how i deal with florida road rage

Hillsborough County made the news again.

The above is the viral video of the moment, and, of course, it happened in Florida. In the county I live in, Hillsborough. And I know US-41. Been on it many times.

This is what I have to say about the above video: Both drivers were being morons. The woman knew the guy was trying to pass and increased speed to tick him off no matter what she says. The guy driving the truck should have known better than to floor the gas on a huge truck and then swerve because that gas-guzzling piece of crap isn't a sports car.

Over the years, I've learned most of the ins and outs of driving in Tampa Bay Florida. Having GPS (seriously, get one) has been a life-saver more than once. And I've also learned to be a very tolerant driver.

Do I flip people off when driving? All the time. But I do it so they don't see it. I'll flip a bird when someone cuts me off, but only do it near my leg and not up in the air or out the window, because that one finger if seen can get you in big trouble. I get my momentary rage out, the idiot who cut me off goes on his merry way (probably to cause an accident elsewhere), and life goes on.

Do I speed? Rarely. I've only done 80mph a handful of times on Florida interstates (the speed limit is 70mph). And 80 is the fastest I've gone. If going over 80, I would feel danger, so I don't do it.

There's another reason I almost never speed. The scenery here is beautiful. For example, going over the Courtney Campbell Causeway during day or night is one hell of a nice view. And you know what? Most other people drive at the posted speed limit on that road just like me because the view is just that good.

Even when I'm not on state roads and just driving around residential areas, the view in most places is just nice.

There are days when I drive like an old man, and I totally admit that. But I don't drive so slow that it annoys people. For example, if I'm on I-4, I-275 or I-75 and everyone is doing 75mph, I do 75mph because that's the speed traffic is moving along. In that instance, if you go slower, you're being a danger to yourself and others around you.

At times I do appreciate being behind 18-wheeler trucks because they're always driving slow because they have to. Why do I appreciate it? Because anyone behind me sees the big rig and knows I'm going slow because the big rig in front of me is going slow, so nobody can get ticked off at me about the slow speed of travel.

Yeah, I get my moments of road rage like anyone else. But I deal with them in my own safe little way, emphasis on safe.

Published 2014 Mar 29