Stupid Driver Tricks: Part Two

Yesterday morning, like most mornings, I rode along a 4 lane street going west. It drops down a small incline, and about half a mile further on, I make a left turn to the south. There’s a culvert half way between the hill and the turn. It’s my decision point. If traffic is heavy, I try to get into the left lane at the culvert. If it’s lighter, I wait until I’m a little closer to the turn.

But today I dithered. There was traffic overtaking, but it looked as if there was a break I could slide into and make my turn. I checked in the mirror a couple of times and saw all the cars move over into the left lane – all except one. A black Chevy Impala accelerated hard, moving past the line of cars on the left, and overtaking me very quickly. I suppose the driver saw the ‘open’ lane as an opportunity to floor it.

There was just one problem – one of those pesky cyclists toodling along in the right hand lane. (Ever since making the acquaintance of Miss Road Rage 2005, I’ve been fond of that word – toodling!)

So what’s a driver to do? Testosterone wouldn’t allow him to slow down, so he sort of half-merged into the left lane, splitting the lane like a motorcyclist. And that would have worked nicely if there hadn’t been that left turn up ahead and he hadn’t neatly wedged himself between two other cars with little room to spare. Other motorists were slowing for the turn, and Racer Boy had to spike his brakes to keep from rear-ending someone. Much horn blaring ensued, lots of flashing lights and single-digit salutes, too. He narrowly avoided a collision, a matter of inches, not feet.

Racer Boy floored it again, moved back into the right hand lane just in front of me. “And like that,” Verbal opened his hand, “He was gone!” (Kevin Spacey as Roger 'Verbal' Kint in “The Usual Suspects”)

Who has such an important job that they have to endanger everyone around them in order to save a few seconds? What is it that inspires a competitive instinct when some get behind the wheel?