Jim Dailey

It’s virtually impossible for one with a computer, TV, smart phone or for that matter any other means of communication to be unaware of the Summer Olympics.  I too have spent hours incidentally and intentionally following the “race for medals”.

Well, this morning it hit me “square behind the wheel” … most of us experience highway and street olympics every day. No sooner have we pulled into traffic than our personal competitive event begins … a little extra acceleration to beat the yellow light, a quick maneuver to avoid a pothole, an intense focus on the bumper five feet ahead, the personal satisfaction of last second lane changes leaving our most assertive competitor behind.  On the Interstate, we are pitted against the fast, the furious, the slow and the lane hogs.  Thru years of practice we have fine tuned the strategic art of acceleration, deceleration and timing … no way will that slow moving eighteen wheeler pull out to pass and force me to tap the brake.

And what about that kid that camps on “my” bumper when I’m in the left lane … finally risking his life and others to dart across two lanes, zip between cars and then back only to have gained one car length?  My goodness, this is street olympics and every second or portion thereof separates the winner from the also ran.

I must admit I too sometimes find myself in this competitive arena.  Hopefully, just like retiring Olympic Medalist, I’ll find less reason to compete and more reason to be like the old Triumph Stag pictured above … appreciated for my age, my wisdon and for avoiding the scrap heap.

Incidentally, the pictures were taken last year at a Triumph Sports Car Rally in Frisco, Colorado.