I’m one of those women who can actually drive. I like it, I drive fast, I manoeuvre my car into any parking space, and I love spending hours driving around for pleasure. I watch Top Gear on Sunday night and truly enjoy it !! (Yes, the guys are funny too….sometimes..hahaha.) But if there is one thing I don’t like…it’s people who can’t drive. Whatever their reason may be of course, as some people are just too old to drive, whilst others are just plain blind, or traffic-fobic.
I don’t understand why these people still get into a car and think they will be fine. They are a threat to society and a danger to themselves and others. But mostly just a huge annoyance in my life !!!!
The other day, I had one of those days where I just seemed to be stuck behind all sorts of ‘bad’ drivers. The first was an ‘L’ labeled car, someone still following lessons and instructions to learn how to drive. Ok, that, I can handle, as I too was in their place, a long time ago and know how awful it can be. So, I respectfully left some distance between us.
Just a little later I had my second encounter…an older man, tiny by the looks of it, as he could barely see over his steering wheel, and I imagine his feet could only just reach the gas pedal and breaks, let alone press down the clutch once in a while. Now, this time I was annoyed yet I did feel some sympathy as he surely couldn’t help being small.
The third one, and yes these are the types I truly detest on the road, … those who can’t drive, yet think they can….!!! They stay on the left lane as long as possible ‘pretending’ they are going to overtake…God know’s who…..(…. there usually isn’t a vehicle in sight …)!! Then finally, after dropping subtle hints, I’ll decide to overtake them on the right. It is THEN…when they decide it is time to go back to the right lane. Thank goodness experience has taught me that 90% of the people do this, so I am well prepared to step on my breaks and have of course scanned my mirrors ahead of time to see if a slick move back to the left lane is possible. And it usually is for me. After overtaking this ‘wacko’ individual, I usually step on it and can always be assured of angry flickering headlights behind me, as of course Mr.or Mrs ‘fantastic driver’ knows best !
This type of situation, always ends up in a ‘stoplight meeting’ somewhere….where I end up looking to my left, only to realise it is Mr. or Mrs. ‘fantastic driver’ next to me. Who, of course, is enjoying the moment, as I have by then gone back to the right lane (as you’re supposed to do) and he or she is back on the left lane, and therefore right back next to me. If I’m lucky I won’t have anyone infront of me and I will blast off once the lights go green. BUT….of course life is not always as you hope, so at the worst of times I am stuck behind someone who has all the time in the world and steps on the gas pedal about 30 seconds after the lights have turned green. By this time, and yes, 30 seconds seem to take hours in this case…I myself start to turn all shades of green!!
I’ve learnt to breathe and just let go of these small irritations, as it was eating away at me from time to time.
But of course I am human and I still occasionally suffer from traffic impatience ! That, combined with South American temperament and being able to swear in 4 different languages makes me a great driver ! 😉
I can only hope that I will be sensible enough myself to quit driving before I’m a hazard to anyone else on the road !!!