Rules of the Road - Politeness

When I drive I’m in aware mode.

I’m scanning traffic both in front and in my rear view mirrors.

I compensate for unaware drivers, as a fair number of people do.

This morning the 4-wheeler in front of me was in a hurry, he was riding the bumper of the car in front of him, less than half a car length.

We were in the fast lane, a large truck was ahead of us in the next lane over.

An unaware driver was coming up fast on the truck.

He had plenty of time to turn on his blinker and cross into the fast lane, behind me or in front of me. Yes, I was aware of him coming up to the blockage I was in.

Being unaware he cruised up to within less than a car length of the truck before becoming aware he needed to move over due to his speed.

The 4wheeler, being aware, closed what little gap there was on the car in front of him, effectively blocking the unaware behind the truck.

The unaware driver, suddenly forced to become aware, turned on his blinkers, hit his brakes hard and had to sit and wait as the 4-wheeler passed.

As I knew the events that were about to occur I did not speed up to block, I allowed him to come over in front of me.

He speeds up just enough however to come along side the truck, at which time he flips the driver off.

He then speeds up, crosses in front of the truck, sticks his hand out and up into the air indicating to the driver he should move over into a slower lane.

Meaning of course the truck driver should have been aware enough to be in a slower lane.

After doing this for 10 seconds he proceeds to stomp on the gas and take out after the 4-wheeler.

After all, the 4-wheeler should have slowed down to let him over, you know, the polite thing to do.

When I drive I go from point A to point B.

I speed up having been aware enough to have prevented my being involved with an immature twit.

I watch as the unaware slides into lanes, following the 4-wheeler without turning on his blinker, making abrupt lane changes.

The self righteous at work, no need to follow simple rules any longer, endangering others, his cause is justified.

He gets blocked, the 4-wheeler gets a substantial lead on his way to point B.

As the freeway opens up I once again increase my speed.

Even though we are on different freeways I pass the speeding unaware on his righteous quest.

Knowing from experience his adrenaline surge will die, along with his awareness.

He will of course always believe he is in the right, after all, he's polite.

The fact that he's polite only when he wants to be escapes his awareness.

I loved a “specific” forum on a commercial site, this was years ago.

It was started to prove “X”. It took around two years to prove with confidence and then discuss a hell of a lot of options.

There was a group that became the core group of this forum.

After “X” was proved and various options the core group became bored.

They decided they had worked hard and put in most of the effort so they could use the group to converse about anything.

After all, they were well acquainted friends now.

Newbies coming to the board were treated rudely at times as it got in the way of the core’s conversations.

After all, couldn’t they read the damn FAQ?

It took several years after the first 2 years of the forum before a rename was forced on the group. A social group name that included the specific intent.

That way new people knew it was no longer a “specific” group and might or might not, get the information they sought.

It’s amazing how the self righteous are always able to justify their actions.

No need to use OT or VIDEO in the message header.

After all, doesn’t the core own the group and thereby make whatever rules it can rationalize?

No need to curb the “chatting” so a thread in a “specific” forum has 3 on topic messages and 25 chats tied to it.

Usually consisting of pat-on-the-backs for the core group and intelligized implied snide innuendos for anyone who disagreed with the core group.

Pardon me while I tap the dust from my feet.

No, no, that’s quite alright, I’m just going to point B.


Your Humble Servant,

Gracefully Savage
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