I have had it with the selfishness of Dallas drivers.
Along Northwest Higway between West and East Lawther, there is a break in the median opposite from the Dallas Park and Recreation building where eastbound drivers can turn left and go north. I make that turn often because I walk with a friend in White Rock Valley, just north of Flag Pole Hill, and because the left-turn green arrow at West Lawther never lasts long enough. I am conscious of the fact that I am turning from a busy road on which drivers are traveling at speeds of 45 or 50 mph (or higher), so I try to make the turn as quickly as I can.
This morning I made the turn as usual, flipping my blinker on a good 10-15 seconds before the turn, and careening into the median break. As I did this, the driver behind had the gall to not just honk, but blare on his horn for the entirety of my turn and then some. I was not breaking any traffic laws; my only offense as far as I could tell was slowing down the car behind me. And I’ve got news for you, Dallas drivers: being inconvenienced is not an offense that warrants honking.
It bothers me that this attitude of intolerance for people slowing down and turning is becoming more and more common. It happened to me a second time recently as I was making a right-hand turn at a red light, and had the nerve, apparently, to look to make sure I wouldn’t be hit by oncoming traffic. I’m sorry, but I value my life and the lives of other drivers who have the right-of-way more than I value your commute time.
The worst part is that the honking often happens after I’ve begun turning, and because it’s usually a long, blaring honk as opposed to a brief blast, it freaks me out and makes me look every which way to make sure I’m not about to hit someone or something. That is not a safe thing to do while you’re making a turn, especially a quick turn out of respect to the drivers behind you. If I ever have an accident because I’m trying to avoid an accident because some idiot driver behind me is losing five seconds of his precious commute time, so help me God …
