Driving Me Crazy

Before I lost my job there really weren't that many occasions for mid-week, mid-day driving-in-a-car excursions. Most of the travel time was spent on a bus, with a book, blissfully unaware of the lunatics on the road in this city.

All this week, in an effort to stem the flow of boredom, The Boyfriend and I have spent our daytimes running around the city doing stuff (yes, non-specific stuff). And almost dying in the process because people? Really can't drive.

Aside from the people running into traffic to cross the street (not at marked crosswalks where obviously we would stop), drivers just aren't paying attention. There are those that can't park under pressure (you know, when they see a spot on a busy street that requires parallel parking skills that they do not possess and they hold up traffic before giving up?), those that are weaving in an out of lanes due to an alarming lack of patience and those that are still on their phones despite the fact that its now illegal.

Yesterday I saw a woman trying to get out of a McDonald's parking lot and, I'm not exaggerating, she could barely see over the window of her car. How does she drive if she can barely see? Then there are the motorcycles who are seriously tempting fate by driving batsh*t crazy. There have been two separate instances where The Boyfriend has picked me up from work and during our drive home we have passed a motorcyclist hit so its not like the chances of it happening are low to begin with.

Now I get to the part where we actually almost died. Like my heart stopped, and after it happened The Boyfriend started laughing really hard, but that really unnatural laughter where clearly he was scared sh*tless but now that he's on the other side of it its funny. So we're driving in the left lane going towards the city and this car in the right lane is stopping traffic by parallel parking and the car behind it decides that his time is way too important to wait 5 more seconds while guy number 1 successfully parks. How does he handle this? By pulling out into the left lane without looking at all.


Well we were just coming up on him as he pulled into us. The Boyfriend is a very defensive driver so he managed to avoid him by pulling the wheel more left, into the left lane for oncoming traffic. Traffic was definitely coming towards us, away from the city. Like I said, The Boyfriend? Excellent driver. He jerked the wheel right again and we were good. But holy hell, time totally slowed down and I thought we were dead.

I don't remember the city being full of such horrific drivers. I mean, yes I wasn't out and about most days, being trapped inside my Cubicle prison, but seriously? I guess we could also blame it on the warmer weather and the summer vacation state of mind. But smarten up Vancouver. You're being ridiculous.

Yesterday I also went back to my office to drop off my signed termination papers. When I say went to the office I mean, I stood outside talking to Anna and another Cubicle dropout (they are both leaving, yay!) and asked Anna to hand over the papers. While we were talking they mentioned after work drinks today to commemorate the end of the department. Since I never got to say a proper goodbye and since, contrary to what may have been written here, there were some awesome people that I worked with, I have decided to attend. It sounds like its not an official function so I can totally go. But I'm nervous.

I guess I should be grateful that a) there will be booze and b) it should provide yours truly with some actual blog content.

Its Friday yes? Enjoy the weekend! And Anna- you're freeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!