Educating a tailgater

Whenever I see people drive recklessly it makes me incredibly angry. So angry that I just want to stop them, get out of my car and tell them to use their brain because they are in control of a powerful vehicle that has the potential to hurt or kill someone.

So that's what I did today. Just not quite so eloquently.

My day at work ended poorly. I had spent the afternoon bottling up my frustrations with a coworker and couldn't wait to get out of there. Usually by 6pm, traffic has vastly improved from the 5pm rush but unfortunately today was a day that just worsened by 6. I arrogantly turned off of the highway thinking myself a local, only to realize I better turn around before I got too lost. I made my way back onto a major road that I knew would get me home but probably just as slowly as the highway would have. Things were going well but when I was almost home I had to slow down for cars merging into my lane because theirs was coming to an end. I had slowed to a crawl to let a guy in who was completely oblivious to my intentions. In my frustration I honked for him to go and then just ended up changing lanes so he could get in, and I wouldn't have to look at him anymore. The little punk decides to get in my lane and tailgate me. I slowed down hoping that he would just go around me but he replied by laying on his horn. So I just stopped my car. I don't know what I was thinking but seeing him stopped behind me honking just tipped me over the edge. I got out of the car and walked up to his open window. I yelled at him for not merging correctly and for then tailgating me. I think I may have even yelled "what's wrong with you?" when I was clearly the one in the crazy seat. He was probably 18 or 19 and incredibly stunned because all he could articulate was, "uhhh, uhhhh." I got back in my car and drove home. Yes (mom), in hindsight I shouldn't have done that but it was liberating and I bet he won't ever tailgate again.

I don't have issues with road rage and do not condone getting out of your car to interact with a fellow motorist whom you are angry with. I promise (mom) that I will never do it again.

In funnier news, Colin and I were tuned into the radio last night and after listening to an excessively long prank call being made by the radio announcer, he confessed to the man on the phone that he was calling from Triple M FM, and that this was just a "gotcha call." Not a prank call, a gotcha call. It was the funniest part of the whole program, we loved it, who calls it that! Fantastic. Spread the word, Canada.

Tomorrow is Australia Day so Colin and I are going to try and get up early to watch our friends, Willy and Jenna, do a 2.5 km Harbour swim down around the opera house. It's apparently an annual event every Australia day, but it starts at 8:30am, so we'll probably have to be up by 7ish. There are supposed to be lots of fun events happening around the city and despite my usual disdain for large crowds, I'm really looking forward to it!

Oh, and I also learned today that Australia day is the last public holiday until Easter which is being held end of April, which also overlaps the next next public holiday: Anzac Day. What a waste of holiday usage. I miss Canada where we have almost a public holiday a month. Our country is the best! Enjoy your February Family Day, you lucky Albertans.

E.