French Driving...again...

French people are ego maniacs behind the wheel of a car...allow me to elaborate...

In my neighborhood, as in many areas around here, there are narrow streets that allow two way traffic but are by no means wide enough for two way traffic. On these streets there are generally built in wider sections, or driveways, that will allow one driver to pull over while the other passes.

When you happen to be on one of these streets and encounter a car coming in the opposite direction common courteosy should dictate that the driver who is closest to one of those wider sections/driveways should back up to allow the other driver to pass.

This morning I encountered one of those people who don't understand this common courteosy - or as I call them - one of those people who you just want to beat their head in with a baseball bat (see earlier post "relaxation technique")

This guy - in his silver Ford station wagon like thing - stops and sits there like he's waiting for me to back up. So I take a look in my rear view mirror to look and see if I should back up - am I the closest to one of these wider sections or a driveway? Nope, I would have to back up around a slight corner to get to the closest one - not within eye view. On the other hand, he has one of these just 50 feet behind him.

He continues to stare at me as is waiting for me to move - no indication (aka looking back or in his rear view mirror) to see where he can back up. So, I start pointing to the space behind him where he is closer.

No indication. I look behind me, point to behind him. Nothing from this guy. So I do what I believe was the only appropriate response to this ego maniac who apparently believes that because HE is on the road I should part the red seas for him and get out of his way without question - I put my car in park, cross my arms and sit and stare at him.

I'm not in the wrong here - I have to back up around a corner, he only has to back up 10 feet - this ego maniac should move his flippin car.

After a few arm jestures on his part he finally backs up. I think, geeze I should have rolled down my window to see what the geezer had to say as I passed by - I'm sure it was something sweet like, "thank you for showing me the errors of my ego maniac ways and making me realize I should have backed up to begin with." But his words were in rapid fire French, so I guess we'll never know.