On the Contrary

The thing that keeps me sane is the assumption that most people see beyond the soap operas that are presented in the media as news, but I am beginning to wonder.  I drove once again to San Francisco this weekend for a five year anniversary party for my sister-in-laws for being cancer free and the experience of watching other drivers gives me pause about their ability to think and the future of this country.  Here are my favorites that make me think either the rest of the world is oblivious, or just rude and stupid:

• The idea that the far left lane is where you set the cruise control at 55 mph and never look in your rear view mirror at the line of cars piling up behind you hoping you will get over.  When you notice people passing you on the right, you give them the evil look as though they have somehow offended you.  Personally it is a good thing I don’t have a rocket launcher mounted on my car.
• You merge into traffic moving at 65 mph behind someone going 35 mph.  This is usually someone with a gray head that thinks they are being super safe while exposing you to being rear ended by the oncoming traffic.  Then after they have made your merge potentially lethal, when you try to get around them, they accelerate to 85 mph.  The only positive thing is that they will die soon.
• Then there is the guy (usually a guy in a truck) who decides to merge into your lane without looking, so as you swerve to miss them and honk your horn, they flip you the bird.  Then later on as they pass you, the woman in the passenger seat gives you the evil eye.  I cannot figure out what is going through their mind that could say this was my fault.  But then I think I know exactly how Republicans think:  They cause all this havoc and then when you try to make the world safe again, they glare at you.
• You are moving 70 mph in the fast lane when suddenly the car in front of you slows down to 55 mph for no known reason (speed limit 65mph).  Then they drift around in their lane going from one line to the other.  Finally in exasperation and your need to put some distance between you and them, you pass them on the right.  As you pass them you notice that they have a cell phone plastered to the side of their face.  I wish I could stop all drivers not using hands free devices, rip their cell phones out of their hands and stomp on them.
• You are in the left lane going 65 mph with traffic in front of you as far as the eye can see, and some guy/gal passes you on the right and then forces his/her way back into your lane.  Let’s see.  You gained one car length moving at 65 mph which gained you .5 seconds on your trip.  You could do that only because I was nice enough to leave enough space between me and the guy in front of me to allow for an emergency stop.  But you showed me didn’t you and now you are winning the race.  Where oh where can I purchase a rocket launcher for my car?  Maybe one of those 50 caliber machine guns that mounts on the roof that are available at gun shows or maybe a one of those gun shops along the border.
• What is it about using a turn signal indicator that is so hard?  I know it would require moving your right hand about 8 inches, but is that so much to ask?  When I lived in New Orleans where most of the drivers did not have car insurance, I understood why they didn’t use it.  If the other driver knew what you were going to do, that would give them an unfair advantage.  Maybe that thinking is spreading.

Well the good news is we survived the trip, my sister-in-law is healthy and happy, the party was a great success, and San Francisco is a beautiful place to visit.  The bad news is that if people’s driving habits reflect their judgment and intellect, we are heading for hell in a hand basket.  Hopefully they vote better than they drive.