What has happened to society?

As I write this, safely ensconced in my home, I am still physically shaking from the event that transpired about thirty minutes ago.

My son and I were returning home from a trip to the library. Driving west on Creasy/Brady Lane, I noticed a young lady in a navy blue sedan wedge her car snugly behind mine. She proceeded to travel dangerously close to my back bumper. I was a bit confused, as the stretch of road we were on had another lane to our right. There was no one in that lane. I glanced at my speedometer. I was surprised to see that I was going 45. The speed limit is 35. I would usually get upset and increase my speed to create a distance between my car and the tailgater. I did not do that this time. I decided that if she was in such a hurry, she could EASILY pass me. She did not. We approached the intersection of Creasy/Brady Ln and Concord Road. I put on my left turn signal and braked, waiting for the oncoming traffic to pass so that I could safely turn left. The light turned yellow. Since I was already "out in the middle", I decided to make my turn. This is when a young man in a navy blue pickup heading east on Brady decided to gun it. He was already driving at a high rate of speed, and had come up on the intersection rather quickly. I saw him and stopped, but not before he honked at me as he passed, yelling, honking and waving his middle finger at me. Even though I knew the light was red, I proceeded into my turn, as I was already committed. I was shocked to also realize that Miss navy blue sedan was still glued to my back bumper!

At first I was upset that this young man, a total stranger, would dare be so violent and ugly when he was the one clearly in the wrong. I wanted to turn around and chase him down, and explain to him the events of this year that have changed my life forever. Two things stopped me: the young woman still tailgating, and the sad realization that it just wouldn't matter. Besides, my son was in the back seat exclaiming that he thought he was going to have a heart attack. He was with me two weeks ago when our car was t-boned at an intersection.

I continued on to my destination, thanking the Lord for his protection. It is sad, though, that a simple drive home was jeopardized because of the rude, selfish and reckless acts of two young drivers. My husband thinks that, since our rental car is a Grand Marquis with Nevada plates, both drivers thought I was an out-of-towner and I didn't know my way around. Does it matter, though? Is this how we have raised our children? I am saddened by this.