California Dreamin' and Drivin'

So what is it about California drivers that they have to 'compete' for space, race instead of allow movement and COMPLETELY ignore blinkers?

I grew up on the East Coast.  I admit.  People are tougher and pretty curt in the Northeast (yes NY),   Then you go to Florida - and EVERYBODY is lay-back, shorts & flip-flops - much like island life and pretty easy going all in all.

The Crime rate (Miami) was hellish when I was there - I witnessed and was victim to more crime in my adolescent and young adult years there than I care to remember.   But still - even for a big city the pace was pretty cool.

Missouri (my next major stop in life) - The drivers honk and wave you in - see your blinker and DON'T SPEED UP but slow down - to allow you to merge or turn - and use their signals!

Then I moved to California.   San Diego - with claims of being America's 'friendliest city' ..... well yeah maybe..... EXCEPT ON THE HIGHWAYS!!   I am in a world of wonder every day on the highways to and from work and where ever else my destinations might be.   I accelerate to get onto major interstates - it's what I was taught.   Can I tell you how many times I've nearly rear-ended some jerk on the acceleration lane who has nearly come to a dead stop trying to get on?   How in the HELL do you merge with 65 mph traffic doing 20?  Tell me!!!

Then there are the territorial drivers.  The space between them and the car in front of them - no matter HOW large - belongs to ONLY them!  If there are 6 car lengths between and you turn on your blinker to get into that space - they hit the gas and fly up on the rearend of the car in front of them to NOT ALLOW you in that space.   No, not allowed!  This is MY space!  Go get off at some other exit - you can't work your way to the right through MY space!!!

Then there are the people who will take off your front bumper to get into the 1/2 car length between you and the car in front of you.  God forbid you leave a whole car space between - 4 cars will move into that much space!   Instead of moving forward, you begin to feel like you're moving back.

And then there's courtesy.  The person has their blinker on, they need over, you slow a bit to allow them and wave them over.   No thank you wave, no head nod, no nothing.   

So my son tells me since I've been driving here - he has seen more road rage (from me) than ever before.....  Yes, I have to agree..... When people cut me off, pull in front of me and basically PARK, don't recognize and acknowledge my blinker when I need to move over, race with me instead of getting behind me, and not say thank you in some way when I am NOT a JERK like THEY are.... then yes... I tend to say a few choice hecks and darns  (heh heh) and other colorful explatives while driving.

Don't even get me started on the phone chatting fools and the texting morons that weave all over or go 5MPH then look up and 'oops' realize they screwed up..... That soap box is a whole rant all by itself. 

I do have to say though.  The one thing this city has to make all the stress go away... is this:

Beauty by the Sea!