I was unfortunate enough on Monday to be on the freeway when that horrific wreck happened, the one involving a big rig, a pickup truck and two dead passengers. The freeway was a parking lot; we sat basically in the same place for twenty-five minutes. When we finally passed the actual wreck, the big rig was pulled over, the pickup truck looked like it had just been through an F5 tornado, and the two dead men were safely covered with yellow tarps and being removed from the twisted wreckage. I must admit it was one of the most horrible accidents I have ever seen, and I have seen many. But while I was less than thrilled at being stuck in a traffic jam, I was apalled and infuriated by the actions of so many people around the scene. Drivers were standing on their stopped vehicles, trying to get a better look. Three girls were trying to sneak past the cops and EMS personnel to get a little closer to the bodies. People were taking pictures with their cell phones!! As I watched, a firefighter chased away a guy standing over the wreckage on the embankment. His vantage point was perfect for his intention; he had a video camera and was taking movies of the carnage!

What is it these ghouls are trying to see? Are they bloodthirsty violence fanatics who don't get enough gore from watching Friday the 13th reruns? Or is the nightly news not enough to satisfy their lust for blood? Maybe they are voyeurs who are hoping to catch a glimpse of someone whose clothes have been cut off them by paramedics. I guess some people are kind of kinky that way. I don't know about anyone else, but having blood smeared everywhere kind of ruins any erotic idea of a naked person for me. And just who in blazes are they planning on sending cell phone pictures of dead bodies to? Does Aunt Edna in Hometown, USA hope for pictures that show the details of what can happen to a human being when it is caught in a flying pickup truck? Or are they going to use the pictures for their latest iPhone screensaver? What kind of people are these?

I become absolutely livid when there is a collision on the road and traffic is backed up to Pismo because everyone and their dog just HAS to stick their brainless heads out the car window and catch a glimpse of destruction. Looky-loos only make the EMS jobs more difficult, not to mention making a frightening, painful situation even worse for those involved in the crash. I wonder how many of those staring would like to be the woman laying there topless as paramedics try to restart her heart and breathing, or the guy without pants having a bandage and tourniquet applied to his bleeding femoral artery? How would they like to be part of the show instead of the spectator?

I think the next time I see some moron taking cell phone pictures at a wreck, I'll break out my own cell, and take his picture. Then I will post it on my blog so everyone can see that person being a peeping Tom. Maybe someone they know will see it, like their boss, who probably still thinks there was a good reason that person was late for work that day. Now that, I think, would be worth seeing.