The speaker on the bus goes, "Get the hell outta my way!"

Part one of the Summer Road Rage Series

I do a lot of driving around town for my job.  After seeing Boston drivers, I must admit that New Mexicans aren't the worst out there, but idiots there are and all of us are going a lot faster.  Generally I see that people drive as they live: with total lack of consideration for others and with utter inattentiveness to their surroundings.

Fortunately, I have a weapon or two against this lack of mindfulness in driving (I wish I had some for the living).  The first that comes to mind is the Finger (the middle one, not one of those big fingers you buy at sporting events, although that might be cool), but I often feel unempowered by its lack of effectiveness in causing the source of my wrath much remorse.  Besides that, some kid got shot a few years back for flipping off some stupid (and gun-happy) kid who cut him off, so it's not the smartest tactic for dealing with road rage.  My favorite weapon is the Horn of Rage, which from my tank booms with the scalding fury of a thousand irate drivers.  This weapon, while giving me a feeling of power and dominance over my target, also works effectively in encouraging the driver to reconsider actions such as pulling out in front of my two-ton hunk of speed machine and crawling to the next light.

My weapons pale, however, compared to that which I witnessed downtown today.  Finger and horn may express themselves to an extent, but little can morely clearly and quickly speak to the driver's desires than a microphone.

The 54 Bridge bus lumbered down 5th today as so many buses do, but right away I could see that this driver wielded his machine a bit differently.  As he passed the stop, "54 BUS" boomed from it.  Most buses pass rather quietly.  He went on down the street, and as a car got in his way while attempting to park illegally, to my utter delight and shock there bellowed with annoyance from the bus, "NO PARKING THERE!"  As the bus proceeded away, I could hear the fading sounds of Bus Man pushing bad drivers from his path with words of ill will.

I beamed with pride.  The Bus Man is the joy of all road-raged drivers out there.

You tell 'em where to park, Bus Man.


The days are bright and filled with pain
Home, home again, I like to be there when I can