Susnot

Rules of the Road

This morning as I was turning to leave the parking lot, broken hearted that Starbucks had too many people in line for me to grab a grande white mocha before work (heh that's an exaggeration, really), I waited for an incoming car to pull in to the lot before making my turn becuase they had right of way.

However the other driver, perhaps trying to be kind, waved me forward. I sat looking at him like he was insane and should just go, but it became evident that he had no intention of moving until I made my turn.

I cursed under my breath and waved politely without looking at him and made my turn.

While some of you might think that driver was nice, I am here to tell you that those acts of consideration are completely unnecessary and part of why there are so many car accidents in the country - especially in the DC metro area.

1. Most drivers in MD/DC/VA are selfish, greedy and completely inconsiderate.
They will cut you off if they want to make a turn, and the MUST be ahead of everyone even if it means that they have just caused the four cars they just cut off to rear end each other or if it would have made more sense for them to have slowed down a little and just waited to get behind everyone... no... they MUST speed past you and cut you off instead. Because you are the one who must compensate for their idiocy and incompetence as a driver.

2. People who drive luxury vehicles drive as though they are especially entitled.
It's the same as people who went to ivy league schools who behave as though because the result of their going to that school probably does give them more opportunities, that automatically equates to their being better than those who did not. You spent 40,000 a year on your education as opposed to my 8,000 and that makes you better. Along those lines - people who have spent 80,000 as opposed to my 20,000 on a car must be allowed to drive any old way they want to on the road because they spent more. Nevermind it's a personal life choice that should have nothing to do with the better or worseness of a person... but evidently again, I must pay in emotional stress for someone else's choice of lifestyle.

3. People who drive hoop-de cars drive like they just don't care.
Why would they? Heh. They have nothing, what's the other party going to do, sue them for the value of their $2000 car if they get in an accident?

4. People who drive real motorcycles probably drive the best on the road.
And I'm not talking those little Japanese rice rockets on which they go speeding at 80+ mph down the highway on a sunny day. I'm talking about people who drive Harleys and other Harley like cycles (sorry I'm not versed on these types of transportation at all). I really enjoy watching these people ride their hogs. They are considerate and careful drivers. If only everyone else behaved that way.

5. Please do not wave me on because you think that your being nice supercedes traffic rules.
For people who have right of way and stop in the middle of road to let me by or men who look at me and smile and wave me on when they have no reason to have stopped and had plenty of room to make their turn without me having to go first.... your consideration is unncessary and more than likely going to just cause an accident or piss me off. Actually probably both. I may be an Asian woman who drives a Camry but that does not mean that I am some scatterbrained driver who is going to weave my way into your car unless you stop to let me by. All you do is piss me off because yet another person does not understand how to drive their vehicle.

I realize that no one observes traffic rules anymore. People don't stop at stop signs. They run the red light because it's more of a suggestion than an actual rule. And why people who drive manage to enrage me in a way that nothing else does... it makes no difference to the honda civic that just cut me off and is about to hit three cars... it just gives me higher blood pressure.

I suppose ultimately the lesson I need to learn here is that I have to stop giving other drivers so much credit. I trust that everyone has common sense and want to follow the rules of the road. Instead, as E has stated about his goal as a driver - I myself need to buy one of those luxury 80,000 cars with an engine and a suspension that will allow me to speed and weave my way around and away from all the imbeciles on the road.

I just hope that a the police officer will accept my explanation that the reason why I was speeding was to get away from all the insane drivers behind me.

posted by Susnot @ 8:23 AM