A couple of mornings ago, I had an interesting experience. I was driving to drop off L at school and go to work. In our area of town, one road gets very crowded in the mornings. It's just beyond the elementary school and is the access to the highway. Most mornings during the school year, the wait is a good 10 minutes, which for us small town folks is just excruciating! But, like all good citizens, you just get in line and wait your turn...isn't this what we learned in kindergarten, people?!?
Well most of us did, but there is about 10% of the population who must have been absent that day. These Jerks (as I affectionaly call them) get in the other lane and then cut you off at the last minute. I've seen this happen the last 18 months and have been annoyed, but not much has happened.
Well, that all changed the other morning, when one of these "jerks" did this and rear ended me. I was furious! I had L in the car (driving Lance's smaller car) and the guy was driving a Yukon. Fortunately L and I were fine and so was the car, but...when I got out to investigate, I told the guy that he was very fortunate nothing had happened because what he did was very rude. I told him that he must be more important than the rest of us since he couldn't wait in line. He responded with..."yes, I am". Not, "I'm sorry ma'am", not "is your child okay, are you okay?" not, "I was a jerk", but... "yes, I'm more important than you".
Wow...what's sad is that he wasn't a kid, he looked to be about my age and with a wedding ring on and I would bet money he had just dropped his kid(s) at the elementary school.
Dude, I'm sorry you were running late, but you'd be a lot later if you had hurt someone or damaged their property! I was floored by his behavior. I called the police mostly to report that they really need to monitor this area more heavily. Hopefully, this guy will think about this from now on and not cut people off, but more than likely since he's more important than the rest of us he won't.
Once I got back in the car and calmed down a bit, I heard the little voice in the backseat say, "I'm going to tell my friends that I crashed into a jerk." I couldn't help but laugh, but oops! Momma forgot who was listening to her. I probably should have/could have handled the situation better. The cutting off thing is just one of my pet peeves! UGH!
What would you have done? I'm sure some of you would have handled it alot better than me!!
3 comments:
Well, I'm very glad that you spoke up to him and I too am floored by his response!!!!
Agirl and I were VERY nearly hit the other morning. Some 'jerk' ran a stop sign, we did not have one. I slammed on my brakes and layed on the horn and he had the nerve to honk back at me!!!!! I was very shaken up and my first instinct was to chase him down and beat the snot out of him!!! I don't play around when my kids are in the car! He would have hit me and left my kids without their mom!!!
I figured if I didn't chase him, he'd have a knife or a gun and my kids wouldn't have a mom!
So, I wouldn't handle things much differently or better than you!!
I had to call Steve to hear his voice and settle my nerves! Praise God none of us were hurt!
Of course there are many more important people than us on the road!!!
When you told me the accident shortly after it happen, I was floored as well. I can't believe a grown man would respond that way. These situations happen everyday, jerks on the road testing us. Or should I say God, testing us. Its hard, we respond from shock and frustration. You did fine, you pointed out that he needed to pay closer attention and not be so self absorbed. I think he will remember what happen the next time his in a situation like that. Hopefully, he'll act different.
I would have done the same thing. I get furious when someone so much as gets too close to my lane or tailgates. I feel like screaming, "Hello! I've got precious cargo in here and if you hurt my children, you better hope you don't survive because I'll finish you off!" I know that's not the "right" thing to think, but these are my babies. Find me a Mom that wouldn't react the same way!
You go girl!
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