Share Your Weird or Irrational Phobias!

[Michael]

Everybody apparently has them. :shrug:

One of mine is about eggs. I love them and eat them pretty regularly. And EVERY TIME I crack open an egg, I have this fear that I'm going to find some dead and bloody baby chick inside instead of a nice yellow yolk! Seriously - I have this moment of trepidation EVERY TIME I'm about to crack open the egg - followed by a short wave of relief when the cracked egg turns out to be normal yellow yolk. :)

This 'phobia' has been pretty damn consistent ever since I was a teenager and first started cooking my own eggs. I of course have never seen or even heard of anyone ever finding anything but yellow yolk and clear fluid inside an egg, but that seems beside the point to my overactive imagination!

[The Drunk Girl]

OPPOSUMS!!!!!!!!

I have no idea why, but they freak the ever livng shit out of me. Their faces are evil/creepy and they have to one of the dirtiest animals alive.

Anytime I see one run across the road at night or dead in the road I scream bloody murder and start to gag. This is made especially worse if one runs in front of my car, stops, and looks at me (or the headlights). Writing this right now is making me queezy...shew!

[partofme]

I don't have any specific phobias but I tend to worry all of the time.

[Margot]

I don't know if this counts, but did anyone here play NES style Mario? There were some junctures where I just HAD to get the coin. I would/will go insane if I don't get that one particular coin that I'm pretty sure I won't get anyway so why am I worrying and it isn't like one coin is going to make a difference anyway? But no, if I don't get that coin, I HAVE to commit suicide, go back, face the thirty thousand mushrooms again, just to get that one particular coin.

Only, now that freakish OCD obsession leaks out into the real world. I have to scrape that little chunk of nail polish off. I HAVE step on sidewalk cracks with alternating feet and NOT MISS A SINGLE ONE.

I don't know what will happen if I don't do these things, but I swear to freaking god it'll be terrible.

[The Drunk Girl]

I don't know if this counts, but did anyone here play NES style Mario? There were some junctures where I just HAD to get the coin. I would/will go insane if I don't get that one particular coin that I'm pretty sure I won't get anyway so why am I worrying and it isn't like one coin is going to make a difference anyway? But no, if I don't get that coin, I HAVE to commit suicide, go back, face the thirty thousand mushrooms again, just to get that one particular coin.

Only, now that freakish OCD obsession leaks out into the real world. I have to scrape that little chunk of nail polish off. I HAVE step on sidewalk cracks with alternating feet and NOT MISS A SINGLE ONE.

I don't know what will happen if I don't do these things, but I swear to freaking god it'll be terrible.

I miss Super Mario Brothers. There was a spot somewhere in world 4 where you could jump on the turtle and mash it's shell into the bottom of the step and get coins or extra lives. I would play that level over and over just so I could do that.

Anyways, the worst time for your coin dilemma is when you are jumping off a cloud and there are coins in the sky that you can collect (that might have been the game on Gameboy?) or when you're on a cloud with coins and the screen is moving.

[Americano]

Interacting with a majority of the general public.

[Greendruid]

Raccoons!

I would rather come across a coyote, a bear or a moose in rut than a raccoon. Now mind you, I've never met a country raccoon on my property and I probably never will. My fear of them stems from the bold, giant bastards that frequent university cafeteria dumpsters and the like. When I was doing my MA we lived in an apartment really close to campus and there was a forested path that connected us to campus from the back of our parking lot. I came across a raccoon one day on the path. He refused to move, just looked at me like, "You think I'm moving out of the way for you? Just bring it on, man! Bring it on!" I had to go into the forest off the path for about 20' to ensure he wouldn't lunge at me. He wasn't rabid, just pissy. As I skirted him he turned to engage my glare the ENTIRE TIME! I walked most of the rest of the path backwards watching the path and the raccoon fade into the distance. I hate raccoons!

[Donkey]

OPPOSUMS!!!!!!!!

I have no idea why, but they freak the ever livng shit out of me. Their faces are evil/creepy and they have to one of the dirtiest animals alive.

Anytime I see one run across the road at night or dead in the road I scream bloody murder and start to gag. This is made especially worse if one runs in front of my car, stops, and looks at me (or the headlights). Writing this right now is making me queezy...shew!
Rita and I found a fresh dead one on the road one time. So obviously we scooped it up and spray painted it gold and left it on a friend's porch.
I don't know if this counts, but did anyone here play NES style Mario? There were some junctures where I just HAD to get the coin. I would/will go insane if I don't get that one particular coin that I'm pretty sure I won't get anyway so why am I worrying and it isn't like one coin is going to make a difference anyway? But no, if I don't get that coin, I HAVE to commit suicide, go back, face the thirty thousand mushrooms again, just to get that one particular coin.

Only, now that freakish OCD obsession leaks out into the real world. I have to scrape that little chunk of nail polish off. I HAVE step on sidewalk cracks with alternating feet and NOT MISS A SINGLE ONE.

I don't know what will happen if I don't do these things, but I swear to freaking god it'll be terrible.
I have several of those. Not sure if they count as phobias so much as little pieces of OCD.

[Lily]

Dentists. I don't know if this is truly irrational or weird as many people have a fear of dentists, but I take mine to the extreme. I have them knock me out with Versed (benzodiazapine/amenesiac) to do any work. ANY work. I'll group stuff together, too. For instance, I'll schedule a cleaning, exam, xrays and filling at the same time. Insurance never covers the drug, so I end up paying for that out of pocket. Plus, my dentist can't seem to find a vein, so I have one of the techs or another nurse place an IV at work and come to the office all ready to go.

Before I discovered Versed, dentist visits were a complete nightmare, an anxiety-inducing, stomach-churning nightmare. Even with Versed, I still experience high anxiety before a visit, but at least for the visit itself I am blissfully sedated.

[The Drunk Girl]

Raccoons!

I would rather come across a coyote, a bear or a moose in rut than a raccoon. Now mind you, I've never met a country raccoon on my property and I probably never will. My fear of them stems from the bold, giant bastards that frequent university cafeteria dumpsters and the like. When I was doing my MA we lived in an apartment really close to campus and there was a forested path that connected us to campus from the back of our parking lot. I came across a raccoon one day on the path. He refused to move, just looked at me like, "You think I'm moving out of the way for you? Just bring it on, man! Bring it on!" I had to go into the forest off the path for about 20' to ensure he wouldn't lunge at me. He wasn't rabid, just pissy. As I skirted him he turned to engage my glare the ENTIRE TIME! I walked most of the rest of the path backwards watching the path and the raccoon fade into the distance. I hate raccoons!

I guess I was 12 or 13 when I went to the dumpster to take out some pizza boxes at the apartment complex my family I used to live in. When I opened the dumpster door something was running around crazy in it. It was dark and obviously I got freaked out. I ran to go get my parents and when we came back out there was nothing in the dumpster, but we did hear a noise in a tree...and something hitting the ground. My dad walked over and saw the coon in the tree holding an old piece of pizza. The damn thing was going to town on it, but was picking off the pepperoni and throwing them on the ground.

Rita and I found a fresh dead one on the road one time. So obviously we scooped it up and spray painted it gold and left it on a friend's porch.


I really hope you're just making that up. Playing with roadkill is nasty on so many levels.

If you're being serious well...that would have been lights out, game over for me.

[The Drunk Guy]

I hate snakes. Fucking hate them. When I was growing up, my family used to spend most of every summer camping at a local state park. We used to go snake hunting at night. We would pile into the truck and drive up and down the dirt roads until we found a snake crossing and then jump out and shoot it. That never bothered me. What scared the hell out of me was when we would get back to camp, Dad always had to check the tent for snakes. He found some on occasion, so of course I always had this terrible thought of a copperhead crawling into my sleeping bag in the middle of the night.

I have a few OCD things, too. I hate hate hate nail polish. Don't know why. I also find feet pretty disgusting.

[Margot]

I really hope you're just making that up. Playing with roadkill is nasty on so many levels.

If you're being serious well...that would have been lights out, game over for me.

>.<

I've seen the pictures. He isn't kidding.

[Donkey]

We never actually touched it with our bare hands of course.

[Mind's Eye]

Everybody apparently has them. :shrug:

One of mine is about eggs. I love them and eat them pretty regularly. And EVERY TIME I crack open an egg, I have this fear that I'm going to find some dead and bloody baby chick inside instead of a nice yellow yolk! Seriously - I have this moment of trepidation EVERY TIME I'm about to crack open the egg - followed by a short wave of relief when the cracked egg turns out to be normal yellow yolk. :)

This 'phobia' has been pretty damn consistent ever since I was a teenager and first started cooking my own eggs. I of course have never seen or even heard of anyone ever finding anything but yellow yolk and clear fluid inside an egg, but that seems beside the point to my overactive imagination!
I never found any partially formed chick in an egg; the best I got was a blood clot.

Tasted like chicken.

Balut, I am told, is a delicacy.

Not sure that I could stomach this :
http://www.mutineermagazine.com/img/blog/balut.jpg

OPPOSUMS!!!!!!!!

I have no idea why, but they freak the ever livng shit out of me. Their faces are evil/creepy and they have to one of the dirtiest animals alive.

Anytime I see one run across the road at night or dead in the road I scream bloody murder and start to gag. This is made especially worse if one runs in front of my car, stops, and looks at me (or the headlights). Writing this right now is making me queezy...shew!
I came across one that had been hit and ended up in the middle of the road.
I thought it was dead, until those white eyes lit up in my headlights.
Nothing like an opossum all flattened to shit still alive and looking at you.
I almost backed up to finish him off.
Raccoons!

I would rather come across a coyote, a bear or a moose in rut than a raccoon. Now mind you, I've never met a country raccoon on my property and I probably never will. My fear of them stems from the bold, giant bastards that frequent university cafeteria dumpsters and the like. When I was doing my MA we lived in an apartment really close to campus and there was a forested path that connected us to campus from the back of our parking lot. I came across a raccoon one day on the path. He refused to move, just looked at me like, "You think I'm moving out of the way for you? Just bring it on, man! Bring it on!" I had to go into the forest off the path for about 20' to ensure he wouldn't lunge at me. He wasn't rabid, just pissy. As I skirted him he turned to engage my glare the ENTIRE TIME! I walked most of the rest of the path backwards watching the path and the raccoon fade into the distance. I hate raccoons!
When I was a kid, we had a pet raccoon.
We were quite amused at how it washed off it's food in the little kiddy pool we bought for him.

When he got older, he did turn rather mean.
He weighed about 40 # , so he could do some damage.

He ran away one day. Turns out the neighbor shot him. He did return the collar, at least.



I don't have any actual phobias, but I do have a couple quirks.

1 ) I will always blow off the top of the milk jug, in case there is any dried milk on it.

2 ) I always wipe off the toilet seat in any public bathroom before I sit down. After washing my hands, I will take that damp towel into the stall with me and use that to clean off whatever ass sweat might be present.

[Greendruid]

I never found any partially formed chick in an egg; the best I got was a blood clot.

Tasted like chicken.

Balut, I am told, is a delicacy.

Not sure that I could stomach this :


Just to let you know, you're skirting disaster with Michael posting that photo. :rofl:

[Michael]

Just to let you know, you're skirting disaster with Michael posting that photo. :rofl:

Yes, we really do need a rule around here about posting pictures that gross out the Administrator!!! ;)

[evanescence]

Interacting with a majority of the general public.

Jesus, I thought almost the exact same thing when reading the OP. :lol: My husband asked me today why I'm always calling people horrible names. I'm like, "because people are fucking stupid".

Also, another phobia is germs and public bathrooms.

[The Drunk Girl]

Jesus, I thought almost the exact same thing when reading the OP. :lol: My husband asked me today why I'm always calling people horrible names. I'm like, "because people are fucking stupid".

Also, another phobia is germs and public bathrooms.

People are stupid...really fucking stupid! Last week my family came up to go have dinner with TDGuy and I. So my brother and sister wanted to ride along with us...my brother had put his seat belt on but my sister hadn't. The only car behind us on our street was my parents, so I stopped the car and told my sister to put hers on. All of a sudden we hear this redneck, sup'd (sorry, I have no idea how to spell that :lol:) piece of shit truck. I look up and this dumb motherfucker drove his hillbilly truck halfway up on the traffic island on the boulevard to pass us. This pissed me off...thoroughly and to top it off his skanky ass girlfriend gave me the dirtiest look and flipped me off.

So, maybe I should have checked the seat belt deal before we left, but we were in a neighborhood and how long does it take to put a seat belt on?! What an impatient fuck!

And, public pottys are gross. Just thinking of people wiping and getting piss on their hands, then flushing, then opening the door....gross! No matter where I go in public I squat and use toilet tissue to flush

[Michael]

...sup'd (sorry, I have no idea how to spell that :lol:)
"souped up" is the term. :)

Btw, I probably would have done something similar. Follow the rules of the road or get off the road! :D

I would probably have slipped past you on the inside, and you would have gotten the finger and a car horn blast. Truth be told, I've heard that Toronto drivers are second only to NY for insanity. ;)

If I couldn't slip past your car blocking the way, I would just sit on the car horn until you moved. :)

(must be something about big city driving coping with endless traffic jams and millions of idiots - I have precisely ZERO patience with anyone doing anything even slightly improper on the road).

[drgoodtrips]

"souped up" is the term. :)

Btw, I probably would have done something similar. Follow the rules of the road or get off the road! :D

I would probably have slipped past you on the inside, and you would have gotten the finger and a car horn blast. Truth be told, I've heard that Toronto drivers are second only to NY for insanity. ;)

If I couldn't slip past your car blocking the way, I would just sit on the car horn until you moved. :)

(must be something about big city driving coping with endless traffic jams and millions of idiots - I have precisely ZERO patience with anyone doing anything even slightly improper on the road).

I wouldn't have bothered with the bird, though I'm with you. I would have passed. I'm horribly impatient, but getting better.

When I used to live in Chicago proper, it made me maniacally impatient (and I used to cut cabbies off for the principle of it). But, at least there, people were all like that. When I first moved to the suburbs, I found the putzery to be intolerable. I used to pass people in turn lanes and things like that. Not so much anymore.

One interesting thing that I did take away from city life is that I never use the horn. Driving in the city, so many horns are honking that the sound loses all meaning. Honk at someone and you won't even get a glance. I've found it's much more effective to make people think you're going to hit them. If someone cuts me off, I don't honk or flash my lights, I just continue at the same speed and drive around then within a few inches of their car. The only time I use the horn is for its actual purpose of warning people (if someone is drifting into my lane or something) or a quick "beep-beep" that I hope says, "I don't meant to be a dick, but the light is red and I'd like to go."

[The Drunk Girl]

"souped up" is the term. :)

Btw, I probably would have done something similar. Follow the rules of the road or get off the road! :D

I would probably have slipped past you on the inside, and you would have gotten the finger and a car horn blast. Truth be told, I've heard that Toronto drivers are second only to NY for insanity. ;)

If I couldn't slip past your car blocking the way, I would just sit on the car horn until you moved. :)

(must be something about big city driving coping with endless traffic jams and millions of idiots - I have precisely ZERO patience with anyone doing anything even slightly improper on the road).

The thing is half of his truck was in the island that is raised up off the ground while the other half was leaning in the road towards my car with a good 2-3 inches in between. It was much more dangerous for him to make that move than me being an "inconsiderate" driver. Plus we're in a freaking neighborhood...not like there is a lot of traffic

[Donkey]

City driving and 'burb/country driving are totally incomparable, imho.

[drgoodtrips]

Also driving when you're somewhere different than normal. When I'm driving somewhere that isn't my home, I kind of adopt a "when in Rome" philosophy. In my experience, drivers in the South seem to be more patient and courteous, by and large.

[Michael]

City driving and 'burb/country driving are totally incomparable, imho.

Also driving when you're somewhere different than normal. When I'm driving somewhere that isn't my home, I kind of adopt a "when in Rome" philosophy. In my experience, drivers in the South seem to be more patient and courteous, by and large.

Yes, I agree totally. City driving involves a "take no prisoners" attitude. Driving in small towns or rural places is totally different (much slower and more courteous).

Same goes for walking. In the city, everyone is in a hurry and there are no courtesies. Stand blocking the sidewalk in a city and you will get bumped and/or sworn at repeatedly. In a small town, there is less hurry, and more time for the pleasantries of saying 'hello' and 'excuse me'.

[Americano]

People are stupid...really fucking stupid! Last week my family came up to go have dinner with TDGuy and I. So my brother and sister wanted to ride along with us...my brother had put his seat belt on but my sister hadn't. The only car behind us on our street was my parents, so I stopped the car and told my sister to put hers on. All of a sudden we hear this redneck, sup'd (sorry, I have no idea how to spell that :lol:) piece of shit truck. I look up and this dumb motherfucker drove his hillbilly truck halfway up on the traffic island on the boulevard to pass us. This pissed me off...thoroughly and to top it off his skanky ass girlfriend gave me the dirtiest look and flipped me off.

So, maybe I should have checked the seat belt deal before we left, but we were in a neighborhood and how long does it take to put a seat belt on?! What an impatient fuck!

I've lived and driven in both city and rural areas. In the country most drivers would have pulled along side you and asked if you needed help.

No one rides in my vehicles until their seat belt is fastened. In my state the driver gets the very common $175 citation.

And, public pottys are gross. Just thinking of people wiping and getting piss on their hands, then flushing, then opening the door....gross! No matter where I go in public I squat and use toilet tissue to flush

[Margot]

Also driving when you're somewhere different than normal. When I'm driving somewhere that isn't my home, I kind of adopt a "when in Rome" philosophy. In my experience, drivers in the South seem to be more patient and courteous, by and large.

I always forget that Florida isn't really considered "the South," even though we're just as redneck.

Down here people are insane. Our population fluctuates intensely between the tourism and off season, and no one (including the locals) can drive. We've got retired grannies and college kids and half the population is driving at 34MPH and the other half is doing 70.

I wouldn't have passed in a residential area unless it was obvious nothing would be happening in a very long time (and I'd be totally chill, because it isn't cool to lose your cool when there are kittens and children to run over), but I swear to God Himself I will honk/swear/bird flip/fist shake/chase anyone who fucks with normal highway etiquette. No. I will not tolerate a lack of blinker. No. I will not tolerate your passing on the right. No. I will not tolerate that thing you do when you pull past the line and block my vision. No. I will not tolerate your speeding.

OH! Fun story! The other afternoon I got out of class and went out to my car. In the lot there was a girl's car parked in the middle of the thoroughfare in the parkinglot really constricting traffic. So I left a note that said "THIS IS THE ANTITHESIS OF A PARKING SPOT. TRY DOING THIS ON THE INTERSTATE."

When I got back three hours later her car was still there with three other notes and a ticket from the campus police. :)

[Americano]

Also driving when you're somewhere different than normal. When I'm driving somewhere that isn't my home, I kind of adopt a "when in Rome" philosophy. In my experience, drivers in the South seem to be more patient and courteous, by and large.

Hard to believe American drivers (animal and human powered) followed left-hand driving customs until after independence. My first and subsequent experience at driving with British custom (and law) on the wrong side of the road was interesting in that I actually had to drive rather than following inbred habit. Very interesting concentration effort when driving on icy, snow-packed roads getting to lodgings for skiing in New Zealand. But worth it.

[Mind's Eye]

.....

OH! Fun story! The other afternoon I got out of class and went out to my car. In the lot there was a girl's car parked in the middle of the thoroughfare in the parkinglot really constricting traffic. So I left a note that said "THIS IS THE ANTITHESIS OF A PARKING SPOT. TRY DOING THIS ON THE INTERSTATE."

When I got back three hours later her car was still there with three other notes and a ticket from the campus police. :)

I always leave notes on the windshields of idiot drivers ... in the form of a giant loogie. Some days I run out of spit.

[Americano]

I always forget that Florida isn't really considered "the South," even though we're just as redneck.

I always felt the Florida redneck aspect was predominate in areas outside Miami, including redneck rivieras. It is a good ol' boy state.

Down here people are insane. Our population fluctuates intensely between the tourism and off season, and no one (including the locals) can drive. We've got retired grannies and college kids and half the population is driving at 34MPH and the other half is doing 70.


I wouldn't have passed in a residential area unless it was obvious nothing would be happening in a very long time (and I'd be totally chill, because it isn't cool to lose your cool when there are kittens and children to run over), but I swear to God Himself I will honk/swear/bird flip/fist shake/chase anyone who fucks with normal highway etiquette. No. I will not tolerate a lack of blinker. No. I will not tolerate your passing on the right. No. I will not tolerate that thing you do when you pull past the line and block my vision. No. I will not tolerate your speeding.

OH! Fun story! The other afternoon I got out of class and went out to my car. In the lot there was a girl's car parked in the middle of the thoroughfare in the parkinglot really constricting traffic. So I left a note that said "THIS IS THE ANTITHESIS OF A PARKING SPOT. TRY DOING THIS ON THE INTERSTATE."

When I got back three hours later her car was still there with three other notes and a ticket from the campus police. :)In my area the city or county council contracted tow service would have been there when the campus police (we have one junior college, our only 'college' in the county) cited the vehicle. It would have provided politically desperate revenue for the campus, the city or county (county in my case) and the towing service. The towing service impound fee is stiff, which they split with the city/county or, if not claimed, the vehicle is sold and those various interested parties share proceeds under contract.

If one abandons a vehicle outside our sparse metropolitan areas, the vehicle or valuable parts quickly become subject to confiscation by individuals maintaining their personal standard of living.

[Michael]

I always forget that Florida isn't really considered "the South," even though we're just as redneck.
Florida isn't part of "the South" because it didn't have a major slave-based culture. "The South" is thus the polite way to reference slavery-states. If your state wasn't a slavery-state, it isn't part of the south.

As Americano can well point out from Oregon, rednecks can be found in any rural area far from the south.

[The Drunk Guy]

I wouldn't have passed in a residential area unless it was obvious nothing would be happening in a very long time (and I'd be totally chill, because it isn't cool to lose your cool when there are kittens and children to run over), but I swear to God Himself I will honk/swear/bird flip/fist shake/chase anyone who fucks with normal highway etiquette. No. I will not tolerate a lack of blinker. No. I will not tolerate your passing on the right. No. I will not tolerate that thing you do when you pull past the line and block my vision. No. I will not tolerate your speeding.
I also have different rules for neighborhood streets and main thoroughfares. Neighborhood streets are designed for slow, safe driving and stops should be expected at all times. Highways and main streets, however, are designed for speed and efficiency and should be treated as such. Go the speed limit and expect to get passed. However, when you get behind someone who is already going over the speed limit, don't ride their ass to try and intimidate them to go faster. That's idiotic.

I always leave notes on the windshields of idiot drivers ... in the form of a giant loogie. Some days I run out of spit.
I frequently spit on windshields in parking lots when someone has done something boneheaded before parking. Parking lot etiquette is as dead as the dinosaurs and I lose my patience very quickly there.

Years ago, I worked at a Wal-Mart and I noticed that drivers seemed to simply ignore all foot traffic in the parking lot. That's when I developed the potentially dangerous habit of kicking bumpers. Cut me off with your car when I'm walking or refusing to give me the right of way and you got a nice, swift kick in your car's ass.
Florida isn't part of "the South" because it didn't have a major slave-based culture. "The South" is thus the polite way to reference slavery-states. If your state wasn't a slavery-state, it isn't part of the south.

As Americano can well point out from Oregon, rednecks can be found in any rural area far from the south.
Slave-states? Really?

I've been to Florida. It counts as the south to me. Poor folks all over the damned place and trucks the size of houses. Just because the state hosts so many snow-birds doesn't hide that.

[evanescence]

People are stupid...really fucking stupid! Last week my family came up to go have dinner with TDGuy and I. So my brother and sister wanted to ride along with us...my brother had put his seat belt on but my sister hadn't. The only car behind us on our street was my parents, so I stopped the car and told my sister to put hers on. All of a sudden we hear this redneck, sup'd (sorry, I have no idea how to spell that :lol:) piece of shit truck. I look up and this dumb motherfucker drove his hillbilly truck halfway up on the traffic island on the boulevard to pass us. This pissed me off...thoroughly and to top it off his skanky ass girlfriend gave me the dirtiest look and flipped me off.

So, maybe I should have checked the seat belt deal before we left, but we were in a neighborhood and how long does it take to put a seat belt on?! What an impatient fuck!

And, public pottys are gross. Just thinking of people wiping and getting piss on their hands, then flushing, then opening the door....gross! No matter where I go in public I squat and use toilet tissue to flush

I'm very impatient behind the wheel. I would have probably done the same thing. :lol: but yeah, public bathrooms make me wanna puke. We went to a restaurant the other day and my daughter who was just recently potty trained had to go to the bathroom three sparate times while we were there. The bathroom was filthy and then she fell down on the bathroom floor..:pullhair: fucking nasty. Luckily, I has ant bacterial handy, and then as soon as we got home, I made her change her clothes.

[evanescence]

"souped up" is the term. :)

Btw, I probably would have done something similar. Follow the rules of the road or get off the road! :D

I would probably have slipped past you on the inside, and you would have gotten the finger and a car horn blast. Truth be told, I've heard that Toronto drivers are second only to NY for insanity. ;)

If I couldn't slip past your car blocking the way, I would just sit on the car horn until you moved. :)

(must be something about big city driving coping with endless traffic jams and millions of idiots - I have precisely ZERO patience with anyone doing anything even slightly improper on the road).

You and I have very similar driving habits. :rofl:

[evanescence]

I wouldn't have bothered with the bird, though I'm with you. I would have passed. I'm horribly impatient, but getting better.

When I used to live in Chicago proper, it made me maniacally impatient (and I used to cut cabbies off for the principle of it). But, at least there, people were all like that. When I first moved to the suburbs, I found the putzery to be intolerable. I used to pass people in turn lanes and things like that. Not so much anymore.

One interesting thing that I did take away from city life is that I never use the horn. Driving in the city, so many horns are honking that the sound loses all meaning. Honk at someone and you won't even get a glance. I've found it's much more effective to make people think you're going to hit them. If someone cuts me off, I don't honk or flash my lights, I just continue at the same speed and drive around then within a few inches of their car. The only time I use the horn is for its actual purpose of warning people (if someone is drifting into my lane or something) or a quick "beep-beep" that I hope says, "I don't meant to be a dick, but the light is red and I'd like to go."

:lol::lol: Hilarious. I used to do that to pedestrians in my younger, more immature days. In smaller towns, horns are much more effective but I can see what you mean in big cities.

[Margot]

Florida isn't part of "the South" because it didn't have a major slave-based culture. "The South" is thus the polite way to reference slavery-states. If your state wasn't a slavery-state, it isn't part of the south.

As Americano can well point out from Oregon, rednecks can be found in any rural area far from the south.

Interestingly enough, though, we had more lynchings per capita than anywhere else (TAKE THAT, Alabama!). And This county's public schools weren't desegregated until '69. Most of our dirty little secrets, though, have been buried in the name of tourism.

[drgoodtrips]

I always forget that Florida isn't really considered "the South," even though we're just as redneck.

Down here people are insane. Our population fluctuates intensely between the tourism and off season, and no one (including the locals) can drive. We've got retired grannies and college kids and half the population is driving at 34MPH and the other half is doing 70.

I wouldn't have passed in a residential area unless it was obvious nothing would be happening in a very long time (and I'd be totally chill, because it isn't cool to lose your cool when there are kittens and children to run over), but I swear to God Himself I will honk/swear/bird flip/fist shake/chase anyone who fucks with normal highway etiquette. No. I will not tolerate a lack of blinker. No. I will not tolerate your passing on the right. No. I will not tolerate that thing you do when you pull past the line and block my vision. No. I will not tolerate your speeding.

OH! Fun story! The other afternoon I got out of class and went out to my car. In the lot there was a girl's car parked in the middle of the thoroughfare in the parkinglot really constricting traffic. So I left a note that said "THIS IS THE ANTITHESIS OF A PARKING SPOT. TRY DOING THIS ON THE INTERSTATE."

When I got back three hours later her car was still there with three other notes and a ticket from the campus police. :)

That's got to be satisfying. Generally when I see someone do something inconsiderate, I briefly think it would be nice to see some sort of consequence suffered for this choice. Leaving a note isn't really my style, but I do things sometimes. If someone in front of me in a line at a store has been an ass or has inconsiderately taken a long time to do things, I'll often pull out of my parking spot and idle behind them. When they turn around to back out, what they see is me there, smiling at them with my car blocking them. They gesture at me to move, and I give a friendly wave and sit there for a while.

[Americano]

That's got to be satisfying. Generally when I see someone do something inconsiderate, I briefly think it would be nice to see some sort of consequence suffered for this choice. Leaving a note isn't really my style, but I do things sometimes. If someone in front of me in a line at a store has been an ass or has inconsiderately taken a long time to do things, I'll often pull out of my parking spot and idle behind them. When they turn around to back out, what they see is me there, smiling at them with my car blocking them. They gesture at me to move, and I give a friendly wave and sit there for a while.

There are many places in the US where I'd want to be well-armed to practice that sort of retaliation.

I have zero patience for ignorant and inconsiderate people. I immediately flush them and their actions from my mind and get on with life.

[Non Sequitur]

Swarms of Bugs :eek: .... I hate them. I remember in science classes we were forced to watch a series of movies on insect societies and the whole thing was just swarms of bugs. I would piss myself if i had to experience a plague of locusts.

[Donkey]

Slave-states? Really?

I've been to Florida. It counts as the south to me. Poor folks all over the damned place and trucks the size of houses. Just because the state hosts so many snow-birds doesn't hide that.
I think there's a big regional difference in Florida. When we northerners think of Florida we think of Disney and old people and Cubans.

The Panhandle is as "dixie" as anywhere .

[Americano]

I think there's a big regional difference in Florida. When we northerners think of Florida we think of Disney and old people and Cubans.

The Panhandle is as "dixie" as anywhere .

It even has a county named Dixie.

[Margot]

Swarms of Bugs :eek: .... I hate them. I remember in science classes we were forced to watch a series of movies on insect societies and the whole thing was just swarms of bugs. I would piss myself if i had to experience a plague of locusts.

What about birds and other things? Is it just swarms of bugs, or do other swarms creep you out?

This? (http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,7104483,00.jpg)

or this? (http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/21/alg_mall-crowd.jpg)

[Americano]

Swarms of people are creepy.

[Non Sequitur]

What about birds and other things? Is it just swarms of bugs, or do other swarms creep you out?

This? (http://www.news.com.au/common/imagedata/0,,7104483,00.jpg)

or this? (http://assets.nydailynews.com/img/2009/01/21/alg_mall-crowd.jpg)

It's really just the bugs. Also, I'm not particularly freaked out by individual bugs, just swarms.

[Margot]

I was thinking about this today as my car bitched and moaned and threw a fit over having her spark plugs touched.

When I was a little girl I had to show each and every one of my stuffed animals the exact same amount of love or they'd come to life in the middle of the night and try to kill me in a jealous rage. Have I already mentioned that one? It was really a big part of my life. I didn't think they'd actually come to life and kill me, but I knew that if they could, they would. Did anyone else do that?

Also, I felt like a murderer every time I popped a bubble or a balloon.

[Americano]

Drinking warm beer.

I do my best to avoid it, but there are times when it does happen.