Lead, Follow, Or Get Out Of The F*cking Way!
I was unfortunate enough to be on the street this afternoon during rush hour, if you think it’s a frustrating experience in a car you should try it on a bike. We’re designed to go!, not sit, and it was during a “sit” that it dawned on me what it is that personally bugs me the most about rush hour traffic — other drivers absolutely pathetic reaction times at the light.
I’m not an unreasonable man, in fact I’m actually a pretty patient guy….. I’m not asking for the 1/2 second reaction time John Force is able to consistently lay down, but I am looking for something better than 4 or 5 seconds – because that is the difference between the guy who is #25 in the line getting through the intersection before the light goes red again, and maybe just getting to within a few frustrating car lengths of it.
I don’t know what some of some of these idiots are doing but it’s definitely something other than paying attention to the light. I kid you not, I was able to sit with the bike in neutral, both feet on the ground, hands on the tank, see the light go green and have time to get the left foot on the peg, reach for the clutch, pull the clutch, shift into gear…., and then sit there and f*ucking wait for the 10 cars in front of me to start to move.
For the love of all that is good and right in the world just what the f*ck are they doing? Yacking on the phone? Checking their email? Reading a book? Copping a feel from whoever is in the right-hand seat? Have they gone to freaking sleep at the wheel?
Did no one explain to them that the name of this game is “get home as fast as reasonably possible“?
At this point I am absolutely convinced that most of the yob-bo’s on Ottawa’s streets would lose a drag race against a three toed tree sloth stretched out on quaaludes because they’d be beaten off the f*cking start line line 9.5 times out of 10.
WELCOME TO MY NIGHTMARE SL. THE BIZARRE NATURE OF HOMOSAP BLOWS MY MIND. WHILE FRUSTRATING I’M GLAD THERE IS A LEAST ONE OTHER BEING WHO FINDS THIS INSATIABLE HERDING DESIRE UNACCEPTABLE . =)
And you questioned my choice of vehicle SL? My baby has the intestinal fortitude to haul off that line pretty quick. I bought it as a public service.
This is one of my biggest pet peeves here in Vancouver. I calculate an average of a six second delay between the time the light turns green, and the dinosaurs-sized brains realizing they have to start driving. No doubt this is a major contribution to pollution: stupidity.
Yes, yes, yes! SL, please run for office on this platform. I promise not to refuse my ballot.
And while you are ridding us of these blights on the social fabric, would you also do something about the folks in grocery store lines who stare blankly at the cash register total for ten seconds (as if the’ve been mentally tracking the addition of eighty items and want to make sure the computer was on its toes) before begining the torturously slow search for whichever of their twenty cards they intend to use to pay. And the bank machine customers who stare at the damn machine until they realize once again it isn’t going to talk to them. And, no, I’m not talking about the elderly.
Raph,
That’s because Vancouver drivers are always waiting for a different shade of green. Maybe something a little more… Pacific teal.
Welcome to our fast paced modern world that would have amazed our grandparents.
I live in a small town of 13,000 and have the same problem with slacked brained dithering drivers.
Hey, Canuckguy – email me. I want to suggest something amusing. Balbulican@stageleft.info.
Let me add to the list… slow drivers who refuse to get out of the way.
We did a little over 400km on the bikes this afternoon and there were at least 1/2 a dozen times where we found ourselves in a string of cars being held up by someone puttering along like they owned the road.
Idiots that appear completely unaware that they are frustrating the people behind them and creating dangerous situations when people finally get fed up and pull out to pass under questionable circumstances.
Whats the big deal with slowing down (even more) and pulling slightly to the right at an appropriate spot and letting people pass? Without a doubt these slow pokes are some of the most inconsiderate drivers on the road.