You're standing on a street corner, waiting for the light to change so you can cross. You see the light's about to go yellow, and you edge up off the curb. The person next to you edges up, too. You take another step. So does he. You stay put. He doesn't move. You step ahead of him. He steps ahead of you. Or...
You're in your car, waiting at a red light. Again, you see the other light about to go yellow, so you gently lift your foot off the brakes. The car next to you does the same thing. You stop. He stops. You start going through the light, he follows.
...Are we in some kind of race I don't know about? You just HAVE to be in front of me? You can't see me move without doing it, too? This also happens when I'm waiting for the train sometimes. I usually stand in a spot at which I know there will be a set of doors to open up right in front of me. To my dismay, other people are privvy to this strategy. The train starts coming, I start moving closer to that yellow line, and the six people around me scramble to get there, too. I could understand if you did it first. But would you have done it if you didn't see me getting there first? My guess is no.
The strangest part is that when I'm the one to move first, I become infuriated when people edge up behind me. "What the HELL is this guy's problem?!," I seethe. I've even yelled "Back up off me" in my head a few times. But when someone else is the first, I feel an irresistable urge to follow. I just. can't. stop. Am I alone here?
7 comments:
LOL. Girl, its just a fact of life when living in the world we've created. It's all a f*ckin Rat Race (just like Bob said) and people HATE to see other people move forward without them. I guess in some ways its helpful because its also a way of keeping us on our toes, making sure we don't get left behind. But then again, what's so bad about taking a break and fading into the background sometimes? I don't know...
Mad deep, lol...
Yeah, I don't notice it that much at the light, but the subway platform thing is the single most frustrating thing in the world. And then they try to elbow you. Ugh.
i do notice it at the light. im usually the guy who starts inching up first. if they're game, the race is on. i always win.
I love the way drivers like to be the first one through the light, once it turns green, only to be at the same spot at the next light like 5 meters ahead. As if they gained so much distance.
I've had the traffic light experience but it doesn't incite frustration so much as fear because it's always some crazy crackhead looking person on my tail and I'm never quite sure if they just want to race, ask me for a quarter, snatch my purse or all of the above. Obviously you can see I'm in a constant state of confusion.
Hahaha...I'm DEFINITELY one of those people that race to the next light only to wait for it to turn green. Makes me feel pretty dumb once I get there. But at least I'm in front, lol.
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