Sometimes you just gotta let it all out. Road trips can trigger such rants. Today was a road trip day. Mijn man and I drove to the south to visit the sons at school. Only about an hour and a half drive, on a good day, with good weather, no major holidays, and NO STUPID DRIVERS. People, PLEASE. What part about “use left lane for passing only” do you not understand?? I am absolutely in awe of these drivers who can drive so happily down the road, while my blood pressure is increasing by the moment. Cars by the thousands (ok, two to ten of us in line) are held up by JollyJoe, just moseying down the highway in the left lane. A favorite tactic of old Joe seems to be driving directly alongside SlowSue, who is taking her sweet time but at least is staying in the right lane where slow traffic is supposed to reside. Can’t fault Sue. She’s a rule follower, that one. But Joe. Joe is an idiot in my book. Often Joe has a car full of friends/kids/furniture/dogs. Or sometimes Joe is alone. Sometimes Joe is on the ever present cell phone. Often Joe is a Joann. But Joe is ALWAYS oblivious to the fact that he and he alone is keeping traffic from moving smoothly along that long long road separating point A from point B. Joe, for a clueless Bubba, you wield a lot of power.
I do try to relax, I truly do. I breathe deeply. I count to ten. I remind myself that we all have moments when we lose sight of where we are going and how we are affecting others. As the miles pile up, however, I am forced to begin my ranting and raving at how on God’s green earth did any highway patrolman see fit to give this Bozo a driver’s license?? Can I get an amen??
Perhaps just having returned from Europe has made me more aware of the horrendous drivers on our highways. In Europe, you NEVER pass on the right (I do it all the time. Mea culpa. Sue me. I’m in a hurry!) And once you pass correctly on the left, you “zip it up” and move right back into the slow lane on the right. And traffic continues hurtling down the highway at breakneck speeds…but it is MOVING! My hat is off to you, Belgian and Dutch drivers alike. Following the rules is definitely working for you there.
Here, I am forced to crawl along the now NOT open road behind ole Joe, til I can grab that split second opportunity to pass on the right, cutting between Sue and Joe, slithering back to the left and YES! VICTORY! I have passed Joe and am once again sailing down the highway at the speed of my choosing….at least until the next Left Lane Larry slows me down.
