Wednesday, November 26, 2003
HOLIDAY HYSTERIA
In a strangely reminiscent way of reaching for a ghost gear shift in an automatic car after having driven a standard for such a long time, I find myself reaching for my whistle in the car when a situation arises. Today I was driving the car and approaching an intersection, where I am unusually aware on my bike for cross traffic and for those drivers who think they can whip across without having to wait for me because they may have difficulty judging my speed. I saw a car in the opposite direction waiting to make a left turn across my path and I went for the whistle so I could be prepared and I swiped nothing but air.
Anyway, I was on alert because all the traffic today seemed to be in a rush to work and then rush to celebrate the holiday spirit, then they can rush right through Thanksgiving dinner, and rush right back to work in the endless cycle of hurry. I had two honkers today for no reason whatsoever, the worst being this one lady who was impatient extraordinaire. She squeezed between two cars in the left lane to pass me, layed on the horn for a couple seconds as she passed (me in the right hand-lane and her in the left-hand lane the whole time, no obstruction going on), then whipped into the right lane in front of me when she finished passing so she could zoom ahead of the cars in the left lane. I waved and smiled on the outside.
The craziness was all over though. Cars on the turnpike were doing right lane passing then whipping violently back over into the left lane to let those folks KNOW that they had been passed, people squeezing between vehicles while going 70-80 just because they couldn't wait a mere 30 seconds or so for a safe pass. I think the speed limit should be reduced to 60 everywhere, and anyone doing 80 or 90 is just unsafe period.
Commute Song of the Day: Fallin' by Alicia Keys
Anyway, I was on alert because all the traffic today seemed to be in a rush to work and then rush to celebrate the holiday spirit, then they can rush right through Thanksgiving dinner, and rush right back to work in the endless cycle of hurry. I had two honkers today for no reason whatsoever, the worst being this one lady who was impatient extraordinaire. She squeezed between two cars in the left lane to pass me, layed on the horn for a couple seconds as she passed (me in the right hand-lane and her in the left-hand lane the whole time, no obstruction going on), then whipped into the right lane in front of me when she finished passing so she could zoom ahead of the cars in the left lane. I waved and smiled on the outside.
The craziness was all over though. Cars on the turnpike were doing right lane passing then whipping violently back over into the left lane to let those folks KNOW that they had been passed, people squeezing between vehicles while going 70-80 just because they couldn't wait a mere 30 seconds or so for a safe pass. I think the speed limit should be reduced to 60 everywhere, and anyone doing 80 or 90 is just unsafe period.
Commute Song of the Day: Fallin' by Alicia Keys
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