Why do slow drivers annoy me so much? I'M a slower driver! But not THAT slow. Well, maybe I should describe myself as cautious. I think that is different than slow. Being cautious is more like making sure your seatbelt is on before you go, looking both ways (twice) before entering an intersection -- things like that. But I am definitely NOT slow - although I do not speed - which doesn't make me slow, only obedient to the traffic laws :)
The other night my daughter and I were behind slow people. And I mean S L O W. We were driving down Main Street (which, by the way, is extremely charming and lovely - especially in the evening). We had the misfortune of being behind a car from Oregon (and I don't mean to offend Portlanders - except if you're slow). Our little town is about 7 miles from the northwestern border of Oregon, so . . . This was a car from there - - THAT side of Oregon - - and it was being driven by a couple of older people, who were sightseeing from their car (even though I'm sure they've probably been to our town a zillion times before). Mind you, I like to look out my window at pretty and interesting things also, but when I'm in a car in the middle of a lane of traffic I actually MOVE. I do not stop in the middle of the street to oooh and aaaah while the cars behind me begin to pile up.
My daughter and I didn't go down Main Street so we could ooooh and aaaah. We went down Main Street to get from Point A to Point B. Needless to say, we were a bit annoyed with the sightseeing, slow driving, annoyingly annoying old people from Oregon! Hey! Look! There's a parking space! USE IT!!!!!! And get outta my way.
Since I have taken over the driving from the hubs I'm happy to say we haven't been honked at once, nor has anyone given us the drivers salute. I must move a tad faster than he does.
ReplyDeleteOf course, I only get annoyed with slow drivers if I'm behind them! Otherwise, no problem! haha
DeleteMy friends have always called me 'Mario Andretti' b/c I hate slow drivers! But my boyfriend's made me more conscious of my driving b/c he was afraid to drive w/ me b/c of my aggressiveness. I've toned it down a lot.
ReplyDeleteBy slow, I mean way under the speed limit :) I grew up learning how to drive in So Cal, where you had to be a little aggressive, but I've since changed since we moved up to this little town :)
DeleteLike this? ;)
Deletehttp://noisyquiet.blogspot.com/2011/07/driving-with-old-people.html
Yes! Exactly like that - - except you forgot that they brake when they come to an intersection, even if the light is green, because they are anticipating that it MIGHT turn yellow!!!!!
Delete:)
DeleteLOL; we sometimes are that slow driving couple, but as soon as hubby realizes there is someone behind him, he'll pull over (its usually when we are driving through neighborhoods looking at the houses there, but not on busy streets, otherwise he drives like a maniac, son too; I can't believe I ever sat in the car with son and helped him learn to drive, I'm always reaching for the imaginary brake when he drives these days :)
ReplyDeleteI rarely drive, but I do try to at least go the speed limit when I do :)
hope otherwise you're doing good!
betty
Betty, I have done that too - - but then like you I realize someone is behind me and speed up or pull over :) I made my husband drive with our children when they were learning because I new I would freak out and that wouldn't help anyone!!
DeleteI hate every driver except me. Totally feel your pain.
ReplyDeleteThat cracked me up, Marianne - - that is EXACTLY how I feel! And when I'm in a car, I hate pedestrians! And bicyclists! hahaha
DeleteI,too, hate slow drivers. However, I'm a bit of a nut when it comes to driving. My dad still yells at me that I go too fast, but since I had the kids, I've really toned it down! He doesn't believe me. What REALLY gets me, though, is those idiots who don't pull over for emergency vehicles. My husband is an EVO (emergency vehicle operator), and listening to him rant about assholes on the road has greatly influenced my opinion, LOL! :-)
ReplyDeleteI'm the only one in my family who drives the speed limit - - my children are all like my husband and feel the need for speed :)
DeleteI didn't get my 1st speeding ticket until I was 36 yrs old and it was because I was behind some very slow motorhomes coming from the coast no place to pullover or pass & soon as it did open up to pass.. WHAM I was speeding & caught :( I then became a speeding hussy (to say it nicely) 3 more tickets and 2 in the same month. I now WILL NOT speed, so I am that person going JUST the speed limit even when everyone else is going 20 over :)) everytime I get tailgated I say out loud in the car "sorry you are not going to get me a ticket" go around and I do make room for them to do that:}
ReplyDeleteI haven't driven in oregon lately so I am glad I am not the one annoying you because ...Hey I am only going the speed limit my hussy speeding days are behind me along with all the other cars on the road LOL
Nothing like a few very expensive speeding tickets to motivate us to slow down (speaking from my husband's experience!)!
DeleteThere's nothing worse, is there! Sometimes I think driving too slow is just as dangerous as driving too fast.
ReplyDeleteFor sure, Kellie - - or someone who pulls out in front of you and won't speed up so you don't plow into his rear! Ugh!!
DeleteMy "favorite" is the car that must pass me because I am going too slow, only to pull in front of me and drop below the speed limit. I usually suck it up and stay where I am....who knows? They might now that around the bend is a speed trap!
ReplyDeleteI got pulled over once for speeding up to pass someone (in a passing lane). I didn't know you couldn't exceed the speed limit to pass :)
DeleteWhoa - I guess I didn't know that either - that you can't exceed the speed limit in order to pass. I do it all the time - gulp. We have some beautiful roads around here and roads that are very familiar to me. I hate to get behind someone who is tooling along - enjoying the road, no doubt, or unsure of it - but can't they pull over and let me pass? I enjoy the roads too but I have places to go, people to see. I also get annoyed when I get behind any kind of truck, camping vehicle or any large SUV - I just hate that my view of the road ahead is greatly diminished by bigger vehicles .... of course, I drive a VW bug so pretty much everyone is bigger....
ReplyDeleteI HATE not being able to see around trucks and big SUVs in front of me! It kind of makes me claustrophobic!
Deleteit makes me nervous just to imagine it
ReplyDeleteI am the opposite of what you call a s l o w driver and just reading about it makes me think of driving faster-)
(always cautioning my kids to be extra careful)
You have pictures to take - - you HAVE to drive fast!
DeleteDon't you love tourists? I live in a tourist down, so I really feel your pain being behind the slowpokes who are too bust oohhinh and aahhning to DRIVE.
ReplyDeleteI say that's what parking is for :)
DeleteLOL I just attribute stuff like that to menopause. :) But yeah I know what you mean on pokey drivers.
ReplyDelete