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 saw me and didn’t want to pull up to the first pump.

I supposed the latter is more insulting…but who’d sink that low just to be a jerk? I know people transform into soulless deviants when they get behind the wheel–but no one I know would ever resort to that level just to be a jerk.

Well, maybe my brother.

I think it’s more likely that she didn’t even think to pull up. It’s not like the car was parked or even stopped–she pulled into the first spot immediately. If she simply waited 20 feet or so to stop, I wouldn’t have anything to complain about and you wouldn’t be reading this. But she didn’t and here we are. I think she didn’t even consider the inconvenience of me. That’s not supposed to sound self-serving. I mean she didn’t even think about anyone else–just herself.

Later in the day, I was driving down a windy, mountain road but was held up by this car in front of me. He was going much slower than the speed limit and way slower than I would’ve handled the road. But since it was a single-lane road, I had no choice but to wait behind him–but I made it pretty obvious I wanted to pass him. Single-lane etiquette dictates that slower vehicles allow faster cars to pass (that and there’s signs everywhere reminding folks to do so). He had to know that I wanted to pass him (there’s only one way to interpret a car that’s less than ten feet behind you). The only way he didn’t know was if he didn’t see me–and people that oblivious shouldn’t be on the road.

He passed turnouts. He had plenty of opportunities to let me go around him. Traffic started to build behind me because this guy was going way too slow. Eventually I decided enough was enough: I pulled over and let a car behind me pass. Let someone else deal with him–that was my logic.

That someone else was even more aggressive than I was. He even tried passing the guy by driving on the wrong side of the street–a dangerous maneuver for any street let alone a winding mountain road. It wasn’t like either one of us were speed demons. This car simply was going way too slow and backing up traffic.

You have no idea how much something like that pisses me off. The road contained numerous turnouts–there were plenty of places for him to pull over. It would’ve taken him six seconds to slowly pull over and let us pass. Both vehicles clearly wanted to go faster than him–he didn’t hafta worry about us slowing him down. Unfortunately, the idea of letting us pass never crossed his mind.

That’s a real problem people have. If more folks did simple, thankless good deeds the world would be a much better place. When I go to the gas station, I always pull up to the first available spot. Even if I don’t see anyone else around, another car might pull in while I’m pumping gas. I make it easy for someone else with very little inconvenience for me. When I’m driving down a single-lane road and I see a car behind me that wants to pass, I pull over. If someone wants to go faster than me, I let them. At the sports complex where I play softball, I gotta purchase a daily parking permit from a kiosk. After my game is over, I put my pass back in the kiosk. I don’t need it anymore–maybe I can save someone else a buck. A small, simple act.

It’s not hard to do little things like this–stuff that isn’t much of a sacrifice. I can see why someone won’t donate money to charity. I understand the inconvenience of trying to recycle. You’re not gonna catch me wasting my time for any charitable organization. But what I don’t get is why people don’t think of little things like this–stuff that doesn’t cost them a thing. Just take two seconds to think–how would you feel if someone did this for you? I know I appreciate those who are considerate to others. Unfortunately, you just don’t see that–especially not here in SoCal.

Man, I hate people.