On the approach to a very tricky bend in the road (involving almost a half turn of the steering wheel) the driver in front slowed almost to a stop. As we straightened up after the bend he did stop. There was a railroad crossing. No lights, barriers, bells or school buses of course, just the tracks, with nothing to be seen on either side for a good mile. Safety confirmed, he moved off. Thirty yards further, the road widens to two lanes as you approach a four way intersection with stop lights. The driver did not know which lane to use, so he cleverly positioned his vehicle across the divide, half in each lane. Aha! A truly excellent tactic which earned him the time needed to make a decision which direction he was going next. The edible Nikki and I settled in a safe 10 yards behind and waited for some entertainment. Would it be left? Would it be right? Would it be straight on? We placed our bets and the tension mounted as we waited for the light to change to green. When it did, the tension mounted further: The car did not move. We waited. 10 seconds…15…suddenly, decision made, the car moved forward. It became clear he was going straight across! What decisiveness! What skills! What a prick! If only he had thought to move his vehicle back into the correct lane when he did this, oncoming traffic could have avoided the unnecessary swerve and mounting of the kerb needed to avoid this half-on-the-wrong-side-of-the-road vehicle as it approached head on.
Fortunately the edible Nikki and I turned left, out of imminent danger. We listened for car horns or the sound of grinding metal for another few minutes but nothing could be heard. Either other road users managed to avoid the car or he had driven quietly into a ditch and was still trying to decide which gear to engage for best exit therefrom. The last thing we saw of the departing vehicle was the drivers head, stooped low under a baseball cap brim as he tried to see the road without taking off the bloody hat. I don’t think it occurred to him to push it back up his head a little.