My Early Morning Road Confrontation

6:15 AM.

I pulled out of my garage and onto the boulevard. A car pulled out in front of me. (This is quite normal, yet annoying in the world of driving, as you all know.) The car drove under the speed limit causing me to apply my brakes. (Even more annoying.) I passed him. Then he proceeded to flash his lights at me after I passed him. At the next stop sign, I lingered just to be annoying back. (A bad idea.) He got out of his car. Not wanting to get accosted or worse so early in the morning I kept driving. At the next light, he pulled up along side of me and rolled down his window.

"The speed limit is 25," he says with a self-righteous tone.

Thinking heavily about my next move, I stare at the guy and realize he is pumped and eager for an argument. I said, "Thanks for pulling out in front of me."

"Be a good neighbor," he said in response.

Realizing that nothing I say will help me AND that technically he was correct to be concerned about my speed since I had to accelerate to pass him, I decided to take the high road. I gave him a sly smirk and said, "Ok. You got it, buddy."

In the scheme of things, the score is Self-righteous Guy in Jetta 1, JC 0. It wasn't until about an hour later that I came up with several great come-backs and responses to his bold statements to me. So then it started to make me question how quick-witted I am. Or lack thereof.

Why couldn't I come up with these great responses on the spot?

Though, thinking back, I'm sure my witty retorts would have only sent him into a more, defensive posture and the situation may have escalated. And those of you who know me know how immensely repulsed I am at the thought of confrontation. And in all fairness to the guy I automatically (and probably unfairly) assume is an asshole, I was driving faster than 25mph. Not wanting to lower myself to the level of Self-righteous Guys in Jettas, I consider that maybe he has had a family member die due to a speeding driver, or something similar.

In the end, I'm just going to have to deal with the fact that I was speeding (briefly) and some dude called me out on it. I guess I should be lucky he wasn't a cop. Or maybe he was. Who knows.

In the end, like the immature kid I tend to be, I punched it when the light turned green and caused my tires to squeal. Take that, World!