And aloha to
you too, buddy

Leaving at least a car length between you and the car in front of you in city traffic is supposed to provide a margin for safety in case you need to stop suddenly or swerve out of the way.

But count on it, nine times out of 10, the gap will be filled by someone who jams his or her vehicle into that space, often without signalling or with a flickering of the turn signal at the last second. Drivers of pickup trucks and SUVs seem to be the most frequent offenders, although that notion does not come from a scientific survey. Maybe some drivers of bigger vehicles are just bigger bullies than others.

The blare of a horn from the driver who has to hit the brakes generates a) silence, b) a blithe wave of the hand, or c) a gesture that shouldn't be mentioned in a family newspaper. Maybe someday this reckless and rude driving will occur in front of a cop and the offending driver will get his comeuppance.

One should live so long.

--Richard Halloran

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