Women Drivers

[Castle]

My truck, like clockwork, decided today would be a day it wouldn't start for me. Consequently I had to call my mom and ask her for a ride to work. She arrived later than I expected and got us on the road with fifteen minutes to get there, a drive that usually takes me 25-30 minutes. What follows is a conversation I had with her while she took her sweet time on the highway.

A guy behind us switches lanes just as my mom blindly slides into the same lane, almost hitting the guy. He honked loudly, quickly swerved into the next lane, and blasted past us.

"Oh you watch your freaking self!! Stupid a$$! Gaw!!"
I bit my lip. I knew it wasn't his fault. He was going sixty-five or so, the speed limit, and she was trudging along at forty. Had we been going the same speed, our switching of lanes wouldn't have been so jarring.
"I swear, some of these dumba$$es are gonna cause a wreck, they're going too damn fast."
"You're going forty in a sixty-five, mom."
"I don't care, this is how I drive. They'll have to deal with it."
"They are. They're swerving past you."
"You're really pissing me off today."
I didn't really know how to respond that. Explaining logic to a middle-aged woman usually doesn't work the way you want it to, and I guess I should've known. It was like explaining to a child not to put a butterknife in a power outlet because he'll get shocked, but he does it anyway, gets shocked, and is suddenly mad at you for some reason. I tried to hide a growing smile.
"And look at that guy! Big truck parked on the side of the road. I swear, he's going to kill someone."
The driver had popped his hood and was staring at his engine.
"He's on the shoulder with his flashers on. Maybe his truck broke down. Not much you can do when that happens."
"He could at least have tried to push it off the highway, there's a gas station down the street."
"My truck's broke down on the side of the road before. I couldn't push fifteen hundred pounds off the highway."
"Yeah you could. Once you get it rolling it'll keep moving."
"Even if I did, the exit is sloped downward. I'd have to run and jump in the driver's seat after I got it moving, and that'd be kind of hard. And dangerous."
"Yeah well this guy's truck is too big, someone might- he just poured a bottle of water on his engine! He just wasted a perfectly good bottle of water! There are poor people wandering our streets and they'd kill to get a bottle of water. What a wasteful a$$hole."
"Maybe it overheated. My older truck did that before. Pouring water on it helps to cool it off."
"Ok, Mr. Mechanic. You know everything. I swear, you and your brother just don't respect me like you should."
I remained quiet until she changed the subject to something less complicated. When she pulls the "respect" card, even if I'm clearly not being disrespectful, I know she's getting pissed.

I got to work twenty minutes late.

[Spookymufu]

LOL, I've conversations like that with my mom......she's in her 70's

[Andybev01]

In defense of your mom (and women in general) It's not 'the' speed, it's the speed 'limit'; the maximum speed you're allowed to drive on any given roadway. You are 100% allowed to drive slower than the posted limit, and you are not required to drive as fast as allowed.

Now back to the topic. I have a friend who pays attention to any and everything behind the wheel except actually driving. I can't count the number of times she has drifted into the oncoming lane or off the shoulder to the right.

[Spookymufu]

In defense of your mom (and women in general) It's not 'the' speed, it's the speed 'limit'; the maximum speed you're allowed to drive on any given roadway. You are 100% allowed to drive slower than the posted limit, and you are not required to drive as fast as allowed.

Now back to the topic. I have a friend who pays attention to any and everything behind the wheel except actually driving. I can't count the number of times she has drifted into the oncoming lane or off the shoulder to the right.

there is a minimum speed limit on freeways that you have to maintain, if you go below that you can be cited for impeding the flow of traffic.....

[Castle]

In defense of your mom (and women in general) It's not 'the' speed, it's the speed 'limit'; the maximum speed you're allowed to drive on any given roadway. You are 100% allowed to drive slower than the posted limit, and you are not required to drive as fast as allowed.

Now back to the topic. I have a friend who pays attention to any and everything behind the wheel except actually driving. I can't count the number of times she has drifted into the oncoming lane or off the shoulder to the right.

Oh yeah, I know that. People are allowed to drive a certain minimum or maximun on the highway. But I think it's funny how she picks a certain speed much slower than the rest of the people on the road then she freaks out when they zoom past her. And certain rules of the road (like using the shoulder when your car breaks down) seem ridiculous to her. I know she's just trying to be careful, but she thinks every car, truck, bird, traffic sign, stop light, and everything else is trying to kill her.

[Andybev01]

Of course http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_limi ... eed_limits , but that wasn't my point.

I think people need to relax a bit before entering public roadways, if nothing more than to help reduce their chances of being crippled by a stroke, or p-ssing off the wrong driver.

Remember; driving is a privilege, not a right.

[Andybev01]

In defense of your mom (and women in general) It's not 'the' speed, it's the speed 'limit'; the maximum speed you're allowed to drive on any given roadway. You are 100% allowed to drive slower than the posted limit, and you are not required to drive as fast as allowed.

Now back to the topic. I have a friend who pays attention to any and everything behind the wheel except actually driving. I can't count the number of times she has drifted into the oncoming lane or off the shoulder to the right.

Oh yeah, I know that. People are allowed to drive a certain minimum or maximun on the highway. But I think it's funny how she picks a certain speed much slower than the rest of the people on the road then she freaks out when they zoom past her. And certain rules of the road (like using the shoulder when your car breaks down) seem ridiculous to her. I know she's just trying to be careful, but she thinks every car, truck, bird, traffic sign, stop light, and everything else is trying to kill her.

Well, with you for a son who wouldn't?

[Miss Monster]

your mom is funny as hell, I'd love to go driving with her
but this entire subject offends me, I'm a GREAT driver. and I have a lead foot so there is no going forty on the highway.
vroom vrooooom

[Castle]

Of course not, Miss Monster. You're not middle aged and own a brand new older person car. Granted some women drive fine, some rougher than I do. But it's them middle aged ones..

[Miss Monster]

thats probably pretty true, although I drive exactly like my 46 year old mother, she's an absolute maniac on the road

[Castle]

I have noticed though... on the rare occasion my mom'll flip out after being cut off then she'll furiously chase the guy down, completely forgetting all her old lady driving rules.

[Miss Monster]

lol does road rage run in the family?

[Castle]

Yeah. It's genetic by this point. I think I'm the only one that doesn't really care though. If I get cut off I'll just puff a cigarette and toss the finger at the guy.

[Miss Monster]

I make good use of my horn. it's very loud

[witchy]

Of course not, Miss Monster. You're not middle aged and own a brand new older person car. Granted some women drive fine, some rougher than I do. But it's them middle aged ones..

Hey now!! I'm a great driver, other than than my lead foot that is!! I drive a 1991 z 28 convertible, thats not an old lady car is it?