Subscribe Today!
Networked Blogs
Aug
10
I admit that I like to move along when I’m driving. I don’t like being stuck in traffic. I don’t like being behind a slow moving vehicle. I’ll re-route from the freeway to surface streets if I think I’ll be able to keep moving forward, rather than sitting in stop-and-go traffic.
However, I always drive safely and defensively, even if I’m plotting a course that will get me from here to there with the least amounts of stops and delay as possible. Often observing the traffic ahead is all that is needed to be able to time traffic lights and avoid traffic delays.
However, all of this is threatened by people tempting death to save a second or two on their drive times.
Here’s the maneuver that concerns me:
1. A car will be driving on a two lane road — one lane for each direction.
2. A car will be driving right behind the car — either tailgating or approaching quickly.
3. The first car will turn on its left turn signal to make a turn across the oncoming traffic lane to a side street. For example, from the eastbound lane to a side street to the north.
4. As the first car slows to make its left turn, the car behind will gun its engine and pass the car or truck as it begins to make its left-turn.
The couple of times I’ve seen this maneuver, the drivers have survived without a T-bone collision or running under a truck trailer, but it has always been disconcerting to witness the reckless driving.
Is it a sign that people aren’t paying attention to the road — especially the car in front? Maybe we have too many distractions in our cars? Is it time to go back to cars with manual transmissions so that we don’t have a free hand available for our phones, burgers and GPS units?
Is it a sign that we as a society are so concerned about being prompt that we’ll risk lives to get to our destinations? I suspect this isn’t the case, because leaving earlier is the solution to this problem.
Or, are they just isolated incidents — examples of people who aren’t driving well and do not signify anything more than that?
Comments
2 Responses to “Tempting death to save a second or two”
Driving too close behind the car in front is dangerous. I continually watch the car behind me when I slow down to prevent a rear-ending. I always measure 2 seconds behind the car I follow when up to speed.
Also, in heavy traffic I like to keep a good distance from the car in front of me so I can drive in 1st (or 2nd) without having to stop. Usually the car behind me notices this technique and does the same. That way I can still ‘cruise’ and keep off the clutch.
Hi Seattle,
Very good advice regarding timing. Depending on speed, three-seconds are more might be needed to drive safely — especially in my area where it isn’t uncommon for traffic to go from 75MPH to 15MPH in congested areas.
Like you, I always try to stay away from the packs when I’m driving on the expressway. I’ve found it’s more enjoyable in between the waves of cars, instead of being stuck in the middle of the pack of drivers all trying to jockey for the first position.
I always expect the unexpected when I’m driving, but every so often I’ll see people driving in ways that still surprise.