The Rage of Drivers

Two incidents have brought to mind the impatience of some drivers today. First, let me describe my philosophy of driving as learned from my step-dad. "All drivers and all police are out to get you; so, drive cautiously always watching the drivers around you and never make a cop mad". I'm sure the intent was to scare a sixteen year old as he was teaching her to drive on narrow, gravel roads and unmarked, paved ones. The lessons stuck and have shaped how I drive today.

Incident #1: I was pulling out of a gas station onto a busy, four-lane road in my minivan when the driver(with, I kid you not, a big cigar in his mouth) behind me became impatient and began honking his horn and waving his arms at me. Now I am not too much of a nervous Nelly and not sure how this guy thought I would pitchfork myself into 40mph traffic without hurting myself. He proceeded to swing out, around, and beside me still honking and yelling then threw himself into traffic thus cutting off and enraging other drivers as evidenced by their honking, yelling and squealing of brakes. I was somewhat satisfied as I pulled out a moment later to see that he had been halted in his progress by the fire station down the road. They had all lanes blocked while backing up their trucks into the firehouse.

Incident #2: My fifteen year-old, learning to drive daughter was driving home this morning. She was going a little bit above 30mph(speed limit) on a two lane, residential street. So the driver behind her decides to start honking HIS horn. She handled herself well continuing on and ignoring the jerk behind her.

What is wrong with these drivers? I try to keep myself from going no more that 5mph over whatever the speed limit more as a way to keep from getting a ticket than from wanting to be pokey. I have a friend(you know who you are) who when I told that became upset. She felt like I was trying to keep her and other drivers from driving faster and slowing them down. That wasn't my intent. I wanted to keep from paying more money to ticket happy municipalities and insurance companies. Speeding gives an adrenalin rush that falsely gives a sense of being on time to whatever your speeding to. Whenever I've risked life, limb or points on my driver's license to be somewhere faster, I only get there a few minutes more than if I had slowed down. Is that worth bending a car around a tree or cutting off a semi and causing a triple car pileup? Hmmm.....