I’ve had the opportunity to do a lot more driving lately, since I’m no longer tied to a desk. I find it enjoyable, but I have to question the ability and sanity of some of the driver’s I’ve encountered. Some of my concerns:
If you’re going to pass, then do it! Why someone has to get next to another vehicle and stay there for miles is beyond me. It’s amazing to be in a pack of 20 cars bumper to bumper at extra-legal speeds, and have four miles of clear road ahead for 10 minutes. Step on the gas, Gladys!
If you’re being passed, be passed. I’m a great fan of cruise control; it makes the highway mile smoother, and gets better gas mileage. It makes me wonder when I pull up next to someone that I have obviously been faster, and have them accelerate. Are you proving to me your car is more capable? I get it. Proved your point. Now go back to being passed.
When you’re in the left lane and 4 cars pass on the right, it might be time to move over. Extra points for putting the phone down. Lady in the Windstar, you know who you are. Slow and weaving in the left lane makes for a much more challenging ride.
To the best of my knowledge, turn signals stopped being an option in the 40’s. Use them. Even if you have no clue where you’re headed, you can pretend.
Trucks take up a lot of space. Give it to them. They are bigger than you, and may not even notice the bumping as they run you over. A flash of the headlights to let them know they can pull out works really well. I have yet to have a trucker I gave room to fail to treat me with equal courtesy.
If there’s a line of six cars in the left lane passing a slower truck, then passing the last five on the right and expecting to get ahead is just stupid. Did you really think they all lined up to be in formation? Attempting to squeeze your SUV into a Smart car sized space doesn’t work. Why is there never enough time to wait, but always enough time to fill out the accident report?
Thanks for reading.