Not owning a car is a grueling, miserable existence. Because i spend 5 hours a day transferring ,riding, walking and waiting. I have to suck in second hand smoke at all the bus stops, and even if it is a pretty day the a/c on the bus will be set like a freezer. I have to make sure the drunks don't f ollow me.
In Maryland, on the other hand, the road rage was so serious, it was terrifying to drive.
Manhattan would be a b#$%^ of a place to be without a car. It is not pedestrian friendly and you would have to do alot of walking. Walking is painful for me and this illness leaves me very weak.
I do not know what the answer is. Certainly if i had the means i would get a car.............................
Showing posts with label Road rage. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Road rage. Show all posts
Friday, May 3, 2013
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
"The Center for Psychotic Studies?!"
Of all the crazy things. I was flipping the channels today, and here it is! The CPS agency! It is located in a highly apt city, the city of Baltimore.
One of the conclusions they come to (you call that news?!) is that every human being is capable of murder if pushed far enough. I came to that quick conclusion myself not long after becoming a city resident in 95.
I mean look at road rage. I couldn't drive one mile without being raged at and even threatened with my life if i drove approximately the speed limit in Carroll County.
This is why I posted the video "The Message" to my blog: we are all capable my friends we are all capable.
Grandmaster Flash says : Don't push me cause i'm close to the edge, i'm trying not to lose my head. it's like a jungle......."
One of the conclusions they come to (you call that news?!) is that every human being is capable of murder if pushed far enough. I came to that quick conclusion myself not long after becoming a city resident in 95.
I mean look at road rage. I couldn't drive one mile without being raged at and even threatened with my life if i drove approximately the speed limit in Carroll County.
This is why I posted the video "The Message" to my blog: we are all capable my friends we are all capable.
Grandmaster Flash says : Don't push me cause i'm close to the edge, i'm trying not to lose my head. it's like a jungle......."
Monday, November 9, 2009
"Road Rage on rural roads"
One of the things that really worried me about moving to Carroll County is having to drive predominantly on rural roads. These rural roads are all over Baltimore as well but now predominantly I have to drive on roads with no shoulder, one lane.
Pretty much every time I get behind my wheel I have to deal with road" terrorists" The way people behave behind the wheel has largely formed my opinion of humans in general. You show your true colors when you rage, tailgate and blind people with your bright lights in the hopes of intimidating them into going faster. I typically do 35 to 38 in a 40 zone but other drivers expect me to do a minimum of 65 in a 30 or 40 mile zone. (if I don't obey what they want then they terrorize)
One of the wackos was blinding me on Shawan road intentionally. It caused me to make a wrong turn. I turned onto Western Run road (but didn't know it) and got horribly lost. Western Run is desolate, one lane no shoulders and pitch black. I drove up and down up and down until I was forced to drive down a long country lane to a random house and ask for help. My trac phone has no minutes on it. It's not even 6:30 p.m. but it might as well be midnight for as scared as I am.
The hope is to have them draw me a map back to Falls Road. There is a truck in the driveway. The lights in the large, large house are on, and it appears this house has been converted into an apartment house.
I am afraid of certain dogs but I have no choice but to employ my social work skills! because I am approached by a large seemingly friendly dog but I'm still nervous.
I say: "Hi Baby Waybe, how's the goochy goochy goo, good little doggy that's a good boy!" The dog seems to like me. I attempt to walk up the stairs to the front door to knock on the door. The dog physically blocks me with his body which he presses against me. I fear that if I go closer to the house the dog might try to bite me and I'm not sure if he is angry about my trying to approach the house.
By the second step I decide it best to go back to the car. The dog tries to get into the car with me and largely succeeds! I take my cup of water and put it on the ground. This only distracts him for a second then he is 2/3 in my car again. I am forced to push the car door against his body to force him out of my car. I then sit in my car and honk the horn for a few minutes hoping someone will emerge. To no avail.
I drive up and down Western Run again. I have no idea if I'm going North, South, East or West. I am pretty sure that the road meets Falls somewhere.
Will I have to just camp out in someone's driveway until the sun comes up?
I find another house. I drive down the long lane and approach the house. Lights on, car in driveway, no one answers the door.
I drive on Western Run seeking another house. These houses all sit way back. This one is a mansion. There is a heavy knocker. A man yells "Who is it?!"
"I'm horribly horribly lost please help me!"
He opens the door. I ask him if he'll draw me a map and tell him I have no cell phone. He (like so many men) swears I don't need a map because "it's easy"
He explains that I go left, right, then left on Falls Road. I'm terrified that he might be wrong or that I might not find it.
Eventually I get home and decide it is the perfect night for me to sample my Kahlua since the Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog isn't in yet. And I decide that I will never drive after dark without a loaded cell phone again.
Please think twice before you terrorize your neighbor on the roads.
Pretty much every time I get behind my wheel I have to deal with road" terrorists" The way people behave behind the wheel has largely formed my opinion of humans in general. You show your true colors when you rage, tailgate and blind people with your bright lights in the hopes of intimidating them into going faster. I typically do 35 to 38 in a 40 zone but other drivers expect me to do a minimum of 65 in a 30 or 40 mile zone. (if I don't obey what they want then they terrorize)
One of the wackos was blinding me on Shawan road intentionally. It caused me to make a wrong turn. I turned onto Western Run road (but didn't know it) and got horribly lost. Western Run is desolate, one lane no shoulders and pitch black. I drove up and down up and down until I was forced to drive down a long country lane to a random house and ask for help. My trac phone has no minutes on it. It's not even 6:30 p.m. but it might as well be midnight for as scared as I am.
The hope is to have them draw me a map back to Falls Road. There is a truck in the driveway. The lights in the large, large house are on, and it appears this house has been converted into an apartment house.
I am afraid of certain dogs but I have no choice but to employ my social work skills! because I am approached by a large seemingly friendly dog but I'm still nervous.
I say: "Hi Baby Waybe, how's the goochy goochy goo, good little doggy that's a good boy!" The dog seems to like me. I attempt to walk up the stairs to the front door to knock on the door. The dog physically blocks me with his body which he presses against me. I fear that if I go closer to the house the dog might try to bite me and I'm not sure if he is angry about my trying to approach the house.
By the second step I decide it best to go back to the car. The dog tries to get into the car with me and largely succeeds! I take my cup of water and put it on the ground. This only distracts him for a second then he is 2/3 in my car again. I am forced to push the car door against his body to force him out of my car. I then sit in my car and honk the horn for a few minutes hoping someone will emerge. To no avail.
I drive up and down Western Run again. I have no idea if I'm going North, South, East or West. I am pretty sure that the road meets Falls somewhere.
Will I have to just camp out in someone's driveway until the sun comes up?
I find another house. I drive down the long lane and approach the house. Lights on, car in driveway, no one answers the door.
I drive on Western Run seeking another house. These houses all sit way back. This one is a mansion. There is a heavy knocker. A man yells "Who is it?!"
"I'm horribly horribly lost please help me!"
He opens the door. I ask him if he'll draw me a map and tell him I have no cell phone. He (like so many men) swears I don't need a map because "it's easy"
He explains that I go left, right, then left on Falls Road. I'm terrified that he might be wrong or that I might not find it.
Eventually I get home and decide it is the perfect night for me to sample my Kahlua since the Pennsylvania Dutch Egg Nog isn't in yet. And I decide that I will never drive after dark without a loaded cell phone again.
Please think twice before you terrorize your neighbor on the roads.
Saturday, August 15, 2009
"What's better about life and what isn't"
What's better? I no longer have to hide my journals, my food, my underwear, my quarters under my blankets for fear of daily break ins. I've just begun sleeping. I estimate that I haven't slept since about 1974 or 1975, and in the last 4 nights or so, I've begun to sleep. I seem to sleep best in the living room which creates more of a buffer against the noise of motorcycles, trucks and broken mufflers. As long as carroll county residents aren't in their cars, they're very open, not suspicious like Baltimoreans. However the bulk of the folks i've met here, are originally from balto, and like me came here to get away from crime.
I've been able to personalize my apt. without fear of robberies, bought crimson colored bathmats, aquarium designed shower curtain and hand towel; a coffee mug that says "100 percent qualified, attentive, life enhancing friendly caring social worker. I have been lusting after that mug for a year. They sell "career" mugs in greetings and readings in hunt valley. The pain of Fibromyalgia is excruciating and round the clock, but now that I'm not in constant fear of being murdered, I can go on more appts. and find ways of lessening the pain. I'm still waiting (and perhaps I shouldn't hold my breath) for medicare to cover massage, chiropractic, and accupuncture, and dental and glasses!
What Isn't Better
Here's what's not better....he roads. I'm thoroughly disgusted with the violent way in which people drive.
It's so sad, that, there is a good chance that I'll be killed every time I go out in my car. Some things I'll have to stop doing altogether. For example, there is a 7 mile stretch of Black Rock Road that I frequently have to drive, and a 5 miles stretch of Falls. I've got multiple people passing me over the double line at 100 mph. There are people coming from the opposite direction in oversized vehicles also going at 70 or more mph. Many of them are riding the yellow line, or even going over it.
If my car breaks down on these rural roads, I'm a dead duck! Because people are driving too fast to be able to stop for a broken down car, a car abiding road rules and doing the speed limit, a car who is making a careful left turn for example. I really do feel endangered. Everyone tailgates me. If you see my Buick, I advise you don't tailgate because it will not cause me to go faster, in fact it might make me slow down. I plan to write a letter to the editor on how deadly our society is in this respect. I just can't see myself making a long term commitment to places that are so car dependent!
Prior to 1993, I can't recall American roads being this deadly. I was not scared all of the time, and I was not constantly being bullied by folks in bigger cars than me. Yes, women can be just as bad as men. And the risk multiplies with drivers combing their hair, texting, eating and putting on makeup! Watching the road or watching out for peds is not even a thought in their minds! Sad, sad, sad. I feel powerless to change this.
I'm still doing an aggressive job hunt, I use at least 10 job search websites, some are specific to nannying. I haven't had an interview since April............................It's very discouraging.
The property is gorgeous where I live but I rarely see any signs of human life on the grounds. I"m one of the only ones who uses a porch light after dark. I don't like how dark our property is.......................................
If it weren't for the philanthropist who put $1500 into getting my car repaired, getting out of La pew would not have been possible. she probably saved me from being murdered...................................
I've been able to personalize my apt. without fear of robberies, bought crimson colored bathmats, aquarium designed shower curtain and hand towel; a coffee mug that says "100 percent qualified, attentive, life enhancing friendly caring social worker. I have been lusting after that mug for a year. They sell "career" mugs in greetings and readings in hunt valley. The pain of Fibromyalgia is excruciating and round the clock, but now that I'm not in constant fear of being murdered, I can go on more appts. and find ways of lessening the pain. I'm still waiting (and perhaps I shouldn't hold my breath) for medicare to cover massage, chiropractic, and accupuncture, and dental and glasses!
What Isn't Better
Here's what's not better....he roads. I'm thoroughly disgusted with the violent way in which people drive.
It's so sad, that, there is a good chance that I'll be killed every time I go out in my car. Some things I'll have to stop doing altogether. For example, there is a 7 mile stretch of Black Rock Road that I frequently have to drive, and a 5 miles stretch of Falls. I've got multiple people passing me over the double line at 100 mph. There are people coming from the opposite direction in oversized vehicles also going at 70 or more mph. Many of them are riding the yellow line, or even going over it.
If my car breaks down on these rural roads, I'm a dead duck! Because people are driving too fast to be able to stop for a broken down car, a car abiding road rules and doing the speed limit, a car who is making a careful left turn for example. I really do feel endangered. Everyone tailgates me. If you see my Buick, I advise you don't tailgate because it will not cause me to go faster, in fact it might make me slow down. I plan to write a letter to the editor on how deadly our society is in this respect. I just can't see myself making a long term commitment to places that are so car dependent!
Prior to 1993, I can't recall American roads being this deadly. I was not scared all of the time, and I was not constantly being bullied by folks in bigger cars than me. Yes, women can be just as bad as men. And the risk multiplies with drivers combing their hair, texting, eating and putting on makeup! Watching the road or watching out for peds is not even a thought in their minds! Sad, sad, sad. I feel powerless to change this.
I'm still doing an aggressive job hunt, I use at least 10 job search websites, some are specific to nannying. I haven't had an interview since April............................It's very discouraging.
The property is gorgeous where I live but I rarely see any signs of human life on the grounds. I"m one of the only ones who uses a porch light after dark. I don't like how dark our property is.......................................
If it weren't for the philanthropist who put $1500 into getting my car repaired, getting out of La pew would not have been possible. she probably saved me from being murdered...................................
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Car accident caused by road rage
I get lots of opportunities to use my psychology, peace and conflict mediation skills on a regular basis. Here is an account of one of my most recent "opportunities."
I had a rental car on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I had only been in the car for 6 blocks when a car was double parked and blocking York Road. Instead of risking fitting into a tiny space I completely stopped my car to make a point to the double parked car of what an idiot he was being. The man behind was furiously honking, furiously honking, he was also at a dead stop. In an act of intimidation the man behind me hits me intentionally to force me to move. I knew it was intentional because he had been at a dead stop. I'm forced at this point to get out of the car to assess the damage since it's a rental car. The man "plays dumb" says nothing to me, doesn't get out of the car to assess the damage, doesn't have a care in the world. I walked up to his driver's side and I quietly and calmly said: (but really upset on the inside)
"Can you please back up a little sir so I can assess the damage? "
He says nothing and refuses to move. " Sir, I'm sorry, but I need you to back up just enough so I can assess the damage as this is a rental car."
"I had to ask him one more time." He finally backs up, there are just a few scratches on my car, he doesn't seem to be concerned about his older model monte carlo.
The woman behind him is angrily honking because she is inconvenienced, so she gets out of her car and starts yelling at me while I am talking to him.
I ask him for his driver's license. " I'm so sorry to inconvenience you sir, if it were my car I wouldn't care, but Enterprise is going to make me come up with the details."
"Well, we can't just sit here and block traffic, we'll have to drive into the bank park lot" he finally says.
(I'm scared to be alone with him in a bank lot, but realize he might be right, that we have to move) As I drive to the bank lot I wonder if he'll try to get away.
He doesn't. I write down his license plate on a sheet of paper then hand it to him and ask him to add his d.l. #. "I'm not giving you this paper back til you give me your d.l." (He wasn't yelling, but he was trying to show me that he wasn't going to let me be in control. The whole time I thinking god I hope he doesn't shoot me or carjack me) I hand him my d.l. He writes everyting down painstakingly slow. I'm terrified he'll write my address down. Since he has absconded my paper, I had to take another piece of paper and re-write his license place # down, I'm "praying" he doesn't back up and run me over!
So he gets me the information and I keep talking in my "gentle gentle mother mary, I am not upset and I am not going to show him that I am scared" , voice.
We finally exchange all info. he says "I don't believe I hit you." "Well, you bumped me." I reply.
"Thank You for everything sir"
No reply........
I had a rental car on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I had only been in the car for 6 blocks when a car was double parked and blocking York Road. Instead of risking fitting into a tiny space I completely stopped my car to make a point to the double parked car of what an idiot he was being. The man behind was furiously honking, furiously honking, he was also at a dead stop. In an act of intimidation the man behind me hits me intentionally to force me to move. I knew it was intentional because he had been at a dead stop. I'm forced at this point to get out of the car to assess the damage since it's a rental car. The man "plays dumb" says nothing to me, doesn't get out of the car to assess the damage, doesn't have a care in the world. I walked up to his driver's side and I quietly and calmly said: (but really upset on the inside)
"Can you please back up a little sir so I can assess the damage? "
He says nothing and refuses to move. " Sir, I'm sorry, but I need you to back up just enough so I can assess the damage as this is a rental car."
"I had to ask him one more time." He finally backs up, there are just a few scratches on my car, he doesn't seem to be concerned about his older model monte carlo.
The woman behind him is angrily honking because she is inconvenienced, so she gets out of her car and starts yelling at me while I am talking to him.
I ask him for his driver's license. " I'm so sorry to inconvenience you sir, if it were my car I wouldn't care, but Enterprise is going to make me come up with the details."
"Well, we can't just sit here and block traffic, we'll have to drive into the bank park lot" he finally says.
(I'm scared to be alone with him in a bank lot, but realize he might be right, that we have to move) As I drive to the bank lot I wonder if he'll try to get away.
He doesn't. I write down his license plate on a sheet of paper then hand it to him and ask him to add his d.l. #. "I'm not giving you this paper back til you give me your d.l." (He wasn't yelling, but he was trying to show me that he wasn't going to let me be in control. The whole time I thinking god I hope he doesn't shoot me or carjack me) I hand him my d.l. He writes everyting down painstakingly slow. I'm terrified he'll write my address down. Since he has absconded my paper, I had to take another piece of paper and re-write his license place # down, I'm "praying" he doesn't back up and run me over!
So he gets me the information and I keep talking in my "gentle gentle mother mary, I am not upset and I am not going to show him that I am scared" , voice.
We finally exchange all info. he says "I don't believe I hit you." "Well, you bumped me." I reply.
"Thank You for everything sir"
No reply........
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