Y’know how it is: you accidently cut someone off in traffic, and then you’re trying to let them past you, except they keep making the turns you’re making, and what you’re thinking is, “Holy Shit, are they planning on following me to my destination, dragging me out of my car, and beating the Holy Shit out of me?”

So last night I was driving at the Indy. Around, I dunno, 7pm, I pulled out of the shopping center onto Ashland Road. Ashland ends at York, with westbound traffic having three lanes to choose from: left lane turns left, right lane turns right, middle lane can turn left, right, or go straight into the Hampton Inn. I pulled onto Ashland Road about a second after the light goes green. Left-hand lane has to wait anyway: couple red-light runners from York keep ‘em stopped. I enter the intersection about half a second behind the lead car in the left-lane — white Lexus. Although he’s in the left-hand lane, he’s making his turn into York’s right-hand lane. Which, um, is where I am. No problem. The roads may be wet, but I’m paying attention, and brake, and lay my palm on the horn. BWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

He skids over into his proper lane, accelerates, gets well ahead of me, then pulls into the right-lane so he can turn onto Wight Avenue. First off: if you knew you wanted to turn into Wight, why not just be in the middle lane on Ashland to begin with?

In any case, I’m heading out to Falls Road, and I don’t like dealing with Shawan. Ashland -> York -> Wight -> McCormick -> Beaver Dam -> Ivy Hill may not seem like a shortcut, but it’s generally a lot less headachey. White Lexus’ stop was on Ivy Hill, and I kept cussing as he’d put on his blinker for the same turns I was going for. I was sure he was looking at me in his rearview mirror thinking “Holy Shit, is this guy planning on following me to my destination, dragging me out of my car, and beating the Holy Shit out of me?”

So, if you’re reading this, White Lexus, no, I was just trying to get out to Falls Road in one piece. And in the future, make your turn from Ashland from the center lane. It’s a lot safer.

Thanks.