…and for once in the last week, I don’t mean Civilization 4 (we’ll leave that to the comic of the day).  Why do people not know the societal rules that make everything easier on everyone else?

Does nobody remember “stay to the right and you’re always right”?  While I shudder to use that phrase these days in fear that people will think the saying applies to my politics (it doesn’t) I feel compelled to use it after being forced to go around about 895 people (small exaggeration) this morning on my walk to work.  If I had mostly been dodging immigrants or people who maybe grew up somewhere else, or whose parents grew up somewhere else then I could have a little more understanding, as perhaps in other countries there are other rules like “stay to the left and you’re always…hell I don’t know”…but the truth is I spent most of the morning dodging idiot white folk who I would bet good money were born and raised in the good ol’ US of A, just as their parents were.

How about this one…does anyone remember the rule about letting people OUT before you try to rush IN?  Do people know that this applies to all scenarios?  Elevator?  Yes, let people out before you crowd in.  Starbucks?  let people out, especially women with giant strollers before you shove your way in.  A subway car?  Yes, let the people off first, so there is room for you to get on…and in this case maybe even get out of the freaking way so it is easier for the crowds to exit.  Trust me, in the end I promise this will actually benefit YOU. 

A woman fell all over herself this morning thanking me for opening the door to Starbucks for her and letting her and her ginormous Upper East Side stroller outside before I tried to get in.  While it was nice to get a thank you, and I understand her shock, since I had to dodge my 895 people this morning, I literally would have had to push her and her child over to get in before letting her out.  Given her immense thanks I’m thinking that very thing may have happened to her before.

While I’m at it, even though I haven’t driven a car in about six months, let’s talk about the PASSING LANE.  Why do people not know that the left is a passing lane only when driving?  It’s just like with the walking on the right on the sidewalk…you drive on the right, so that people who want to go faster than you can pass you on the left.  If you pass someone though, that doesn’t mean you can assume that you are the “person who wants to drive the fastest on the entire road!”.  You should move back to the right lane when there is an opportunity…because, and this I promise you, there IS someone else out there that will want to pass you too.  Where are these people’s parents?  Were they raised by wolves?  How do people not know these rules.  It just blows my mind. 

And even if they were raised by wolves…didn’t they still have to take driver’s ed?

Okay.  Rant, officially done.  Thanks for listening.