Tampa Getting Ruder, Bigger

After growing up in cities where survival of the fittest outweighs common courtesies, I realized when I moved to Tampa that people didn't honk.
You could be at a red light for what seemed like hours and the people behind you would wait -- afraid to honk you into reality.
You also could have been cruising at 75 mph on the highway and realize suddently you need to exit. The lane change wouldn't risk your life because people would let you through (though turn signal use is unheard of here) -- a courtesy you would not find driving in Miami, Los Angeles or New York. People there will purposely speed up to PREVENT you from changing lanes.
Some of this is Tampa's small-town innocence, that laid-back Southern courtesy and patience that doesn't want to rock the boat as a sign of acting proper and polite.
This city is growing fast though and, with that growth, we lose some of these consideration.
Two nights ago, I drive up to a gated condo complex in New Tampa and pull up to the security box -- the other gate was closed. As I reach for my gate card to enter the complex, some jerk pulls in front of me to enter the gate! Once I closed my jaw and collected my thoughts about the sheer gall of this guy, I started to wonder: Was he in such a rush that he couldn't wait an extra 30 seconds to go through? Was he intent on robbing or stalking someone and just needed to get in? Who knew? Who cared, right? All I know I had to wait for him to enter, for the gate to close and ONLY THEN could I enter again.
Lucky me, when I enteed, this creep and I both pulled into the mailbox area for a moment and I had the confrontation I needed: "Do you realize how incredibly rude you are?" I asked him, as he turned around thinking I was going to pounce him.
Now I am not stupid enough to engage myself in anything violent but his response: "Oh I have a clicker and I was trying to help you get in?" What!?!?
Is he serious? I don't think I'm going to even bother explaining here what his lame excuse was, just point out that people who are incredibly rude and juvenile always make themselves worse by rationalizing their stupidity. Why not just admit you were wrong and move on? I am not going to arrest him, I am not going to care 5 minutes later. Don't feed me a line of bullshit that he cut in front of me to help me? It just makes no sense and only makes the people who do the right thing more aggravated.
Then yesterday, I am driving home on a small side street and some woman is walking literally in the middle of the road. Usually, when pedestrians walk in the middle of the road, they hear the approaching car and move to the side to let it pass. She did not and just kept walking so I slowed down and lightly tapped my horn. Oh, she snapped that head of hers to attention and moved out of the way, mouthing to me, "Asshole!"
Well, again, I had my moment to roll my window and ask her, "Are you really upset I honked you?" Yes she was, she said, I should have told her to move, not honk her. Huh? I am driving in the car and she wants me to get out of the car and ask her? Is a light honk so rude? I know people in Tampa NEVER honk, but sometimes it is useful and more than necessary for safety purposes.
And while I am a big proponent of pedestrian rights and right-of-way, walking in the MIDDLE of the street when there is plenty room on both sides isn't the smartest thing to do.
The key point of any of this is never to let this shit bother you too much. Yes, I totally confronted them in the moment but was told by my independent observer that I was pretty calm and stuck to the facts of social etiquette. I'd like to think common sense prevails in this city as it continues to grow and that people who do stupid things (drive like maniacs during a sloppy thunder/lightning storm or leave the community shopping cart in the elevator so someone else has to put it away) don't try to justify their misdeeds and only make the situation worse.