Where have all the Manners gone?

Have you noticed lately that people aren't as polite as they used to be?

Yesterday I was driving behind a long line of cars that were proceeding at an excruciatingly slow pace. The reason was that ahead of us were three truck-tractors hauling a wide load with pilot cars before and after with lights flashing.

So I took my time, happily listening to the Bob and Tom Show and not stressing out at all. But traffic behind and in front of me was just dodging in and out between all the other cars with people trying to get just one more car ahead. I mean why? Even if you get to the front of the line you have to wait behind those big truck...so why? Why endanger your life and more importantly mine?

Then...after those huge trucks pulled over to let traffic pass, right before the on-ramp to Highway 99 I turned on my right signal to let people know that I wanted to merge into the right line so I could enter the freeway. There was this guy wearing an Osha Orange jacket in a big blue truck and he would not let me merge. He sped up. I had to slow down and inconvenience the line of cars behind me so that the next person could let me in!
Would it truly have killed that guy to let me merge? Does one more car in front of you really make that much difference in your life? And if so...Why?

So when I moved in behind that truck, I mouthed "Big Fat Jerk without thinking and then I held my breath hoping he wouldn't slam on his brakes and get out of his truck and come back to my car and shoot me. Ok, well maybe that's a little far-fetched but those things do happen...all the time sometimes!

Then ...to make matters worse. After work I stopped at an AM/PM to gas up my car. It was super busy but I saw that if I drove clear to the other side of the pumps there was a space  right in the middle of two other cars. So I drove around and was just making the turn to pull in debating if I should try the parallel parking thing or just pull in when Slam, Bam...this big huge man in a beat up old pickup cuts me right off and pulls into the spot. 


I remember my fear of being shot from the morning and I manage not to mouth, Big Fat Jerk at him. So I find an empty pump right on the other side of this guy and while I'm standing there pumping gas he looks at me and tries to be the nice guy by saying, "Kinda cold tonight isn't it?" "Really? Really you big fat jerk...now you wanna be nice?" Ok, so I didn't say that.  I just turned around and pretended I didn't hear him and we both finished and each went our own way.


But I'm still bothered; even today, a day later, that people are so rude and only worry about themselves. Why has this become a "ME" society? I try to perform random acts of kindness. I let people cut in front of me all the time. I stop and let people pull out of parking lots and I always flash truck drivers so they know they can pull into my lane. (And I don't mean flash in the flashy-flash term...I mean I flash my lights on and off at them).

Have you experienced the same things? Where have all the manners gone? (And don't even get me started on people that just throw their trash anywhere.) Ok, there...I've ranted. Thanks for listening and I promise not to be so negative in my next post.