Driving Tips: Slow Down, It's Snowing!

I've been putting this off. For a long, long time. No body wants a stranger telling them they are a lousy driver, right? But that's what I am going to tell everyone! The whole doggone world! You're all a bunch of lousy drivers! You either drive too fast- or too slow- and you don't seem to know what's in-between. You don't seem to understand that there is such a thing as courtesy in existence. WAKE UP!

For obvious reasons, I won't, shouldn't and can't tell you where I work. But it is a big company. Hundreds of people work at the corporate office- and we have thousands, I guess, across several states!

That being said, I arrived at work this morning and parked in our covered-parking garage, and as always, I notice lots of people parking all over the painted lines which indicate the parking space. I park next to someone who managed to stay within the confines of THEIR space! I did so, myself.

I went out to my car later and a rather large late-model pick-up truck had parked to the left, over the lines outside the space and within 16 to 20 inches of my vehicle on the right side. Are you an idiot? There was a car parked on your right side which was within the confines of its own space... and probably a good 36 to 40 inches between you. You are an idiot.

Why park so close to MY car? You want me to key your vehicle? That made me pretty darned mad. But no, I won't touch your vehicle... if I'd been out there when you pulled in, I would have asked you to move your stinking vehicle over. Put an equal amount of space between your and those on each side of you. Can you think about doing that from now on? Do you have at least a LITTLE common sense? No? Why, I bet you drive like you park... all over the road and expecting others to avoid you.

That being said, let's address the issue of road rage!

Every day, I drive around 9 miles to work. Lots of you drive around the same distance. Some of you don't... and lots of you drive farther than that, right? Are you giving other drivers some courtesy? Is there several car-lengths between you and the guy-or the woman- ahead of you? OOPS... I'ms sorry... the reccomendations of traffic-saftey groups and officials who put out the student books and give the lessons- they are wrong! You know it's true. Right? Why, after all, if you put the normal required or requested space between you and the next guy, you know as well as I do that someone is going to fly up around you and jump into that space between you and the next car or truck.

Maybe two or three. So to avoid such "problems" with rude drivers, you give no courtesy and hope no one rear-ends you & pushes you into the car ahead of you. And woe is me, I see almost everyone tail-gating almost all the way to work.

There was a 35-vehicle pile-up this morning, on an area highway. On the way to work, on the way home, and it was snowing. Police say they think it might be due to a bit of excessive speed. It was snowing, not a blizzard by any means- but snowing pretty good... and people do not want to slow down. YOU slow down, jerk- that's what the other guy thinks. I have to pick up my kids. Or my dry cleaning. Well it just doesn't matter anymore. You are tied up with 34 other vehicles. Tough luck, sucker!

Road rage? Around MY city? No... that's crazy! We aren't mad, are we? HOOOOOOOOOOOONK... get out of the way, dummy! Get that piece of junk off the street, wise guy! Hey, where'd you get your license? WalMart? I see you in your car... screaming profanities at me and everyone else. Don't bother to deny it, jerk. You hit my car, I'll knock your block off, understand?

Then there are those of you- thousands of you- who do not signal when you turn. I almost rear-ended you. I shouldn't have been following quite so close... but then, there's the guy riding MY bumper. And I would just really like to know. Why do some of you come flying up around me on the left, jump in front of me, cutting me off then suddenly turn right? That makes me so mad I can't believe what I am thinking I could be capable of. YOU are an idiot for doing that. You could haved slipped in behind me. There was no one behind me. No one was even near. But you had to race up, jump in front of me and turn off. Some of you even slow to a near-stop, putting on your turn-signal, then, and making a very slow turn. You are absolutely nuts!

And people are wondering why. Why are there so many cases of road-rage? Reported and not? People flipping each other off- but going on and leaving. Shouting at each other, maybe screaming. Then going on. Just madder than a hornet! We seem to have lost the ability to be civil to each other on the streets. I see a few people who are actually courteous- but not many!

Women drive like angry creatures capable of murder and mayhem. I see women drive past me doing 50 when the speed limit is 35. And yes, it is TOO true. More than once, I have raced many of you, just to see how fast you are willing to drive. Some of you actually hit 60 and 70mph on streets where it's 35. That's insane! What are you thinking?

And men and women in BIG pickup trucks and other oversized vehicles think they are immune to the law. Invisible to everybody else. Unknown. There are some other good words for this too. Of course, just about everyone in a vehicle makes an assumption that they are anonymous to other drivers.

Lots of people stop to help when there is an accident! Dont get me wrong, I know there are many decent people on the streets and highways around me! Many don't need to see these words- maybe.

Fact is, I want to ask you to do what I keep telling myself to do! This has to stop- we really need to come to grips with the savage intensity of our feelings toward each other out on the streets. It is not too late for us! We can be courteous, kind and respectful of one another. Give some space. And when you get to the parking garage, stay in your own space. Stop being so angry- and let's slow down. It starts with me. I know it does, and I have been working on it. But now, I expect it of you.

Please don't let me down!

You say you support our sons and daughters in Iraq. If you really love them, then love one another. You are putting those magnets on your cars and trucks... those are junk- unless you love and care about your neighbor, and fellow drivers. I can't judge motives or peoples hearts... but I sure know what is going on when I see rude behaviour.

Behaviour. Now there's the word!

Proud of yours?

Or has you conscience become callous?