News flash: Reading, driving don’t mix

Like stories about people doing dumb things while driving? The letters section of The Times received the following e-mail the other day. They forwarded it to me -- I’m the transportation reporter -- thinking (correctly) that I would be interested.

The letter is from Jessica Bradshaw of Anaheim, who found herself driving on the eastbound Santa Monica Freeway last week and saw something a bit disturbing. I made only one slight edit to her letter, removing the final four letters of the license plate of the person she writes about. Her letter:

“To the driver of license plate 5WS----:

“I saw you the other day on the 10 East, sir. I was behind you for close to five minutes wondering why on Earth you weren’t keeping up with traffic, why your brake lights kept coming on, and why you didn’t flinch when half a dozen people cut you off. It was when you swerved just a bit to the left, and then just a bit to the right that I became worried enough to pass, but the true horror of the situation didn’t set in until I began making my way around you.

“You see, you were reading the Wall Street Journal. You may not remember the day, but I’m sure you remember the act, as it looked practiced enough.

“I had been wondering if you were on your phone or texting on a Blackberry or some such, but then the Wall Street Journal flapped across your windshield -- no wonder you kept such distance betwixt yourself and the cars in front (and pulling in front) of you -- and suddenly I was more afraid of you than of the possibility of another car-to-car shooting on an L.A. freeway.

“You were engrossed, sir, and as I made my way along the express putting distance between us, I caught sight of you a few more times in my rearview mirror, still reading your paper.

“When did our populace become so self-absorbed as to believe that the Journal is more important than the safety of others (regardless of your own investing habits, Mr. 5WS----) and so ridiculously overconfident to think we can safely navigate hundreds of pounds of steel while reading the paper/talking on the phone/texting our friends? You, sir, are a prime example of our American foolhardiness, with your utter disregard for your fellow man.

“Please, put down the paper . . . for the sake of every commuter on the 10 East.”

I gave Jessica a ring, and we agreed that the offending motorist was clearly old school, and I told her about the time I saw someone reading a screenplay while driving on the freeway. I also told her that I sometimes scribble down license plate numbers of people I see who are doing things on the road beyond the pale, but I’ve never actually tried to contact any of those motorists, as I am not a member of the CHP and there are, of course, privacy concerns.

But I’m more than glad to print such letters. And if Mr. 5WS---- is reading this, I hope his sense of shame is deep.

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steve.hymon@latimes.com