Many of you have asked where in the world I've been.

All I know is that after 7 plus years of blogging and a different lappy, which I don’t like, I seem to have lost my blogging fervor.

Someday, when you least expect it, I will post again.

For those of you still waiting I say thank you.

Meanwhile, I am rather prolific on twitter. Find me: @KeethaB
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The Eclectic Company - Waitin' on a New Adventure!!
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Sunday, June 6, 2010

Not Today - - - Not on MY Watch

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Pet Peeve 101:

People who IGNORE "Lane Ends" or "Merge" signs.

You know the ones - - - the ones who believe THEY and THEIR agendas are of far more value than you and yours.

We have in our town, right on my way home, one such spot. The right lane ends and is merged into the left just after an intersection.


(Photo from safetysystemshawaii.com)

Before the intersection it is clearly marked.


(Photo from commons.wikimedia.org)

Even a nondriving kindergartener could plainly see what is SUPPOSED to happen at this spot.

Many folks, like myself, who traverse this way on a frequent or even daily basis can ALSO discern what these signs mean, and WE merge to the left before the intersection and stay politely in our lanes.

There are others, however, who think that their own wishes, desires, needs far outweigh those of the rest of us mere mortals and rush ahead in the right lane, forceing their way over into the left at the last possible second, causing the rest of us to brake, run the risk of a rear-end-pile-up, and create snarled, snagged, slowed traffic in the left lane.

Usually I am helplessly trapped somewhere over in the left lane, merged there like a good little safe-driver sardine, unable to do anything about those ne'er-do-well left lane passer-uppers.

Ah - - - but NOT today. Today it was MY watch.


(Photo from seniorsmovingsafely.com)

This is the only graphic I could find, and it shows the left lane merging right - - - but give it the old mirror image effect in your mind and all will be well.

Today I was car "B." Today I saw honkin'-big-black-truck "A" coming up on my right side thinking to pass me in the intersection and cut me off on the other side by side-swipe merging left directly in front of me.

Maybe he thought I looked like a harmless little grandma type.

Maybe he thought I was a slow poke driver.

Maybe he didn't think.



He could have gotten a CLUE from the color of my car that I "ain't" no slow-poke granny!

I accelerated.

So did he.

I accelerated more.

I'm so happy to tell you - - - he did NOT get in my lane ahead of me. I scored one tiny victory for all us "little guys" who hate this sort of thing.

The moral of the story is:

If you are a "little guy" like me, take heart, one of us WON today.

If you are one of those "honkin'-big-ne'er-do-well-lane-stealers," shame on you - - - mend your ways and merge when it says MERGE! And if you don't "get" this - - - I COULD tell you how I really feel.

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8 comments:

Linda @ A La Carte said...

Oh that makes me so mad!!!! Hate that so good for you!!!

kyooty said...

EXACTLY!!!! and ramps? are not slow down ramps when they are going onto the Highway/Expressway/interstate!!! ugh!

Kristin - The Goat said...

Awesome!!! There was this spot in East Lansing (ya know, home of those Michigan State Spartans) that turned into dirt and I would come home and say - got another one in the dirt today. :) You are a woman after my own heart.

Today the heavens opened up and I can comment - not sure what went on last week.

Kristin - The Goat

Angie said...

In my little corner of England we are generally the polite kind of drivers. Not like those city types who think they own the road. It's hard for us to drive anywhere near a big city because they are just an alien species and the normal rules don't seem to apply. Your graphic made perfect sense to me, driving on the other side as we do.

Holly said...

Heh! This gets on my nerve too. There is a merge lane right by my house, so I get to experience the merge stress on a regular basis. The speed limit is 40 but I know people do 60 just to pass, gah! Some people just never learned in kindergarten about taking their turn.

Tonja said...

Say what you will...you were just being a good teacher and teching this truck driver a lesson or two! Good for you! And, if you had heard what he called you, you would have put him in long term suspension! Once a teacher...always a teacher!

Debby@Just Breathe said...

Good for you!!! I know exactly what you mean. Someone is always trying to get ahead in those lanes and I don't let them win either.

Madonna said...

I am so glad you won the battle for the good and right. I get so angry when I see those ppl who want to fly down the closing lane just so they can be a couple cars ahead. Sometimes my inner self has a terrible battle about this because my nature inclination is to not let them get ahead of me no matter what.