Back off Jack...

Lately my zen driving habits have led my to focus the majority of my attention on HELPING other folks navigate traffic safely. A good example is if I start overtaking another truck while approaching an on ramp. If I see traffic coming on the merge I back out of my speed to match or be a bit slower than the truck I am overtaking and flash my high beams (in daylight) or kill my headlights (at night), as a clear signal that I am inviting that trucker to get over in front of me.

If I am pinned in the merge lane I slow way down EARLY, before getting to the merge. Even four wheelers usually understand that I am letting them in and rarely cause me to get into a braking contest.

Slowing early and staying well back give ME a lot more options. I maintain more momentum and can safely accelerate into the hammer lane as needed. If on the other hand I rush right up to the merge and try to prevent folks from merging, or rush up on a trucker that might change lanes right in front of me, then I kill my momentum and become more of a hazard.

 

It's amazing how much easier life on the road can be when you leave room or make so others can merge or jockey around as they need or want to.

 

Better to vent frustrations here rather than when behind a steering wheel.
As for your rant filled with sage advice being too long-winded, I don't agree.
Very well written.
A highly recommended read, IMO.


Rule-0-Writin'
Keep writin' 'till no more words come outta your head.

 

I think most truckers are familiar with this phenomenon. We don't like to come to a screeching halt every 100 ft and have to play the with the clutch and gearbox constantly, which is tiresome. It's far easier to put it in a low gear and creep along at a steady state. Cars don't have this incentive because the transmission does all the work for them and offers very little drag once it gets rolling. Everybody defaults to slamming on their brakes and coming to a stop. I call it the idiot conga line. Even in a manual transmission car it totally changes the way you drive in low speed situations.

 

This is an idea that has been implemented in Europe and the U.S. and they are looking at implementing it here in Calgary... variable speed limits. If you slow all the traffic down during periods of high congestion you reduce gridlock and actually increase flow.

 

Then hit 'delete'.