I forgot to write about this when it happened. It's basically the prequel to this other story about confrontations over bumper stickers.

Dan and Julian and I were driving in my car (a Hybrid Honda Civic), which has the following bumper stickers on the back:

"My Hybrid can beat up your Hummer - Pollution is out of fashion"

"Stop cutting down trees on my property - God"

"My car gets 40+ mpg. So who's the Patriot?"

So we're driving down Mathilda Ave. in Sunnyvale, on our way to go eat some Indonesian food, and all of a sudden this big super-nerdy schlubby guy in Coke-bottle glasses sidles up next to me in an older model beat-up VW Vanagon. He honks his horn to get my attention, maintains speed alongside me just long enough to FLIP ME THE BIRD while shooting me a dirty crazed look, and then takes off.

I couldn't help bursting out laughing. I looked at Dan and asked him, "What was THAT all about?" I figured it had to be the bumper stickers. SuperDork loves to pollute? Or chop down trees? I don't know, something pissed him off.

Here's the best part. The light ahead turns red, and SuperDork stops. There's no car in front of me, so guess who pulls up right next to him? That's right, little old me. He's TRAPPED.

I'm trying to get his attention, but of course he won't look at me. It's the worst nightmare of the bird-flipper to get stuck at a stoplight next to the flippee, isn't it?

Dan reaches over and honks the horn, which isn't impressive, because there's something wrong with my horn that makes it sound like someone just stepped on a dead duck. I really need to get that fixed. SuperDork doesn't look over.

So I reach into my glove box, pull out a dime, and throw it at his window. it makes a nice loud "TING!" and SuperDork looks over, panicked. I shrug my shoulders and give him the classic "What's up?" gesture, while shooting him a nice big smile, just to let him know how ridiculous I find it to be flipped off by some SuperDork in a Vanagon who objects that strongly to my *bumper stickers*, for crying out loud.

I can practically see the sweat dripping down his temple as he snaps his gaze back straight ahead. He's all freaked out now, like we're going to stalk him and follow him home, or pull out a gun and blow his brains out right there.

The light turns green and he zooms away as fast as he can, then makes a right turn to escape us.

Geez. Don't dish it out if you can't take it, KWIM?