Driving 101

The DC area is having its first snowfall of the season today. While it's not expected to amount to more than a couple of inches, the timing couldn't have been worse. It started a little after 6:00 AM, by which time the rush hour was gearing up. And thanks to the traffic volume, the snowplows weren't able to spread the necessary salt and the roads quickly glazed over.

One of my favorite pastimes on days like this is looking at all the SUV drivers who end up in ditches, or the woods, or even on top of guardrails.

This isn't all that surprising. People with four wheel drive type vehicles get cocky on days like this. They feel superior to those of us driving "normal" cars. This is true to an extent; with a 4WD you're less likely to have trouble starting up at traffic lights or navigating hills.

But that initial success also gives you a false sense of invincibility, kind of like President Bush after what looked like a quick "victory" in Afghanistan. The next thing you know, you begin to push things a little too far. That's when you find yourself invading Iraq without enough troops to properly secure the place. But you're committed, and you're going too fast to stop in time.

The next thing you know, you're in serious trouble. It turns out your car only has 4 wheel stop like everyone else's. But because you've built up all this momentum, it's too late to change course. You spin wildly out of control, all the while telling your screaming passengers that you have the situation well in hand.

And that's how your presidency ends up upside down in the median strip of history, with your wheels spinning helplessly in the air.