Things I saw today while driving to work.

Traffic is bad anywhere you live but in Austin, it is notoriously bad. There could be many reasons why traffic is bad but I think it comes down to poor planning coupled with tremendous population growth. It used to be the rule that anytime someone gave directions that you always started with "get on MOPAC" (Loop 1), but even that has become the State's second biggest parking lot.

I usually pay attention to the road when I drive but I had extra time today to do some people watching while inhaling my daily limit of CO2. I noticed a few things that really bugged me about the commuters here in Austin:

* Women putting makeup on in the car.
- This is my single most biggest driving pet peeve. How selfish does someone have to be to endanger other people just so they can look better. I witnessed three women putting on makeup this A.M. and I only commute ten miles.

* Smoking and driving.
- As an ex-smoker I understand that driving and smoking go together but throwing your nasty cigarette butt on the highway is against the law. Why not put an empty can with liquid at the bottom in your car and then dispose of it later?

* People eating.
- This is preventable because you can eat at work or at home. If you cannot eat at work then eat in the parking lot when you get there. If you are going to be late by doing this then leave earlier.

* Aggressive Drivers .
- Men tend to be the most aggressive drivers because of testosterone but some women can be notorious culprits but in a passive way. I saw a man in a Mustang GT drifting in to my lane with about a third of a car length between my car and the car in front of me. He decided that he could just get in front of me with no blinker and I would know his intentions. Then when I didn't let him in he gets mad at me? WTF.

* Cell phone talkers.
- I am very guilty of this BUT I know when it is appropriate to talk and when it is not. Having a 30 minute conversation in traffic is not the appropriate time. A caveat to that is if a person is using a hands free device or sorts. This also causes a distraction but it is much less.

* Single occupant commuters.
- I am guilty of this everyday and we can make all of the excuses in the world but if 25% of the population in the Austin area carpooled then a traffic problem wouldn't exist but unlike other large metropolitan areas Austin does not offer HOV (high occupancy vehicles) lanes or a viable rapid transit option.

I think people are inherently good natured and that the people listed above were not behaving this way to intentionally anger anyone but if commuters could start paying a little more attention to their surroundings and a little less on themselves then we may all experience a safer and faster commute.

What is your biggest commute pet peeve?