What happened to common sense on the road?

I just finished reading the letter by Mathew Cannava “A Little Consideration, Please” in the Sept. 11 edition of the Peninsula Clarion and it ignited my frustration over area drivers and their inconsiderate behavior when behind the wheel of a multi ton weapon. To clarify, I am going to relate two experiences I recently encountered in the Soldotna area.

On my way home from Sterling on the Sterling Highway, an individual decided to pull out from a side street into my lane of travel. Once on the highway the individual did not increase speed to the posted limit but increased to 45 miles an hour. I was forced to apply my brakes much quicker and harder than I normally would. I continued to follow this vehicle toward Soldotna when all of a sudden the vehicle came to a sudden stop in the middle of the lane for no apparent reason. I had to take evasive action to avoid running into the back of his vehicle.

When I arrived at the traffic signal near Fred Meyer, the vehicle pulled up on my left side. The driver was flashing his cell phone at me. I lowered my window and was told he was calling the police. I offered him the number.

The second encounter with a poor judgement individual happened when approaching the Spur Highway near a construction area on Corral Street. My wife was driving. We approached the Spur Highway from Corral at a heavy traffic time. On the diverted section of the road I noticed a vehicle very close to the rear of my wife’s car. For perspective, if we had been stopped I would not have been able to walk between the vehicles. My wife signaled a left turn and positioned for a left turn. The other vehicle pulled into the right turn lane and put on her left turn signal. You have to understand that right lane was for a right turn only. When the traffic cleared and it was safe, we made the left turn and the vehicle in the right lane also turned left. What has happened to common sense and respect for the law?