Some people just astound me with their lack of character. Maybe it's just me but I hope not. I'll give you a couple recent examples of actions by drivers that totally astounded me.

Like everyone who has driven a car for more than 10 minutes in their life, I have been "flipped off". Once in a while I can even understand why. I'll give you an example of a time when I could at least understand how someone could exercise that particular right of free speech. I'm not saying I agree with it, but at least I can see how a certain segment of the population might find justification in giving someone "the bird".

A couple of times in my life I have checked my rear view mirror, and seeing that it was clear, gone to change lanes only to find that another car was either in my blind spot, or travelling so fast in the other lane, that I swerved into their lane. Much of the time the driver either yells an expletive or throws the bird. To me that makes no sense. I never flip people off but, even if I did, I know I would make an exception between someone who made an honest mistake and someone who intentionally did something dangerous or rude etc.

Anyway, back to my story about people who I really couldn't understand.

Not long ago I was travelling west on Northampton Blvd then got into the dedicated left turn only lane to get onto Kempsville Road by the water treatment plant. I was about the 5th car in line. The light turned green and we all started moving. As I got into the intersection the traffic slowed and I had to slow as well. All of a sudden the light went red despite the fact that it had been green for only a VERY short period of time. I was probably 90% through the intersection when the light turned red and within about 2 seconds was clear of any traffic. I'm literally talking about 2 seconds in a situation that was unavoidable.

So what happened ?. A young lady in a red car- Oops, make that a young woman in a red car honked at me and flipped me off as she roared by.

Another recent event happened while I was stopped at a red light as well. I looked down for a split second to change the radio station and all of a sudden heard an angry horn blasting. I looked up and saw a green light. I knew I had only glanced down briefly but quickly checked the other lanes of traffic to see how far behind I was. As it turns out the other 2 lanes were less than 2 car lengths ahead of me. Again, like in the previous example, I am literally talking about 1 or 2 seconds. And, again, a young woman flipped me off (emphatically this time) and roared by switching lanes 2 or 3 times before the next light.

So, what's my take home message here ?. Well, there isn't one really, other than to say that I'm not sure if it's a sign of the times, but if it is, it's a sign (literally and figuratively) that I don't like.

1 Comments

Babs said:

People no longer, have any respect or manners for others anymore! Whatever happened to patience or kindness for that matter ? In a world that is full of violence and hate could it hurt to be the bigger person. As they say Pass it forward

April 3, 2008 8:23 PM

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