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Other Drivers

 Let me preface this by saying I had an amazing, positive day. I not only witnessed my students presenting their goals and plans to their families, but also was able to accomplish a lot of my to do list! Onto the Slice!

An Open Letter to the Other Drivers on My Commute Home:

Are y'all good? I never use my horn and it's been used twice already and I'm not halfway home yet. 

What makes you think you can, effectively, double-park in a major intersection because you just realized you had to be in the left turn lane? I understand you drive a Benz, so maybe normal consequences do not traditionally apply to you, but the Maryland woman in the car behind me is willing to go THROUGH me to teach you a lesson. Perhaps you heard her siren song as she laid on the horn from when the incident occurred to when she passed you as you prepared to U-Turn a good half mile later? I'm not trying to die today because you don't understand GPS directions on a digital screen that includes a map.

And you, my friend who tried to go "halfsies" and blocked an entire lane of traffic with plenty of room to move up: you good? If your SUV is too large for you, just say that. We'd be happy to help you find a mini-Cooper, a Little Tikes Cozy Coupe (had to look that one up!), or something you can gauge the size of.

To the many drivers who are seemingly terrified of busses or other relatively large vehicles that drive beside them in separate lanes and stay in their lane: what are you doing behind the wheel of an approximately 3500 pound weapon? I know how privileged I was to have my Pap teach me how to drive, so let me extoll some of his wisdom: a car is far more deadly than a gun. Guns can run out of bullets, cars don't often run out of gas. Busses, lifted trucks, and construction vehicles are a way of life here. Yes, there are many that do not pay attention, cross dividing lines, and otherwise may cause panic if you are not paying attention. Today was not that day. Have you considered a ride share service or perhaps hiring a driver? It is good to overcome your fears and CBT says to conquer them, you must be in them. I would love to give you that space, but doing 10 mph in a 35 isn't space, it's a hazard.

I have since made it home and headed back out, on foot this time, and I think it might be something about the day, or the sun's angle, or maybe Mercury is back in retrograde, but there were a number of people who simply ... stopped in the middle of a sidewalk. Others placed their shopping carts in such a way that blocked anyone from entering or exiting the aisle. I also continued to witness, this time as a bystander, drivers who seemed to make up their own rules of the road.

So, to the other drivers on my commute today, I apologize. Perhaps I was too harsh: An Open Letter to Everyone Who Had No Spatial Awareness Today ...

Comments

  1. MschiubookaMarch 14, 2026 at 7:54 AM

    You had me at “Little Tykes Cozy Coupe” and all the relatable scenarios described. I really do hope these roadway shenanigans lessen as we get used to the spring forward time… meanwhile, way to flex those letter writing muscles!

    ReplyDelete

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