You know what I hate the most at the beginning of the new school year? It is the other drivers, specifically the drivers at my children’s schools. Just a handful of the drivers who feel that rules do not apply to them can make those drop off and pick up times dreadful. The beginning of the school year is already hectic enough without their help.

A dad backed into my car during drop off. We both got out of the car, it was a minor bump, no damages. So, he didn’t feel the need to apologize. He flatly told me that he did not see me. We were in the middle of the drop off loop in our school’s parking lot!! Every car was sandwiched between two other cars, with the line backed up all the way onto the streets.

In the afternoon, a mom in this red convertible will bypass two lines of waiting cars that will eventually merge into one pick up line, and will pull to the front, then blinker and wave her arms with a big sassy show to try and cut into the front of the pick up line. Now, once or maybe even twice I could understand, perhaps she is new to the school, or has a real emergency, but every freaking day?!! Clearly, I am not the only parent not falling under this witch’s spells. At least on two occasions, no one yield to let her in. So, she pulled way into the front of the line, and parked at the red zone next to the red cones marked for Fire Lane. Hey, if you don’t mind being obnoxious to everybody every day, why not go all the way.

Then there are the walkers, who neglect to teach their children the importance of looking both sides, disregard the clearly marked walkway. Sometimes, they will even talk on the phone or worse, they text or update their Facebook status. Well, if I had to describe every single offense in detail, this blog will turn into a book.

Pick up and drop off at my 14-year-old’s new High School is significantly more orderly, mostly thanks to the school’s security personal directing traffic at every major high traffic junction. However, on my way to pick up my high schooler, I happened to have to pass an elementary school and a middle school, and I will often sit in their traffic and watch their dramas unfold.

All this is making me MAD and short-tempered. Every tiny infractions other drivers or walkers commit will have me huffing and puffing in the car, and turning me into an ugly fire breathing dragon with big sharp teeth.

This morning, I was transformed into a threatening beast in my car again, and even produced loud hideous sound effect to go with it.

Mad driver

“WHAT?!” I growled.

“You are only 5′ 2”.” the baby.

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