Outrageous on the Roads…

Johnny-on-the-Spot … by John Foster …

A recent news story rated all 50 of our states based on road rage incidents.

Arizona topped the list.

Must be the dry heat.

Surprisingly (to me) Rhode Island was second.

Since it’s the smallest state, I assumed folks weren’t on the roads long enough to get ticked off.

Should Interstate 1/2 be there?

(That’s a small joke.)

West Virginia was third.

The “Volunteer state” must offer up the abuse free of charge.

Virginia was 4th.

Didn’t their license plates say something about being the “For Lovers” state?

Road rage is increasing.

In 2022, 413 people nationwide were injured in road rage shootings.

That’s up 135% from 2018.

What exactly is considered road rage?

Being forced off the road by another driver.

Blocked from changing lanes.

Cut off (on purpose).

Yelled at, insulted or threatened by another driver.

Tail-gaiting.

Rude or offensive gestures.

Honking. (Not a quick “Beep!” but really laying into horn.

Contributing to road rage is:

Heavy traffic, drivers already stressed, drivers running late, drivers already feeling angry, tired drivers.

Where does the most “road rage” occur?

Freeways and highways.

Parking lots.

Intersections.

Rural roads.

National traffic and highway safety numbers indicate 62% of American drivers had some actual driver education training before getting a license to drive.

That still means you have about a 1 in 3 chance of that person coming towards you not really knowing what they should be doing.

Those that had drivers ed evidently forgot some of the information taught.

One of my aggravations is coming to a 4-way stop.

I think many drivers are clueless.

First vehicle there has the right-of-way.

You turn in the order you arrived and made a full stop.

A tie always goes to the vehicle on the right.

Going straight?

You go before turning vehicles.

Right then left.

This is the reason I think we’re seeing more of those lovely roundabouts.

It takes the “guesswork” out of who is supposed to go first.

But that requires knowledge of yielding the right of way.

Sort of like the yellow caution light.

It doesn’t really mean, “Go like a bat out of hell!”

Speaking of road rage, those drivers with “ESP turn signals” really annoy me.

They never use them to indicate which direction they’re turning.

I guess they believe their “vibes” will clue me in.

How about the drivers going around the world to the left or right?

Follow one of those drivers for a couple of miles and then check your blood pressure.

I love the interstate “left lane parkers”.

They get out there and it’s 60 miles per hour, come hell or high water.

Drivers not paying attention at traffic signals gall me.

Stopped for a red light is good, but when it changes to “green”, I’m not suggesting we act like it’s the “staging light” at a drag strip, but, come on!

Put the phone down and press on that long, slender pedal just to the left of the brake.

I like driving up to construction zones and when it says to merge in a specific direction, do it.

The folks who stay in the lane to be closed will go right up to the barricades and then hit their turn signal, expecting a “courteous” driver to “let them in”.

I say, “Hope you packed a lunch, Buster, because you had 3 miles to merge like the rest of us did!”

School bus drivers should have a machine gun mounted by the door-opening handle so they could take out the tires of drivers who ignore the “Stop!” arms.

It’s not a request.

Road rage in parking lots gets blamed on lazy Americans.

Put those shopping carts in the corrals or push them back to the front of the store at least.

Plus, watch out for the “parking lot nomads.

Those are the folks who forgot where they left their vehicles and they wander to and fro in search of their ride.

I solved that problem by owning a truck painted “Cyber Orange” according to Ford.

When I exit a store, there it sets in all its’ gaudy glory.

Easy to find.