I drive about 15 miles or so to get to work each morning, mostly along roads with very little traffic. I like the drive. I get to listen to music, plan my day, enjoy the scenery. What I don't like is increasingly having to watch out for the truly stupid behaviour of many other motorists. It seems to be getting worse all the time.
Today, a northbound pickup truck pulled out in front of me as I turned south from a westbound secondary highway. He had a stop sign. I didn't. I had to veer widely to avoid having him hit me. I got a dirty look as I maneuvered around him.
Not five minutes later, while I was driving in the outside of two southbound lanes, exactly where I should have been, a car in the inside lane turned west into a driveway, right in front of me. Had I been going just a little faster or had I been just a little further ahead... bang. I would have broadsided him. He didn't even look when he made the turn. I doubt that he even knew what happened.
I'm always on the watch for these bozos and frankly, their behaviour rarely surprises me anymore. But it does anger and disappoint me. I not only have to drive intelligently myself, I also have to be prepared to protect myself from the idiotic driving behaviour of others.
I haven't had an accident in 35 years and hope to keep it that way. My wife had two accidents in the past ten years, each when someone pulled out directly in front of her. My young son was with her each time. If someone is intent on killing themselves while behind the wheel, I certainly wouldn't want to get in the way. Yes, I know you could interpret that statement in two ways. I just ask that if you insist on driving destructively, please don't take me or my loved ones along.
Let's all sing everybody's favorite driving song ...
ReplyDeleteIt's all about meeeeee
Me, me me meeeeeeeeee
I don't care about
Cause it's all about meeeee!
With all the idiot drivers on the road, it makes you want to outfit your wheels with military grade offensive weaponry and armor.
Yup. I'm with you. Edmonton drivers are apparently the country's worst. I wouldn't know, having never driven anywhere else. But, I know that it's a daily annoyance and frustration if not downright infuriating experience getting out onto the road. I hear people in California are shooting each other on the freeways. It's happened here a couple of times. Crazy.
ReplyDeleteWhen I lived in Edmonton briefly in 1966 or so, Penny, the standard mode of transportaion was still horse and buggy. Sorry. Actually, I liked Edmonton, except that it was just so damn cold in the winter.
ReplyDeletePope, I always thought that every vehicle should come equipped with a bazooka. That would make for interesting travel, wouldn't it? And, naturally a loudspeaker blaring your song as psychological warfare, mocking the other, less enlightened and less considerate drivers.
I theorized elsewhere that:
I think the blame falls squarely on collectivistic philosophy and the notion that everyone owns verything. ...the argument goes something like this: The government is the people. The government owns the roads. I am one of the people. Therefore I own the roads. Corollary: Because I own the roads, I will drive in whichever lane I damn well please, thank you very much.
But we don't own the roads. We don't own the sewers either. Nor the parks. We don't own a damn thing unless our name is on the deed.
Conclusion: If we're going to share the roads, let's do so in a way that is considerate and fair to other drivers.
Edmonton was a small place in 1966. How long did you live here and why, may I ask?
ReplyDeleteDid you know a couple of really pretty twins or a man named Jack who worked in architecture? That's my family! Never know.. Small world out here. My father said when he first came to Edmonton women weren't allowed in the pubs!.. he turned 75, today.
Penny, I took my time growing up and couldn't decide what I wanted to do career-wise, so I took time off from high school a couple of times. I just wanted to see what Alberta was like because, although we lived there during the winter of 1949, that was when I was less than four years old. I worked in Woodward's for a few months, then left to hitchhike to BC, then returned to Ontario.
ReplyDeleteNo, no twins, especially pretty ones. I would have remembered. I do remember a sexy and very pretty gal working in cosmetics at Woodwards. She was a singer who performed in night clubs around Edmonton. No ideas what her name is anymore. Problem was (take your pick,) I was too shy, she was a bit older than I, she had a boyfriend.
Have a good summer too. I enjoy reading about your adventures and your 'take' on life.