Road Rage

Oh my gosh!

Do they think I can read their minds?

Seriously?

Would you just go!

Humm.. they may not almost kill someone if they would just use their signal lights!

That *was* a green light... thanks for not going!

yeah... I'm mean sometimes.  And at times I just can't "handle" being nice anymore.

But dang... Road Rage is becoming more and more of something I need to watch. 

I've been driving more.  Normally it was just a few days a week (Sundays, Monday nights, Wednesday nights, Thursday afternoon/night and then maybe on the Saturday?).  But now I'm working outside the home and I'm driving 2 times a week (sometimes more) to work and back.  I've taken to turning off the radio and listening to Christian music instead.  I can honestly say that has "helped" my road rage.

Then.. there are times.. like today, where I just want to shake someone.  It started when I was late leaving.  Odd how that seems to "help/harm" the situation.  I was late getting out of work and then late leaving to get Quinton from school.  If there's one thing I really truly hate, it's people being late.  Even more so when it's to pick up their kids.

So I was late and started home.  Someone had parked in a lane where they shouldn't have.  I moved around them.  Around now my annoyance meter is about 2 or so.

I got up to the lights and I know this set of lights.  I know that there is an advanced green for the other lane, except during the non-peak times (when I'm driving) and then it's both green at the same time.  I know that just past this intersection there is a parking lane and EVERYONE uses it.  If you are not in the left lane at the lights you will be forced to make your way (rudely I might add) into the left lane.  Sure enough.. someone 3 cars back can't stand being behind everyone and pulls into the right lane, comes up to the lights and then putts along beside me until we cross the intersection.  Here's where I figure, if you haven't sped up then you aren't trying to get in my lane until AFTER me.  Well I was wrong.  Turns out he wanted in, and he wanted it now.  So here we go.. he floors it to get around me.  I have to slam my breaks (hoping the guy behind me doesn't hit me) so the dude in the right lane can get into mine.  My annoyance meter is about 4 now.

Then he slows down (annoyance meter is 5).  This drives me crazy.  Not only did this guy slow down to 40 (speed limit is 50) he was staying in the left lane. Now maybe this is just me but isn't the left lane for FAST people?  Those who are ok with daring to get a speeding ticket?  Guess what!  When I'm late getting my son I'm ok with getting a ticket to get him.  I hate for my babies to think that I've "left" them somewhere.  It's horrible. 

Then we get to another intersection.  This dude is still ahead of me (I would have passed if it weren't for the other people behind me getting annoyed and moving around us first).  I figure it's now or never.  I'm going to pass him after this intersection and then I will go BACK over 2 lanes to get into the turning lane.  Sure enough I go to move over (signal light and everything) and he goes over too, without his light on!  I was SO mad.  I had to get back into those people who were waiting for me and the slow dude to speed up to go by so I could get back over and get into the turning lane before missing the intersection (Annoyance meter is around 7 now).

I turn left and finally think, great!  I'm almost home and I should *just* make it to school on time to get Q.  No more worries.  I finally start to relax a bit and I meet another "dude".  This one figures it's ok to not drive in 2 lane.  Nope 2 lanes are MUCH better to drive in.  It's almost as if he had NO idea where the lanes were.  People were honking their horns and getting mad.  I'm just about to blow a fuse and I suddenly clue in. 

I'm a jerk.

I could be giving this person a break.  Relaxing.  Enjoying the drive.  Taking in all the amazing things God has provided us with today.  It's a wonderful warm day, the flowers are coming up and I should remember to look at those.  Not just the people around me in cars, the people walking and those who drive me crazy.  But I need to remember to take some time to take God's beauty in.

So the next time Road Rage hits me I'm going to slow down.  Take a deep breath.  And remember that this may just be my only "quiet" time I get all day.