BE considerate at the boat ramps.

[troutchaser]

It made me stop and think that not ALL of these people have persoality problems/character flaws that cause them to be rude.

No way. I like to think they're all just jerks out to try to ruin my day. Besides, basking in self-righteousness does wonders for my ego.

Actually, John, I hope your wife is OK. Nothing ruins a fishing trip more than when strangers cause problems. Unless you drop your dad's keys in the water, but I'll save that one for another thread.

[Terry Beeson]

Tax,

I remember well when the "speeder impeder" law was passed in Arkansas. I was a consultant at the time and on the road a lot. One of my main arteries of travel was I-40 from Conway to Little Rock. They worked on that stretch of interstate for what seemed to be 250 years with one lane closed most of the time. The "speeder impeder" law was introduced by some state legislators who commuted from LR to Mayflower and points beyond who were tired of people blocking their path when they would finally get out of the one lane construction zone. At that point, they (and I) were ready to get home and would try to ramp up to 80 mph or so only to find themselves blocked by drivers in the left lane matching the speed of the driver right beside them in the right lane. And this was NOT always semis...

To that point, Ken... I don't mind you being frustrated with me for being in a hurry as long as you HURRY UP AND PASS and then GET IN THE FREAKIN' RIGHT LANE once you've completed your passing...

As for the credit card swipe, what you said is true, however, most of them clearly state to "swipe card" and you can ask the clerk. My peeve is for those who wait, finish filling their cart, THEN search every pocket of their pants and/or corner of their purse to find their card to swipe. THEN take an extra block of time sorting change and filing the receipt without moving from the register.

Is it my impatience or being in a hurry that frustrates me? Nope. It's the fact that these folks are suffering from the CUS (Center of the Universe Syndrome) and have a lack of consideration for the person or persons behind them who may have a good reason to be in a hurry. That's what seems to be lacking so much in our society... respect and consideration for our fellow man.

But do I complain to the card swiper or honk, flash lights, and salute the speeder impeder? No... I simply yell my frustrations in my head, try to calm myself, and make a mental note to try and never do something like that to frustrate another person. Well, OK... I might give you a glare... but other than that, I try to avoid conflict...

And, yes, I too have had "blonde moments" (my apologies for the use of that blatantly stereotypical phrase) and been embarrassed at my own actions. I'm sure we all have.

[rainbow]

Boat ramps can be especially irritating with some of the idiots that are on them. The way we load is my backer puts the trailer in, jumps out of the truck to hook the winch and then drives up on the lot out of the way to secure the boat. I don't even get out of the boat. It usually takes us less than two minutes and we have had a lot of people comment how efficient we are and thanked us for letting them load so fast. Its not rocket science folks....its just kind of the courtesies my folks imparted when we were growing up.

[Terry Beeson]

(I can't believe I'm posting this...)

By the way, Taxidermist... Was this guy in a Tracker? And Ken... were you pulling a Tracker when you had your faux paux?

(Sorry, BB... Couldn't resist...)

[SilverMallard]

Tax,

I remember well when the "speeder impeder" law was passed in Arkansas. I was a consultant at the time and on the road a lot. One of my main arteries of travel was I-40 from Conway to Little Rock. They worked on that stretch of interstate for what seemed to be 250 years with one lane closed most of the time. The "speeder impeder" law was introduced by some state legislators who commuted from LR to Mayflower and points beyond who were tired of people blocking their path when they would finally get out of the one lane construction zone. At that point, they (and I) were ready to get home and would try to ramp up to 80 mph or so only to find themselves blocked by drivers in the left lane matching the speed of the driver right beside them in the right lane. And this was NOT always semis...

To that point, Ken... I don't mind you being frustrated with me for being in a hurry as long as you HURRY UP AND PASS and then GET IN THE FREAKIN' RIGHT LANE once you've completed your passing...

As for the credit card swipe, what you said is true, however, most of them clearly state to "swipe card" and you can ask the clerk. My peeve is for those who wait, finish filling their cart, THEN search every pocket of their pants and/or corner of their purse to find their card to swipe. THEN take an extra block of time sorting change and filing the receipt without moving from the register.

Is it my impatience or being in a hurry that frustrates me? Nope. It's the fact that these folks are suffering from the CUS (Center of the Universe Syndrome) and have a lack of consideration for the person or persons behind them who may have a good reason to be in a hurry. That's what seems to be lacking so much in our society... respect and consideration for our fellow man.

But do I complain to the card swiper or honk, flash lights, and salute the speeder impeder? No... I simply yell my frustrations in my head, try to calm myself, and make a mental note to try and never do something like that to frustrate another person. Well, OK... I might give you a glare... but other than that, I try to avoid conflict...

And, yes, I too have had "blonde moments" (my apologies for the use of that blatantly stereotypical phrase) and been embarrassed at my own actions. I'm sure we all have.

Well, here's my theory:

1. If I'm driving at or above the speed limit and you are not an emergency first responder with your lights flashing, you got nothing to be upset about when I cause you to slow down no matter which lane I'm in.

2. If you give me time to execute a pass at the speed limit, I will get out of your way.

3. If you start flashing lights or tailgating or using sign language, you might be stuck there for quite some time.

4. The cash register deal we're in complete agreement on. Folks aren't prepared to pay at the time to pay piss me off too! Folks who need the small countertop to put their change/receipt away QUICKLY don't bother me at all. When they stand there and reorganize their entire purse or clean out their wallet, they DO.

5. If the lady in front of me drops her purse or has a sneezing fit or something, I'm more likely to help her than I am to be upset by the delay.

6. People who "camp out" in the passing lane at or below the speed limit torque me off too...especially when they are in MY blind spot and I'm in the slow lane. But people who can't pick a speed and maintain it on the highway are the ones who REALLY annoy me.

7. People who honk as soon as the light turns green REALLY get frustrated by me. If the horn honks in the first 2 seconds of a green light, I'm sitting there for another 5-10 seconds before moving. Just because THEY are in a hurry does NOT mean I have to be.

[Terry Beeson]

1. As long as you are actually executing a pass and not just flirtin' with the babe in the Beamer beside you, I agree...

2. My point exactly.

3. You won't get that from me unless I've got an 11 year old in the passenger seat in a hyper/hypoglysemic coma. Then you may get a "nudge" along with the flashing lights, horn, and salute...

4. Yep... complete agreement.

5. Only thing - be careful reaching for that purse. You might be accused of purse snatching... But then a "here... let me get that for you" should avoid that. The sneezing... well, I might move to another lane... germ-o-phobe...

6. Yep... But the ones that REALLY get my goat are the ones who are following someone both going, say, 55 mph. Just as I, going 65 and having pulled into the left lane 5 car lengths back, get within a car length when they decide it's time to pull out to "pass"... doing 56... And they seem oblivious to the squealing smoking tires behind them.

7. I don't honk unless it's SEVERAL seconds. However, I might call you a "cooty infested girl kisser" in the privacy of my vehicle.

[taxidermist]

The offending boat was a Triton with a huge 275 Merc on it. Plus their truck was a crew cab dually.

My boat is a Lowe 170 VSN, with a 90Hp Johnson. I do have a nice truck, 05 Chevy SRW 2500HD Gas engine, but it has everything on it. Booked for $47,000. I paid $30,000. so the dealer could move it.

I do know one thing the offender has a fish in my freezer to be mounted, he still has not paid the deposit!!! Guess he cant afford to with his $90,000. fishing rig.

I sent him a notice today on his 14 month over due deposit.

Due to my storing his fish and his lack of attending to the business at hand of paying the deposit, I filed a lein on his fish.

So even if he decides to pick it up and take it somewhere else I get the storage fees.

His last fish he took 5 months to pickup after it was finished!! I think maybe the post about the size of his boot in place of his must be sometyhing to it. LOL

Storage fees heck electricity aint cheap but its cheaper than his boat payment!!

I am sure MR Realtor will be hot over the letter. But its more than deserved.

John

[Crippled Caddis]

"The society of late 20th century America is perhaps the first in human history where most grown men do not routinely bear arms on their persons and boys are not regularly raised from childhood to learn skill in the use of some kind of weapon, either for community or personal defense --- club or spear, broadsword or long bow, rifle or Bowie knife. It also happens to be one of the rudest and crudest societies in history, having jubilantly swept most of the etiquette of speech, table, dress, hospitality, fairness, deference to authority and the relations of male and female and child and elder under the fraying and filthy carpet of politically convenient illusions. With little fear of physical reprisal Americans can be as loud, gross, disrespectful, pushy, and negligent as they please. If more people carried rapiers at their belts or revolvers on their hips it is a fair bet you would be able to go to a movie and enjoy the dialogue from the screen without having to endure the small talk, family gossip and assorted bodily noises that many theater audiences these days regularly emit. Today discourtesy is commonplace precisely because there is no price to pay for it."------Samuel Francis

[bojack]

everytime i'm on the hi-way and there is some moron driving under the limit in the left lane, or tailgating me and i want to run them off the road or slam on my brakes my wife politly reminds me that "TODAY I'M NOT THE ROAD WARRDEN', and that they are not out just to PI%$ me off. so i just slow down, get into the other lane and let my blood pressure go back to normal. come to think of it i haven't been the road warrden since i married her. RATS!

[Rusty]

Many moons ago for cheap entertainment, while camping at Campbell Point, we would take a substantial amount of beer and camp around the boat ramp area. Boats, fishing, and skiing equipment went as well. But the most important thing was mentioned first. Every evening it was a zoo, boaters trying to leave all at the same time. It was entertaining to sit in a chair and watch this. If you have ever watched a bunch of ants moving around, this is what it looked liked but much worse. Complete chaos. Funny thing was, this place had the best boat ramp area I had ever seen. Many could load or unload at the same time. Tempers flew that was for sure. Vehicles were backed into, mirrors broke, and more than few punches thrown. Crazy it was, if I had only taken a camcorder.