The "tag-along" driver

You know, I really can't believe I have forgotten to post about these putzoids so far. I have no idea why I haven't, it simply evaded me! But, have no fear, your time is here! I will now proceed to bash yet one more idiot driver!

Who is this "tag-along" driver? This is the braniac that follows the very slow moving traffic through an intersection, only to get stuck in the middle when his light turns red. Smooth one, buddy, now the traffic trying to go the other direction can't. But, hey, they get a nice, long chance to admire the side of your car... and how they'd love to drive a sledge hammer through it!

Yes, you're an idiot.

Now, for your information, when the traffic is going that slow here's what you are supposed to do. First, if it looks like the traffic is stopping on the other side of the intersection, STOP.

But my light is green!!! Its my right!!!

I have news for you. All you have to do is wait. If the cars ahead move far enough, presto! Now you can go! And, if the unfortunate event occurs that your light now turns red, well guess what. When traffic is moving that slow, I don't think you'll lose too much time.

You now what? I was thinking about all these dumb driver posts and I've come up with the cure (unfortunately, this cure has to be applied by the dumb driver himself, so may not be very effective for the rest of us). Here it is, in a nice step by step format:

1. You are NOT the only driver on the road (repeat this phrase over and over in your head until it sinks in) .
2. A little courtesy goes a looooooong way (give the other guy a break).
3. 98% of the time, your hurry is no more important than the other guys. We've all got places to be.
4. Its a chain reaction. What you do (most importantly during rush hour) exponentially affects the drivers behind you. If you slam on your brakes, the guy behind you has to hit his even harder, and the guy behind him harder yet... and so on.

There you go. I'll get off my soapbox now (until next time, anyways).

Thank you, I'm here all week!

Congrats Edmonton drivers! (sort of)

I need to post this here. I tend to be overbearingly negative, and if I see something positive I should really post it.

We've had a couple of decent snow falls already this year (and, yes, it's not even mid-November yet!). However, I've been very impressed that I haven't seen anyone in the ditches yet! Now, I have seen maybe 1 or 2 marks where someone was in the ditch, but that's it. Quite impressive! Usually, at the first snow, the ditches are so full of cars the wildlife stay on the roads as its safer for them... but this year seems to be different.

Now, on that same note, part of the reason there's no one in the ditch is because everyone is driving so flippin' slow!!! :) Come on, live a little! A little ditch never hurt anyone! Or, actually, it probably has, but whatever... Anyways, we need to find a happy medium. One that allows me to get to work in less than an hour and a half and that still limits the amount of action the ditches see... I'll get working on that!

What your car reminds me of...

If you drive a.... You're reminding me of a....

Honda Element = Microwave
Dodge Caravan = Sausage
Nissan Quest/Honda Odessy = A big Lady's rearend! (Sorry, there's no tactful way to say it!)
Pontiac Aztec = Uh, how about puke?

Care to add anything here?

Oh, and I heard this joke the other day: What's the difference between a BMW and a porcupine? The porcupine has the pricks on the outside!

The "Let me in" driver.... argg!

This post goes to all of those out there that think they are in a bigger hurry than the rest of us. For those of you that love to drive as far as you can in a "turn-only" lane or similar, only to push your way in with the rest of us more curteous drivers at the last minute, this one's for you!

First of all, who do you really think you are that you can't wait like the rest? You know FULL WELL that your lane will turn, but you INSIST on driving all the way to the front and causing the rest of us the inconvenience of having to wait on you.

Second of all, who is the guy up there letting these putz's into the line in the first place? Do you think you're just being nice? Do you think they really couldn't get into the line before? Or are you just too slow?

The other day I was waiting in a long left turn lane when I noticed in my mirror some idiot driving up beside us on the shoulder! There was no lane, and, in fact, hardly the width for anything bigger than a medium-sized car, but no! Here he goes rudely marching his way to the front and then pushing his way in! Did he really think that he was that much more important that he could do that and we wouldn't mind? And who the heck let him in? What were THEY thinking? "Oh, look dear, this poor guy is stuck on the shoulder for some reason. He must be so confused. Why don't we let him in..." Get a grip, people!

Why don't you just walk up to me and slap me in the face? It would really be no different! Its just as rude! Sure, I understand that there are times when someone new to the area doesn't realize he's in the wrong lane and needs in. However, I choose to believe that most of us have common sense. And common sense would tell me that, hey, those two lanes are completely stopped, yet this lane is moving at 100 miles an hour, so this lane probably ends or exits. Maybe I should get into these other lanes like everyone else. Not, "Wow, the rest of these 400 people must not be aware that this lane is available, so I'll keep driving... Oh! Would you looky there! I need to get over, my lane ends! Excuse me, coming through! Move over!"

But, alas, I think I am blindly mistaken. Common sense does not seem to be very common at all!