"Other" drivers

I just wanted to share an observation with everyone about driving these days. Since when is it perfectly acceptable to not stop at any stop sign or any red light? Especially if it means you can pull out before the person coming the other direction actually gets to the intersection?

Am I the only one that considers this annoying and, I don't know let me think, ILLEGAL? I know the police have "real" crimes to prevent, but personally I feel this is becoming a bigger and bigger issue. I don't know if the person is going to even slow down sometimes; because sometimes they don't. Why is this not a crime? Why don't police enforce this? Oh, that's right, the police do this too. Have you noticed this as well?

Has our society really become so "hurried" and in such a need to get where they are going (instantly) that stop signs and actually following what a stop light tells you to do are merely suggestions? I'm equally annoyed when the person behind me as I approach an intersection; be it a stop light or stop sign, expects me to just roll through as everyone else does, I come to a complete stop (as I always do) and then add a second or two before pulling away from the intersection.

I also am annoyed when I'm driving the speed limit or 5 miles over and someone is riding my rear bumper like I'm out for a Sunday drive and I'm in their way. If they get close enough I start slowing down. One guy (in a 30 mph zone) didn't really get the hint until I had slowed down to around 5 - 10 mph.

Is driving at a reckless speed and ignoring stop signs and red lights really going to save anyone enough time to make their lives any better? What is the real reason everyone drives this way? Did they just leave late and are trying to make up time in the hopes of still getting to their destination on time? Do they not realize that if they get in an accident that they will be even later? Not to mention they could injure someone, possibly even enough to kill them? Would that even weigh on their conscience? It sure doesn't seem that way.

Another pet peeve of mine is when you're approaching a place where the right lane ends and it becomes one lane (4-lane road to 2-lane road.) You know everyone in the right hand lane knows their lane ends but they make every effort just short of pushing you out of the way to get in front of as many people as they can. Why? We're all still waiting in line anyway. What's the difference if you crawling down the road at 10 mph in front of me or behind me? Does my car smell bad? Is the color of my car offensive? I actually had a lady yesterday in this very situation race up in front of me and cut me off (mind you I wasn't even trying to block her) and then slam on her brakes to let the guy that was just in front of her in the right lane get in front of both of us. I so wanted to get out of my car at the next intersection and ask if she didn't care about the 8-week old I had in the car when she cut me off and then slammed on the brakes.

I will admit this is an area that really annoys me. It's just simply people trying to get in front of you for very little reason. One time when leaving O'Hare airport I was tired of how people had been cutting me off so when a taxi wanted in front of us I blocked them and they proceeded to "push" us out of the way. Note to anyone out there, taxi drivers don't give a s&*(. Their car is a weapon and they aren't afraid to use it.

Why are people like this? When will it stop? Does anyone care about their life or other's lives any more? My thought...no, not really. It would not appear as if they do...

Honestly, just spend a few minutes at the stop sign nearest your house and watch traffic as they come through that sign. Count how many of them actually make complete stops. I guarantee it won't be many - if any. And as I mentioned earlier, don't expect the police to make a complete stop either; they don't in our town, even though I know for a fact they enforce this law some of the time (ask my neighbor.) And keep in mind this is in a residential area (assuming your house is in a residential area as most are.) Just think what it's like out on the road. And don't even start with speeding in a residential area. I tell you; our road sometimes feels like the Indy 500 the way people drive by our house. I have complained to the police, but I've never seen them do anything about it even though to make me feel better they say they will. And being a stay-at-home-dad, I'm home quite a bit and I see when the police are around and it's not a lot (since the chief left the department, but don't get me started on that either.) It's all just ridiculous if you ask me. But then again, no one ever really asked me so I guess I'll just go back to my life now. Thanks for hearing me out.