Hmmmm, there is a gap in the middle lane. The driver up ahead of me in the left lane is going 65 mph holding up traffic. The problem is, if I switch over one lane to the right, I have to be very sure of the pass I want to make, or the driver in the left lane may accelerate just to get on my nerves. Pass the left lane straggler, and get into a comfortable cruise speed. Up ahead, traffic slows again in the left lane but there is a nice long stretch of space in the middle and right lanes. Suddenly, some moron on a nondescript two-door decides to go at least 100mph in the middle lane, only to slam on the brakes. While I continue without so much as tapping the brakes at my comfortable speed (with occasional spurts of acceleration out of enjoyment of the scenery around me), the driver up ahead is cursing those in front for his own inability to understand driving with other cars around. About a moment later, after seeing a nice open space to the right of the road-raged driver, I end up passing him while still going at my same speed.
This is the thought process that goes on in my mind every time I drive. By scanning ahead, I usually cut driving time by quite a few minutes, or at least give myself a nice open road ahead without the risk of morons causing driving hazards.The question is, if it takes me virtually no effort to scan ahead and understand the road/flow of traffic, why can’t everybody do so. If people took the time to study and feel the flow of traffic, our lives as commuters would be made so much easier as there would be much fewer frantic decisions and emergency maneuvers.
- KF
