Driver stupidity is everywhere. I-75 through most of Atlanta has HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) far left lanes, 24/7, for cars with 2 or more people. The other day my wife and I were in one, going about 62 in a 55 zone, when a huge pickup truck zoomed up behind us, tailgated for a while, then flashed the headlamps for us to get out of the way. What the h***? After a mile or two and many flashes, he/she roared past on the right.

And tailgaters! Last night I was in one of the middle lanes when a semi ran so close that I could almost read the maker's medallion. This with empty lanes right and left. An attempt at intimidation? Or merely stupidity?

Don't even get me started on bicyclists. My feeling is if they want to share the road, they should have to obey the rules of the road. For the most part, the bicyclists I have seen on major streets are doing what they should. But on the side streets, most of them are blowing through stop signs--a dangerous habit if it is only a two-way stop.

Around Hemet there is a guy who zips around in one of those recumbent bikes with a hand crank. Turning corners with little regard to who is coming. I've had to slam on the brakes a couple of times due to his sudden left turns. No problem if I am driving the Insight. But if I am in the Sienna.....

I've noticed a certain behavior in California drivers. I started seeing this years ago.

It goes something like this: You have to make a left turn. There is no arrow at the intersection or you are turning into a parking lot. There is a car coming, but his/her distance from you is enough that your left turn will have absolutely no impact on them.

Yet as soon as you activate your turn signal you see the car lurch forward as the driver floors it. And they always seem to have that "Not on my watch!" look on their faces.

What is that?

If the driver--despite their aversion to me making my turn before they pass--is still a safe distance away, I'll make the turn and wave(or stick out my tongue) as I turn.

A few months ago, I bought a certified pre-owned Honda Insight for the wife. I had to get out of my bed(health issues once more) and drive to her location, change her ruined tire with the temporary tire and drive the car to a local Walmart to buy a new one.

Why?

Because she was turning in the parking lot and someone decided that she wasn't going to make the turn and floored it. Rather than getting in an accident with the very large pickup, she got out of the way as fast as she could, running into a concrete divider, damaging part of the body and destroying the tire.

Nothing like making payments on a damaged car. The damage minimal, just a scrape that most won't notice--but I know it's there.

We have a guy that lives near us. If you get to a four-way stop intersection before him and need to make a left turn(using your turn signal of course), he waits patiently until you are at the center of the turn. He then floors it, forcing you to take whatever steps you have to to get out of his way. He's gotten me three of four times and I think he may have gotten the wife once.

What is wrong with these people?

Driver stupidity is everywhere. I-75 through most of Atlanta has HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle) far left lanes, 24/7, for cars with 2 or more people. The other day my wife and I were in one, going about 62 in a 55 zone, when a huge pickup truck zoomed up behind us, tailgated for a while, then flashed the headlamps for us to get out of the way. What the h***? After a mile or two and many flashes, he/she roared past on the right.

And tailgaters! Last night I was in one of the middle lanes when a semi ran so close that I could almost read the maker's medallion. This with empty lanes right and left. An attempt at intimidation? Or merely stupidity?