𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨 𝐏𝐨𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐧 𝐓𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐋𝐞𝐟𝐭 𝐌𝐞 𝐅𝐮𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐠

This morning, during my drive as a Drop-Off Dad at my son’s high school, I found myself growing increasingly frustrated. Despite clearly marked “Right Turn Only” signs at the exit of the parking lot, which were put in place to ease congestion during nearby road construction, some drivers, mostly Soccer Moms in mini-vans and Suburban Dads in oversized pickups or SUVs that never leave pavement, chose to ignore them.

Earlier this school year, the traffic pattern changes were a bit chaotic. But by now, there’s a clear system in place. It may not be perfect, but it works. The right-turn restriction is there for a reason; it keeps traffic moving during the morning rush and prevents further backups.

What gets under my skin is not just the disregard for a simple rule, but the ripple effect it causes. These left-turn rebels slow down the entire line, add confusion to an already tight traffic situation, and introduce unnecessary stress for those of us trying to follow the pattern. It is not just about rules; it is about respect for the flow and for one another.

And maybe that’s the deeper issue. Am I annoyed because they aren’t following the rules, or because their selfishness is causing problems for everyone else? Either way, it’s a stress point that sticks with me longer than it should.

So here’s my question:

How do you handle the stress of watching others ignore the rules and disrupt the flow? And more importantly, how do you respond when selfishness slows everything down for the rest of us?