As I was entering the ramp to the expressway this morning, I slowed and looked to the left, as I was merging and the other lane had the right of way. I was turning right on to the ramp and there’s some vegatation that kind of blocks the line of sight until you actually start the turn. As I did this I was looking to the left for other traffic, and I had to lock up the brakes and slide to a stop cause some idiot motherfucker was reversing his way down the onramp. Traffic was a bit backed up, as this road always is at this time of day. Whatever his reason for executing this maneuver, bottom line is his feeling that his time is more important than everyone else’s. I wasn’t going that fast, but my driving 20 MPH and him backing up at 10 makes for a nice collision speed.
I would have been perturbed. Pissed even. I might have been forced to profanity (which I now notice I already did up above. Oh well).
That’s really the essence of road rage, I think. Someone thinks their time is more important so they can make some boneheaded move, and either the person they cut off pulls the gun, or the bone head pulls the gun 'cause no one will let them thru to their oh so important destination. Assholes.
Sunday (!) morning driving to my parents house, the two cars in front of me on the residential street were doing a little dance. The folks in the first car were house hunting. My parents live in a ddesirable neighborhood and there are several houses for sale on their street. This car kept slowing and stopping, causing the person behind them and just in front of me much consternation. After a few of these moves, the person (a young woman, I think) in front of me gets fed up and zooms off down a side street, and, inside the car with the radio on and the windows up, we hear her yell “GOD DAMNIT”. The folks in the first car are unfazed, daddy is in back with little precious and mommy is driving all over the road looking at houses. I just move around them and go on. I’m on a mission to calm myself during these experiences cause I still can get really bent out of shape. I try to see the ridiculousness (ridiculosity?) of the irate person’s behavior.
People suck. And lots of people are selfish. Stop it, and we’ll all be happier.