a tense question

[D***@kkcity.com.tw]

The roads are treacherous this morning. In places they're nothing but a sheet

of ice. I (should,take)______ the bus to work today instead of driving my car.

I thought I'd never make it!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Firstly, where's this sentence to emphasize for the whole passage.

Secondly, isn't the blank in the second line showing the time about " NOW " ?
so if it isn't, why the two sentences use present forms at the beginning,
I thought the answer of the blank is "I should take the bus....." but the
correct answer is "I should have taken the bus...." Could someone explain the
reason of the tense of this passage for me?

THX for your answering in advance.
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[Q_O]

Post by D***@kkcity.com.tw
The roads are treacherous this morning. In places they're nothing but a sheet
of ice. I (should,take)______ the bus to work today instead of driving my car.
I thought I'd never make it!
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Firstly, where's this sentence to emphasize for the whole passage.
Secondly, isn't the blank in the second line showing the time about " NOW " ?
so if it isn't, why the two sentences use present forms at the beginning,
I thought the answer of the blank is "I should take the bus....." but the
correct answer is "I should have taken the bus...." Could someone explain the
reason of the tense of this passage for me?
THX for your answering in advance.

by reading "instead of driving my car", we know that he drove to work this
morning;
he didn't take the bus.

but he later realized that it would be a better idea if he (had taken the
bus) to work
(instead of driving)