Day 1149 Rules of the road

 


I've been accused of only writing about the silver linings in life...clearly avoiding the dirty underbelly and negativity. Well, buckle up, folks, because I've got some ranting in store for you.

People who can't—or won’t—follow simple instructions drive me crazy. Every time I'm out on our beautiful bike path, I pass people walking on the right side… aka the wrong side. The photo I posted was taken off the internet, but our actual bike path has clear signs stating which side to walk on. There are even picture diagrams in case reading isn’t your thing. Yet, people still stroll along, either oblivious to the rule or just not caring that they're disrupting the flow.

On my daily commute, I face a similar issue with drivers hogging the passing lane. It's literally named for what you're supposed to be doing in it: passing. The far-left lane is for overtaking slower vehicles. If you're not actively passing someone, you don't belong there. The right lane—aptly named the travel lane—is where you should be cruising along until you need to pass, at which point you move left, pass, and then return to the right. Simple, right?

Both situations grind my gears. They frustrate and confuse me. Why is this so hard?

Just the other day, I stayed in the travel lane and passed more than twenty cars camped out in the left "passing" lane, not a single one actually passing anyone. I counted as I went by, shaking my head and wondering if they knew I was secretly calling them names.

Back on the bike path, I’ve corrected countless walkers—so many, in fact, that Melissa now asks me not to say anything as soon as we spot someone on the wrong side. She knows I can’t help myself.

I don’t know if there’s a real solution here. Some people are just oblivious. They move through the world as if they're the only ones in it. And those left-lane squatters probably think their speed somehow justifies their placement, completely missing the point.

I’m sure I’m not alone in my irritation… still searching for that elusive silver lining when it comes to the rules of the road..... and for the naysayers that accuse me of being Pollyanna...take that! 

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