Driving me crazy . . . literally

The other day I was sitting at a red light waiting to make a left turn. It was a single lane, so there was no separate lane for left turns. Well, as I was sitting there, this maniac came roaring past me on my left, into the other lane, only to make an illegal right turn on red right before the light turned green. I, quite furiously, blew my horn at him only to have him lean out the window to tell me that I’m number one. What a genuine guy. People that are impatient, or just drive like idiots, really grind my gears.

Listen, people. Have a little patience. We all are or have been young drivers at one point, so show the courtesy you would have wanted at that point. It really will be okay if your kid isn’t the first one to little league practice. He will still have plenty of time to eat bugs and pick his nose in the outfield. I mean how much time do you really save by passing someone only to turn 50 feet down the road? Or by passing cars, cutting them off, and then slowing down? Clearly these aggressive drivers aren’t the sharpest knives in the drawer.

I know we can’t all earn our college degrees, but at least use a little common sense. When you are 100 yards away from the intersection and the light is already yellow, you probably aren’t going to make it. And the light isn’t going to wait for you either (Rest in peace, Tom’s truck). So chill out, loosen your vice-like grip from the steering wheel and slow down. Besides, if you slow down, then you will have more time to enjoy the little things in life, like those songs that every single radio station insists on playing until the words are engraved into the brain.

Another thing that really grinds my gears is when people start to pass my car but then decide they would rather just drive right beside me. Just take a picture. It will last longer than staring if that’s what you’re in it for. While this situation grinds my gears, it can also be quite horrifying. I mean when you look to your left only to see a young woman talking on a cell phone, smoking a cigarette and painting her toenails while steering with her feet, you have to wonder what the world has come to. So, you turn back to the road, eyes wide as dinner plates and think to yourself, if only these people could use their powers for good.

Now for all the people that drive very fast, there are also people that drive slower than a snail’s pace, quite possibly even slower than the speed that the grass grows, if it were measured in miles per hour. When there is a line of eight cars behind you, horns blaring, and some screaming in anger, that is usually a good indication to speed up a little bit.

Lastly, the thing that grinds my gears the most, the mother lode of all anger, the eye of the storm, if you will, is when people throw their trash out the window. Disgusting in all aspects of the word and probably a few others not yet defined. Why do people do this? Is it that much hassle to throw away a Kleenex or the leftover paper from a McDonald’s Happy Meal at home?

[comments]

Posted by "Jacob Iellimo" on March 21, at 12:30 p.m.

I cannot drive yet but while in the car with someone who is texting and driving, I get on edge. It is dangerous and pointless. Like somebody can't wait to send a text message? Get over it. How many people would die if they could send one more text. . .no one intelligient. I like the commercials that show a simple text on the screen and then it says something like "this is the message my son was sending me before he hit a tree and died." Texting and driving -- just say no.

Posted by "Kelly Klingensmith" on November 16, at 1:23 p.m.

I agree with this blog. I hate getting behind people who decide to drive 20 mph under the speed limit. My opinion is if you can't drive the speed limit, then you shouldn't be allowed on the road!

Posted by "Kayla Oliver" on April 16, at 11:31 a.m.

I totally agree! I hate impatient drivers. It's so rude when people do that because they don't know if you are a new driver or not and I'm sure they wouldn't have wanted that to happen to them when they were first learning to drive. People just need to take a breath and calm down while driving.

Posted by "Brianna Bish" on March 30, at 3:56 p.m.

Well done, Dan! I have to say my mother and I were talking about this just the other day. I guess after reading this, I really see that all of these things bug me to no end, yet I'm guilty of speeding and occasionally texting. But I would also just like to say that OLD drivers are just as bad (or in most cases worse!) as the young girl who is texting, driving with her feet and painting her toes. My 79-year-old neighbor still drives and I'm pretty sure she is legally BLIND! She can't even tell the difference between my mother and me when we're talking to her from her driveway. So how the heck can it be legal for her to be behind the wheel?!

Posted by "Natalie DelVecchio" on March 29, at 1:22 p.m.

I absolutely can't stand driving behind old people. It seems as though Leechburg is the old people capital of the world. Old people either drive really really slow or really really fast. On Route 66, the speed limit is 55 mph. I can't stand when old people drive during peak hours at 35 mph!!!

Posted by "Brandon Ion" on March 29, at 1:16 p.m.

I agree 100% with this, dan, even if I am one of those drivers sometimes. I am sorry about your truck, Tom. I was right there when it happened. Sorrry, Bro!

Posted by "Jen Shannon" on March 26, at 9:54 a.m.

I agree with everything in this article. A lot of people abuse the privilege of driving. The "best" thing of all is when idiots drive out of control and complain when they get pulled over. Drivers education needs to be mandatory and drivers tests a little more extensive. It's drivers like this that cost people their lives.

Posted by "Matt Grantz" on March 25, at 10:31 p.m.

Well Dan, I'm sure there are a lot of people who think you're number one... just not the way he meant it. Anyway, looks like you should get a job at PenDOT teaching a class on how not to be an idiot while driving.

Keep up the great work, man!

Posted by "Paula McCorkle" on March 25, at 8:44 p.m.

Dan, these get better and better every week! I can totally relate to you on this one. I have seen way too many people driving recklessly when I'm on the road. Driving is scary enough, let alone when I'm still learning. But when I get my license, chances are that I'll be one of those idiots on the road.

Posted by "Rachel Klingensmith" on March 25, at 4:46 p.m.

I totally agree with everything you just said, even though I can't drive yet. I understand about people driving slow. My sister drove so slow when she first started that I thought a snail passed her. I also hate when people are smoking and throw their cigarettes out the window. They shouldn't even be smoking; it's bad for everybody's health.

Posted by "Kelsey Warrick" on March 23, at 10:38 a.m.

Dan! This blog was awesome. As I sat here reading it, I literally found myself laughing out loud. I can picture the exact drivers you were discussing. I think that you should mass produce this and mail it to everyone with a driver's license.

Posted by "Sabrina Jones" on March 23, at 3:46 p.m.

I really hate when people text while driving. I can't seem to understand what could be in that text message that they can't wait until they get to their destination to open it. I can't believe people are that ignorant to put someone else's life in danger because of a simple text message!!!

Posted by "Donna Camp" on March 23, at 2:04 p.m.

This was an interesting blog...I agree with everything you had to say, Dan. I believe that some people should not be able to drive because of how inattentive they are. They cause too many crashes and cause other people griff. This blog highlighted all of the irritating things that people do while they are driving. It was very good!

Posted by "Angela Olshansky" on March 22, at 11:47 p.m.

Dear Dan, I love each of your blogs because I find them so easy to relate. For example, with your newest one about driving, I find the same road rage you do when driving about. Even though I just picked up driving recently, I can still relate. Especially about the littering, that really gets on my nerves as well. All in all, keep 'em coming because I find great enjoyment reading them and knowing that at least someone else gets frustrated about the same things I do.

Posted by "Kyle Snyder" on March 22, at 2:10 p.m.

Wow, Dan! I think you based most of that on my brother's driving except for the driving slow part.

TrottyVeck.com
is a publication of
Leechburg Area High School

215 First Street
Leechburg, PA 15656
LASD Webpage