“Pedal-to-the-metal!”

The other day (Tuesday, September 1, 2009), after a slowish jog through Boughton Park (“BOW-tin;” as in “wow”), I was exiting the parking-lot onto Boughton Road.
My wife and dog were with me — they had run along — and we were in our 2005 Toyota Sienna All-Wheel-Drive minivan, which we think highly of, but nicknamed the “Bathtub,” since it’s large and white and like sitting in a bathtub.
Boughton Road west to County Road 39 is no passing, and was clear as we pulled out.
But as soon as we did, an angry white Ford Focus was on our rear bumper, its enraged driver shaking his fist and pounding his steering-wheel — between long drags on a cigarette, and keying in something on his cellphone.
Mr. macho-man angled suddenly across the double-yellow, and gave me the one-finger salute, as he charged past pedal-to-the metal.
As he pulled back in front of me, I noticed a Christian fish on his trunk-lip, next to a Dubya-Cheney ‘04 sticker, and another bumper-sticker saying Bambi got what she deserved.
Macho-man was well ahead as I turned onto County Road 39, and was turning south on Bennett Road as I topped the rise, at least 300 yards away.
Note to self: just let ‘em by..........
A similar occurrence happened long ago during a day-long journey to Altoona, PA.
I was southbound on the old two-lane that used to be U.S. 220.
A gray Pontiac roared up behind me, its driver shaking his fist.
The car passed, and its driver gave me the one-finger salute.
The car then disappeared quickly into the distance.
Far ahead I noticed a white Crown Vic pull out of a side road.
Soon I passed both the Pontiac and the Crown Vic; the Pontiac pulled over.
Thankfully, no one came the other way when macho-man passed.

• “Boughton Park” is a small park near where we live. There are two ponds, but no swimming. It used to be a town water-supply.
• My wife of 41+ years is “Linda.” Like me she’s retired, but she works part-time at the West Bloomfield post-office.
• Our current dog is “Scarlett;” a rescue Irish-Setter. She’s four, and is our sixth Irish-Setter.
• “Boughton Road” runs along the southern edge of the park, to “County Road 39,” another rural two-lane. County Road 39, which is westerly, crosses “Bennett Road.”
• A “Dubya-Cheney ‘04 sticker” is a Bush-Cheney 2004 bumper-sticker. All insane traffic-moves seem to involve Bush-supporters. They seem to think they have the right.
• “Altoona, PA” is the location of Horseshoe Curve (the “mighty Curve”), by far the BEST railfan spot I have ever been to. Horseshoe Curve is a national historic site. It was a trick used by the Pennsylvania Railroad to get over the Allegheny mountains without steep grades. Horseshoe Curve was opened in 1854, and is still in use. (I am a railfan, and have been since I was a child.)
• A “Crown Vic” (“Vick”) is the full-size Ford Crown Victoria, what police commonly use.