Is it just me?

Lately I have been seeing a huge increase in the following driving-related behaviors, and I can't decide which ones pisses me off more than the other.

Behavior #1: pedestrians who refuse to speed up when you are waiting for them to cross. As a matter of a fact, they seem to take the lackadaisical approach of cows grazing. Sort of a pedestrian zombie walk. Because apparently my time is less important than theirs is, and I should be forced to wait for them to cross. Walking however f-ing slow they choose.

I guess it is just me, but I thought there was some type of courtesy feedback. I politely wave for you to cross in front of me... and you showed me that you appreciated not having to wait for me to pass by walking slightly faster to cross. Now before you give me the stink-eye, I know some people are unable to walk briskly. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about people who are more oblivious to traffic than squirrels. People who blunder into the street without even the merest thought of oncoming traffic.

Some of these people even combine the "scratching my balls after having a huge meal walk", with the " I'm a pedestrian, I don't have to look before I walk into the street". I can't even say how how many people I have seen...just step into the street without looking. One person recently had their hair completely obscuring her face on a windy day, and just walked out in front of me. Thankfully I was not speeding, but I was so close I did have to do a crazy avoidance maneuver.

It has gotten so bad, that when I hear of peds getting hit on the news.. my first response is that they probably didn't look before they walked into the street. Maybe they should look next time.

Behavior#2: People in the fast lane, with no one in front of them for literally a mile. Because the rest of the freeway is somewhat packed, they have camped out in the fast lane and refuse to let you pass. They manage to time their driving so there is almost no way to get around them. They form a perfect fast lane triangle so if they wanted to, they could get into the second lane and let me pass, and then get right back into the fast lane.

Visualize a car in front and behind on the right of the fast lane offenders car. No one beside them. Now.. I will admit.. I am on their ass.. but not so bad that people are break checking me. And you know what would get me off your ass? Letting me pass!

Now the really odd thing I have noticed? It is almost always someone in an old Toyota Camry like this, or Subaru Outback like this. Quite frequently the color is maroon. I dont know why this is. There must be some demographic for buying these cars I am not aware of and can't figure out.