By Elliott Brack
Editor and Publisher, GwinnettForum
DEC. 7, 2021 | Headed out last week to pick up take-out food, two incidents gave me pause.
It was about 6:15 p.m. when I turned on Holcomb Bridge Road, heading west, with little traffic in this lane. However, oncoming easterly traffic was unusually heavy. By then, it was fully dark, as we were back to standard time.
One of the oncoming vehicles had on bright lights as I neared a small curve. It nearly blinded me. Time I got through the curve, another vehicle also had on bright lights, temporarily making me wonder if I was safely within the outgoing lane.
Why did these two inconsiderate drivers have their bright lights on? Luckily, no others I met had undimmed lights, though I fumed about it all the way to Peachtree Parkway, before turning right. This four lane road’s traffic was moving smoothly. No bright light problems here, with me not having to stop until I turned into a shopping center just past Spaulding Drive.
After I picked up our order, I drove to exit the parking lot, finding a steady stream of traffic to my left. About that time the traffic light at the main intersection changed, and traffic started coming from the right. By that time, two cars had stopped on Spalding, wanting to get into the parking lot where I was attempting to exit. It took about two minutes before the cars to my left stopped coming. I pulled out of the exit, and headed toward the right lane.
Just as I turned into the lane, in my rear mirror, I saw first a car with headlights on, but in front of that car was another dark car with no headlights. What? Had I pulled out a second or two later, I would have been smashed. Lucky me.
In front of Norcross High, there was good street light. Then I could clearly see an older model Honda tailing me with no lights. I was about to turn right onto Medlock Bridge Road when I saw his right blinker (remember no headlights) signaling his turn.
Traffic was backed up at Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and I pulled to a stop, got out of the car, walked back and pointed and yelled to the driver: “You don’t have on your lights. Switch them on. This is dangerous.” As I returned to the car, he did. In about five second the light changed, and traffic moved forward. The former lightless driver turned south on PIB, thankfully, and I was rid of him.
These two instances really shook me up. Someone could have been injured because of a stupid mistake of driving with no headlight on. Absent-minded, drunk or crazed? We never found out. But it was scary.
Next time, I’ll go for take-out well before dark.
Just making sure, we checked. Mercedes-Benz Stadium is actually in Atlanta. After Alabama demolished Georgia for the SEC championship again, I was wondering if that stadium might be located in Alabama. For sure the Tide owned it again this year. This is the second consecutive time that ‘Bama has defeated Georgia for the championship in this stadium.
One possible way for Georgia to beat Alabama in Atlanta is for the conference to schedule the championship at Bobby Dodd Stadium. The Bulldogs did well, as they blanked Ga. Tech 45-0 this year.
- Have a comment? Send to: elliott@brack.net
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