Yes, it Was Embarrassing

 

When I drive, I constantly come across stupid drivers. To this day I can't figure out how the state allows some of those idiots to have driver's licenses. I see people who blow through stop signs and stop lights. Drivers who turn left from the right lane and right from the left lane. In fifty five years of driving, I've only been in a handful of accidents. All minor and all because of other people's stupidity. One of my biggest pet peeves are people who don't pay attention, especially at stop lights. You've seen them. You've probably been stuck behind them. The light turns green and they just sit there day dreaming or worse, screwing with their phone. I give those people the five second rule. If after five seconds I don't see any attempt at moving on through the intersection, I lean on the horn. That either scares them into action or embarrasses them so much they take off like bullet.

Yesterday I came up to the red light at the six way intersection of Irving Park Road, Damen, and Lincoln Avenue. I was on Lincoln and I was the first car at the light. I watched the first street go on green, Irving Park. Then the light changed and the folks on Damen Avenue had their chance. My usual method at traffic lights is to watch the pedestrian walk signal count down to the don't walk warning. So that's what I did. I looked up at it and it was down to fifteen seconds. Five, four, three, two, one, and I looked back up to my traffic light just in time to see it turn red. Damn, I forgot. Six way intersection. The countdown was for both of the other streets and I missed the green light. I looked up into the rear view mirror. A long line of cars sat behind me, no doubt fuming at the idiot that held things up. But do you know what? Not one of them honked at me to move when the light was green. Assholes, I would have really appreciated somebody letting me know.