The Squeezer

I might be overly critical today because I have spent most of my commute this week sitting in traffic so slow my spedometre didn’t register for long periods of time.

However, I think I really dislike The Squeezer.

You know this person. Perhaps you yourself are a Squeezer.

These are the people who ignore the large space I have left for people to merge into my lane but instead choose to squeeze themselves into a spot one car ahead.

I particularly like the Squeezer who does this to transport trucks.

People, truckers leave this space because they take longer to slow down. By squeezing in, you deserve to be hit.



My initial feelings about the Nissan Cube remains – this is one ugly car.

And one particular Cube driver is not only a Squeezer but also a jerk. After squeezing in, he continued to go really slow, effectively blocking in the guy he cut off in the first place.

Curse the drivers

I was late getting into work this morning.

There wasn’t a snowstorm nor was there an accident. Instead there was a car and a truck at the side of the highway and then another car and a tractor-trailer on the side of the highway a little further along.

They didn’t hit each other. There was no broken glass or smashed vehicles. There were no flashing lights of a police car, tow truck or ambulance. There were no people trying to flag us down or dodge between cars.

There were just four vehicles at the side of the road.

But those vehicles had hundreds of people in their cars stopped on Hwy. 404, moving less than five kilometres per hour for several exits.

People, if you want to gawk become a passenger. Don’t waste my time.

Driving Pet Peeves

When you drive as much as I used to, there are things that other people do that drive you crazy - and vice versa I am sure.

The Swooper
There is nothing worse when you are driving along and some moron in a big SUV comes speeding up behind you and sits there as if waiting for you to move over. That really annoys me. I drive a Sunfire. It’s not that big. Surely if you are driving that fast, you can plan it so you can swoop around me. If not, continue speeding but slow down a safe distance away and then pass.

The Tailgater
If I can’t see your headlights, you are too close. If I have to slam on my brakes, you are going to hit me. I have a baby in the back. If you hit me, you will regret it.

The Signaller
The purpose of a signal light is to signal your INTENT to turn. Don’t put it on after you have already moved into the left-hand turn lane and perhaps you should put it on before you turn into the driveway.

The Impatient One
If you go just more than 80 kilometres per hour, you can actually stretch a tank of gas a lot longer. However, sometimes 80 feels a tad ... slow. So I tend to go about 90. If that speed is too slow for you, I understand. However, please note The Tailgater and the Swooper. Don’t make hand gestures at me. This is the speed I am travelling. Get over it. Pass me. But if tailgate me, I am going to go 80.

The Inconsistent One
I don’t care if you want to go 70 km/hr but then go 70. Don’t go 70, then 100, then 80. And if I am trying to pass you because you were going 60 but then speed up as I move to pass, that’s just rude. Saying that, I apologize. Sometimes I am inconsistent. I miss cruise control.

And a couple of other notes:

* When I took Young Drivers of Canada, the instructor told a story that has stuck with me all these years.
Someone was trying to pass a dump truck. Instead of keeping back for a clear view around the truck, he would swerve into the oncoming lane to see if it was OK to pass. It wasn’t and he hit the instructor’s friend who was in the other lane, killing him instantly.
* A couple of years after I got my license, a car-full of ex-classmates were killed when they were hit head-on by a moron who passed up a hill.
Nothing is so important that you need to pass up a hill.

A Note to Drivers

Dear Drivers,

As you know, our street is a dead end; it’s not a busy road.

So can you do me a favour? When you see me pushing my son in the stroller, move over a whole lane. It annoys me when drivers sped past us, moving over only slightly.

If I can reach out and touch your car, you haven’t moved far enough away. If only half your car makes it over the yellow line, you still haven’t moved far enough over.

When drivers move into the other lane to pass, it makes me feel more confident that if something happened - a blown tire, a distracted driver - the car wouldn’t hit us. As a mother, that makes me happy.

So thank you to the drivers who move over to the other side of the road to pass me; who slow down when approaching me; and who wait until the car coming toward them goes by so they can move over a full lane to get around me.

These drivers get a grateful wave, a smile and a word of thanks. The others - not so much.