Select Zone 5, and Bug the Fuck OUT! (from my "Hero driving moment" post on Jalopnik.com)

I was visiting my Dad back when he lived in Tulsa Oklahoma. It was March of 2000 I believe, and my ex wife and I were occupying a dull weekday by driving the 91 NSX around the Tulsa loop- a series of highways that took us out of Broken Arrow, and linked together to allow us to do a circuit around the city and return home to my parents house. Highway driving in the NSX is a lot like highway driving in any other Honda, but it was an excuse to put a few miles on the car and kill a little time while my folks were at work.

Anyway, here we are driving along when I notice a pretty beat up looking newer Cadillac Deville following a bit too closely in the lane on my driver side, just behind us- kind of lingering in my blind spot. I picked up the pace a little going from about 75 up to 85 but the caddy just stayed there- lingering. We came upon our highway link where I would take a ramp off to my right and connect to the next highway on our route. I slowed, and merged right. The Caddy followed- closely. The highway link was a 2 lane elevated overpass that went up an incline, then banked left to cross over the highway we had been traveling on. It then descended and merged in on the left side of the highway we were linking onto. (sorry, I don’t know the rt numbers, I only visited there a few times). As we started going around the left curve of the overpass I was keeping a nervous eye on the Caddy, which was basically floating on it’s suspension as the driver maintained the lane to my left- I was still going about 65-75 as I entered the curve- childs play for the NSX, but not so much for that big old Caddy- I was a little concerned that his desire to get an eyeful of our little sportscar might lead to some entangling circumstances, so I stayed as far right in my lane as I could, but he seemed REALLY close.
As the curve straightened and we were beginning our descent onto the highway from the overpass I looked over at my wife and told her to hang on- Then I dropped from 5th to third and floored the pedal. The NSX makes about 120mph at the top of third and as I reached to shift to 4th I saw that big Caddy a distance behind us, and picking up steam.

I was no longer nervous- Now I was a little scared. What does this guy want? Not wanting to keep my foot in the pedal as speeds were already ludicrous- I made a plan. The Caddy was still in the lane to my left, and gaining as I let off the pedal. I checked the rearview as we approached an exit that was 2 or so lanes to my right- The lanes behind me were clear. At the last possible minute I hit the brakes, and my pursuer “flew right by” Top Gun style- I then made the cut across the empty lanes to my right and off the exit ramp.

With my tail cleared, I then made a left at the light at the end of the ramp, then left again back onto the highway and retraced my course back to the house.

So when Dad gets home I tell him our little story. He goes a little pale and explains that he had just gotten a killer deal his new 7 spoke wheels that had come off an NSX that had been returned from lease to the dealer. The story was that the former leasee had been murdered in a drug related incident, and his family had turned the car in early. Dad said the wheels had come off a red NSX similar to ours, but slightly newer. The car was a mess, but the wheels were in good condition so he had worked out an exchange to get rid of the tragic stock 5 spokers that were on our car in trade plus a little cash for the stock 7 spoke wheels off the newer car. It was a nice improvement to the aesthetic of the car. We were both left to wonder if the guy following us hadn’t been an “associate” of the previous owner, and that left me wondering exactly how perilous our situation had actually been…

Reparations?

I was recently involved in a discussion where the idea of "reparations" to the black citizens of the United States was being called for. For the uninitiated (as I was prior to this conversation) The concept of "reparations" is a calling for compensation for every black citizen of the US for being descendant from persons subjected to the atrocity of Slavery. Depending on who you speak to- the total amounts "owed" to descendants of slaves equates to hundreds of billions, or even trillions of US dollars depending on the math used. Proposals discussed to disperse these funds range from payments to individuals, to investment in black community resources, and education. The gentleman I spoke to seemed to favor the first option- it was like he was waiting to cash in his lottery ticket any day since America has now elected our first (partially) Black President.

I hope he isn't holding his breath. Unless you are a bank, or an auto manufacturer, I highly doubt the US Gov. is going to be dispersing funds any time soon.

Here is why-

Slavery was a terrible thing, but it has been abolished for well over a century now. The population matrix has been highly diluted since that time by tax payers who immigrated to this country after the civil war, and never owned a slave, or benefitted in any way from slavery. Why should they be held liable?

Approximately 25 million immigrants arrived between 1866 and 1915 (this is post Civil War for the history challenged). The descendants of those 25 million had no participation in Slavery, and should be excluded from ownership of debt incurred for the activity. People of all races pay taxes, if funds are to be federally dispersed to individuals then how do you prevent the innocent from being penalized?

I pointed this out to the man I was speaking with, as food for thought, and I left him with a final question: When do you move on, and quit judging others by the color of their skin?