It's time for another one of the lectures this writer gives on the driving habits of some in this area.

My trips on Highway 41-A to get back and forth to Shelbyville have now ended since I no longer wish to risk my life every day. My new routes change on a whim, just as long as I can arrive at work and home with all my limbs securely attached.

The last straw was a couple of weeks ago, when a reckless individual decided that the emergency lane on the hill near Granny Fishes was perfect for passing long lines of traffic at 90 MPH. The same person did it again several days later, after riding my bumper and racing past me in the same manner at the worst possible curve on that two lane highway.

However, this time, I got the license number and made good use of my cell phone.

Shelbyville police were quick to find the driver, who denied pulling this stunt. Unfortunately, since the officer did not personally witness this deadly behavior, no charges could be filed. Hopefully, a warning will stop this fellow from pretending that narrow state highways are the short track at Bristol Motor Speedway.

This must be either the fourth or fifth time I have written about this. Back in January, I talked about this habit that many have; namely passing on the yellow line which has caused many of the deadly accidents in Bedford County. The very next day after that was published, another fatality in a head-on crash occurred due to crossing that center line.

If I harp on this topic too much, it's because of painful, brutal experience. During the first two weeks of my senior year of high school, we lost five teens due to totally preventable auto accidents.

One death was the result of a high speed police chase, another drove himself into a guard rail for reasons unknown. But then three brothers, which included a good friend of mine, were wiped off the face of the earth in the middle of Tullahoma by a out of control drunk driver.

They did nothing wrong, they simply pulled out of a convenience store in a small sports car and were immediately crushed to death by a man who didn't even realize he had just snuffed out three young lives. He was more worried about the damage to his vehicle, according to witnesses at the scene.

Nearly twenty years later, local activists started a campaign to have the drunk driver freed, saying that "he has suffered enough."

I'll let that one go without comment and you can make your own judgments about that logic.

Being in the news business, we unfortunately have to view the ugly side of life and death. My co-workers and I have seen more than enough people splattered all over the road and I can't even imagine the stress these situations put on our law enforcement and first responders who have to deal with this horror on a daily basis.

There are fatal accidents that are no one's fault, such as wrecks caused by mechanical failure or poor visibility. But a great deal of the fatalities in this county are caused by people simply driving recklessly. With the exception of Highway 231 North, many of our state highways and county roads are just two lanes with hills, curves and blind spots and any one of these places could be the site of yet another preventable death.

So I will say it again. If people keep up this idiotic behavior, somebody else is going to get killed.

Again.

It's either going to you, me, a loved one or someone you know.

Cut it out!