IGNTBone
08-15-2008, 10:35 PM
Hey guys, just thought I'd share a story in which I tried to apply a Seinfeld-ism in my daily life, but it didn't work as I'd hoped.
I went to the bank to withdraw money for a trip I was planning. I get the money no problem. However, getting out from the parking lot to the street was tricky, as there was an unusual amount of traffic for that the time of day. I finally make my move at the first break I see. I'm driving along in the middle lane, watching for where I would usually turn off to head home. The intersections of the grid streets look the same, and at the last minute, I realize I should've gotten into the left turn lane.
Instinctively, I hit my blinker, and attempted to sneak into the turn lane before I ran out of leeway. I didn't see a van in my blind spot, and ended up cutting a woman off. No one was hurt, but my next instinct was to communicate that I was sorry and hope she just thought I was a jerk (in a manner of speaking). So I gave her the wave of my hand to signal that it was my fault (hands up, eyes down), and continued on my way. Next thing I know, the lady pulls up next to me at the next light, and rolls her window down. Uh-oh. My brain formulates a plan in nanoseconds, and I roll my own window down.
Before she can say anything, I immediately lean over and sincerely shout "I'm very sorry ma'am, that was totally my fault." That's what she wanted, apparently, as she rolled her window back up, and I made it home without further incident. But the moral of this tale is...
Don't think of using the "I'm Sorry Wave" in real traffic, because it may not be enough. I was lucky :)
I went to the bank to withdraw money for a trip I was planning. I get the money no problem. However, getting out from the parking lot to the street was tricky, as there was an unusual amount of traffic for that the time of day. I finally make my move at the first break I see. I'm driving along in the middle lane, watching for where I would usually turn off to head home. The intersections of the grid streets look the same, and at the last minute, I realize I should've gotten into the left turn lane.
Instinctively, I hit my blinker, and attempted to sneak into the turn lane before I ran out of leeway. I didn't see a van in my blind spot, and ended up cutting a woman off. No one was hurt, but my next instinct was to communicate that I was sorry and hope she just thought I was a jerk (in a manner of speaking). So I gave her the wave of my hand to signal that it was my fault (hands up, eyes down), and continued on my way. Next thing I know, the lady pulls up next to me at the next light, and rolls her window down. Uh-oh. My brain formulates a plan in nanoseconds, and I roll my own window down.
Before she can say anything, I immediately lean over and sincerely shout "I'm very sorry ma'am, that was totally my fault." That's what she wanted, apparently, as she rolled her window back up, and I made it home without further incident. But the moral of this tale is...
Don't think of using the "I'm Sorry Wave" in real traffic, because it may not be enough. I was lucky :)