In article , "Kim"
writes:

"N2EY" wrote in message
...
In article , "Kim "

writes:

Hmmm, not only no, but hell no. I can be treaded on all "they" want.
I've declared war on the road, tell ya that. I travel a good number of
miles
to work.

By your own choice.

And, it's so bad "out there" that when I do 70-75 (in a 60 zone),
there will be creeps that pull up behind me and start this moving to the
left so they're on the shoulder and can see the traffic around the front
of me; or flashing their headlights so I'll move outta "their" way; or
pulling
up so close that all I see of their lights behind me is a halo because
they're only about 2' distance from my rear bumper.

What lane are you in when they do this?

The far left--the "fast" lane as it is called. Funny thing is, if you
mention to people at the office or wherever, that it doesn't mean the "break
the speed limit lane," you ought to hear the validations for people doing
just that.

But you're already speeding, Kim. And not by an amount that can be
explained by the usual inaccuraccies and imperfections of speedometers.

Yet your getting ticked off because someone wants to go even faster.

The argument is along the lines that this is the lane where, if
someone needs to pass, speeding is legal to get around them;

Ah - but why does someone *need* to pass?

As Dee points out, on a two-lane, two direction road, it may be necessary to
go fast to get out of a tough passing situation. But on a multilane divided
highway where traffic is already zooming at the speed limit or above, why does
anyone not in a life-and-death emergency situation *need* to pass?

or, this is the
lane where if the majority of drivers wants to go a little faster than the
flow of traffic, they do it there! There's more validations, but that's the
gist of it...!!

And they take the risk of being fined, or worse.

Note that I let you know that I am already speeding, as it is. Up to about
15 MPH over the posted speed.

Right.

So you have justified such speeding to yourself, even though it violates the
law. The person behind you who wants to go 20-25 MPH over the limit has
almost certainly justified their behavior to him/herself, even though it also
violates the law.

Or, they'll do the
ultimate stupidity and pass then pull into the spot that I have created
in
front of me so that they can start leapfrogging from one lane to the
next.
Well, used to be I'd move. No more. I sit right there. And, they still
go
around but now I creep up just ever so slightly (still maintain a safe
distance from the vehicle in front of me) and see if they'll still dare
slide in. Well, sometimes they do. So, since they've usually been
behind
me flashing their headlights, I'll go the lazy man's route and just leave
mine on high beam--and I've got some bright lights.

And if an accident occurs, you'll hit them, and the judgement may be that
it was *your* fault!

I hope I've got enough leverage between them and me.

I hope so too, but if they don't, you might be in a bad spot. Particularly if
someone dies or is seriously injured. Try arguing your high beams at a
graveside....

I prefer, and usually
can manage to, approx. 6 or more carlengths in front of me. More if I can
maintain it, but that's hard.

That's good.

I go on the "Duel" philosophy (from the old TV movie by Speilberg): I'd
rather
have a nutcase driver in front of me, where I can watch him/her, than
behind
me. I've actually pulled over and let 'em go by rather than have them
follow me.

Know what happens here? If one is cautiously staying behind a fruitcake
driver, all the hurry-up-and-get-me-knowwhere nitiwits start passing like
they are the charging brigade--never taking just a moment to see what they
are pulling up on (a very dangerous situation with a driver ahead way too
close to the vehicle in front of them) or someone who's been doing a bit of
weaving; or whatever. So, depending upon the situation, letting this person
stay in front instead of taking the first opportunity to get around them,
can be more hazardous.

I disagree. I simply pull over and let the whacko get farther ahead. Miles, if
necessary. At 60 MPH, one minute of delay buys me a mile of space. I can spare
that minute.

Then, there's the folks in the store. You'll know who I'm talking about
here. The folks who walk up behind you and have a couple of things in
their
hands and start practically doing calisthenics (sp) to careen in front of
you so you'll see they only have a couple of things and let them go
ahead.

I haven't encountered that yet. Must be a Texas thing...

Wow. Really?

Honest. Stores here mostly have express lanes (10 items or less) - some have
two or even three levels of express (8 items or less, 15 items or less, etc.).
And they enforce the item count.

Maybe I just need to move. This is so commonplace down here,
you're considered the idiot if you don't let these folks get ahead.

I've never encountered that sort of behavior. Line discipline/courtesy around
here is really very good, even around the holidays. Maybe it *is* a regional
thing.

Used to do that, too. No more. It's my turn dammit and they can wait.
Now, don't get me wrong: if I happen to turn to one side or the other and
I
notice someone patiently waiting their turn, I let them go ahead. But
these
creeps who think that they are entitled to getting around just because th
ey
are far more important than anyone else...nope, not doin' it any more.
And,
depending upon how showy they are about how important they are is how
slow I
am to slowly unload my cart, slowly find my checkbook, confirm the price
however many times it needs confirming, very carefully write my check,
etc.

Passive aggressive behavior, IOW.

I use a different approach completely in stores. I call it the CQT
(Cuteness Queueing Theory) method. Works like this:

Whenever you're in a store that has two or more checkout lines, choose
which
line to be in by how attractive/cute/sexy/whatever the checkout person is.
Doesn't matter how long the line is - get in the line with the checkout
person
you find most attractive. For some reason, that line always seems to move
the fastest.

It may not be the fastest, but it sure seems that way!

Now, Jim. Forgive me for being non-male here, but I don't generally find
myself "checking out" at the check out. GRIN

Try it. Enjoy the scenery. Why not? And remember, the criteria of
attractiveness is yours alone.

Or, the teeny-bopper eh-heh couple that thinks everyone wants to see them
practically making love in public. If we are all in a line at a store or
something and I see another person who is as dismayed by this as me, I'll
say something like, "thank goodness for birth control." The other person
will usually say something back (having just *waited* for the
opportunity)
like, "doesn't look like they use it." Or some such thing. For some
reason, *that* is when these creeps get embarrassed.

I like that! Here's another, copied from the "Seinfeld" episode, but you
have
to be with your SO to do it. Simply start talking all sweet to each other
(the
episode had Jerry and his girlfriend calling each other "schmoopie").
Folks of
our age look ancient to many kids that age, and when we behave that way it
drives them nuts. Of course, it takes some discipline to keep a straight
face
while calling each other "Bunny" and "Huggybear" and such, plus you hafta
have the right person with you to do it at all.

"Snookums" causes wide-area gagging and retching if done right.

Hey, now. I like that one!! My darlin' would never do that, though.

Doesn't have to be your spouse...

He's
still in the phase that he puts up with this stuff and then crabs about it
later--the phase I used to be in. BUT, it'd be neat to get in line with one
of my girlfriends and start acting gay!

"Not that there's anyhting wrong with that!" (also from Seinfeld)

If I get the courage to do that,
and have one of my girlfriends who'll join in, I'll have to let you know how
it turns out.

bwaahaahaa

I love that scene in "Ghost" with (was it?) Meg Ryan
simulating an orgasm at the restaraunt table! I cracked up.

That was Meg Ryan and Billy Crystal in "When Harry Met Sally". He had said she
couldn't convincingly fake it.

The topper to her performance was the little old lady (played by the director's
real-life mom) who said "I'll have what she's having"...

There was also a Seinfeld about faking....


Then, there's what I call the "buddy" creeps. The philosophy is to shop
in
pairs and have one stand in line while the other keeps going back and
getting things that were "forgotten." And, the one standing in line will
keep turning and saying please excuse us...giggle. I used to just
throw a
fake smile. Not any more. Now I say, "no, I won't excuse you, you are
holding all of us up here and it's rude and inconsiderate of you."

I don't mind a thing or two, but after that it's a different story.

Such shenanigans are unknown around here. I've seen people one cart from the
belt pull out of line and go to the rear because they forgot something.

I've gotten disgusted enough with all this crappy behavior that no one gets
the benefit of the doubt anymore, either. And, it's not just me. I've
talked to folks at the office and they are all the same way. In fact, we've
all forgiven each other for our behavior ahead of time...;o

The problem is that your anger makes *you* miserable.

And restaurants. Oh my goodness how many times have you been at an
eatery,
only to have some creep's misbehaving little future creep keep popping up
over the booth seat to let out a shrill of a scream with laughter right
behind--over and over and over again...or let the little tyrant run
rampant
while the beautiful couple (yeah right) sits and eats in peace while
their
monster runs to every table standing there like you're supposed to
applaud
them or something. I used to grin and bear that, too. Now, I get up,
and
I'll actually say something to the parents about how disruptive their
"child" (term used loosely) is being to everyone else's table--so can I
sit
at theirs. That one there gets real sneers. Ask me if I care. They
don't, I ain't gonna.

Fortunately I haven't run into that very much. Yet.

Yeah, I tried to take my parents out to a very nice dinner and there was one
of these kids in the "booth" (yeah, I know...a booth at a nice restaraunt,
go figure) next to us. Well, this kid was directly behind my parents.
After about the 3rd or 4th time the kid kept doing this, I became the
obnoxious one. I kept saying, "SIR!" over and over again until the dad, who
was trying his hardest to ignore me, looked at me and I said, "could you
keep your kid reigned in? We are trying to have a family dinner ourselves
over here." Well, these folks were so offended that they demonstratively
got up, and abruptly left. As they were walking away I thanked them. I
hope they talk about that for the next 20 years.

That was a pretty good example of being assertive, I think.

Well, as I've been doing this more and more over the past 5-6 months or
so,
I am also noticing that there are others doing this. I don't know that
it's
always been done by others and I've just never noticed, but I notice that
there *are* others who are doing it. I am refreshed by that. I am tired
of
always being the friendly, patient, kind one--just to keep getting
stepped on by the creeps...

Maybe we've all had it... grin

One can be assertive without being nasty, though.

It sure sounds like people are in one heck of a hurry down there,
though...

Yes. They are.

I wonder why?

And, while my behavior is not "forgiveable," I am no where
as nasty as these folks are being.

Isn't that an entirely subjective judgement?

73 de Jim, N2EY