[masraum]

You have to keep your eyes open too.

I came in to work this morning about 1/2 hour earlier than usual arriving at 6:15. I take a toll road that loops around Houston to get to work. The speed limit is 65, but the traffic usually moves at 75-80. At 6am the traffic is really light. It's not uncommon to see 85mph. I crested an overpass this morning as the approaching sunrise started to lighten the sky. Because the traffic was so light, I was out front with no one to hide behind. I noticed an odd silhouette on the shoulder. It took me a second to realize that it was a motorcycle with a rider sitting perpendicular to the flow of traffic. I wasn't sure that it was a cop, but I knew that it was odd so I hit the brakes. A fraction of a second later, and my V1 blared it's warning. I'm sure that when he hit, I was still probably speeding a bit, but was probably within the safe range.

A radar detector is great, and has saved me or at least warned me many, many times over. You've still got to drive smart (smarter than I was this morning) and be alert. Being tired and complacent this morning almost got me.