Know this plate? ZUM ZQQM

Gus Philpott
Woodstock Advocate
November 25, 2007

Saturday afternoon I was on Throop approaching the new pedestrian warning sign at the intersection of Cass. Four pedestrians were waiting to cross toward the Square, and I slowed to stop for them. As I did, I watched a small white car (Mitsubishi? or Toyota? coupe) come up pretty fast behind me and stop right on my bumper.

The driver appeared to be so close to my car that I don’t think there was walking distance between his car and mine. That’s close. As I waited for the four to cross, I looked in the mirror and the driver was making one of those hand gestures popular with WWE wrestler John Cena. He had his open hand in front of his face and was moving it side-to-side. You know the gesture? “You can’t see me.” And what follows on TV is one of those violent wrestling moves on a wrestler who is down on the mat.

After the pedestrians crossed, I drove on to the stop sign at Jackson. Again the white car stopped right on my bumper, and again the driver made the same hand gesture.

The vehicle had no front license plate, so I was unable to get the number – until I could pull over approaching Calhoun and let him pass. And there it was. An Illinois vanity plate – ZUM ZQQM

Don’t you just love it when drivers with vanity plates do stupid things? An easy plate to remember. An easy car to describe. An easy face to remember. In spite of the hand gesture, I really could see him.

Well, I guess I really should thank him for not bumping my car when I stopped for the pedestrians. And so I shall. Thanks. And thanks too for no body slam.