Just Another Trip to Work

I was on my way to work Friday afternoon. Traffic was busier than the other days this week. Unbelievably so, but then it's Friday. It's to be expected I guess. People going away for the weekend, and other's arriving to spend the weekend in our city.

My trip to work is my time to myself. A little bit of space in my day where I have only myself to worry about. Nobody else in the car to distract my thoughts. I enjoy this time. Often I think of people that I haven't spoken to for some time and will make a call or two while I'm driving. I know, it's inadvisable to talk on your cell phone while driving, but I can multi-task, after all I'm a woman.

I glance down at the display to make sure that I am selecting the right party from my phone book and start to press the send button. Out of the corner of my eye, I see a silver BMW in the lane beside me with his signal light on, starting to move into my lane. He's not in front of me, but beside me. He was travelling behind me when I decided to make my call. All the lanes were full of cars and I was travelling at the same speed as the rest of traffic, following the pickup truck in front of me as close as safely possible. Let's just say that there was not enough room for this silver car in between me and the truck. So either one of two things had to happen. I would have to slam on my brakes at 120 km, and risk being rear ended by the vehicle on my ass, or hold my territory, lay on my horn and pray that the insane maniac would back off.

I chose the latter. He did back off. Backed off right in behind me, driving so close that I could not see his headlights. I was a little nervous. We are still driving at a high speed. As fast as possible with the heavy concentration of cars. I kept an eye on him in my rear-view mirror. For some reason, I half suspected that he was going to ram right into me.

Soon enough, I spotted an escape. There was just enough of a gap to zip into the lane beside me and get back in front of the truck ahead. That would at least put one vehicle in between us. Right after I got in front of the truck, there was another gap to allow me to move in front of the car ahead of me. Now there were two vehicles in between.

I let out a sigh of relief and just as the breath was passing my lips, I saw him zooming in the lane next to me and jump right in behind my vehicle again.

I couldn't believe it. This guy was really pissed at me. But what was he going to do. Not only that, but why was he so angry at me. He was in the wrong for trying to push me out of the way to begin with.

I decided to just get out of his way. Let him have that fucking lane. What do I care. So when it was safe to do so, I changed lanes. He was right behind me. I changed lanes again. So did he. I drove faster. He drove faster. Vehicles moved out of my way as if on cue and I increased my speed up to 150 km per hour and he was right on me like a cop in hot pursuit.

Bear in mind, that I'm driving a Toyota Corolla 5 speed, he's driving a BMW or some other expensive type car and was capable of out running me without problem. But I might be smarter. That was what I thought anyway.

I was in the slow lane of the express lanes and my exit into the collector lanes was coming up. In this lane you can exit or drive straight. I held a straight line until the last possible second and without signalling I took the exit. So did he.

I sped up to 130 on the ramp, which is 80 km, attempting to pass a truck and another car before my lane ran out. If I just push it a little more, I should be able to zip in front of them, but he will have to fall in behind. I'll lose him for sure.

I made it. Just in the nic of time, I was able to slide in front of the truck as my lane ended. I watched in my mirror and was shocked to see him continue to drive on the shoulder to get past the truck as well, and he was right back behind me.

Now I was really nervous. This guy had been chasing me for about 20 km. Not only that but all three lanes were a solid line of brake lights as the traffic ground to a halt. I shifted down to third, then second gear, wondering what would happen if I had to stop. Will he get out of his car and come up and shoot me? Hit me? Ram my car? Yell? What? What did he want from me? What does he want to prove? That he's a fucking moron? He's already proven that.

Thank god the traffic started to move faster, and I shifted into third, then fourth. The whole time I was watching. Watching him, watching for a gap where I could slip out of his way. I looked at my phone laying on the seat and decided I should try and scare him by pretending to call the police. I exagerated my movements so that he would be sure to see it and held it to my ear while I continued looking for an escape. There it was. A space just big enough for me, in between two trucks and I took it. He stayed in his lane and passed by without looking at me. I tried to calm my heart as I headed for my exit and safety.

Once at work in the parking lot, I took a minute to be thankful that I was sitting in my parking lot and not in an ambulance somewhere either because of a traffic accident or for some other reason.

Next time, I'll risk slamming on my brakes to let the bastard in. It just isn't worth it.