I need to move to a place where I don't have to drive so much. It's not like I've got a commute that sucks. It takes less than two Radiohead songs to get to campus from my home. However, each morning and afternoon, and, well, so many other times tooling around Indiana, PA, I deal with drivers that, I feel, are inconsiderate, oblivious, distracted, and/or dangerous.
One hour's worth of data:
Driving down a road, a line of cars coming opposite direction of me are turning left. I come into the intersection. One left turner slams on breaks and honks at me because s/he had to yield to my oncoming movement. I did have the right of way. I did not deserve the honk. I expect the yield.
I travel about 40 mph down Rose. Many travel that at 60. Or 20. Odd road. Is it a highway? Is it a city road? Well, it is 35. But beside the point, someone backs out of a drive by that Nationwide "house". Backs out. In front of me. There was certainly view of me from the driver of the perpetrator. But they back out. And stop. (I listen for stalled restart. No. Just oblivious.) I honk. "Hey buddy, yield please." The driver moves on. I gesticulate, arms waving as if "wft? you just cut someone off." I get gesticulation in response. Amusingly we do this dance. (I think we were both getting into it in an odd way. Some dirty dancing in separate vehicles.) Anyway, you cut me off pal. Big time.
Then about 30 minutes later, driving to Martins from Spring Meadow. I'm driving up Mansfield, cutting through that neighborhood. Many stop signs. Which is irrelevant. Some driver who pulls onto Mansfield behind me clicks on his/her high beams. Were they just not thinking? Well, as oncoming traffic approached, the high beams were dimmed. Then reilluminated when opposing traffic passes. People: When someone is right in front of you you don't need to use the high beams. Moreover, you should not use the high beams. You don't high beam the guy right in front of you. You use the high beams when it is dark and no one is in front of you. (When it's back far enough it's no big deal. But keep in mind. There were stops signs. That means s/he was not far behind. And it wasn't like the driver was trying to signal I was slow. The way they were driving was not aggressive at all.)
Ok, that was yesterday's ordeal. But there are countless others on a daily basis. Mostly slow drivers or those not paying attention. I can't believe the amount I have to tap my horn around here.
When I am fortunate to get a glance at drivers that irritate me, they are often either elderly (slow drivers), disrespectful drivers (ages 16-25), or distracted drivers (high school students, college kids, soccer moms). I've been guilty of using the cellie while driving. I know it is a distraction. Please people, when you need to concentrate, just call back when you're out of traffic or parked. Its often easy to do. You don't always HAVE to answer your phone.
Oh Jack, it's like that everywhere.
No it isn't. I drive all over the state and all over Ohio, rural, urban, all kinds. It's nothing like it is in Indiana. You're bad drivers people. No wonder our insurance premiums are so high.
I don't know what to do about it. Move maybe?
I haven't ruled that out.(Sorry, I don't want to stereotype our senior citizens, college students, or soccer moms. But I think statistically speaking, I'm really not saying anything outrageous here.)
