Drivers in Tennessee and Arkansas!

Actually, I probably shouldn't single out drivers in Tennessee and Arkansas, as stupid and inconsiderate drivers exist everywhere. It's just that I've just been driving through those two states, and for the first time on the trip came across some rude drivers.

One of course was a taxi driver, who couldn't wait 30 seconds while I figured out if the speed of traffic would allow me to merge onto the highway from an access road.

The other guy...well...the initial problem was my fault, as I did get onto a highway with too slow of a speed, because somehow I hadn't seen this big ol pickup truck coming. So I quickly veer onto the shoulder, to give him the opportunity to zoom past me, which he could have done with ease. Instead, he slowed down and stayed behind me, so I assumed he was slowing down to allow me to get back on the highway. So I veer back on the highway, into his lane, and then he honks angrily, moves into the left hand lane and zooms past me, gives me the finger, and peals away. And I'm wondering - why didn't you just zoom past me in the left lane to begin with? Jerk.

When you're a driver from one state going into another state, and you've got the tell-tale license plate that identifies you as a newbie, you'd think other drivers would give you some slack. Every state has its own laws about u-turns, for example. Lots of cities have very weird traffic patterns, and their on-ramps and off-ramps are confusing, not to mention their frontage roads.

On Friday, I drove through Dallas on 30W, right about 4 o'clock or so. 5 lane highways in both directions, with the HOV lanes seemingly permanently blocked off with concrete blocks, and nobody working construction anywhere. We were in bumper to bumper traffic. There, at least, I came across a few drivers who reacted to my turn single and allowed me to change lanes, which I thought was very kind. But driving in Dallas in rush hour is not a fun activity, and I really wonder what they are doing with this road construction. Indeed, I think that whole day, driving down 30W from Arkansas into Texas and onward toward Burlington, there were lanes blocked off for construction and no construction going on. Even if it was a Friday, you'd think they'd work up until about 5 o'clock - if they were actually working...