Kelly

A few months ago, I drove my car home. Well, technically, it's still the dealership's car until I finish paying for it (somewhere around 2057, I think).

Anyway, driving on Jamaican roads has been a pain ever since! It's one thing when you're a passenger, another when you're driving someone else's wheels and yet another thing when it's your ride that you're steering. Needless to say, I've cussed drivers, been cussed and don't look forward to driving 90 per cent of the time. But, recently, one guy pulled something that has me worried about my temperament.

We were travelling along Upper Waterloo Road which, as it gets closer to Shortwood Road, branches into two lanes. He's, in the left lane, I'm in the right, slightly behind him. I sped up, but as I was about to pass, the other driver suddenly decided that the car that we both saw in his lane was out too far for him to pass, so he had to swing soooo wide, I had to go into the single lane meant for traffic coming in the opposite direction! If there was a vehicle coming I would not be here right now!

I took a deep breath and tried to move on mentally. But this guy then remained in the right lane (my lane originally), 'cause that's the one he wanted all along. So, I had to practically stop and fall in behind him, because by now there were vehicles coming in the other lane, and I was not going to die because of him!

I fumed

Having successfully navigated any collision, I fumed for the next few kilometres. Slow, at first, then, gradually, I got hotter. No matter how many times I tried to let people into the line of traffic, he kept ending up in front of me. Just my luck, one of the dumbest drivers I have ever come across lives in the same district I do. Finally, as he's making a turn (I go straight ahead), I pulled up beside him and yelled as loud as I could, two words that would make my mother cringe and probably cause my dear aunts to faint.

The frightening part is that the time between the spot of the incident and my parting company with him was about 30 minutes!

It's like I had kept it in and couldn't bear to hold it anymore. I fear that if I'd had something to throw at his vehicle I would have done so; like a lug tool or a brick! So far, I've been able to stay out of trouble, but I can't guarantee that's going to last much longer. Life's funny. I wait years to get the licence and the car. Now, I don't feel like I want either.

Don't drive with me at daviot.kelly@gleanerjm.com.