Thank you, Mr. Police Man, for nearly colliding with me on the freeway.

So there I was, cruising down the freeway on my way home tonight.

Heck, unlike some, I wasn't even speeding. Not that I could. My naturally aspirated diesel pickup certainly has a tough enough time maintaining 60 on flat ground (it was designed when freeway limits were 55, period). As always, especially with this being at night, I was keeping a good distance from others on the roadway and generally minding my own business.

As I pass under the overhead signboard, I read that the two right lanes are closed ahead due to construction (not entirely true, they are changing light bulbs in the tunnel ahead). I think to myself sarcastically, "But this is where the freeway narrows to only two lanes, those being both the right lanes. Are they closing the whole freeway?"

The roadway meanders to the right shortly afterward and starts to climb. As it begins to straighten, and I lay into the accelerator to maintain cruising speed, I see a police car off to the right on the exit ahead - just at the crest of the current hill.

No problem, I think - he's well off to the right, and since he's on the exit, several "lanes" away from where I'm passing. So I continue on in the right lane.

About halfway up the hill, the police cruiser hits reverse, and starts obviously toward my lane. No problem, I'll move over one. I won't have to move to one of the left lanes that terminate ahead. He gets it back in drive and accelerates forward, lights still flashing.

Just before I get to him - and I mean it literally - he swerves into my lane. I have to pound hard on the brakes to avoid barreling into his trunk.

Well, as it happens, just over the crest of the hill is a two-car accident, with the occupants milling about on the roadway. In a darkened stretch of the road. As the officer pulled across in front of me, his lights swept across the tops of the darkened hulks ahead.

The carnage (pun intended) was strewn across the right three lanes of nearly the only section of the freeway in the city which does not have an overhead light. When my truck came to a halt, me peering across the devastation I would have plowed right into, I was vastly relieved that the officer did so.

So, once again - thank you, Mr. Police Man, for nearly colliding with me on the freeway. Had you not, I most certainly would have plowed into one of those unfortunates standing beside their wrecked cars.