Dear Drivers

Dear Other Drivers:

I share the roads with you. I'm often annoyed by things you to as well. I react in ways I shouldn't sometimes too, and sometimes I try to "help" or "remind" you. But we all need to be more forgiving.

We all make mistakes. Sometimes we have worked 9 hours or so taking care of sick people plus 2 hours of commuting plus getting bloodwork drawn plus just not feeling well. During that time we didn't eat lunch, had one bathroom break, and didn't drink nearly enough water. Our heads might be swimming and we might be tired.

When we are tired we might forget to turn down our headlights. We know this is bad and we even appreciate quickly blinking them at as. However, when you turn yours on as well and shine them directly in our eyes, you are risking hurting both of us. This is particularly true if you are driving a truck or SUV and we are in a sub-compact.

See, we might have visual problems you have no way of knowing about. For example, one might have, oh say a combination of: naturally very large pupils that cause light sensitivity; multiple medications that cause dilated pupils and light sensitivity; and strabismus, which causes light sensivity. Oh, and because the strabismus wasn't treated young enough? One might not really have much functional use of one eye alone because the affected eye is so dependent on the other, and so if you happen to blind one in the eye that sees well because of how the glare hits it, well, that's how you find me drifting across the road at you as I blindly struggle to find the switch to turn off my lights so you might let me have a chance of making it home alive.

So please, please think twice before turning on bright lights (or even worse FOG lights) just because someone forgot? You've forgotten before too, I promise, and it's just best for all of us. I apologize profusely for the rest of my life, but I'm going to make mistakes sometimes.

An hour later still seeing spots and with a headache,
Yours truly,
Just Me