Mar 11 2010
Pickup Line Rage
The kids school has drop off and pickup lines for vehicles. I drive my car up and my children jump out or jump in depending on the time of day. I am to stay in my vehicle moving along at a snails pace stopping every 20 feet until it is my turn to enter pickup space number 1, 2, 3, or 4.
I have been following this procedure for 2 1/2 years now and as the children are finishing their third term for this year, I had assumed that most people had accepted the slow and deliberate nature of school pickup. In that assumption, I was wrong.
Once the four pickup spots are filled, everyone who follows forms two lines which take turns refilling the pickup spots when they are emptied. Once these lines form, it is impossible for anyone to cut in front of you or for you to lose your turn.
Two days ago, I pulled up in the line on the right. The next car, which contained my friend, pulled up in the line on the left. There were a great number of cars in front of us. So, we began to have a little chat as we rolled and stopped, rolled and stopped. As the left line moved forward, there developed a gap of approximately one car length between my friend and the car in front of her.
BEEP!
We looked at each other. “Did the car behind me just beep at me?” She asked. “Yes. What do you think you’re doing?’ I said. “There is 15 feet of space to move up before you have to stop again.” Then I laughed and we chatted some more.
BEEP!
“They beeped at me again!” My friend declared indignantly. Now, I was laughing so hard at the absurdity of the situation tears ran out of my eyes.
My friend moved all the way up and closed the gap. I looked over at the beeping driver. She had a death grip on the wheel, was staring straight ahead, and had her front bumper approximately 1″ from my friends rear bumper.
We rolled and stopped some more.
I finally turned the corner and since I was on the inside curve, I found myself once again parallel to my friend. “I am going to put my car in park and go back and talk to her!” She declared in frustration.
I advised her against this. “They recommend you never confront an aggressive driver,” I told her. I believe this rule applies to all aggressive drivers, even those picking up their children from a Christian School.
