VERITY LUSH: Has the heat caused drivers to boil over with rage?

People were trotting about with smiles on their faces, joy in their steps, and they were even giving way to one another on the roads.

Fast-forward to a sun that bakes and burns, as opposed to that thinner, crisper, spring variety, and boom! Grumpy chops all over the show!

I drove to Cosham this week and, having scooped up my youngest from the playground, off we set.

No sooner had we reached the end of our road than the first incident of rage – not mine, for the avoidance of doubt – occurred.

I had dared to give way to a mother and child crossing the road, which is obviously extremely poor manners on my part, and a near disastrous attempt at a simple act of niceness. Or so thought the ranting, raving, long-haired head on a stick behind the steering wheel of a metallic blue Mini.

The bobbing about of his skull and the mad movement of his snarly little chops as he expressed his displeasure at my decision, thereby meaning he too had to wait for an entirely inconsiderate 15 extra seconds of his life, was snigger-inducing.

I have a sneaking suspicion he did not mean for it to be. Perhaps the Mini’s air con was on the blink because he did have his window open.

My youngest and I stared back quizzically, she with her little head tilted to one shoulder, and onwards we commenced.

During our surreal journey, no fewer than three pedestrians took their lives in their hands and simply stalked (in one case, ran) out into the road, dodging cars mere metres ahead of us.

Perhaps they were so hot they’d decided to just end it all.

By the time we got across the Hilsea roundabout, Northern Road was like vehicular Armageddon.

A red-faced bus driver with a sweat on nearly ran me off the road and I shall admit to feeling a certain smugness when we smoothly whizzed by him further on.

HELLO, MY NAME’S VERITY LUSH AND I’M A CONTROL FREAK

I am the kind of person who enjoys an ordered life, with structure and routine.

It takes all sorts though and obviously some people like to ride by the seat of their pants and live according to the rules of the random (which are, perhaps, no rules?).

Because of my preference for organization I am probably a control freak. My husband will take a Sharpie to the ‘probably’ if he reads a paper copy of this, but we balance out nicely, and he’s happy to listen to me rabbit on with my plans and organization.

I simply can’t fathom how some people cope without lists and ticking things off.

There’s little I like less than a chaotic environment and (metaphorical*) headless chickens.

(*Not that I go much on literal ones either.)

PURPOSE THROUGH PROGRESS

I always find it incredibly satisfying to see real progress in action and this can probably be said for most human beings.

To actually witness progression and to know you’ve played a role in that, is a little bit soul-satisfying.

I cannot stand constant fire-fighting and people who charge from one thing to the next without ever really carrying out the initial task to completion.

This can be applied to DIY, projects, the workplace and most organisations on Planet Earth.

But to build something or work towards something, and to then see real progress, where you have contributed to a greater good (no matter how small), gives us purpose in our lives.

Lives that, ultimately, we can never control or predict, but that we can at least make the most of.