Amy Lee’s Weekly Whine – Top 5

What fresh hell is this area they call a "school zone"? This isn't a school zone - this is an area where parents lose all logical thinking!  Why - WHY would you stop in the middle of the road in front of the school and allow your child to open the door and get out of the car IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD?

First of all, the particular elementary school that we attend sends a note home with the students, sends a recorded voice message to the parents AND posts signs in front of the school asking parents NOT to do this. How can we expect our kids to follow directions when parents do not?

Then there is the parent that is only one step better than the "throw your kid in the middle of the road" parent and that's the parent that actually does pull over to the curb to let their child out - HOWEVER they allow their child to get out on the street side and not the curb side! Really? Look - I know that the school zone speed limit is 20mph and that motorists are encouraged to look for kids - but if YOU can't follow directions, do you really think that everyone else is following directions?  Even if, God forbid, tragedy happens and a child is struck by a car that IS following the speed limit, well I feel like being hit by a vehicle even at 20mph can do damage to a 40lb child.

Seriously folks - what's more important, getting your child safely out of your vehicle where a ton of traffic is driving by or getting to work or wherever you are going as fast as you can.  It's simple - PULL OVER AND SLOW DOWN when dropping off your kids at school.

And by the way, this happens not just at elementary schools but at middle schools and high schools also - and it happens when picking these kids up from school too - not just dropping them off!  Except this time the parent is stopped in the middle of the road and allowing their child run out to the middle of the road to hop in the car.  DANGER - DANGER!!

A driver who merges into the turning lane 5 miles before he/she is going to actually turn is another thing that makes me want to pull my hair out!

Every morning after fighting the "drop the kids off at school" debacle I then drive back to work.  And every morning when I pull into the turning lane to turn left into the parking lot of the radio stations there is always some knucklehead going the opposite way that decides to pull into the turning lane also and tries to compete in a game of "chicken" with me.

Of course this driver isn't actually turning left for another 100 yards or so (I may have exaggerated the "5 miles" thing) while I on the other hand am turning in exactly where I am at.

Seriously people - the turning lane isn't going to close down or move, it is not necessary to merge into the turning lane so far away from your actual turn destination which there by causes issues for the other drivers that are trying to turn opposite of you.  Does this make sense?  Again - just another little day to day frustration I face in my world.

For the love of the English language - "LIKE" is not an adverb. I REPEAT - "LIKE" IS NOT AN ADVERB! It's one thing to see children/teenagers speak in such a manner - but listening to grown adults use the word "like" as an adverb is similar to hearing fingernails down a chalkboard which isn't something I enjoy!  There's a couple of words for you - "similar" and "enjoy"  - both of those words can be used in place of the word "like" in a proper sentence!  So try this - the next time you feel the need to use "like" in the middle of your sentence - first replace the word "like" with either "similar" or "enjoy" and if it makes the sentence sound stupid then you know that if you use "like" in it's place you will sound just as ridiculous!

So once my work day is done I typically go to the local grocery store on my way home and 9 times out of 10 encounter the next thing that makes me want to pull my hair out. Invasion of my personal space!

Here's the thing - when I'm checking out at the check out counter, please stay at least 3 standard paces behind me. I'm not claustrophobic or anything - I just do not like strangers creeping up in my personal space, I think it is rude. Plus it makes me nervous, it makes me think that the "creeper" is going to try to snatch my purse. And if it isn't the actual person standing so close to me - it's their shopping cart bumping into me.

Sheesh people - I'm fairly certain that no one is going to cut in front of you standing only 3 paces back from the person in front of you - so BACK. OFF. Please and thank you.

And the final issue I will share with you that makes me want to pull my hair out is waiting for a car to pass by so I can pull out onto the road but the car slows down and ends up turning before it passes me but I had no idea because apparently said car was made WITHOUT A BLINKER!

Really? Are we so lazy that we can't move our hand from the steering wheel to the blinker lever and push it up or down to signal to other drivers, "Hey! I see you waiting for me to pass you before pulling out on the road and I thank you for that, however I am going to turn right here so you no longer need to wait for me and may safely pull out onto the road. Drive safe my friend and have a good day."

I mean, I know that the blinker doesn't say all of that but you get the idea. Just, be courteous and use a damn blinker!