Everyone to chill.

Not here necessarily,  but in general. This morning I was summarily cut off by a very angry woman in a Hyundai sonata , who then proceeded to flip me off and tailgate a cement truck. A bit further down the road, I see a state patrol, lit blues and twos, along with an MRAP they apparently own, hauling ass down i4. Then, some lady in front of me proceeded to bite the poor wawa cashiers head clean off for having the gall to ask her to donate to children's hospital or whatever. People been rowdier than usual, and I'm done with it  

Edit- should say everyone needs to chill in the title. 

I love horrible move driver that flips you off after their poor driving.  It’s best to be very deliberately laughing at them, sometimes pointing while doing so, so they can see you don’t give a f about their driving skills but that you’re also a better person for not reciprocating their gesture of FU. 

I too see this bs daily and I grow weary of it. 

Where are we at in the moon cycle? The lunatics are afoot.

I'm glad I don't have to deal with that crap.

Nick Comstock said:

I'm glad I don't have to deal with that crap.

Are you a hermit?

JamesMcD said:

Nick Comstock said:

I'm glad I don't have to deal with that crap.

Are you a hermit?

I checked the coordinates of his home, and I believe he lives square in the middle of berkeleying nowhere Texas. 

RossD said:

Where are we at in the moon cycle? The lunatics are afoot.

Same thing swmbo said, and she didn't even see the mrap. Even the church ladies are rude as E36 M3 today. I dont get it. 

You guys aren't alone. It's May, the sun's starting to warm the Earth, and the crazies are starting to burrow out of their holes. 

I had a fun encounter with a 1998ish Desert Tan and Duct Tape Silver two-tone Camry this morning, driven by a twentysomething lady. Let's go down the list of offenses:

-She nearly rear-ended a dump truck on a straight road (how do you not see a berking dump truck???) The thing dove so hard that I thought she was going to rip the front bumper off. 

-I pulled out behind her, and proceeded to get into a turn lane for a small two-lane highway that splits to four lanes about 5 miles up. As I got into the lane, she decided that she wanted her Camry to mate with my Mazda, so she starts coming over into the lane in the attempt to run me off the road. I honk, thinking that since she couldn't see a giant dump truck, she definitely couldn't see my bright white Mazda 3, and that she might respond better to sound. Oh, she heard me. She then responded by laying into her horn, yelling and flipping me off!

-Once we got onto the highway, the speed limit there is 55. She was going about 35. People behind her were flashing their lights and everything because you can't pass there and she was clogging up the works. 

-I ran into some traffic, and she caught up to me. She's still mouthing off and gesturing. At this point, the lanes split to four, the speed limit increases to 65, and things start to open up. So, with a choice between a passing lane and a slower travel lane, she chooses to hit cruise at about 45mph in the PASSING LANE, almost causing another accident when people had to avoid her. 

I fully expect to see this lady's gold and duct tape Camry in the entryway of a convenience store on the local evening news tonight. 

Mndsm said:

JamesMcD said:

Nick Comstock said:

I'm glad I don't have to deal with that crap.

Are you a hermit?

I checked the coordinates of his home, and I believe he lives square in the middle of berkeleying nowhere Texas. 

That's a big 10-4. I mean there's plenty of hot headed idiots around here. But in my daily routine I never have to encounter them. It's a pretty stress free place all together though.  

I did see a guy park his car in the middle of a five lane major roadway, lock his doors and proceed to walk across the road to McDonald's during rush hour one day. I figured drugs are pretty much everywhere. 

Patrick said:

I love horrible move driver that flips you off after their poor driving.  It’s best to be very deliberately laughing at them, sometimes pointing while doing so, so they can see you don’t give a f about their driving skills but that you’re also a better person for not reciprocating their gesture of FU. 

When driving, I frequently wave, smile, and blow them a kiss.

When in person, I smile politely and tell them to have a blessed day.  I am an atheist.

I once came to a stop at a four way intersection while another car came to the stop at my left at the same time. We were each turning towards each other, so normally we could both go at the same time, but this intersection is a little tight, so I politely gestured for her to go first. She does, and I watch her car as she goes through, waiting for my turn to go. Now I probably make eye contact with other drivers dozens of times a day and not even notice, never give it a second thought. But as this lady goes past, and I make eye contact with her, she decides that was the proper time to scream as loud as she can "WHAT THE berkeley ARE YOU LOOKING AT MOTHERberkeleyER?!?!"  Now this lady was about three hundred pounds and sporting a buzzcut, that's usually not my type, but I gotta say, that was a pretty magical moment for me. For just a split second i could see us doing crossword puzzles together on lazy sundays or playing with our golden retriever Charlie, eating beef stroganoff even though i dont like it i just pretend i do because she likes making it. I wondered if our kids would look more like me or like her. But that was just for a second. Then I realized she was a berkeleying crazy person that probably lived in a hobo encampment somewhere, and my current wife and children would be super pissed if I abandoned them to go live the hobo life with a foul mouthed, buzz cut, angel. So i drove on. I went back to my warm house and pretty wife and nice kids. I know that logically I made the right choice, the choice that "society approves of." But I can't help but wonder where she is today. Is she hanging out in front of a gas station, saying weird stuff to strangers as they avoid eye contact trying to walk past? Is she in her mom's mobile home saying that it's not her turn to clean out the overflowing cat litter box? Who knows. She could be anywhere, doing anything. But it's definitely one of those two things. I just hope that every once while, she takes a moment to look back, and remember me, the guy in the pickup truck that she screamed angry expletives at, and smiles.

Mndsm said:

Not here necessarily,  but in general. This morning I was summarily cut off by a very angry woman in a Hyundai sonata , who then proceeded to flip me off and tailgate a cement truck. A bit further down the road, I see a state patrol, lit blues and twos, along with an MRAP they apparently own, hauling ass down i4. Then, some lady in front of me proceeded to bite the poor wawa cashiers head clean off for having the gall to ask her to donate to children's hospital or whatever. People been rowdier than usual, and I'm done with it  

 

 

Edit- should say everyone needs to chill in the title. 

Sounds like an average day on I-4

I can't stand that highway and avoid it at all costs.

In reply to Joe Gearin :

Unfortunately I live square in the middle of mouse county. And until swmbo finishes her degree, we shall stay. 

gearheadmb said:

I once came to a stop at a four way intersection while another car came to the stop at my left at the same time. We were each turning towards each other, so normally we could both go at the same time, but this intersection is a little tight, so I politely gestured for her to go first. She does, and I watch her car as she goes through, waiting for my turn to go. Now I probably make eye contact with other drivers dozens of times a day and not even notice, never give it a second thought. But as this lady goes past, and I make eye contact with her, she decides that was the proper time to scream as loud as she can "WHAT THE berkeley ARE YOU LOOKING AT MOTHERberkeleyER?!?!"  Now this lady was about three hundred pounds and sporting a buzzcut, that's usually not my type, but I gotta say, that was a pretty magical moment for me. For just a split second i could see us doing crossword puzzles together on lazy sundays or playing with our golden retriever Charlie, eating beef stroganoff even though i dont like it i just pretend i do because she likes making it. I wondered if our kids would look more like me or like her. But that was just for a second. Then I realized she was a berkeleying crazy person that probably lived in a hobo encampment somewhere, and my current wife and children would be super pissed if I abandoned them to go live the hobo life with a foul mouthed, buzz cut, angel. So i drove on. I went back to my warm house and pretty wife and nice kids. I know that logically I made the right choice, the choice that "society approves of." But I can't help but wonder where she is today. Is she hanging out in front of a gas station, saying weird stuff to strangers as they avoid eye contact trying to walk past? Is she in her mom's mobile home saying that it's not her turn to clean out the overflowing cat litter box? Who knows. She could be anywhere, doing anything. But it's definitely one of those two things. I just hope that every once while, she takes a moment to look back, and remember me, the guy in the pickup truck that she screamed angry expletives at, and smiles.

 

This needs to be turned into a movie. Awesome post!

They have been working on I85 around Spartanburg for almost a year.  Much on the traffic is diverted into the old 85, in which I need to travel on only for a merge lane right back off the highway.  It backs up for almost a mile on some mornings.  Since they have been doing this,  the people are cray cray.  I just slow down and stay in the right lane.  

It's fear.  Fear is driving everyone crazy.  The 24/7 news cycle has kept us in a constant state of fear for about 17 years now, and people are losing their E36 M3.  It's not mentally healthy.

I am afraid of precarious high places, God's judgment, my wife's judgment, complications of Type 1 diabetes, and rusty Miatas.

I am not afraid of Ebola, the Clintons, anthropogenic global warming, people of color, people of pallor, Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, bird flu, swine flu, regular old flu, assault weapons, violent video games, dogs in hot cars, cross-dressers in the restroom, rednecks, Muslims, Jews, Indians (whether native or H-1B visa), smog, allergies, labor unions, pot smokers, methheads, metalheads, Deadheads, "the gays" (married or single), the Rebel flag, robots (driving my car, taking my job, or replacing my wife), panhandlers, Tide-pod eaters, spiders, coyotes, the death of cursive writing, random beatings, speech of any kind, or any of the other boogeymen our glowing rectangular fear generators tell me to fear.

In conclusion, mndsm is right.  Everyone needs chili.

Be not afraid!

In reply to spitfirebill :

I've reached that point too. Just drop into the right lane and only pass trucks that are losing speed as they go up hill. I used to be one of those "in a rush all the time so GTFO of the way people" but really chilled out after a few pretty serious situations at my previous job that made me reexamine life in general. That and having kids, they made me take a step back and really look at what's important and how I want them to respond to situations.

I'm lucky that I can make my 20 mile drive into work using country roads, only crossing through the outskirts of one town on the way. It keeps my blood pressure much lower than when I would take the highway. I'll still have an occasional outburst when driving, mainly at people in front of me that insist on merging into 70 mph traffic doing 35, but I try to limit those.

Best thing I ever did was cut cable and insist the my junior mechanics didn't watch it in the MWR or office. Getting rid of 24/7 news and the echo chamber it creates really makes you more objective.

I must live in a different world.   Everybody drives nicely, mostly obeying the law.

  All the clerks smile and "Have a nice day"

 Even my trip to DMV to renew my drivers license went smoothly.    The clerk was pleasant, she didn't smile.

bluebarchetta said:

It's fear.  Fear is driving everyone crazy.  The 24/7 news cycle has kept us in a constant state of fear for about 17 years now, and people are losing their E36 M3.  It's not mentally healthy.

I am afraid of precarious high places, God's judgment, my wife's judgment, complications of Type 1 diabetes, and rusty Miatas.

I am not afraid of Ebola, the Clintons, anthropogenic global warming, people of color, people of pallor, Donald Trump, Kim Jong Un, bird flu, swine flu, regular old flu, assault weapons, violent video games, dogs in hot cars, cross-dressers in the restroom, rednecks, Muslims, Jews, Indians (whether native or H-1B visa), smog, allergies, labor unions, pot smokers, methheads, metalheads, Deadheads, "the gays" (married or single), the Rebel flag, robots (driving my car, taking my job, or replacing my wife), panhandlers, Tide-pod eaters, spiders, coyotes, the death of cursive writing, random beatings, speech of any kind, or any of the other boogeymen our glowing rectangular fear generators tell me to fear.

In conclusion, mndsm is right.  Everyone needs chili.

Be not afraid!

You clearly do not have a pregnant wife. I live in fear every single day. Mostly of her. Today I was afraid that she was going to hit me over the head with a frying pan because 2 weeks ago I made onion and sausage in it and she said it smelled wonderful. So this morning, I decided to make it again. And she told me I had stunk up the house and was an inconsiderate ogre. I found that to be rather insulting; I may be slightly smelly, but I'm not nearly as fat as your average ogre.

iceracer said:

I must live in a different world.   Everybody drives nicely, mostly obeying the law.

  All the clerks smile and "Have a nice day"

 Even my trip to DMV to renew my drivers license went smoothly.    The clerk was pleasant, she didn't smile.

In general I'm with you. 

Duke said:

Patrick said:

I love horrible move driver that flips you off after their poor driving.  It’s best to be very deliberately laughing at them, sometimes pointing while doing so, so they can see you don’t give a f about their driving skills but that you’re also a better person for not reciprocating their gesture of FU. 

When driving, I frequently wave, smile, and blow them a kiss.

When in person, I smile politely and tell them to have a blessed day.  I am an atheist.

I prefer the thumbs down out the window, frowny face, shaking head move. That will stick with you all day and make you feel bad later. 

I have a lady who I consider a friend, but we rarely see eachother. I'm better friends with her partner (a dude), because we share more in common. 

She's smart, driven, funny, beautiful, but she's got a trigger so light the gun goes off when chambered. 

She is incredibly I mean incredibly liberal. I consider myself a socialist, and this woman is further left than that. 

Not to mention she is incredibly sensitive to "political correctness", like I need to be 100% WOKE at all times. 

She went off on me the other night for no apparent reason simply because I asked her partner if they wanted to come over and he responded on her behalf. He didn't get the blame, it was me. Not my wife. Not our other friends. Just me. 

Girl, chilllllllll.

maschinenbau said:

Duke said:

Patrick said:

I love horrible move driver that flips you off after their poor driving.  It’s best to be very deliberately laughing at them, sometimes pointing while doing so, so they can see you don’t give a f about their driving skills but that you’re also a better person for not reciprocating their gesture of FU. 

When driving, I frequently wave, smile, and blow them a kiss.

When in person, I smile politely and tell them to have a blessed day.  I am an atheist.

I prefer the thumbs down out the window, frowny face, shaking head move. That will stick with you all day and make you feel bad later. 

That might make you feel bad later, but it probably won't work on the kind of person who would be a dick in traffic and then give you the finger.

In reply to pheller :

I would not consider her a friend.