Driving Tips

Here are some observations that I think will make us all better drivers.

1. Slow down. You move too fast. Don't pass me. Do not tailgate me. Don't weave in and out of traffic. If a person was going to weave in and out of traffic, it would at least be important to use their turn signals. Nope. They are the least likely to. It's like their living out Grand Theft Auto and they just own the street. Unless the road we're on leads directly to the hospital, I'm going to assume its not an emergency. Cool your jets, Turbo.

2. I don't experience a lot of freeway rush hour traffic, but I especially hate when people are changing lanes because they think the other lane is creeping along a little faster. The experts say the whole group of us would go faster if people didn't do that. It just clogs up the system more.

3. Speaking of freeways - Truck drivers, do not pass another truck because you are going infinitesimally faster than they are. If they are going 56 mph and you are going 56.1 mph, its going to take you and hour and a half to get past them. Maybe you haven't noticed, but there is a line of 50 cars stacked up behind you.

4. Go when the lights turns green. I thought all these people are in such a freaking hurry. Why do I have to wait at green lights? I'll be like third in line, the light will turn green, wait for it, 3 or 4 seconds go by, then the line starts to move. Are people's reflexes really that bad? "The light turned green. OK. I guess I'll go ahead and go now." It wouldn't be so bad if people didn't seem in such a hurry in between lights. This shouldn't be a big deal to me, and it isn't, but I just see no reason to just be sitting there on the green.

5. Don't tailgate. By tailgating, you're like 10 feet closer to your destination. Just back off, Sparky, Seriously. Let me fill you in on something. You just bring out the passive-aggressive behavior in us tailgatees when you do that. If I'm going 58 and they are right on me, I think, "Oh, is that not the right speed for your taste? Let's try 56. What about 53?" The slow down game must drive their blood pressure sky high. This is only effective if you are on a blind turn or there is oncoming traffic - something where they can't pass. I'm sure it ticks them off. That's why we do it. So, back off.

This is the kind of real-world advise that should be printed in driver's manuals. DMV's, fee free to make a pamphlet out of this.