I’m not the worlds best driver, by any stretch of the imagination, but some people should be kept off the roads at any cost.  Take the Muppet who pulled out on me a few weeks ago on my way to work.  A sharpish right hand bend, just after the Royal Oak at Riley Green on the way to Preston, with a junction right on the outside of the bend, this clown in a white transit pulls up to the junction,  I’m doing 45 (50 mph limit) and he pulls out in front of me at the last second, I flash my lights and have a shout (understandably in my eyes – I’d had to slam on because of him!) at which this clown starts to swerve all over the road, intentionally, and wave certain hand gestures at me – “Oh, sorry mate, didn’t realise ‘Give Way’ meant drive like an idiot!”  Luckily it was 6:45 am and the road was quiet.

Then there’s the kid who used to overtake me every morning on the hill going down into Hoghton.  He would catch me up at various points but there’s not really many decent places to overtake, so he always went for the same spot.  I’m not a slow driver, but I like to think I’m safe and besides my car is no speed machine!  I’d get to the crest of the hill and he’d be there, inches from my bumper, then once over the hill he’d be swerving in and out until he managed to get past, usually into oncoming traffic.  This was the kind of kid that’s passed his test recently, got his clapped out Corsa, put alloys (too big), a body kit, neons and a bloody stupid exhaust on it then couldn’t afford bulbs for his break lights!  It’s still an M reg Corsa you cock!  Saw him in a Type R Civic for a couple of weeks……then…….not seen him since?  Hope he only lost his licence and nothing worse happened to him!

After parking up and walking towards the office this morning I stepped onto a zebra crossing on Church Street in Preston only for a bus to drive onto the crossing in front of me, stop and wave his mate out of the junction with Manchester Road – I was half way across the crossing!  These are supposed to be professionals who are licensed for the job for heavens sake!!  I suggested the driver should, maybe, read the Highway Code, I got a barrage of expletives for my trouble – I know that if I did that in my job, I would be sacked!

Still, it beats public transport hands down.  When the bus turns up on time, rare, it trundles through to Preston at 25mph to keep to the timetable.  If it’s late, don’t even think about asking the driver why because you will get “not my bloody fault, I’ve been dragged out of the bloody canteen to drive this!” To which “Sorry mate, but isn’t it your job?” gets you nowhere! If your bus doesn’t show at all and you end up on the next one best not to make eye contact at all with the driver because he will go off on one about having no change or some other disaster.  Also, if your bus turns up late, you will end up thinking you’re in a scene from “Speed”  because he will not do less than 50 until Higher Walton!  Then there’s the smell………………..enough said!

What can you say, what has happened to basic manners and respect?  Maybe it’s seen as somehow wimpy to say “please” and “thank you” nowadays, maybe it’s just me being over sensitive, but I was brought up to to show respect and have manners.  As the saying goes, “manners cost nothing!”  We all get frustrated with things every day, it’s natural, that’s life, but more often than not it’s better to laugh it off, even if the thing/person frustrating you deserves a slap!  And yes, I’ve only developed this attitude in the last few months!  I’ve always had manners but I was the worlds worst for getting wound up with the most insignificant rubbish, not any more!

A lot of the things that used to annoy and irritate me don’t even register now, I’m a lot more pragmatic than I used to be, after all shit happens, right?  In fact, I’d go as far as to say that nothing really worries me any more, and some things really should which, ironically, worries me!  Still, it’s doing me good, the blood pressure is better than it has been for a couple of years and I sleep much better.  The next job is to get shut of the “puppy fat” I’ve accumulated down the years!  No, I’m not dieting, I’m overweight because I’m lazy thank you very much!

Time to get off my arse!

Well, thinking about a little project for next year which will give me the incentive to lose this “puppy fat” lard arse!