Driving 101

How many pushy bastards are there out on the interstates?  Come on raise your had if you use your brakes while zipping down the interstate getting all frustrated at the slow pokes in front of you, not getting out of your way... How dare those people in front of you.  Why are they not looking in their rear view mirrors and adjusting their driving plans for your driving plans.

 

Maybe I was taught how to drive from a cracker jack box instructor but one thing I did learn that if you brake to the extent that your passengers notice then you are most likely doing something wrong!  This can also be said for shifting gears with a manual transmission...  

 

With the slamming on the brakes, you add to the "slinky effect" problem as well.  For when you slam on your brakes because you were hauling ass down the interstate and the person in front of you did not do what you wanted them to do and you did not leave the requisite 1 vehicle body length for every 10MPH of vehicle velocity then you are becoming an asshole driver.  This in effect causes others to hit the brakes causing the "slinky effect"

 

Here are some benefits of not slamming on the brakes and leaving the right amount of space. 

1. Your brakes will last longer.  I have a car with 120k miles on it with original brakes & rotors. 

 

2. Less accidents. By not tailgating you have more space react and avoid the changing conditions in front of you.

 

3. Merging and Tunnels.  We have all seen the tunnels back up every single night for no reason what so ever.  Have you ever seen the accident at the other end of the tunnel?  No?  That is right numb nutz there is not an accident that is causing the traffic back up, it is the "slinky effect!"  Don't believe me, try this next time you are sitting in traffic and have nothing better to do..  Try and constantly leave about 200 yards of space between you and the car in front of you and maintain a constant speed.  It will be difficult to do, you will want to hold right on the bumper of the car in front of you but be patient traffic will start to move that is of course is cars in the other lane do not think that they can "get ahead" by pulling into the space you have created.  With respect to the merge, merge early and if you are feeling frisky, stay in the lane being reduced but don't go racing up to the merge to only have to slam on your brakes and cause the who line of cars to stop to allow a space for the dickhead "you" trying to merge.  I wont let you in!  Be nice, mirror a big truck or other car in the opposite lane and block dickheads from racing up to the front and stopping traffic.  I guarantee this will make traffic move faster.. and that is what we all want anyway! 

 

Simple things we can all do to make our trips more enjoyable!