We ran an article last week that was designed to help people understand a number of traffic laws that, if you spend any time driving on a highway, you know people have no clue about.
It’s just the kind of public service journalism we need more of in this country, if for no other reason, perhaps it will make people get out of the fast lane when “fast” is actually is actually the last thing they want to do.
If you are a regular reader of this column, you know how I hate that.
It's always seemed pretty simple to me. Signs on the interstate clearly state "slower traffic keep right." If everyone would do that, then move left when they need to pass, then move safely back into the right lane, it seems to me that traffic would flow easier, tailgating wouldn't be near the problem it is now and the chances of drivers doing something stupid to get in front of you would go down.
I generally set my cruise control with the flow of traffic; that is, I pass some cars and some cars pass me. I never ride in the left lane unless I'm passing someone. And if I'm trying to pass someone and someone comes up behind me wanting to go faster than I'm going, I'll generally speed up a little so that I can get around the vehicles I'm passing and move back into the right lane.
I seldom have a problem with tailgaters, because I get out of their way. It's simply really.
Unfortunately, most people think it’s OK to get in the fast lane and drive 50 mph and stay there, all the way from Atlanta to Tampa, while the rest of us, who would like to go 70 mph, get frustrated in the ensuing traffic jam behind them. (We shall assume – since police officers may read this column – that no one wants to go faster than 70 because that would be, you know, speeding.)
Our story also pointed out another thing that drivers do that makes me crazy. The center turn lane on roads is supposed to be used for just that – making left-hand turns.
But a lot of people want to use that lane as a way to merge into traffic. They will attempt to turn onto the highway, but because so many cars are coming from the right, they pull into the center turn lane and drive slowly in that lane until they can pull right into the flow of traffic.
Unfortunately, that’s illegal, and I can’t count the number of times I’ve nearly hit someone. I begin to pull legally into that lane to make a left turn when a car from my left tries to pull into the road and pulls into the center turn lane just as I attempt to enter it.
The bottom line is why can’t people learn the rules of the road and follow them? After all, we are driving around in two-ton lethal weapons. It would be nice if we’d drive them safely.
But we don’t. We talk on our phones. We sent text messages. We eat. We read. We put on mascara. We fumble for the Faith Hill CD that’s fallen into the floorboard while we’re going 45 mph down the road.
We can’t even park correctly. How many times have you gotten to an open spot only to find another car has actually straddle the white line, leaving you no room?
I firmly believe these are kid who couldn’t color between the lines in kindergarten, either.
