Here’s Proof That, for Some, a Good Offense Is the Best Defensive Driving
The H82DRIVE forum at LAinsider.com, a Web guidebook, invites readers to “take your rage off the road. Vent your frustrations here.”
Do they ever.
Respondents lashed out against motorists who:
* Think “driving an SUV is like driving a Sherman tank.”
* Enter flooded intersections as though they’re “in an amphibious vehicle, then wonder why the car stalls.”
* Smoke behind the wheel (“What you do to your lungs is your business as long as I don’t have to smell that crud coming out of your lousy car”).
* Drive a Toyota Echo (“what an ugly car”).
* Believe “that they will force my Expedition out of the way with a motorcycle.”
* “Think they have a divine right to cut you off in their beeline quest for the carpool lane.”
My goodness.
When I finished reading the rants, I decided to write this column at home. I didn’t want to brave a freeway for the drive to work.
And you thought SUVs were annoying. . . . Marion Gannon of Yucaipa sent a blurb that mentioned some really, really big pests smacking windshields in Riverside County (see accompanying).
Disorder in the court: Sure, a lot of wild characters show up in courthouses. But Irvine is the first city I know of that actually advertises that aspect of the judicial system (photo by resident Cy Baumann).
Didn’t catch the name: On the subject of how carefully clerks listen to customers, Marlene Hickey writes: “Years ago, my husband Don Schick (now deceased) attempted to confirm a reservation at LAX with one of the airline ticket agents, who was having some difficulty with his name.
“After he had been addressed as ‘Schnick’ and then ‘Schwick,’ he finally said to the woman, ‘No, it’s Schick. S-C-H-I-C-K. You know--just like the razor.’ They spoke for another few minutes before completing their business. As Don walked away from the counter, the agent called after him: ‘Have a nice trip, Mr. Gillette.’ ”
But all I want to buy is an old toaster: John McCafferty of Santa Barbara found that some local garage sales appeared to throw in the rest of the house, too (see accompanying).
More stupid driver tricks: A woman who identified herself as SuvSister wrote to LAinsider.com: “While driving home from work on the 118 Freeway, I came upon this IDIOT in a small sports car convertible, top down.
“This IDIOT was . . . doing about 75-80 mph, apparently steering with his knees because his arms were folded behind his head!!!! He drove like this for MILES, occasionally even doing like a yawning stretch.
“I was finally able to pass him (he slowed) and he continued to drive like that until I lost sight of him in my rvm. This MUST take the cake in driver stupidity and arrogance. Would have loved to see him hit a big bump or something (as long as there was no one else around for him to take out). God help us!”
Come to think of it: I’m not getting on the freeway tomorrow, either.
miscelLAny: Ah, politicians. Mayor Riordan endorsed Antonio Villaraigosa in the runoff for mayor, saying that such a leader “comes along only once in a generation.” Sort of makes you wonder why he endorsed Steve Soboroff in the April primary (quite a bit less than a generation ago).
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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A., 90012 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.
