Driving

When I turned 16, getting my driver's license was one of the top priorities at that time in my life. Since I grew up on a farm, I had been driving for a while, but getting my license was a rite of passage for me, a chance to drive across the open range without the constraints of having to rely on someone to take you where you wanted to go. Well, I have learned a lot since that time in my life that seems so long ago and yet just like yesterday. Below are some observations that I have made over the years.

When one is at a stop sign/light and sees someone coming his or her way, one just doesn't pull out in front of the moving vehicle and start moving down the road at a slightly accelerated pace. One needs to high-tail it on down the road so as to not cause the oncoming car much reduction in their forward cruising speed. People that can't calculate the speed of a car need to move to the passenger side of the vehicle.

When using a turn lane, one needs to make sure he or she is getting out of the driving lane as quickly as possible. It's not the time to apply the brakes too excessively while maneuvering into the turn lane because the person behind you needs to continue his journey and really, really gets uptight when he has to slow down for the turtle making a left turn in front of him. Weren't turn lanes created to avoid the slowing down of moving traffic on a busy street????

When one turns into a driveway, parking lot, or any other such turn off, one should get off the road as quickly as possible. Many people turn as if they have a hot pot of soup in the back of the car and don't want to spill a drop. The quicker the turn is made, the happier the drivers behind you will be.

When one drives, one should never stare, gawk, or rubberneck and anything that would distract him from the task at hand whether it be a woman, accident, or a Christmas tree sticking out of the sun roof of a Camaro. One's mind needs to stay focused on driving and not viewing the passing scenery outside the window.

When driving, one should never ride the brakes of a car. It really, really, really annoys the driver behind because the said driver is never really sure if the person in front is going to stop, turn, or keep going. Besides, riding the brakes can send your car to the repair shop a lot quicker.

When driving, one should never constantly adjust his foot on the gas pedal causing the car to speed up or slow down. In addition to giving any potential passengers a mild case of whip lash, it annoys any drivers behind him as much as riding the brakes and does nothing at all for good gas mileage.

When one is behind the wheel of a vehicle, one really needs to pay attention to driving. Not to the cell phone, not to the radio, not to the person riding in the car. Only to driving. I'm not saying that one shouldn't talk on the cell phone, or bee-bop/sing to the tune blaring out of the speakers, or sit in morose silence with your rider for four hours coming back from the beach, but the main task at hand is maneuvering several tons of metal and plastic along a path that is already fraught with dangers. Keep your eyes and ears tuned to them and you will make it home safely.

Of course, there are several more observations I have made, but time nor space allow me to continue. The next time you drive, please remember these passing thoughts and use them to make sure you never hinder me in my journey. I will be watching! :-)