Tuesday, June 24, 2008

This Actually Happened Today

I'm sure I've posted quite a bit about driving over the years...

Driving In The Work Zone
Q-Tips Out the Window
Safe Travel on Interstates With Construction
I was RIGHT!!!!!
Stop Driving Like an Idiot
My Drive to Work Today
Chinook Helicopters and Trucks With Flames

...wow, I really have!

Over the years, I've been convicted some about driving the speed limit. I'm not totally whacked out about it. I'll admit that there are times when I drive fast, but it doesn't happen too much these days. On top of that, the price of gas is yet another motivator to drive slow. I get great gas mileage by slowing down and using my cruise control.

I also do my best not to annoy all of the selfish, idiot drivers who assume that they own the road. I've found that it's best to just let them get through because there's no reasoning with anyone when conversations (if you can really call them that) are limited to about two seconds as they speed by and usually consist of just a few hand gestures. That usually puts me in the right lane where I get along fine. 99 percent of the people that come up behind me figure out that I'm not going to go any faster and they go around me. That's how it's supposed to work. But every so often I get Mr. or Mrs. 1 Percent that just doesn't get it. They don't "get" the fact that I'm simply obeying the law and they don't "get" the fact that I'm staying in the right lane to allow everyone else through.

Today, while driving 55 mph in the right lane of I-465 (note that there are three lanes to the left of me) I had a black car pull up on my bumper and flash his lights as if he were on the German autobahn. If I were going to pull out of the way for him, which way was I supposed to go? Into the shoulder? Instead of the hand gesture that I wanted to show him, I just waved at him. He must have realized that I wasn't going to move so he pulled around me. As he buzzed by, I flashed my entire hand to him two times to symbolize the speed limit: FIVE - FIVE (i.e. 55 mph). He looked confused, at best. He was also at least EIGHT - FIVE (i.e. 85) years old and had a handicapped license plate.

5 comments:

Uvulapie said...

Why just yesterday afternoon I was driving back from Lowe's with four 10-foot 2X4s and twelve 8-foot 2X4s sticking out of my trunk. Not wanting to completely obliterate what remains on my abused shocks I was driving very slowly and had my hazard lights on (Lowe's is about one mile and a straight shot down Lake, for those of you keeping track.)

Like you said, most people scooted around me but this one black pickup truck decided to stick on my tail for the entire stretch. I think they were laying odds on if my car would make it or which piece of lumber would flop out onto the road.

scott said...

Poor guy. He probably has dementia, and you just exacerbated it.

Or he could be a quadruple amputee. You never know. Wouldn't that be sad? He can't help driving fast when he's got to push the pedals with his nose.

Mighty Morphin' Mama said...

I am a pretty new driver (been driving just over a year) and I tend to stick pretty close to the posted limit. At least within 10 km/h (6 miles)
I get people riding my tail all the time. Hate! Just pass me already!
85 is blinkin' fast though!

Hannah said...

I've been tailgated since day one. And I use cruise control.

Toni said...

Maybe it was he who caused Gatorade and margarine to spill all over 465? I'm just sayin'.
BLessings,
~Toni~