Right of Way

Fresh after hearing a story on the radio about how raising the driving age in Maryland to 17 will save lives (noted here for irony, this debate another time), I am stuck at the red light turning from Himes onto Ballenger Creek Pike. You know the intersection. If you don't, I'll include a handy Google map at the end of this for you. I've just somewhat narrowly avoided my second speeding ticket for the week (you'll have to ask me about #1) because Himes is significantly downhill and I had the 7:59 inertia pushing me in the back.
Finally, I get the green, after sitting through the red twice. I turn left onto Ballenger Creek at approx. 8:05, but OH HO, who cuts me off but Frederick County Public Schools Bus number 437 barreling from the off ramp from 15/340, a ramp that is clearly marked with a Yield sign for traffic arriving via that ramp?
The bus, admittedly, was empty. However, if a bus driver (she obviously and definitely purposefully accelerated to jump into traffic ahead of me) exhibits that sort of decision making with an empty bus and a non-threatening situation, what sort of decision making will she make with a bus full of screaming kids and a tenth of a second to make the right decision?
Mostly I'm P.O.ed because of the idiot I was stuck behind at the red light with the selection of bumper stickers which read:

• Geekier than thou
• GB (Great Britain)
• Atheist (ICTHYS fish with feet)

who proceeded to let this guy from St. John's pull into traffic ahead of him, even though I was the only car behind him. I would have only sat through one more red cycle rather than two. I wouldn't have had to deal with Bus Driver McDeathtrap, and I likely would have made it to work just on time.
I'm thinking 17 isn't high enough for the driving age. I think whatever the driving age is, it needs to be above Stupid.



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