I ran into a perplexing road rage incident tonight driving home from work. It's pretty amusing looking back on it, but I can't really figure out what set it off, or what lesson I was supposed to learn.
I made a right on to a major five lane road in downtown where the center is a shared turn lane for whichever direction of traffic needs it. In the left lane in the direction I was traveling there was a cop, and in the right lane a current model Jetta. They were already stopped at a light, so I pulled up behind the Jetta since I'd be making a right turn in a mile or two anyway. When the light turned green, the cop took off at a normal pace, but the Jetta just kind of sat there for a second, then slowly idled into the intersection, truly at a crawl. I figured "okay, they're drunk and trying to avoid the cop, whatever, I'll just get over." I merged into the left lane, and mind you I haven't even entered the intersection yet because the Jetta is going so slow, and continue on my way. There was nothing aggressive about how I passed him...no horn, no hi beam flashing, no flipping the bird, no flooring it. There was a cop in front of me after all, and apparently he or she didn't see anything wrong with what I did.
At the next light the cop gets into the center turn lane to make a left, I am in the left travel lane, and the Jetta is still in the right lane beside me. When the light turns green, the cop goes left, I start going straight, again at a totally normal/non-aggressive speed, and the next thing I know there is a noise coming from my right that sounds like rocks in a blender. Sure enough, it's the Jetta. As the Jetta wheezes and detonates past me, I know what's coming next. Yep, he tries to cut me off. I simply got over into the right lane again and carried on. By this point we are approaching a solid red light, which the Jetta driver totally ignores. They didn't even tap the brakes as they drove through it. Obviously, I stopped, and watched as the Jetta huffed and wheezed its way on to a highway.
It was kind of funny in retrospect, but totally confusing. If you want to drive slow, why would you care if someone passes you? Surely they don't expect everyone else to move at a crawl down a major road? Frankly, I don't care what speed other people drive as long as they don't hit me and don't obstruct traffic. Want to drive slow? That's great, I'll pass you and forget about it. Want to drive fast? By all means, do so, I'll even move over for you if I can, just don't decide to go way under the speed limit once you get in front of me. I don't understand getting offended over someone passing you...if you are going slower than they want to go, what's the problem?
I made a right on to a major five lane road in downtown where the center is a shared turn lane for whichever direction of traffic needs it. In the left lane in the direction I was traveling there was a cop, and in the right lane a current model Jetta. They were already stopped at a light, so I pulled up behind the Jetta since I'd be making a right turn in a mile or two anyway. When the light turned green, the cop took off at a normal pace, but the Jetta just kind of sat there for a second, then slowly idled into the intersection, truly at a crawl. I figured "okay, they're drunk and trying to avoid the cop, whatever, I'll just get over." I merged into the left lane, and mind you I haven't even entered the intersection yet because the Jetta is going so slow, and continue on my way. There was nothing aggressive about how I passed him...no horn, no hi beam flashing, no flipping the bird, no flooring it. There was a cop in front of me after all, and apparently he or she didn't see anything wrong with what I did.
At the next light the cop gets into the center turn lane to make a left, I am in the left travel lane, and the Jetta is still in the right lane beside me. When the light turns green, the cop goes left, I start going straight, again at a totally normal/non-aggressive speed, and the next thing I know there is a noise coming from my right that sounds like rocks in a blender. Sure enough, it's the Jetta. As the Jetta wheezes and detonates past me, I know what's coming next. Yep, he tries to cut me off. I simply got over into the right lane again and carried on. By this point we are approaching a solid red light, which the Jetta driver totally ignores. They didn't even tap the brakes as they drove through it. Obviously, I stopped, and watched as the Jetta huffed and wheezed its way on to a highway.
It was kind of funny in retrospect, but totally confusing. If you want to drive slow, why would you care if someone passes you? Surely they don't expect everyone else to move at a crawl down a major road? Frankly, I don't care what speed other people drive as long as they don't hit me and don't obstruct traffic. Want to drive slow? That's great, I'll pass you and forget about it. Want to drive fast? By all means, do so, I'll even move over for you if I can, just don't decide to go way under the speed limit once you get in front of me. I don't understand getting offended over someone passing you...if you are going slower than they want to go, what's the problem?