Twitter Quip

    Carpool lane hate (yet another reason why I should be in charge)

    I can’t think of a bigger waste of space in California than carpool lanes (well, maybe golf courses). Carpool lanes are put on freeways to encourage commuters to rideshare. In theory, carpoolers are rewarded with a lane that has less traffic and shortens their commute. It sounds like a lovely idea and the intentions are honorable. Less cars on the road means a cleaner environment, decrease in freeway congestion, lowering of gas prices, and a more productive and happy workforce.

    But it’s all a load of crap.

    First of all, NO ONE in California carpools–at least not in SoCal. The Girlfriend and I both have the same employer. We both live in the same complex. Yet we each take separate cars to work because our shifts don’t start or end at the same time. Carpooling isn’t feasible because I’d end up sitting around with nothing to do for 90 minutes in the morning; she’d do the same in the afternoon. And we’re lucky enough to identical starting points and destinations.

    The idea of strangers commuting together every morning is utterly ridiculous. Rush hour traffic is impossible–on and off the freeways. If I had to go two miles out of my . . . . .

     

    Selfish drivers and other road ruffles

    I had a couple incidents today on the road that made me realize the world is full of idiots (okay, maybe I didn’t learn that today–but I needed something to open this topic). I went to a gas station for a fill up. The gas station was pretty busy and most terminals were full. Two spots opened on the same side of one island. I was behind a woman who pulled into the first spot…and stopped her car. Because she didn’t pull all the way up to the first pump, I had to drive all the way around the station and attempt to back into the spot. This whole thing coulda been avoided if she just pulled all the way up.

    I know she had to see me behind her–she had to…otherwise she was completely clueless to her surroundings. Either she saw me or she forgot the whole looking-in-rearview-mirrors-thing they teach in driver’s ed. If she didn’t see me, I don’t wanna be anywhere near this dame when she makes a lane change.

    I’m leaning towards she did see me–which means one of two things.

    1) She saw me and didn’t think to pull up to the first pump.2) She . . . . .

     

    The Happiest Place on Earth…for pedophiles

    I was at Disneyland with The Girlfriend trying to recuperate from the 451 degree temperature outside. We noticed a kid run by us, screaming with tears in his eyes. He was a tiny lad–The Girlfriend said he looked to be about three-years old but I’m never good at that sorta assessment. What I am good at is recognizing other people’s misery. The kid was bawling hysterically and my immediate assumption was the kid was lost. But then I saw a pack of 12-year old girls flock to his aid and figured one of them had to be his sister. The girls’ behavior struck me a particular. They kept their distance from the boy; trying to engage in conversation but were intentionally avoiding contact. A sister would pick up or hug her crying little brother. Something seemed amiss and that’s when I intervened.

    “Is he lost,” I asked the girls.

    They said yes and he started screaming “I want my mommy!”

    “Where did you last see her?” He pointed in the direction he came from–completely far from where we were.

    “We need to find a cast member.” With Disneyland routinely welcoming more than 40,000 guests a day, a lost child . . . . .

     

    The night some jerkhole parked in my driveway.

    Been kind of a slow week–two weeks. Nothing interesting happened to me. nothing to complain about. Despite the drought, I still feel compelled to post something. Instead of resorting to reruns, I’ll dig up something I wrote a few months back but never posted. Just ’cause it didn’t happen yesterday doesn’t mean it isn’t interesting.

    Who am I kidding? None of this is interesting.

    Last night some idiot parked in my driveway. I was angered because it’s a total sign of disrespect. I’m not talking about a designated parking spot with a “reserved” sign. I don’t mean parked in front of my house. I don’t even mean parked in an area that all of my neighbors and I have come to accept as ‘my spot.’ I mean he literally parked in my driveway. There’s no grey area. It’s the spot right in front of my house separated from the street. It has my personal property in front and to the side of it. This arsehole knew exactly what he was doing when he parked in my driveway–it’s not the sorta mistake one can accidentally make.

    Imagine the frustration one feels when coming home from work to find a stranger’s . . . . .