To put it into perspective, just about anything you might need to do - go to work, go to the doctor, meet a friend, attend a show or event, work out - will require 20-40 minutes each way in soul-crushing traffic.
Here are the types of drivers you could expect to encounter:
Look out for the driver with the 20-car lead. This person is probably doing something stupid (like talking on the phone, brushing their teeth AND memorizing a script) and knows it. Driving for them is so easy, they can do thirty other things at the same time. Very efficient! Leaving a wide berth protects them from smashing into the car ahead but doesn't do much for you if you're following behind. The best place to be is in front of them.
The driver with the nose of their car sniffing another car's butt is doing something stupid and they don't care. These are the most dangerous people on the road. They aren't concerned for their own life so they certainly aren't concerned for yours. They weave, they swerve, they drive 20 miles faster than everyone else, they'll cut you off, flip you the bird, and generally act like arrogant jerks. The best place to be is as far away as possible. Do NOT engage this person. Don't make eye contact. Don't flip them off. Just get out of their way.
The type that can't multi-task is also the most likely to be on the phone. I don't know why that is. They'll arrive somewhere and have no memory of having driven, that's how distracted they are. They slow down anytime there are choices to be made: when they're changing lanes, taking another phone call, or even just if someone else (anywhere in the world) is also slowing down. They seem to go slower and slower when everyone else is trying to gain momentum. The best place to be is beside them. They'll never cut you off.
Ever see those drivers that brake at literally nothing? They've got a huge space in front of them and yet they're braking...why? These people are afraid of the raw power a 2-3 ton piece of machinery offers and are looking for a reason to stop. They stop at all yellow lights and might even stop at a green if it looks like it's about to turn yellow. These people are likely afraid of their own shadow. They should NOT be operating a vehicle at all and yet these people are usually in the biggest car available. When they accidentally drive into you or your house, they're going to do some major damage. Keep your distance and don't make any sudden moves, you might scare them into an accident.
Some people never think about the past. What's done is done. They live in the present. One minute they're going right, the next, "hey, let's go LEFT!" Must be fun to be so spontaneous. They look into the future a lot, someday I'll be an astronaut! These drivers don't know that the world behind them exists. They'll drive in between two lanes while they decide which they prefer to be in. They don't use turn signals because as long as they know what they're doing, who else needs to know? They never look in the rear view mirror because isn't that just for checking your face? They can make sudden moves so pay attention or steer clear.
This is my favorite. The church mouse. Always needing validation at a stop sign. Is it my turn? Oh no, you go, it's fine, I'll wait. They'll let two turns go by, unsure and not wanting to step on any one's toes. They're so NICE! Once they do go, they might stop again in the intersection, just to make sure no one's coming. These are the same people who won't go until EVERYONE comes to a full and complete stop (just in case). For as cautious as this type is, they're also the ones that will completely roll on through a red light that they didn't see, or almost hit a pedestrian in a cross-walk. They must be daydreaming about some good deeds they can do when they get home. The head-in-the-clouds drivers, unfortunately, seem to be the hardest to stay away from. You'll follow them for a mile in city traffic, finally break away only to find them in front of you again in another ten minutes. ARGH!
Slow and steady wins the race. There are a lot of this type and frankly, they're fairly innocuous. Driving just slightly slower than the posted speed limit, stopping at all yellow lights, looking before changing lanes, and always lining up when they're supposed to. They're never the jerk that drives straight to the front of the line to merge as if they're The Queen. They're polite and are generally paying attention. They nod and wave when you let them in, they stop for pedestrians and miraculously never lose their temper. They're a little slow for my tastes but I'd pay a lot of money to get whatever they're on.
Lastly, there are the drivers like me, trying to "figure it out." There must be a way around the traffic! We waste gas speeding off the line at a green light, only to stop with everyone else at the next intersection's red. We're usually going 5-10 miles over the speed limit, nothing excessive, but we expect that everyone else is in a hurry too. We follow the rules and expect others to do the same. We don't drive the same speed next to another car and we won't loiter in your blind spot but can startle and anger some folks with our quick movements. The church mouse is especially unhappy when we startle them out of their daydreams, sorry to make you pay attention! You want these folks in front of you, they'll carve a path for everyone else.
I have a theory that you can tell a lot about a person by the way they drive. It's one of my dating tests. If I can sit in the car with a person while they're driving and feel neither anxious, impatient or frightened, then they're driving in a way that's comfortable to me and we're probably a match on many levels. If I feel one of those things, chances are I'll feel that way in the relationship as well. That theory has yet to prove wrong!
No comments:
Post a Comment