On the road

I loved riding bikes. I still do. There's something about riding which gives me a sense of freedom and adventure which I would not otherwise, have in my mundane life. I had a group of biker friends who I used to hang out with, often into the wee hours. One thing that I still remember was the recklessness with which some of us, myself included, rode our bikes. We dared to ride with only 1 hand on the handlebar at 100kmh on the expressways, rounded sharp corners at excessive speeds and intimidating other road users with our antics. Looking back, it wasn't a smart thing to do. We were just toying with fate, playing with our lives.

I'm past that. Ever since, I left the group, I've mellowed. I have given up riding. The reckless streak in me has been suppressed but the impatience behind the wheel is still there. I think I'm a good driver. I don't speed that much anymore, I rarely go above the speed limits. I follow the traffic rules. What riles me though is inconsiderate driving. There were times when I felt like stepping out of my car and punch the face of the inconsiderate driver.

I mean, I know my car is no Ferrari or Lamborghini. I know I will have trouble climbing up a hill at 4th gear. That doesn't mean you can tailgate me or high beam at me when I'm travelling at 80kmh on the 2nd lane of the expressway. That's what the 1st lane, the overtaking lane is there for - overtaking. If you are not happy with my speed, just overtake me, you don't have to tell me I'm slow. I know. That's why I'm not on the fast lane. It really pisses me off when other drivers, upon seeing my small car, immediately think of overtaking me when they are a good 100m behind me. Forget taxi drivers. We all know how inconsiderate they are. One thing I do notice is that most of the inconsiderate driving I personally come across are male chinese aged between 35-45. Especially those who drive Mercedes and some continental makes.

Equally frustrating to deal with are the road hoggers. Sadly, most of the road-hoggers I see are lady drivers. Why sadly? Lady drivers take a lot of flak for their "poor" driving skills. They have to work doubly hard in order to prove their doubters wrong in a male-dominated environment. As if that's not enough, they get honked and high-beamed at almost a daily basis. Honestly, I pity lady drivers as they are pigeon-holed before they even turn the ignition. I mean, cut her some slack, they are not "poor", bad or lousy drivers, they just prefer to play it safe than to push the limits. I don't see the need to get angry when you can easily overtake and let it slide.

I'm not trying to diss any specific group of people here. I just say it out as I see it. I hate inconsiderate drivers more than I hate road hoggers. At least road-hoggers, mostly, have the decency to wave their hands to say sorry. Inconsiderate drivers are too lazy to do that, they only wave 1 fnger.