Off The Cuff

I Own The Road, Didn’t You Know?

Posted by: From Arkansas in Are You Kidding Me?, Travel on May 03 2008

Welcome back!

Today it was brought home to me just how “country” I am getting. Now, I was born and raised in Iowa. My parents migrated to Arkansas after I was out on my own. Some years later, I moved here too. It wasn’t too hard going from a fast paced, rush-rush-rush city environment to a very laid back, “I’ll get there when I get there” type of living. You know, slow and easy. I love that about the country.

But today, I needed to make a trip to southern Arkansas from our home in very northern Arkansas. Having been a trucker, traffic does not bother me…..well, not unless they become kamikaze pilots in cars, that is. I’m thinking that most of those folks need new driver’s education since they all seem to be driving like they just finished lesson number one, IF they finished it!!!

These idiots change lanes without signaling, cut in front of you with a couple of feet to spare and that’s okay apparently, slam on their brakes without notice for who-the-heck knows what, at night they drive with their brights on thus blinding anyone coming at them and so on. There is absolutely no courtesy on the road at all anymore.

I started to drive trucks in 1984. I learned from an ex-trucker who had just gotten off the road to teach others how to drive safely. He taught us courtesy too. I saw a lot of it when I got out there. But as the years went by and the newer, much younger people started to drive trucks, the courtesy went out the window. The new kids driving have no concept of other people and their needs. These people want nothing more than to get their paychecks. They have no interest in doing a good job or driving safely. Now, I did just pile them all into a group. Not true. Some young people do drive like they should. But they appear to be the exception not the rule. That is a crying shame because we all need to see and have a little courtesy for others, especially on the road.

Those people out there were animals with the “me, me, me first” thing going on. Normally, I do see some courtesy but not today. The animals were heading to where ever and they were not about to let anyone or anything stop them!! People are not caring about others like they should. The problem is that this leads to accidents and injuries. It is just not right. But I guess someone can call me Pollyana now.

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