Pet Peeve # 836--On Ramps and Merge Lanes

Usually I don't have to deal with the heavy morning traffic, since the hubs takes the kidlet to school. But every now and then I get the . . . erm . . . privilege of driving her.

While I've encountered the issue of merge lanes before--actually on a daily basis when I pick her up--but it's extremely irksome when the traffic is 10x heavier than it is in the afternoon.

Anyhoo, let's start with on ramps. The purpose of the ON ramp is for the car to accelerate to the same speed as the traffic you are merging into, usually on a freeway/expressway/autobahn/whatever.

• Do NOT slow down to 'look'--you should be looking when you are accelerating. It's easier to merge into traffic when you are going at the right speed.
• Do NOT stop to look--yes, this has happened in front of me before. It takes longer to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph than the length of the remaining on ramp! Especially on the older expressways.
• Don't slow down if there are ten cars behind you waiting to merge into the traffic.--Are you freakin' trying to kill all of us?? Use the right pedal--ACCELERATE!!!
• on a cloverleaf, look as soon as you get a chance, which is usually 1/3 of the way into the leaf. Start planning your merge ASAP. Cars will be pulling in front of you and behind you to merge onto the expressway you just exited. Be smart about it.  
• If you have someone going too slow in front of you, do NOT speed up their car butts, thinking this will encourage them to accelerate. It won't work. Back off a little. You're smarter than they are and know you can accelerate more efficiently if you have some space away from them.

To those who are driving on the expressway with merging:

• If possible, get out of the right hand lane--if you have to drive 10 miles until your exit, leave the right hand lane for those who have shorter distances to navigate. Be courteous. It's really no skin off your nose, is it?
• if you must stay in the right lane, pay attention to those merging into traffic and ADJUST your speed to allow them to seamlessly merge--Yes, you can do this. I do this all the time.
• Don't be an A-hole and match your speed to the dude coming up the on ramp. Don't block him from merging in front of you, or forcing him to slam on his brakes. Is it really that important to you? Does it make you feel proud of yourself? If it does, then you have bigger issues than this blog can address.   

Those are the main points I wanted to hit. I'm sure there are more, but I'm finished with my Pet Peeve of the day.

Later, Peeps!

Pet Peeve #31

CURB YOUR DOG!

Just where do you think you are? 

Look, I think it's wonderful that you are taking your dog with you on a walk, for a jog, or even training him to run while you bike.

But for everyone's sake  don't let your dog take a dump right in the middle of a trail!

It's not only rude, obnoxious, inconsiderate and all around disgusting, it can pose a health hazard, plus in this city--it's ILLEGAL! First, fines are posted and then by the third warning can even see a wee bit of jail time.

The problem is not the dog, it's the owner. And I've seen some really bad owners recently. They figure that if no one catches them it's okay.

Well, it isn't.

One woman used to take her two dogs for a walk to take a dump in our yard. I'm not married to an IT geek for nothing--we have cameras. And yes, we caught you. And yes, we found out who you were. And yes, we called you citing the city ordinance and giving you the exact page you can find the information. The woman now carries a doody baggy with her and we haven't had the problem since.

But trails are public and a little more difficult to monitor.

If I see someone letting their dog do their biz in the middle of the trail, I'll say something. If they get in my face and threaten me, then I'll whip out my pepper spray in self-defense.

We all share the public trails and it's everyone's job to keep them nice.

So do your part and pick up your dog's waste, or let your dog poop on the mowed grass a couple of feet AWAY from the trail. 

This Public Service announcement is over.

Pet Peeve Friday!

Today I'm bring up the topic of . . .

PIMPLES!

What is up with them? I'm 48.46 years old and I'm breaking out! I don't think I'm stressing about anything . . . unless its the wrinkles battling it out with the pimples on my facial turf.

Aarrrggghhh!

'nuff said.

Write on!

Pet Peeve Friday!

I wondered what my pet peeve would be this week.

Would it be the overzealous meteorologists who seemed on a power trip by spreading the horrible news of an ice storm--a week before it would hit?

Would it be the lousy restaurant service, as in NEVER came back to the table, we got at a Chili's recently?

But when I read through the comments on Jessica Faust's Bookend's blog Thursday {actually, it was MY question. I sent it to her before the holidays last December! :-)}, the choice was made for me.

I decided to gripe about comment trolls.

You know who I mean. Those disgruntled, and 99%, Anonymous commenters who,
1) change the topic so they could blow hard,
2) anonymously put their own perverted agenda on the list
3) are those drama queen CATALYSTS who are obnoxious just to get controversy started.
4) and all the trolls seem to be 100% negative about what ever topic they are hijacking.
--May karma bite deep in their arse!

It's sad, but I think those commenters are the same ones who spam agents with their queries because they KNOW their work is great and every agent on earth is a moron because they won't represent them, so they query them with multiple email addys daily. It ticks me off, because it makes it harder for the rest of us.

--Speaking of which, if all agents are morons why would they want one as an agent? Something to think about.

It's sad really. So many agents who have given of their time and expertise have had to drop their blogs, go to moderated comments (leaving less time to read our queries), or stop providing publishing information to the writing public.

So, if you see a troll--cut their Achilles tendon, then they fall and go boom!

Write on!