Parallel Parking Rules

I do not mean rules as in "Hey man! Kiss rules!". I mean the rules of parallel parking. Even more specifically, I mean the rule about not opening your door into oncoming traffic after you have (not so)successfully parked your vehicle.

When I was in driver's education, I remember being taught that you do not open your driver side door blindly when parked on the side of a busy street. It even went as far to suggest that you enter/exit via the passenger side and slide over. However with the advent of bucket seats that "suggestion" went out the window (no pun intended).

Fast forward to modern day California. Cars are everywhere and it is very common for people to parallel park on neighborhood streets. Without fail, everytime I drive through one of these neighborhoods I am treated to someone flinging their door open into traffic. They don't even look (you can't expect them to take a break from their cell-phone conversation)! Imagine the shock on their face when one day an oncoming car knocks the door right off it's hinges.

One time, a Hispanic (ahem... Mexican) lad opened his door right in front of my car. I swerved to the center of the street and honked my horn. I saw the young buck in my rearview mirror thanking me by standing in the middle of the road with his middle-finger high in the air.

What is wrong with people? In his mind, did he really exact some revenge on me? Did he run and tell his homies how he kept their rep completely intact?

One of these days, I will completely give up on humanity. I feel the frustration of George Constanza unable to use the pay phone in the Chinese restaurant. He was right. We ARE living in a society. There are others around you. Think before you act. Please.