I live in a 15-minute town

I live in a 15-minute town and that is what I love about it.

I came from a 30-minute (or more, usually) town. The first 15 minutes was just getting out of my neighborhood. Now, I am most always early getting where I need to be, even when I am running late I still get there on time. So imagine how amazed I am at all of the others who share the road with me. These folks are always in a hurry like they have to make that 15-minutes in five. I get tailgated when I am doing the limit, people pull out of the side streets with out stopping. I almost got T-boned once, the guy was NOT going to stop. We have people going the wrong way on a one-way so that they don't have to go all the way around the block to pull into their driveway (I've seen it!), and folks cursing each other because the city took a two lane left turn down to a one lane that has the option to go straight as well. The offending driver acted out of habit and obviously missed all of the posted signs - and the months notice warning of the change for that matter.

Really, unless there is a medical emergency, there is no reason to leave your consideration at home. If you can resolve yourself to the fact that once you are on the road, no matter how late you think you are, you still have a 15-minute drive, you might get to enjoy the trip. Getting into an accident or angering other drivers does not make that 15-minutes any faster.

For the record, I allow for our elderly since I will be one too, probably sooner than I like, and for pet emergencies - which I credited the potential of to my near T-bone driver (he was directed away from the hospital).
I do not have much tolerance for cell phone talkers, over confident drivers of any age, or people who have just made themselves late.

But for the most part, I just smile and remind myself that I survived driving in L.A. (first license), San Diego (first standard), Dallas (frequently downtown to the bus station and vital statistics), Puerto Rico (the police sit in the parking lot with their bubble light on so you see them well in advance), Scotland -always a British car (wrong side of the road and roundabouts), and Sicily (scooter riders with their helmet dangling on an arm, who cross themselves as they pass the cemetery).

Slow down and enjoy the ride. Really, what's the hurry?