Lately I have not posted much at all, primarily because of our impending move and the mountains of extra things I've had to do in preparation, but also because I've fallen into the habit of only posting when I have new pictures and my camera has been lazy to be sure.
I find this situation surprising as the writing is what I have always loved--finding just the right word or combination of phrases, making up the occasional new onomatapaeic word--how clever!, and bringing tears to my own eyes with my heartfelt laments. So what has happened to Elaine the wordsmith? I think I discovered how easy writing about fabulous photos can be, compared to cutting, pasting, deleting, retyping, rewording, discarding it all and starting again. Lazy. I have become lazy and it's not a good thing. I wonder how many of my readers find themselves in the same position?
Also I find that when I use great pics in my blog many more people stop by, leaving me catering to the audience, I guess. And here I thought I was so original! A little introspection happening here, folks. Pardon me while I flush my vanity.
Driving the 401 the other day to a lovely lunch date with my oldest friend (read longest friendship), I heard an insistent blast of the horn and searched to see from whence it came. A yellow truck was so close behind me in the middle lane, I automatically tightened up my buttocks and pushed the gas to get out of his way, a good plan most of the time but all three lanes were solid and there was no place for me to go. Beeeeeppp! I heard the horn again, so loud and so close that I decided to sneak into the passing lane and push ahead even though I was already doing 120 kph (20 over the speed limit!).
I left the offensive one in the dust and traveled normally for about 5 minutes when, once again, the horn behind rattled me. The yellow monster was back. In the thick traffic I had nowhere to go but noticed him move to the inside lane and nudge up on my right. Of course there was no room for him to pull in ahead of me so I watched to see what he would do. You guessed it! He threw on his signal and cut me off so much so that I had to slam on my brakes to keep from hitting him.
I'm ashamed to say I laid on the horn, which caused him to give me the 'finger'. Now I was just a little angry and my mama didn't raise no coward girls! I threw caution out the window and pulled out and passed him, this time hitting 130 plus as I left him to watch my rear end diminish in the distance. I kept a close eye on him in my rearview but he left me alone and I reached London with no more problems. As I ruminated about the event I realized I'd just had my first encounter with real road rage. I'm lucky he didn't shoot me, I guess.
Thinking about it now I realize he won because I did speed up and get out of his way. Hmmm. Not such a great reaction. Now I wonder how many of you have had similar traumas?
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8 comments:
Hi Elaine, I think road rage happens because we are enclosed in our little metal boxes. We don't really connect with the other drivers as real people. The car in front of us when we're hurrying to get somewhere is just an obstacle in our way, so that depersonalises it and we behave in ways that we never would if we were looking the person in the eye. Just a theory! Hope you are well.
Just remember hitting 150 in Ontario in a 100 gets your car impounded for a week and zillion dollar fine. Cheers!
Sue G.
Thanks for your wisdom, Sara and Sue! Always good to get a different slant!
Elaine,
Even when you feel you are "word" lazy, you are great. A good writer. I struggle to write most of the time, out of tiredness. I suppose that's why I post so many photos to help me along :o)
Road rage. Scary. I have felt the same as you. Driving through the interstate through Washington, D.C. once, I thought I was going to die when an idiot in a trench coat STOOD UP in his Jeep because he had to get someplace fast. Weaving and tilting - so scary. I layed on the horn and nearly caused him an accident in which I would have been involved. Ooops.
Oh, girl, if that's road rage, than stick me in the funny farm.
Sure, road rage is very scary! That story remember me an old film, about the persecution of a big truck to a car... I can't remember the name of the film...
Thanks for your visiting to my blog and compliments to my son's photos!
Have a nice Sunday!
I agree with Sara. I had a strange experience in Edinburgh once. I was driving along doing the speed limit with a car inches from my back bumper. He was intimidating me trying to get me to speed up. We both turned into the same building and he was just ahead of me when we walked in. He then stood and held the door open for me with a smile!! I was suddenly a person.
Mo, that comment is so interesting! It's like people writing things on email that they'd never say in person. Thanks for your insight, and thanks to everyone for commenting.
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