A Sleepy Girl's Thoughts on Life

To Blink or Not to Blink

Okay, I know everyone hates DC area traffic. And I know everyone writes about it, like, all the time. And therefore I know that this is just going to be another one of those posts. But I just can't take it anymore. I must say my piece.

First of all, I know everyone around here drives like arrogant, drunken a-holes on their way home from frat parties. I know that, and I've accepted it. The collective mentality of drivers in the DC metro area, much like that of a wild grizzly bear, or I don't know, a rodeo bull being ridden to within an inch of its life for sheer entertainment's sake, is very vengeful and full of rage. That's us.

Being uptight, impolite denizens of society dressed up nice in suits is our thing. Okay, cool. What I am not cool with is that we cannot even seem to exercise the slightest bit of common courtesy to our fellow drivers. Particularly, using blinkers seems to be a major stumbling block. I can't even count how many times a car has cut me off within the past few days without even so much as a flick of the blinker.

People don't seem to understand that blinkers have an actual purpose on a car. Yes, they are there for your very own safety. They announce that you're coming so people behind you don't a) run into you b) swerve off the road trying to avoid you or c) shake in epileptic rage and scream obscenities at your ugly Honda with the really loud, stupid-sounding exhaust.

Plus, they're so easy to use! All it takes is two simple flicks of your wrist. You barely even have to move your arm. The only reason not to use a blinker is the same reason people choose not to wear seat belts: sheer laziness. Or, worst case, sheer ignorance.

If you're going to cut me off, if you need to sneak in front of me for some reason, at least give a little advance notice with a blinker. And if you can't do that, at least give me a little wave when you're finished screwing me over.

And for that matter, am I the only one in all of Nova/DC who waves anymore? I always wave, whether people willingly let me in front of them or not. It's like saying "thank you" when someone holds the door for you. Not waving and not blinking are just ways of showing your supreme sense of entitlement over other drivers. And they will hate you for it.

And eventually, we all just hate each other. I may think I always blink and wave, but every single time someone messes with me by not extending similar courtesies, my patience grates a little more. And I start to drive faster. To push the cars in front of me. To swear and scream and cut people off.

AND I BECOME ONE OF THEM.

Please, save us from ourselves. Next time, JUST BLINK. Just make someone's day suck a little less. Just be an okay driver.

Thanks.

Oh, PS, two Canadian Geese were sitting on the road today as the snow fluttered down around them. I had to slow down so they could waddle away. And my road rage? Just melted.

posted by Sleepy Girl @ 1:33 PM