I’ve been making some progress in killing the agressive driver. It’s interesting though… the different things that come to your attention after you start going out of your way to be a gracious driver. When you try to avoid rushing your drive and losing your patience. I’ve gotten my eyes opened to alot of things… alot of places where hypocrisy has crept in and staked out a spot. I’m not going to say I’m a gracious driver. I am going to say I’ve been trying and these are just some thoughts.
I’ve noticed there’s alot of places where I’ve gotten annoyed, but there’s definitely a line between legality and courtesy.
Like for instance… dealing with the switching of lanes. When you switch lanes, legally, you are supposed to signal. Make sure you have enough space and then switch into the desired lane. But how about cutting people off? Have you seen when people pull into the fast lane at a slow speed and make the person traveling in that lane hit the brakes? How about entering/exiting on the highway? People see the exit… they see the long line of cars… so they keep driving until they see the exit and then they cut in right in front of the exit or entrance to the highway. Legally, there is nothing wrong with that. But how about all those people who’ve waited patiently in line for the exit? Each one waiting “pays” when you cut in. Every time you save a little time by doing this, some schmoe ends up waiting just that little bit longer… That schmoe would be the one who made the retarded resolution to tame aggressive driving. 😛 Even better… how about those that know the lane they are in is about to end… but they stay on it… and stay on it… until they are practically on the shoulder… then signal to get in? Is that any better? Driving on the shoulder is obviously illegal. But part of me wonders… would it be legal to switch lanes into the lane that is ending and drive all the way up to the shoulder and then switch lanes again? (I’ve got a devious mind…)
How about passing? As far as the US is concerned… passing is for the left lane. Passing on the right lane is definitely a no-no. But here’s something to gnaw on… what if someone (who obviously doesn’t understand what a passing lane is for) is cruising on the left lane? Tail-gating is a legal iffy… not to mention a safety hazard. I don’t think that using your horn nor high-beams is appropriate… is it? Is it a gray area when dealing with passing on the right? I really dislike having people pass on my right. It makes me nervous to have cars zooming past me on both sides when I’m in the middle lane. Yet, I catch myself doing this all the time. Is it illegal? Is it ill mannered?
Horns and highbeams. Ah… the crux of the problem. By the time I need to warn someone, I usually don’t have time to use the horn. But too many people use it to express anger and irritation. So much so that I’m sometimes uncertain of when is the right time to use the horn. So far I’ve used it when someone tries to make the wrong turn down a one way street… or someone is distracted when the light changed from red to green.
Rearview Mirror usage… what is that thing for? Do I really care who’s behind me? Well… maybe if I’m cruising on a one-lane street and someone guns the engine behind me? Is it only for passing, switching lanes and parallel parking?
Random thoughts.
in my opinion, driving aggressively is the only way to be, because it seems like a lot more people get angered by slow driving than urgent but skillful driving.
for instance, if everyone cut everyone off all the time, i think it would make for maximum efficiency in driving
Maximum efficiency, maybe. Maximum chance of death too. I don’t care if people get angry at me. I value my life.
I’m a bit unclear about horn usage as well. But I do know when NOT to use the horn– when a guy wants to get some hot lady’s attention. I know what you’re thinking: apropos of NOTHING, meesh. But hey, non-apropos is my middle name. (Actually, my middle name is Elizabeth…)
I will leave you with my very first driving experience: My father took me to an empty parking lot, pointed to the two-lane highway in the boonies that we turned off of, and said, “You see that? THAT is death.” Welcome to adulthood, Michelle.
HA! Who’s reading and not leaving comments NOW??
haha i was reading the side bar of your expertise…putting your foot in your mouth. HAHA.
later stalker
words of wisdom there TB. I’m a newbie driver myself and from the looks of it a “gracious one”*. Aggressive drivers (or anyone 10 feet around) scares me like hell. However I’m usually wondering how they get such mad skillz. /sigh there is much to learn.
*forgot to include “horrible” as well lol
after telling hon yesterday that i had a late day at work today, he proceed to IM me around 4pm today to say he was going home right now :headshake: tsk tsk…gee thanks
yes, i am still at work
:juggle:
hey, why am i number one on your subscriptions list?
Somehow, I’m not nearly as worried about being stalked by you as by some of the other people that leave comments on my xanga. For some reason, you just don’t put out the creepy vibe. Now the guy who told me a while back that I was pretty and that he was going to write a song for me, well….he definitely put out the creepy xanga stalker vibe…………
Meh.
~Tara
I’ve never experienced anyone putting out a “good” stalker vibe, no.
~Tara
how do ye, giver of eprops?
Ummm…easygoing, interested the content of the site and the writer’s welfare and not just whether or not the girl in the picture is hot, willing to pray…….plus you’ve never said that you were going to write a song dedicated to me. For some reason, those types are just creepy. I mean really, who writes songs and dedicates them to people they’ve never met? so weird…..
~Tara