Road Rage

I am sick of road rage. Last week, I was walking across Yonge Street near Dundas. A car was about to turn right in front of me. It seemed to me that he was not going to stop, so I stopped. He slowed, then I began to walk, then I thought he wouldn't stop after all, so I stopped. Finally, he stopped. I stared into the windshield, but I really couldn't even see who was in there because of the glare. When I passed the passenger side of the car, I got a verbal barrage from the two people (a man and a woman). It went something like "fuck you; fuck off; fuck you; fuck off." What's wrong with people?

A year ago, I was riding up Dovercourt Road, south of Dundas. The road was narrow, and my backpack brushed the side mirror of a rusting pickup truck. I emphasize the word "brushed." In truth, I considered stopping and saying something to whomever was in the truck, but it just seemed ridiculous. Anyway, it was very busy, and so I was past College before they caught up to me.

Rubber tires squealed on the pavement. Two guys, whom I can only describe as microcephalic mesomorphs, jumped out of the truck. I was called, within the space of less than a minute, a fag, a faggot, a fag with glasses, a faggot with glasses, a stupid fuck, an asshole, a piece of shit, a jerk, a girl, a fuck head, etc., etc. (believe me, there were many more names). They clenched their fists. They told me that if they had "hit" me, I would have called the police. They threatened to call the police. All the while, they inched closer and closer.

It was the most obscene display of road rage I have ever seen. Why can't people treat other people the way in which they would like to be treated? Is that so hard?

Tags: road rage, cycling