Unsolicited Advice from an Uncool Mommy of Three

I put on my brakes as we descended the hill and my blinker as I turned off of the highway onto the perpendicular four-lane road. And just as I braked at the yield sign, waiting for a clearing to merge into traffic, a blue BMW zipped past me into the left lane of traffic at a high speed. I was in disbelief. This guy couldn't have known whether I was about to accelerate onto the road, and had he misjudged we certainly would have had quite a wreck.

I waited my turn and merged into traffic. As I drove for a few minutes, I realized that I was approaching a red light. And who sat, stopped, at that red light? Why, the blue BMW of course. For all of his hurry, he hadn't made it very far.  As my minivan pulled up in the lane next to him, I looked--stared, really--incredulously at the young man who was checking out his reflection in the rearview mirror. He looked back, and I impulsively rolled down my window. I asked him in my best Mom-voice, "Are you the person who just passed me at that intersection?" He paused and responded affirmatively. He was "just trying to get in the other lane." "Well," I smiled condescendingly, "I didn't think it was very safe, and I have kids in my car." I waited while he squirmed for a second and stammered an "Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to..."

Satisfied, I didn't wait for him to finish the excuse. I just smiled again, said "It's ok," and rolled up my window. Blessedly, the light changed and I pulled off--cautiously--in my day-care-bound van.  Wondering exactly what had gotten into me back there.

The lessons here: I am now old, uncool, and apparently feeling sassy. Drivers beware.