No, this is not a road in Utah, but it might as well be lately.Yesterday, I was out driving around looking for ice melt. And I think I encountered EVERY stupid drive Utah has to offer. (Okay, that's a GROSS HYPERBOLE, but let it slide, please?) I'll start from the beginning:
I was annoyed with my roommates. (You need to know this because it sets up the mood I was in when I went out driving.) I head down the road, and decide that I don't want to wait for the light. I cut through a parking lot just to realize I should have waited for the light, because everyone is driving so DAMN SLOW that there isn't a break in traffic until the light changes anyhow. *sighs* Needless to say, I did get out across traffic and went on my less-than-merry way. I get to Macey's and pull into the middle lane to make a left hand turn into Macey's. I'm about 6th in line to make the turn. No one is turning though. The first car in line, finally braves the left hand turn after he already passed up 6 opportunities. (Yes, I was counting.) Car number 2, passed up about 10 choice turn options, and wastes more of my time and gas. At this point, roommate that isn't annoying me and I are beyond frustrated. I start watching the traffic to my right and decide to pull into it. I go up to the light that's is about 100 yards up and make a left turn with the light, and get right into the parking lot of the Macey's (using a left hand turn, shocking how easy it was!!) As we drive back to the Macey's roommate notes, that car number 3 has finally braved a left hand turn. Translation: I would have been sitting there still.
We find that Macey's is without ice melt, and decide to try the Albertson's just up the road. So I head out of the lot and I get onto a road that is a sheet of ice, I slid a bit. But! Being the excellent snowy weather driver that I am, I did not hit anyone and I got to the intersection to make another, left hand turn safely. This time I'm stuck behind Mr. White Truck. Mr. White Truck passes up about 7 good left hand turn opportunities, choosing to add to my annoyance and frustration instead of being proactive and placating me. Non-annoying roommate comments that two annoying roommates should steer clear of her, because her bad mood is NOT getting better because of all these really stupid drivers we've encountered. I agree. FINALLY, Mr. White Truck takes the leap of faith, and turns. I follow quickly behind. We travel along without incidence until we get to Albertson's.
As we're rounding a corner to get to the parking lot entrance, we watch as Mr. Four-wheel Drive decides that HE gets to make a right hand turn out of the left lane into the parking lot. This is much to the horror of me and non-annoying roommate and Mr. Hondo Civic that got cut off. Thankfully, no one is injured. We get into the lot, without further incidents. We even drove to Shopko and Ream's and didn't see too much more stupid. However, I did slide a bit in the parking lot of Ream's. Again, my stellar driving skills prevented injuries.
We decide to go home and not deal with anymore stupid for one night. Only to come face to face with more stupid when we get home. But this is not a blog about that...moving on.
I make a few phone calls and find that the ONLY places to find ice melt (remember, all these stupid encounters came about because we were trying to de-ice our driveway and parking lot at our place.) are Sam's Club and Lowe's. The ONLY TWO. So I head out, solo this time, to Sam's Club since they have the better deal. It was an uneventful drive, until I get to Sam's and try to pull into a spot. I had noticed that the car next to the spot that I wanted, had their back up lights on, but the weren't moving so I paid them no mind. Until they started moving, as I got right behind them and was turning into my spot. I honked, thinking they'd hear it and stop. They did not. I honked again and this time it was a prolonged honk. It still took them several moments to realize that there was a car behind them and that they should stop. 6 inches from my car. That's how close they came to hitting me. 6 inches. Seriously? I give up. And there's more snow on the way...
1 comment:
Most people would say in this situation, "Dang Utah drivers". But I don't think that's true. I'm a Utah Driver and I know many Utah drivers who are excellent when it comes to ice, after all we all learned how to drive in this, we know how to do it. The problem is, that Provo is a land where people learn to drive elsewhere then come here for college and continue to live here after they get married and have kids. They buy a Utah car and then get a Utah license plate, but still have their learnings from non-snow states. So they never really learn how to be a snow driver. Then they give Utahns a bad name. In most other states where people don't come from other places to drive, you don't get this extra added element.
Try driving in Mass sometime after learning to drive elsewhere, you'll think it's hell. Until that is you learn how to drive there and suddenly it's awesome, and then you realize you were the one pissing off others with your crappy driving.
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