Anyone else out there think this is funny?
Yesterday on my way around town, I had a grown man play car games with me. I'm still puzzled by his behavior and his point.
I was driving on the freeway in the family car with two kids in tow. It's a Volvo, and you can't scream "family car" any louder than that. I was doing the speed limit plus 5 (or ten, maybe) (you aren't reading this, right, Mom?) when the left lane slowed down to 5 below the speed limit. This drives me bonkers, and I don't really know why, but seriously I think my blood pressure goes up 10 points when the left lane goes the speed limit or less. (An aside: People comment on the Bay Area traffic, but let me tell you it has nothing on the Central Valley. There: 6 lanes, so you can always get around somehow. Here: 2 lanes. Good luck passing Farmer Brown checking out the crops. In the left lane, of course.)
So with the left lane going too slow, I changed to the right. Over there, a semi was driving the speed limit. So back to the left lane I went. (Yes, DH does not approve of this tactic, but he wasn't in the car.) I got behind the same car that was doing the speed limit moments before, although this time no one was ahead of him. So he slowed even further. Going 45 miles per hour, folks, right there in the LEFT hand lane. We finally passed the semi and I got in the right lane again to try and pass the clown. He speeds up to 80 mph. You know the drill, I ended up back in the left hand lane after someone's granny turns up in the right lane going slow. (I have nothing against her. If she's uncomfortable going fast, she's at least in the correct lane for it.) So the guy plays the "can't pass me" game for about 5 miles. I wasn't late to where I was going so it really didn't bug me, but when I finally did get around him he was laughing and waving like it was really funny. And he had a wife (I'm supposing, maybe a girlfriend) and a child in the back of his car. And he looked relatively together (from the elbows up at least). So I'm ruling out the following behavior:
1. Flirting. Duh on this one.
2. Drunkenness. He never swerved and his judgement was spot on. He knew exactly how to not let me pass.
3. Anger. It's possible that I could have angered him with some manouver I hadn't realized was angering, but he was laughing and waving after I did pass, so...?
4. Playing the funnyman. Maybe he thought he was being comical but he's just bad at it. Not only that, it's a little dangerous to do that since many people where I live carry handguns. And it's irritating. And as we all know, handguns and irritation just don't mix.
So am I missing the punchline? Or do you, too, think it's funny to play with people in traffic and not allow them to pass?
I was driving on the freeway in the family car with two kids in tow. It's a Volvo, and you can't scream "family car" any louder than that. I was doing the speed limit plus 5 (or ten, maybe) (you aren't reading this, right, Mom?) when the left lane slowed down to 5 below the speed limit. This drives me bonkers, and I don't really know why, but seriously I think my blood pressure goes up 10 points when the left lane goes the speed limit or less. (An aside: People comment on the Bay Area traffic, but let me tell you it has nothing on the Central Valley. There: 6 lanes, so you can always get around somehow. Here: 2 lanes. Good luck passing Farmer Brown checking out the crops. In the left lane, of course.)
So with the left lane going too slow, I changed to the right. Over there, a semi was driving the speed limit. So back to the left lane I went. (Yes, DH does not approve of this tactic, but he wasn't in the car.) I got behind the same car that was doing the speed limit moments before, although this time no one was ahead of him. So he slowed even further. Going 45 miles per hour, folks, right there in the LEFT hand lane. We finally passed the semi and I got in the right lane again to try and pass the clown. He speeds up to 80 mph. You know the drill, I ended up back in the left hand lane after someone's granny turns up in the right lane going slow. (I have nothing against her. If she's uncomfortable going fast, she's at least in the correct lane for it.) So the guy plays the "can't pass me" game for about 5 miles. I wasn't late to where I was going so it really didn't bug me, but when I finally did get around him he was laughing and waving like it was really funny. And he had a wife (I'm supposing, maybe a girlfriend) and a child in the back of his car. And he looked relatively together (from the elbows up at least). So I'm ruling out the following behavior:
1. Flirting. Duh on this one.
2. Drunkenness. He never swerved and his judgement was spot on. He knew exactly how to not let me pass.
3. Anger. It's possible that I could have angered him with some manouver I hadn't realized was angering, but he was laughing and waving after I did pass, so...?
4. Playing the funnyman. Maybe he thought he was being comical but he's just bad at it. Not only that, it's a little dangerous to do that since many people where I live carry handguns. And it's irritating. And as we all know, handguns and irritation just don't mix.
So am I missing the punchline? Or do you, too, think it's funny to play with people in traffic and not allow them to pass?
posted by Left Coast Sister at 3:01 PM
7 Comments:
Hmmm...I love you dearly, so I'm not going to comment on the specifics of what he might have interpreted. But him waving at you--now that tops things!
I hope you were headed somewhere fun (and non-bouncy)...
Maybe he needs more entertainment in his life?
A guy did this same thing to me one day when I was rushing to the hospital with my older boy, who'd broken his arm. HE thought it was really funny, slowing me down. Me, not so much. Now, if ever I'm tempted to slow down for someone tailgating or driving crazy, I just let them go, and figure they're on their way to the hospital. It's probably rarely true, but I wish that guy had thought that way for me.
You should read the book "The Sociopath Next Door." They claim that 1 out of 25 people are really true sociopaths in our society. It is really chilling.
This drives me crazy too, but It made me think of comic you might enjoy! Check out this!
http://www.unitedmedia.com/comics/pearls/archive/pearls-20061211.html
I don't think it's funny at all - it is dangerous and if I were you, I would've called the police. Because 1) what he was doing was illegal and 2) he was putting everyone's lives in danger with his crackhead driving!!!
I'll just tell you how I REALLY feel, okay?
Stupid drivers, regardless of age or seeeming "normalness" really anger me. He probably doesn't pull over for ambulances either. UGH!
Carrie
Shana, I loved the cartoon!
In defense of myself, DS, I wasn't tailgating because initially there was a long line of traffic and I knew he couldn't go faster... Besides, I would never do that!! (;
I agree, Carrie, these are the type to ignore the lights and sirens because their grocery run is more important than grandma's heart attack. Argh.
don't even get me started on this subject, lcs
people driving slow in the fast lane
ugh
i always picture their thoughts
'oh i am so good. i am making sure that no one goes too fast on the road. when i get home i'm sure there will be a message from the police on my machine thanking me for keeping our roads safe.'
as for that guys
who knows
some people are just dumb
this is something i know for sure...
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