Is it me, or are drivers on our nations highways becoming an increasingly surly lot? I realize I’m spoiled by the fact I don’t commute on a regular basis. However, I’ve had to do more driving for a variety of reasons lately and it sure seems like my fellow drivers are less courteous than ever before.
Aggressive driving and tailgating seem to be the norm now, not the exception. Speeders don’t bother me frankly, they pass and are soon dwindling in the distance, no more to bother me. But the guy hanging inches off my rear bumper in stop-and-go traffic is another story. Or the guy swerving from lane to lane like it’s his own personal slalom course.
I’d really like to see law enforcement crack down on these types of driving violations even if it means letting a few speeders go unmolested. The cynical side of me says that it’s revenue related though, and they enforce the laws that generate the highest fines. I hope that’s not true but I don’t have much faith in government these days.
It’s enough to make a fellow contemplate a little highway vigilantism. No, I’m not *really* ready to mount weapons on my vehicle, as fun as that might sound. But it sure would be satisfying to follow one of these guys until they park and leave, and then exercise a little monkeywrenching on their vehicle. Ah well, it’s an attractive fantasy…
December 21st, 2007 at 7:20 am
Oh I couldn’t agree with you more. The traffic down here in Orlando is chaotic too. All these people moving here and they don’t build more or better roads to accomodate them.
December 21st, 2007 at 9:53 am
I had a really massively violently rage filled rant written about this yesterday when I came home from shopping, but in the interest of Christmas spirit, I deleted it. I’m sure I’ll bring it back after the holidays, but suffice it to say..No, it’s not just you. I was in bumper to bumper yesterday and they guy tailgating me actually “tapped” my bumper 3 times as if that was going to make me speed up…..dude! I can only go as fast as the car in front of me and we were basically sitting in a parking lot at that point. I seriously considered getting out of my car on the expressway and giving that lout a piece of my mind, but unfortunately, it wouldn’t have been the nice piece and well..there’s that whole Christmas spirit thing…
Boy! Santa had better be good to me this year, cuz that was hard not to do~!
December 21st, 2007 at 10:51 am
I saw a bit on TV where this security firm had mounted a 50 cal machine gun in the back of a Chevy Avalanche. I wonder if they sell to the public. I’ll be the wheel man if you’ll be the tail gunner.
Talk about riding shotgun.
December 21st, 2007 at 12:01 pm
Hey, I recognize this photo.
I will say this much ~ not sure how much comfort it brings. But I have noticed the drivers here in WA state are more curteous than the drivers in TX. I think the difference is that people are more tolerant here than down there. Perhaps because we have wide open traffic-free roads & more mixed attitudes down there. Being in a military town, you get drivers from all over the country ~ and world~ so their attitudes are very pissy.
But here, it just seems people make up their own rules & do what they want to ~ because they know they can get away with it. Just my perception of the traffic I’ve been in these past few months.
M~
December 27th, 2007 at 11:22 pm
LA drivers are area-specific in their behaviors. . . irascible drivers are more common to certain areas. Lane Ballet and lack of signals is not nearly as common here as it was in Florida.
~S