pedestrians, cyclists and other goobers

Message-tee of the day: "Rock my world" on a woman who could have been my grandmother

If there's one thing I don't like about cities, it's driving in them. Not because I don't like to drive - in fact, I love to drive - but because people are generally selfish behind the wheel in a survival-of-the-fittest sort of way. At times, yours truly is no exception either.

The first time I found my way to the Delaware Expressway from my apartment I was honestly scared to be seen in my car at every stop light. I was alone, young, female and in a nicer car than the area regularly sees. I seriously thought to myself, "Man I wish I had tinted windows...then for all these people know, I could be a huge dude and no one would mess with Huge Dude." Then I laughed at myself and realized no one standing by cared.

By now, my morning drive to the expressway has become comfortable and natural. I'm no Jenny from the block, but I feel familiar. All that aside, the commute to and from work is by no means stress-free. Philadelphia is rich with street habits that could give you gray hairs, such as:

• Pedestrians, pedestrians and more pedestrians who slowly cross when cars have the green light, and sometimes then linger in the street
  
• Double-parked vehicles, from minivans to industrial trucks
• Septa buses that stop just as the light turns green
• Septa buses that make wide turns, forcing the line of cars to reverse
• Service vehicles that block driveways
• Occasionally sharing the road with trolley cars
  
• Bicyclists who weave as they ride alongside the street
  
• People who leave their park car door wide open into the lane

Because I encounter at least three of these every day, my driving is adapting and I'm less and less bothered. So if you're ever in Philly and you encounter any of these, then no, you're not taking crazy pills.