I Can See You - I'm Just Ignoring You

This has happened before. I'm driving along to work hitting the speed limit or slightly above on the usual back roads I take. One minute I look in my rearview mirror and there's no one there, the next time I check, all I can see is a massive grill to some vehicle that would really like me to be going faster. Usually this startles me, I go a little faster, but the grill stays stuck there so then I slow down and go back to my previous speed.

At this point I wonder - "what's the hurry back there?" I don't see any flashing lights so I know it isn't some volunteer firefighter or a police officer on the way to a scene, then I get annoyed. Alright so I know that the person behind me wants to get somewhere faster than I am going and they want me to know it too, but why? Is there some medical emergency? Are they rushing to pick someone up from school? From sports? From work? What gives?

If I knew that they had a legitimate reason, I'd pull over (and sometimes I do if it is a particularly large SUV or person giving me the finger as I plod along) but my overwhelming response is to go the same speed I've been going and avoid getting pulled over. That happened to me once before when I, panicked by a large pickup pushing me along, went faster and then got pulled over by a police officer for speeding. The pickup truck? Just went along merrily - and I'm sure, sped up to twice as fast once I was gone and the cop was engaged with me.

So, seeing as I have no explanation, I just figure most people either: a.) left later than they should and are trying to make up time on my expense or b.) just want to go fast, irregardless of the fact that they may get pulled over. There is also the possibility that some of these people in large vehicles just want me to know that I'm cramping their style by being on the road at all. It isn't just the SUVs and pickups that bug me, there are also people in small sports cars who hug my bumper as well.

Is everyone just so cramped for time that they need to rush everywhere? I know we are all busy and need to get places but we should have an eye out for safety. If you are hugging my bumper and I need to stop for a child falling off a bike, a dog in the road, or a deer taking a walk across the street, then we are in for a nasty accident. I've been behind people who have driven me crazy with their slowness or their inability to find the street they are looking for, thus necessitating that they nearly stop at all intersecting streets and it is frustrating. Particularly if I am on my way to work and left later than I should or if I told one of my sons that I would pick them up at a certain place and then it takes longer to get there than I remembered.

I try to not follow too closely, I've been rear-ended and it is a terrible feeling. I'd rather not have to hit my brakes too frequently because that just wastes gas and gas isn't cheap anymore. I've just come to the conclusion that there are simply too many people on roads that don't support the amount of traffic that they are subjected to on a daily basis. People are frustrated, especially when they feel they are wasting time, time that they could be better using somewhere else. Where do we think road rage is coming from?

People get in their cars and feel that they are in their own little world. It can be a powerful feeling, especially in a large car. What needs to be remembered though, is that there are a whole heck of a lot of us out there in our own little worlds sharing the road. We aren't alone and need to remember that - these are public roads after all. Road rage seems to happen when someone infringes too heavily on another's own little world.

So, where am I going with all this? I'm not sure. I think, for now, with the price of gas and all, I'm going to keep going the posted speed limit, try to leave on time so that I don't need to rush, and twist my rearview mirror so that I see nothing, nothing.....