http://www.spriteskeeper.com/my_weblog/2010/02/spin-cycle-mondays-should-count-as-a-pet-peeve.html
This is my first try at linking to and joining someone else’s “group” so I’m not sure how to do this but I CAN tell you about one of my pet peeves.
I say one because I have many, but, the one that probably drives me craziest and no pun intended but it has to do with driving and traffic. See I used to work in Midtown Atlanta and before that in Buckhead (another section of Atlanta, equally as “traffic-y”). This meant spending way too much of my time on interstates that are gridlocked with rush hour traffic. My brother describes Atlanta traffic as the only place he’s seen a traffic jam moving at 80 mph. If you’re not going 80 you will be just about run over. But the source of my peeve is ramps and the merging onto said ramps. The ones that cause me the most road rage are the people who seem to think their time is more valuable than mine and that they don’t have to abide by the sometimes unwritten but understood traffic etiquette.
I’m talking about those people who zip by you while you are sitting patiently (ok impatiently) waiting to get on to any of the many ramps only to wait to the very last second and FORCE their way into the merging lane. Like they are above waiting like everyone else. I admit it. I am one of those people that If I see them coming up the shoulder on the right hand side (yes, they will do that sometimes) I will pull my car over to straddle the line so they can’t get by. That probably infuriates other people as much as the trying to break in line infuriates me. Or I will pull as close to the car in front of me as I can so that they can’t get in.
I’m not a TOTAL jerk. If it’s someone with out of state tags or an older person or someone who looks like they just screwed up and waited too long to get over I will gladly let them in. No, it’s the jerks that you can tell do it every day. And beings that you usually are at about the same place on the road about the same time every day sometimes you will see the same people doing that day after day. Usually someone in a fancy expensive car, especially those guys in the little sports cars that you can just TELL are going through a mid-life crisis but still don’t think regular rules apply to them. They are above waiting in line. Make you want to smack somebody upside the head!
Sometimes I wish I had one of those claw attachments on my car that I could engage to just pluck them and their little car right off the road. Or a BIG boxing glove so I could just punch them right off the road. Or….. okay, I’ll stop now. I’m getting myself all worked up just thinking about it. So, maybe this is more of a case of road rage induced by my hormonal mood swings than a pet peeve. So if you’re in Atlanta trying to merge onto an on or off ramp and you see a little dark green VW Jetta…. DO NOT TRY TO BREAK IN LINE IN FRONT OF HER! It could be dangerous to your health. You’ll make me go all “Achmed” on you… I KEEEELLL YOU!
I used to live in the Fort Lauderdale suburbs, where driving was speed or get hit. Every time I come back for a visit, I have a small heart attack at how it looks like everyone is trying to commit vehicular mansalughter! Great Spin and welcome to the Spin Cycle! You’re linked!
Thanks. I guess one of us did something right then? Most likely you!
I’ll bet the jerks won’t make the mistake of jumping in fron of you a second time!
You got that right. Make you want to B**t*h slap a ho! LOL
SILENCE!!
You gotta watch out for those green car drivers.
Same kind of crapola happens here in Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex. Holy Moly!
True story, very recently in a PARKING lot of shopping plaza. I had a guy in a 350Z try to PASS me, just after I went over a speed bump. I was turning left and almost hit the A HOLE. I mean, SERIOUSLY, in a parking lot?? With my teenage girl in the car that I am trying to teach to drive safe??
There is a Gold’s gym in that shopping center. I think he needed pumping up. Muscles bigger than his brain cells, right??? Yeesh!
Did he HAVE any brain cells or did he kill them all with the ‘roids? I actually had a guy BACK into me in a parking lot and convince me NOT to call the cops since it was private property… gave me his insurance info… called them, told me to get 3 estimates, I sent them in and called them a week later and get this… the INSURANCE co said they were refusing the claim because he said I hit HIM? WTF??? How come I had HIS ins info but he didn’t have mine if I hit HIM? He had a friend with him that lied for him! I ended up with ZILCH and had to pay for the repairs myself. I was SO pissed! People can be very bad can’t they?
But I have hopes that Karma will come back around and bite him in the butt! LOL
Like you I want to attempt the Spin Cycle for the first time and my pet peeves are mostly driving related also. I better get woring on that!
I love the Achmed reference!
Thanks. I love Achmed. I laughed so hard the first time I saw that!
So glad I live in a small town and don’t have to deal with traffic. I think I’d go nuts.
I DO live in a fairly small town… outside Atlanta! I just had to drive into Atlanta for work! I don’t now though.
Thanks for stopping by!
When I’m out driving and there is someone who definitely needs a little driving refresher course, AND/OR a course in manners, my daughter says, “Looks like you need to give them a copy of your book.”
As in, my “How to be a courteous good driver” book.
I laugh every time.
Oh, and yes, karma DOES come around.
I like that, Nancy. I ‘ll have to have several copies of that handy. Sometimes I think they should have your license number be your cell number but that might cause even more road rage! Thanks or stopping by!
You have just described one of my (many) pet peeves. But I worry more about my daughter – she has even more than me (and they all seem to have to do with the driving habits of others). I’m afraid she’s going to tick someone off with her visual criticism and someone is going to go all roadrage on her.
I’m afraid I have some of those looks too. I’m waiting for someone to knock me off sometime because of them!
Let me tell you, people drive like complete lunatics here in Florida. One must learn to be on the defense as a way of life. I hate that. And there are many varieties–sub-species if you will–of the crazy drivers. Could make for one hell of a blog post.
I look forward to reading that. We go to FL usually at least once a year. My hubby does at least once a year to Orlando for his company annual meeting. Thanks for stopping by and commenting. I enjoy your blog also!
Yes! You and I are united in our road rage! I was just on vacation and was stuck in a miles-long traffic jam at the end of which several drivers tried to pull the exact trick you describe. I wish I could just let incidents like that go, but I often stew over them.
You and me are in the stew together! Drives me ER as my hubby calls it. If I say somethng drives me crazy he just adds ER… LOL
It’s times like that that I want a light-up sign on top of my car. And I could just press the message I want to light up. Like “Way to go, A-hole.” It could get out a whole lot of frustration.
I know what you mean…”HERE’S YOUR SIGN”!
Love Achmed! I guess I have the same road rage you do. I don’t like the ones that go up the median either.
Welcome to the Spin!
Thanks for stopping by. Yes, I love Achmed. He makes me laugh and I love to laugh!
Stopping by from the Spin Cycle…
I usually have difficulty merging as well, but I guess when somebody in a truck is stopped behind you with their lights on and blind you when you are sitting at a stoplight I wish I could flip a switch and shoot laser beams into their eyes to show them how it feels.