A Temporary Lapse Into A Common Rant

Pardon the rant, but I need to go on about the drivers in DC just a little.

I am lucky in that I never have to drive on the beltway and due to my odd hours and work location I very rarely get stuck in traffic anymore. When I worked just off the "Mall" traffic would kill me, but I can deal, I understand, people need to walk and drive places. Yes, on one or more occasion, it took me three hours to drive the 9 miles to work. 7th and 16th streets can be very bad and so can anywhere near the WH. But traffic, though amazingly bad, is not what bothers me the most.

I don't feel the need to complain about the cyclists (though when your riding the wrong way down any major street at 530 pm your asking to be hit if you ask me) or the pedestrians (who seem to be strongly affected by crosswalk repellents), what really and truly boils my blood are all the rally car drivers around here.

I've lived in a lot of places, places with no speed limits or even no real roads in fact, but nowhere have I been where so many commuters want to be rally car drivers.

Most of my driving is done in the wee hours where I see few other motorists. As was the case yesterday morning as I got onto Conn Ave. Driving along in the middle of three lanes, I approached a really slow SUV. So I move to the left lane, and waited till the light turned green (now mind you I still had about 7 sets of lights to go before I had to make a left and this fella or feller was going about 25 in a 30 or 35) and, as the light turned, I stepped on the gas and so did the SUV, in fact every light for 7 lights if I made ANY attempt to pass the SUV would make sure that I couldn't. So, because I don't think it’s appropriate to break 50 in a 30 zone, I slowed myself down and when behind SUV with 1 light to go. At this light SUV decided with no competitor why break 25...

Now normally I would blow this off and one nutball in a sea of nuts, but this occurrence is almost a daily event! Why on earth are there so many folks who are normal drivers until someone tries to pass them, or get over to make a turn! Or their normal until they see someone ahead then by all means they must drive faster then the wind to be in FRONT!!!!!!!!!!

I just don't understand at all... Its funny though, the more this happens to me, the more I seem to become like them, after being lapped by 3 or 10 drivers on my 10 mile drive, I start to get the urge to do the same. Is this how it started? One crazy rally driver came to DC and angered so many that he asexually produced a multitude of rally wannbes? Or is it an ego trip for the person "there! I passed you, therefore I am better then you!" (and something I may have or wish I had is much MUCH bigger!)

I am really not sure, though I always get a warm happy feeling when someone flies on past and later I see them being greeted by a police officer or the flash of a camera.... this does NOT happen often enough...

I just have to mention the two worst events I have ever witnessed. The first on 16th lots of traffic and some bozo drive 10 mph slower then everyone else was in front of me. So when the opportunity came, I passed. Then two lights later, two lanes and a left turn only lane, he came up on my left, blinker a going, as the light turned green Mr. Bozo gunned it and cut back in front! Only to resume his slow plod into DC... The second was on Irving, when It was really all tore up of 16th, and some jack*** in an SUV decided that the sidewalk was a great way to get ahead of all those losers who so unfairly passed him!

So to sum this up; you are not on a rally track, I am not trying to beat you there (in fact I'm not even going there!), and all this proves is that you need to spend more time either talking to a shrink or in court!

Rant done.