Well, we Americans can be obnoxious - especially Americans with any degree of power. Most average Americans aren't obnoxious. Well, not ALL the time. Not unless they're driving. I have to shift into Canadian driving mode when I'm up there. You know: don't tailgate people in the passing lane you want to pass because you can trust they'll move over when they can. Let people in front of you to pass even when you're going faster. Make room for folks. That kind of stuff. You know - common decency.

This really happened once: some annoying, impatient person tried to crawl up my tailpipe for a few blocks, pulled into the same lot as I, went into the same store I was going into. I went in, thinking to say something brief and honest about how I felt, and got the, "Oh hi, there. It's a beautiful day, isn't it? I have to write a check - do you want to go ahead of me in line?" Why are people like overly caffeinated axe murderers in cars and all sweet out of them?

No, my non-American friends - we do NOT all own handguns and run around shooting at each other all the time. Most of us have cars, though.