Wednesday, August 06, 2008

yes, I am that person

So, in New Zealand most urban roads have a speed limit of 50 or 60 kilometres an hour. However, it's generally accepted by most drivers and also the police that you won't be stopped or fined for going up to about 58 km/hour in a 50km zone. Which means that if you go at 50km exactly, now, you're seen as holding people up, even though you are following the law to the letter.

I usually drive between 55-58 km/hour although my foot has been known to "slip" sometimes. I try to keep within the limits because I hate being fined and anyway, there are speed limits in certain areas for good reasons. But I usually wouldn't drive at 50 or below because I know how much it annoys people.

However...

When you come up behind me, desperate to keep driving at 70 km/hour in a 50 km zone, inches away from my car and I am already driving 8 km over the speed limit, I will slow down. That's a promise. Nothing makes me happier than slowing down to 50 km when an impatient dangerous Neanderthal goon is shadowing me. I especially love it when you eventually pull over beside me at an intersection, or you pass me, infuriated, and I look sideways with a smug grin, just to rile you.

Seriously! I noticed no heavily pregnant wife in the back seat. If you're late to something, that's your fault and it doesn't mean I have to speed up and risk getting fined or, worse, hitting someone or something because I was going too fast to stop in time. Think about it - do you really want to annoy me in future?

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I don't know how to km/hour translates into mph but I do the same thing

Unknown said...

kindred driving spirits. :) i slow WAY down and if i'm feeling especially mean, i move over slightly so that they CAN'T go around me! :) bwah-ha-ha-ha!

Patty said...

Hahaha! Loved this post, Allie. I usually go the speed limit except on one street where it says 40 miles per hour and that's sooo slow that hardly anyone abides by it and goes between 45-55mph. But, I know how the police love to be somewhere on that road staked out so I normally go just a little above the limit, even though I hate not going faster, but I've yet to get any tickets so far. However, if someone else goes the speed limit there, I will not tail them (unless they happen to be dumb enough to go under the already slow limit, then I think they should pull over already!), because I despise people that tailgate and if you do it to me, I will get even and go slower than I am already and smile all the while.

Stacy said...

I speed pretty badly, but yes, I too have been known to slow down to annoy people. It's usually the reckless Ohio drivers who invade our fair Michigan roads.

I do however get very angry at the semis who drive side by side 5 miles under the speed limit on 2-lane highways. Such people should not be permitted in large vehicles.

LEstes65 said...

Oh you're evil! But I do the same thing. If you're going to endanger me by sticking the nose of your car up my car's tailpipe? I won't budge. That is too funny!