One Minute Ramble*: Road Signs

I’m confused.

It’s the road signs, you see.

I’m not referring to the physical signs such as Stop! or 30 or Give Way or the like, the ‘normal’ road signs; I’m instead referring to the other type of sign.

You know the ones… the Signs.

The signs… the messages… the hints and tips that the Universe throws at us for us to act on or ignore as we see fit.

I’m being ‘shown’ to slow down when I drive. Before you start to think I drive as though I’m in a Formula 1 race, I’ll expand on that slightly! I don’t drive fast, always around the particular speed limit (if I can get there, that is!) but lately, I’m finding myself delayed.

This morning I waited as two cyclists (in racing gear) rode passed me before I could pull our onto the main road. One was behind the other, the second one quite further back so I had to wait a little longer.

After the second guy rode passed, I pulled out, and drove up behind them. The problem was, the first guy had slowed down considerably so that the second guy could catch up and they were now cycling side-by-side.

The road splits into two lanes leading up to the traffic lights. The cyclists were in the left-hand lane, and I was now in the right-hand lane. And the traffic lights were on red.

When I could set off again, a van pulled out on me from a side junction, meaning I had to brake suddenly. The van shot off at a rate of knots, and sped around the next corner on two wheels, where the next set of traffic lights were changing to red.

So, I approached the next junction and waited again.

Eventually, the lights changed to green, and I could start my journey again, but I had to slow down almost straight away as a bus was pulling away from a bus stop. The bus moved on, but I then had to wait once more as a pedestrian crossed at a pedestrian crossing without really paying attention.

I set off again, but within thirty seconds, I had to slow down again as I needed to overtake a parked car, but couldn’t do so as a small lorry was overtaking me.

Eventually, I got passed the parked car, and had to wait at the next set of red traffic lights.

At this junction, I needed to turn left, but get into the right-hand lane, which I did without problem when the lights became green. I was about three car lengths into this road, when I had to wait behind a queue of other vehicles. And that was where I waited for about ten minutes.

This particular stretch of road goes over a railway line, so it was as though I was waiting facing up hill. I couldn’t see in front of me as there was a hulking great white van there, but even if I was behind a car-sized car, I still wouldn’t have been able to see what the hold up was as it was on the other side of the hill.

The thing is, the other lane, the one on the left, was flowing freely.

I know the message that the Universe is giving me is to slow down, take things easy, don’t rush, be patient, and all that jazz. I’m happy, and willing to accept the message, and follow the Universe’s guidance.

But why oh why, when I’m being shown to slow down so often, in so many different ways, do I have other drivers trying to force me along the road faster by driving so close up to me they’re almost on my back seat? Obviously, I don’t speed up for them, as I can’t go faster and slow down at the same time, can I?

Like I said, I’m confused.

Business as usual, I suppose…

(*Give or take a minute or two. I blame the pictures)