April 2nd, 2004
[I use a program called XMetaL to maintain this page; I created a macro in XMetaL to insert the date heading and some dummy replacement text in a paragraph element. All I do is click a button and today's date appears in large letters with a paragraph underneath awaiting the caress of my fingers. The replacement text is, "Insert something unpleasant here," which I then highlight and start typing. But I'm getting tired of those words, I'll have to think of something new soon.]
I have this extremely irritable streak about ... well, about a lot of things, actually. The one thing that is really on my mind right now, though, is that group of lunatics who will stop their cars in the middle of streets or at intersections when they have the right of way, and then wave you through. This is not an act of kindness, this is just plain stupidity. Think about what they are really saying:
It's okay, go ahead. You have my permission to break the law.
Feh ... why are they doing this? Are they really such doormats that they would prefer to come to a screeching halt, possibly endangering lives, just so complete strangers may possibly drive away thinking what nice people they were?
Or is there more to this? I've seen a lot of drivers do this dismissive little flick of their hands to indicate I should go next, regardless of what the rules of the road indicate. The flick seems to say, "Go ahead, you schmuck." It appears to be an aggressive assholery-style move. "I am wonderful because I let you go first. Now I can feel wonderful about myself." Selfishness by aggressive unselfishness? Sure, it's the secret of the Asshole Type B. The hand-flick puts me into the role of impatient jerk--even when I am sitting waiting patiently. I've been defined by that little power-jerk move. I've been made to look like I am rude and aggressive myself ... the cost that I pay for other people feeling artificially good about themselves.
Regardless of the reasons, the inescapable truth is that it is not very smart, not very safe, and bloody irritating.
So, these days I just sit and wait. I can do that; I'm a patient man. And if they start to get really mad and honk and wave ever more energetically, I take the keys out of my ignition and dangle them where the Wavers can see. Eventually they go, and I end up not breaking the law just so they can feel happy.