? What if there were an accident? What if the dog decided he’d had enough of his owner and non-stop slanted election coverage by major news networks and took the final leap into oncoming traffic? 

I don’t know about you, but my fiancée and I have doggie seatbelts for our dogs.  Laugh it up – Madison and Chewie are SAFE when we are driving around.

Would you put your KID in the back of an open pickup truck on the highway?  No? Then why would you do this to your DOG? 

What do you think?

Kyle S. Reyes is Director of Marketing for Carter Chevrolet and Mazda of Manchester.