bullies on the highway ...

I have a really big beef with folks who drive. It's one of those things that no matter what a person does, it's not going to change anything. But, I still have a beef. So, I have decided to air my grievances here on my blog. After all, it is MY blog.

I live in sunny south Florida and use I-95 every day to get to my job. I follow all the rules of the road. I don't talk or text while I'm driving. I don't get in the fast lane and drive slow. I don't cut in front of people. Consequently, I haven't been involved in a traffic accident for 10 years.

Monday through Friday, I drive west on Sunrise Boulevard to the entrance ramp for southbound I-95. The problem is with the access to the entrance ramp. I don't know what engineer came up with the design, but I'd like to smack him up aside his head!

Sunrise is a 3-lane major roadway. On the approach to the left turn lane for the southbound ramp to I-95, the left turn lane is a single lane. There is a traffic signal to allow the traffic crossing Sunrise to the northbound ramp. On the other side of this intersection, the lane continues as a single lane until 5 car lengths before the traffic signal that permits that left turn onto the southbound ramp.

THIS is where the problem is. At the 5 car lengths point, that single left turn lane expands into two left turn lanes, allowing 2 cars through the signal on green, thus moving the traffic quickly onto the Interstate highway. What wasn't taken into account by that engineer was all the jerks who were going to race by those of us in line single file to cut in front of the cars approaching that 2-lane section of road. They speed by the line and cut right in so they make the next signal, instead of having to wait as many as three rotations of the signal to get through the intersection like the rest of us respectfully do. And, they appear to have no conscience about it. I blow my horn at them. I yell at them. I have even engaged in unladylike gestures when a driver is particularly rude, but all to no avail.

This vehicle cut in front of me and when I honked,
the driver used a rude gesture to express his annoyance
that I would blow my horn! Talk about jerks!

When I was a school girl and someone cut in the lunchroom line, there was a lot of verbal protest and the person was forced to go to the end of the line. We can't do that here. The police don't care; they've got real crimes to solve, real criminals to chase. So, I am stuck with these bullies on the highway and there's not a darned thing I can do about it.






Then, one morning I started taking their photos. I love my Galaxy S5 and its 13 megapixel camera. So, that is how I vent my frustration now. It's how I prevent "road rage." Instead of yelling or honking, I take their picture. If they have no regard for me, why should I have any regard for them?

I know it doesn't change anything. These drivers are still bullies. But, it makes me feel better to take their pictures. (The ones you see here are from August.) And, it is a relief to post them here and put them out to the Universe.

If you recognize a car, feel free to tell that driver to stop being a bully.  I hope you embarrass that person. They deserve to be embarrassed, among other things.

The world is tough enough without having to fight to get to work. No one is going to get where they're going any quicker by being in bully. In fact, you might even make yourself late. I think they call it karma ...