We’re letting the cat out of the bag

I don’t have to be at work until 9:30am, so my 15km commute to work in the mornings is usually stress-free due to the hustle and bustle of traffic and parents bringing their children to school has passed.

Most mornings I leave the house with just enough time to get to work. When I’m feeling extra peppy, I leave shortly after 9am, pop into Starbucks and take my sweet-ass time driving along sipping my peppermint white mocha, often driving under the speed limit and enjoying the fall weather. Driving through one of the local parks is my ultimate favourite part of the morning commute. Especially when the sun peaks through the orange and yellow coloured leaves. Even better when I have a delicious hot drink on hand.

However, the commutes aren’t always a joy. Last week I encountered someone who raced to get to the same street I was about to turn onto. Seeing that I was closer to the turn, I ended up in front of her. Which was unfortunate for her because I was in one of my grandpa-driving moods. Going 45 in the 50 zone. I didn’t really notice her behind me for a while, until she started driving uncomfortably close to my bumper.

One of my pet peeves. But it didn’t seem to bother me. I think the caffeine and the 7+ hours of sleep had me in a state of euphoria.

At least my head wasn’t hanging out of the window singing along.

Clearly, she seemed to be quite late for wherever she had to be. Glancing into my rear view mirror I saw her flailing her arms in the air. And I could definitely tell that she was using a few choice words I’d never use in front of my nephews. She was incredibly ticked off with me, and the traffic.

There isn’t much you can do about that type of congestion, besides taking an alternate route. I could’ve sped up 20 feet to get closer to the car in front of me, but I chose to keep a safe distance. I mean, c’mon… ain’t nobody got time to spill a $6 mocha on her lap.

The traffic was unusually busy on the morning where I left extra time to get to work, which I had absolutely no qualms with since I prepared extra time for me to get to work. I’d also like to know if they realize how nuts they look, yelling and screaming in their car, all by themselves.

Sure everyone has their bad days. But I don’t go crazy on other drivers making a fool of myself. We’re letting the cat out of the bag. People hate it when others drive up someone’s rear and hover at a dangerous distance. No surprise, really. Plus yelling at others in your car, when I, nor no one around can hear, think you’re kinda coo-coo.

I remember one time this past summer, I was at a stop light on the corner of a busy intersection that is almost always jam-packed with traffic. A popular hang-out spot for University students was to my right and I was literally a few feet away from the driveway entrance. I couldn’t inch up to get in the driveway if I wanted to. There was a middle aged man behind me in his tiny little firefly of a car was going irate on me for not moving up so he could get into the driveway.

His anger and aggression in his car was something you’d see in a movie. He was bashing his forearms on the steering wheel, wailing til he was red in the face, and honking his horn. I was waiting for him to just put the pedal to the metal and rear end my car. I hate to say it, but it was comical watching him lose his marbles over a 2 minute stop light. These PEOPLE. Where do they come from?

I’m wondering how these people’s days end up, after they get to work.

Are they angry people outside of their cars? Crazy people? Or just aggressive drivers?

How aggressive of a driver are you?