An epidemic on the rise???

A few days ago, I was driving up Highway 100 heading toward my apartment building. I was in the middle lane, minding my own business. Then out of nowhere, the lady in the right lane decided to merge into the middle lane, and almost right into me. I played it cool, though... ever at the ready to get out of her way in case she just kept merging and didn't notice me at all.

She did notice me, though. When she did she had a crazy, angry look on her face. Then she flipped me off. I just stared at her as if to say "really?" So, we went our seperate ways.

I wonder if she would have shot me if the law merrited it...

I mean seriously, what happened? In her mind, I had obviously committed an incredibly heneous offence, though in reality I hadn't done anything wrong.

Truth be told, I was kind of worried about her. I suspect that she may need some sort of psychological attention.

It reminded me of the last time I'd gotten flipped off: but while the former woman might have had mental issues, this next guy was just an ass.

I was trying to merge into the turn lane to get into the Mall of America from the Hwy 77 exit, off of 494. In the past, you were able to just go into the mall right from there. Now, they've done construction so that you have to go down one more light and then merge one lane to the right before you can enter the mall.

So, there was a large line of us wanting to merge into that lane, and a large line of people already in that lane. The car ahead of me had two guys and two girls in it. Someone was kind enough to let them merge in. There was some space ahead of the car that had just merged, and I assumed that he would want to "pay it forward" and let me in as well.

I started to merge in, and he drove (almost up on the curb) around me to get ahead of me, flipping me off in the process.

I was absolutely shocked. Because of that I had to drive all the way around the mall to find another way in, because I had missed the exit I needed. But that's not the point! Someone was really kind to let him in, and ONE SECOND after being there he acted like he owned that space - that he deserved that space! Then he wanted me to know that I wasn't as deservant as he was to get into the mall.

If I'd have been one of his friends in his car - I would have been equally shocked. I would have taken him aside and told him that actions like that show that he is a person who doesn't deserve anyone's respect, even his friends.

I'm still shocked - how can anyone act like that to someone? Now, I have forgiven the self-righteous prick already, namely because there have been times in my life where I've also been a self-righteous prick and in need of forgiveness.

But has anyone else noticed a rise in being flipping other people off? I don't think its a good thing to be doing. I mean, if you'd just asume flip someone off soon as look at them, one of these times you're going to flip off your mother, your grandmother, or the pope. And then how would you feel!