The family decided to load up at Costco this afternoon, so we piled into the fam-mobile and ventured out. The trip was going well until we hit the Costco parking lot, where we encountered “confused, angry woman”.
I was trying to go straight at an intersection of the lot because a spot was coming open. She, oblivious, was meandering parallel to me, on the other side of the intersection, so I started to go. At that moment, she decided to cross the street in front of me. Suddenly she noticed the large 7-passenger SUV bearing down on her and swerved back toward her side of the road. That’s when she raised her arms in exasperation and said, “Well, you didn’t have your blinker on…”
Did I mention I was going straight?
I think that there should be an unofficial guide to driving which is mailed to ALL drivers once a year. I would include the following suggestions. . .
1. Don’t pass in the right hand lane. It isn’t nice and it isn’t safe.
2. Crossing the double line is for dummies. You’ve got your signal on because you are trying to get across the double line and then two lanes of traffic. Look behind you. . .you’re holding up traffic.
3. Accelerate when you pass. Take your car of cruise control and speed up your Cadillac while passing. If it takes you five minutes to pass OR you are going the SAME speed as the car directly to your right then you SHOULDN’T be in the passing lane.
4. Learn the rules of the road in Oregon. Yes, you can take a left onto a one way road at a red light even if your lane happens to be two ways. It is NOT illegal.
One more note.
I love the folks at Costco who WAIT for my parking space while I am loading groceries and kids into the car. Usually, they take up the entire parking area so the people behind them also have to wait and are unable to either turn around or go around the stopped vehicle.
As most parents know, this process can be quite time consuming to get everyone loaded in and ready to go. Plus, I like to give the wee people a little snack, adjust the music and check my voice mail before hitting the road.
Good rule of thumb. . .don’t go after a parking spot UNTIL the car is running!