A Road Rage Rant

I drive a lot. Mostly to and from work. Believe me, it's more than enough.

They say the shortest distance between two points is a straight line. Well, the closest thing I can find to a straight line is one of the curviest roads that you can find in this part of Virginia. See, it's one of those long and winding back roads that consists of two lanes and lots of twists.

The twists I'm used to. In fact, when the road stretches on for miles with only me and my car, I have no problem taking those tight turns at 60mph. But then there are the times when it isn't just me on the road. And here comes the rant.

What's the deal with people who drive ten miles under the speed limit? I don't so much mind someone driving slow if it's consistent. By that, I mean that you continue driving slowly when we hit the rare stretch of asphalt that has a broken yellow line. You know, that magical place where it's legal to cross into the opposite lane and pass by the accelerationally challenged.

My problem enters the picture when I'm behind the inconsistent slow drivers. They love to do that magical ten under, right up until the moment we hit that broken line. Then they like to speed up to ten over. This makes it impossible for the impatient drivers behind them to pass. And I, being an extremely impatient driver at 6am, become incredibly irritated. But there's really nothing I can do about it.

There are also a lot of times when it seems like there's no oncoming traffic at all until I reach one of those passing zones. Then, of course, there's that one car that's just enough to keep me from being able to cross the broken line to pass the slow driver. Grrr. Arrgh.

Things are a bit more calm in the afternoon. I don't mean that I'm behind fast drivers or no one at all. I mean that I'm not in a huge hurry to get home in the afternoons. I'm not on anyone's timetable after school lets out. Often I'll get behind a school bus for half the trip, causing my average speed to be about 40mph. But you can't pass a school bus. At least, I don't think you can. But after 3, I really don't care. I know I'll get home at some point. After school driving means no stress.