Driving Lesson

Something has really been bothering me lately. I recently moved and in order for me to drive home I have to drive on a two lane road for 10 miles. Now, this two lane road has a speed limit of 50 mph (totally lame and the majority of us do not drive that slow on it), which turns into 60 mph, 65 mph, or 70 mph depending on how brave you are.

Raise your hand if you know what a PASSING LANE is?

Nobody?

Okay, last chance.

A PASSING LANE is the #1 lane, or left hand lane on a road. Now, the purpose of the PASSING LANE is to

1. keep traffic flowing
2. allow faster traffic to pass slower traffic

Now, how many of you know it is illegal to drive in the PASSING LANE if you are not actually PASSING someone?

Now you do.

So, please do everyone on the road a favor, and only use said PASSING LANE when you are passing someone. After you pass someone it is your responsibility and the LAW to move back into the "slow lane" so that traffic can then pass YOU.

Get it? Good!

Driving Lesson

There are two different "Thank You" waves in the driving world. One you should use frequently, the other you should avoid (at all costs).


The bad driving wave. I'm talking about the bird, being told you're #1, the long one, the F-you finger, the middle finger. Raise your hand if you have ever received this finger while driving. Now, look around at everyone who has his or her hand raised, these are your fellow pompouses.
Yup, because in order to get that finger you probably did something completely deserving of it, like cut someone off, I'm almost certain you cut someone off. If I am wrong, please tell me, in a comment cause I like those, I like to know that people are reading and I'm not just talking to myself, but the online me.

Now, raise your hand if you have ever been the one who gave someone the finger. Now, everyone, look around and those with their hand in the air, these are your fellow self absorbed ass jockeys.
Yup, because in order to give the finger you are probably completely self involved. You might also be that driver you speeds up, so that the driver (you know the one who just cut you off anyway?) couldn't merge over because you were afraid of gaining an extra 10 seconds of you life and now you can't beat your record of fast time home in rush hour traffic.

So what are you? Tell me! I am a pompous ass jockey, because I am guilty of both. Although, usually the person trying to pass me, is an idiot because they are not going to "go faster" than me, they only THINK they are. Sometimes I let them over, sometimes I know that they are only going to slow me down, and if they just realize that by cutting me off they are not gaining any time but costing me time then my life would be easier.

Lately, I have been trying to give up on fighting it and my constant need to be in front of all traffic (because to be everything is a competition) and let people over. The first time I did this, a few weeks ago, I saw that a man had on his blinker, and several cars in front of me were gassing it and tail gating the car in front of him or her in an attempt to not loose any time from letting this vehicle over. I saw this and thought those inconsiderate jerks, he has his blinker on, has for some time, and he just needs to get over... I slowed and motioned to the man in the vehicle that he could indeed merge over.

Then, to my uttermost shock, he waved! OH MY GOD! People still have manors in this world! He actually waved, to say THANK YOU! He made me want to let someone else over into my lane, so I did! Guess what? Another wave! This time from a woman. It made me smile. THEN, and only then, did I realize that the only reason I DON'T want to let me over is because they would take it for granted and wouldn't appreciate it.

Today's lesson: Show some gratitude while driving. If someone assists you in while driving, gives you want you want, or is just a good driver. Say thank you, wave or give them some other gesture.

Just make sure it isn't this one:

If this stick figure can do it, so can you!

HAPPY FRIDAY! Hope you all have a great weekend!!!

Driving Lesson

Today's lesson is about how to properly yield when the sign says you should "yield."

My commute from work to home consists of 3 freeways, a street, a parking lot, and a parking space. In the transition from that last freeway unto the city streets I have to exit the freeway, and merge across three lanes of traffic, in less than 50 feet, in order to make a right hand turn.

Now, these three lanes of traffic are coming from frontage road. Can anyone possibly imagine how difficult this merge is? Well, actually it is fairly easy, or should be, because the frontage road has a yield sign. Meaning, those drivers have to yield to traffic exiting the freeway. However, do you really think any driver is going to take 10 seconds out of their day and yield, as the sign says they are to, as the law says they are to do, so that I can make the turn I need in order to get home? Nope. They do not. Consequently, I have to turn into a huge Bee.I.Tea.Cee.H, force myself between vehicles, cross my fingers that oncoming cars in the other lanes can slow down in time of my cutting them off, and *sigh* make that well deserved right hand turn on my final stretch of road before pulling into my parking lot, and stopping in the parking space.

So, word of advice YIELD, when you have a “Yield” sign! It is only the right thing to do, the courteous thing to do, and the law. Plus, 10 seconds is not taking that much time from your life.