ROAD RAGE
Several
weeks ago my son asked me to be “Judge.”
Apparently he was driving south through North Carolina with his family when
someone passed him and threw out a cup of soda.
Intentional or not, the soda splashed my son’s car and windshield. Several miles down the road, he passed this
transgressor. My son was the passenger,
and as they passed he threw out a box load of popcorn he had been eating. The popcorn flew over the other car and some
even went in an open driver’s window.
My daughter-in-law
thought that this was a really stupid and childish act, especially as they had
two sleeping toddlers in the back seat.
Matt called me asking “Was I wrong?
Devon says what I did was stupid.”
As “Judge” I
asked two questions:
What did the
other driver do?
And
Did it feel
good?
“The other
driver slowed way down, we never saw him again, and it felt really frickin good!”
The
“Judge’s” decision? “You got away with a
really stupid act. Were you actually in
North Carolina?”
“Yes.”
“Then you
were extra stupid and extra lucky. They
hunt in North Carolina. They carry guns
in NC just in case they see game!”
This
incident reminded me of a similar event of my youth. An event that was very stupid, an event where
I was very lucky, and an event which made me feel really frickin good!
It was 1969
and I was driving through Philadelphia heading for a job interview. I was stopped at a traffic light in my hot
1968 VW bug. The exact moment that the
light turned green, the car behind me leaned on the horn. I figured he was impatient, but damn! I didn’t even have time to release the
clutch. I was pissed!
I got out of
the car and slowly walked back to his car.
He was leaning on the horn all the way.
When I got to his window he rolled it down and started yelling at me to
get moving.
“Oh. You
want me to move? I assumed you were
trying to tell me there was something wrong with my car. No problem, sir, I’ll move. I can do that because as you can see the
light is now green.”
I returned
slowly to my car and waited until just as the light hit amber and then I pulled
out. The impatient asshole behind me,
purple with rage and still cursing and beeping, could not follow in time. He was stuck for another stop light rotation.
In
retrospect this was a really stupid move.
You never know what kind of a nut is in that other car. At least I wasn’t in North Carolina; still it
was very stupid.
BUT
Damn did it
ever feel good!
And you were driving a VW Beetle? You're a braver man than me!
ReplyDeleteI always make sure I'm at least driving a car that can outrun whatever they're driving. If they were in/on anything more than a moped or a bicycle you were outclassed. ;)
S
Great post on the topic. Things were so different back then compared to now. :/ The person who threw the cup of soda at your family just shows how stupid ppl are today. That could have caused an accident with your family.
ReplyDelete18 wheelers here are the worst for raging on the highway.
Men are so interesting. Even the memory feels good. That's nice.
ReplyDeleteThe things people in VW bugs will do...bahahahahah!
ReplyDeleteI've wanted to do something like that a few times--but I'm chicken. GOOD FOR YOU!!
ReplyDeleteI usually drive gutless cars so I try not to tempt people into road rage. But thanks for the vicarious pleasure of reading about someone getting even with an impatient honker.
ReplyDeleteYou can never be to careful because their are some weirdos out there. I have seen so many things happen on the road some people have come out with bats, umbrellas it is crazy here. That is why I take my time and if you want to rush you can go around me. I am quite upset though what the hell was up with all that littering while going through NC..WTF
ReplyDeleteRoad rage is stupid. Any action that is deliberate and likely to provoke road rage is more stupid.
ReplyDeleteIf you cannot drive and be courteous and patient - get off the road!
ps - When I was a younger driver I was very stupid. Stupidity and driving comes with a lack of maturity!
I think there is more going on than just getting pissed at bad driving habits...
ReplyDeleteIsn't it amazing how much smarter we get with age.
ReplyDeleteI too pulled a few stupid stunts when I was younger and yes they did feel good, some were actually in NC
That is exactly the sort of thing I would love to do but have never had the courage given that I used to live in South Africa and, in all likelihood, they would have had a bigger gun than I had (a Taurus 38 revolver is OK but not like an AK47 !!!)!
ReplyDeleteLoved this story !
Me