@usefewersyllables
Or the news is just emphasizing it more. Here's a recent (as in the last couple days) road rage shooting because no one teaches kids how to merge anymore: An 11 year old passenger in the victim's car was shot!.

I've noticed that merging is a real issue. It really does seem that people either don't know how to merge, or how merging is supposed to happen, or I guess, don't care. The merging vehicle insists on coming in and stopping traffic on the main road even though they do not have the right of way. It's weird.

The story about the football players and their cars is priceless! I can believe, unfortunately, that they don't know how to drive very well, and also that they are so 'special' they think their Lamborghini toomuchmoneyo should fly when they demand. I think the county should focus on the roid-ragers and ball players. Save some money for the locals who are paying for the stadium!

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your stories!

is a hotbed of road-rage. Shots have been fired from car to car a few times here recently, and roadside fistfights are fairly common. I keep a 4-D-cell Maglite in the drivers door pocket of each of our cars, primarily for its utility as a club. Things have definitely gotten worse as times have become harder. But the best of it still has to be the snow. There are lots of folks who have moved here from warmer climates, so it is always fun after a snow seeing which states' license plates have slid off the road into our many scenic ditches.

One of the many misfortunes I face is having to drive past the Denver Broncos training center every day when driving to my office (that is, on the days I actually go in post-Covid). In addition to not being able to play football, those guys can't drive worth a *damn*. On the other hand, they have more money than Gawd, and lots of 'roid-rage. So it is always fun to watch them playing slicey-dicey in traffic in their very expensive cars: getting the chop put on you by a massively jacked Hummer or a bulletproofed Mercedes is pretty much a daily occurrence. But oh, the joy when it snows for the first time in a season. That's when the ballers learn that ABS brakes and automatic traction control simply let you hit things under complete control.

The best of those was the season prior to Covid. The Broncos had traded for some yahoo from Florida, if the plates were to be believed, and he was presumably late for practice- and it had unexpectedly snowed 6 inches the night before. So he came flying up to the intersection of Potomac and Broncos Parkway at about 75 in his bright-yellow Lamborghini Toomuchmoneyo, slid past me right through the red light miraculously missing the many cars tiptoeing across the snow-packed intersection, launching over the curbs, and sliding off at least 100 yards into the empty pasture across Potomac from the training center. He then proceeded to get out of the car and throw a *classic* tantrum, when he saw the big trail of oil where he'd ripped the oil pan (and probably a lot of other Expensive Things) out from under the car during his brief flight.

Then the cops showed up: regrettably for the 'roid-ragers, the Arapahoe county courthouse and cop-shop is right next door. They probably heard the crunch, if not the subsequent shouting. I didn't have the wherewithal to pull over to watch the rest of the show, but I'm sure that it was worth the price of admission. The car stayed there for a couple of days before they brought in the skyhook to get it out...

Good times. Arapahoe County could probably erase their budget deficit entirely if they'd just focus on ticketing the ballers for overly-aggressive driving.

@on the cusp
Usually in big pick-up trucks. They go slow and hold back traffic, but speed up and won't let you pass if you try to do so. I got to the point that I don't even try usually. My little wee Honda next to their big huge long cab truck? Of course, as soon as we hit a hill with a passing zone, I can race by. My little Honda can speed up very quickly!

Bless you for dealing with the family violence cases. They are so sad, so frustrating. And violence just seems to be a default 'answer' for any problem now. Maybe it's another sign that our society (or societies) are failing.

Thanks for stopping by and sharing your story! Have a great weekend!

I think Texas.
Hubby was driving behind a slow 1 ton dually. Two lane, country road. When he got a chance to pass, he really had to hurry due to upcoming hill and double yellow stripes. As he got right beside the truck, the truck floor boarded it, and we were in a damn race! Hubby got us around that truck, and it suddenly slowed down, and turned off only a side road. I remember when we passed, the man glared at me.
wtf was that all about?
Road rage is a thing, eh?
Lots of family violence in my current slate of family law cases. I mean, shootings, beatings, chokings...It is becoming the norm.
Be nice, even when you don't want to be, and walk away, even if you want to stay and fight. Distance is the best defense.
Everybody, stay safe!

@QMS
When there's a stop sign in 200 yards, or whatever. I actually taught myself that with stats (sort of) a long time ago. I would think, 'Hey, this dude is going too slow, I'll pass him'. Then at the end of the bridge (where there is a stop light) or at the next stop sign the person I passed will pull up right behind me. So how much time did I save in risking life and limb passing? None. What's the point of the rage? I think it's better to just wait, let them pull over if they can when they can, and enjoy the drive and the scenery without risking anything or getting angry.

I hope that would work in a city too, but I just don't know.

I like the fix-it route too. My car is... gulp, over 20 years old now. And it drives like a champ most of the time, because I have it checked every 6 months and repaired when needed. The repair shop manager told me if I ever wanted to sell my car, to let her know, because she'd buy it in an instant!

Thanks for commenting and stopping by! Jaska is laying at my feet again, she is learned to hop efficiently on one front leg. She's in good spirits and is mentally sharp, so there's that!

are the young construction worker types in their oversized pick-em-up trucks.
Always speeding, tailgating, braking hard, flipping-off us vintage safety types.
Funny thing is, the town is so small, why get into warp speed mode when the
next stop sign is just up the next bend? Oh well.

Growing up in the midwest, I seem to remember folks as being more considerate.
Playing the 'you go first' wave game indefinitely. Probably has changed as most
people seem to be short of both time and temper. What is lacking in manners is
sorta made up in terrible fuel consumption habits.

Sorry about your vehicular mis-adventures Sima. Have been supporting my local
garage mechanic heavily lately. Gas tank in one, transmission in another. Ouch!
Rather go the fix-it route than new auto with the bank routine.

Thanks for the OT! Good luck to Jaska.

@soryang
I really don't want to hit anything or anyone.

I'm so sorry about that young bicyclist. I've noticed the skateboard types don't pay attention to the cars either. Around here, we have a lot of bike riders and an active bicycle club (I used to be a member) and many drivers seem to understand how to be around bikes. But, many don't

As for the drivers squealing and burning rubber... what is it with that? Why? Too many video games which show all that stuff? I just don't know.

I keep my old car because it's a very good car, a stick shift, one of the last generation before the huge computerization of cars started. I can't stand those computerized cars. My parents have hybrid Camrys. They start with the press of a button on the 'key'. I hate them.

Thanks for the insightful comment and for stopping by, and boy, I hope things go as smoothly as possible (unfortunately, it seems that they are not smooth yet) as everyone recovers from that hurricane. My thoughts are with you.

We've had similar experiences with driving especially in the last several weeks during hurricane season. The added level of frustration of people is evident in their driving. I thought I noticed this earlier during the covid epidemic if I drove a long distance across the state. But after hurricane Ian, many more drivers acted as if they were out of their minds, and I could see this right in the neighborhood on local roads.

When two drivers were racing or chasing each other in anger at unbelievably high speeds on congested roads, they were unnecessarily endangering the lives of others. I've seen people just ignore stop signs and red lights like never before. If they do stop at the intersection, they scream and threaten each other, and present a hazard again to passing cars, when the light changes. There were a lot of pedestrians on these roads as well, at intersections, in crosswalks, and sometimes just in the middle of the road where they shouldn't be. Just the other morning I saw a driver in a camry, driving through the seldom used chicane near our storage area roaring through at speeds approaching 50 in a 20 zone. He took the turns like a one sees in the movies, losing traction, tires squealing and burning rubber through the turns.

In front of my apartment complex on the main drag there, cars go through at 60-70 mph in a 45 zone. There is a motorcyclist I've seen go through there at speeds that appear to approach 100 mph. Having lost our cars and home to Ian, we fear the consequences of any other mishaps or accidents. We only have one new replacement car now, and in a sense, have no back up materially or emotionally if we were to suffer another accident. I worried about the young people I saw on their self propelled skate boards, bicycles etc., who appeared oblivious to the added risk of these maniacal drivers. I mentioned this to my wife at one of the temporary abodes we had moved to. I was hyper alert driving and worried sick when she drove the new car alone. As I anticipated a bicyclist, 17 years of age, was killed soon after, the week of October 21st, not a half mile from our "new" refugee apartment. It happened in the morning. I saw the police cars, fire and rescue, and the ambulance soon after it happened. The entire street was closed (for the vehicular homicide investigation). I read in the local news later that day, it was a hit and run. There are colored balloons, small US flags, plastic flowers and crucifix on the side of the road in front of the church where he was killed. As far as I know, the criminal is still at large.

I'm hyperalert when I drive, no radio, no distractions, etc. It's hard with the new car that has all the electronic gizmos, the bells and whistles, display screen and all the other digital nonsense to distract the driver. When the car is first turned on, the display says pay attention to your driving, don't look at this while driving you could be killed or injured in an accident.

I was a professional driver OTR for ten years, so I don't think I'm imagining all this. Thanks for the topic @mimi.

@snoopydawg
The parking video was awesome. I did not really expect that ending. It's making my laugh just at the thought. As for the dog, err car, wash, I could see Jaska doing that if we lived close to one! She would have her head out the window, like Sam did, as well! She loves driving with her head out, I've set up the car so she can do that easily and safely now that she's older.

Thank you for your good wishes. As you know and said, it's so damned hard and yet the time with our pets is so joyful and rewarding, it's worth the sorrow and stress.

I hope your remaining time with her is full of joy and love. It’s always so damned hard….

I hope these will bring a smile to you. Genuinely funny indeed.

Watch until the end. Really funny. Not mean, just genuinely funny. pic.twitter.com/wYW4wcIsi6

— James Woods (@RealJamesWoods) November 29, 2022

I’m still cracking up.

Very clever
pic.twitter.com/ObFYvI1TAO

— Tansu YEĞEN (@TansuYegen) November 30, 2022

What dawg wouldn’t enjoy this? Reminds me of when I got my new car washed and half way through I look in the side mirror and there’s Sam with her head out the window and biting the water spray. I now make sure that I lock the windows before I go through.

@mimi
He's not testing it on me, or anyone I know... damn, how awful. It's sad when science-fiction (cyber humans ruled by brain implants) is just an accurate prediction of the future.

surprises ...

Elon Musk Hopes to Test a Brain Implant in Humans Next Year

The tech multibillionaire said his company, Neuralink, was seeking government approval to test his device in people, and predicted it could happen in six months. Others have been conducting similar tests for years, but no device has been marketed commercially.