Seconds. That's how long it takes to go from ok to seriously mangled or even dead on the road. Why is that for something that can be (and is) so potentially dangerous, the people behind the wheels are so poorly trained and worse yet don't realize it and don't care? We don't get it. But here's our wishlist, the 'rules' if you will, of things that YOU the driver can do to improve the horrible situation. Be sure to check back often as we still have lots of rules to add. In the meantime, you can add your opinion to the mix.
* The Passing Lane is for Passing... The leftmost lane is NOT for camping out and cruising. Get out of it. And to those of you that get all the way over to the left lane the second you get on the highway, resist the urge.
* Signal, Blink, Indicate, Hand Signals, Something... That's why the auto manufacturer put the lever sticking out of your steering column. No, it's not obvious when you're going to change lanes, or make a turn. One minute you're doing the speed limit, the next minute you're hitting the brakes and we don't see any dogs or cats in front of you. Turn signals - know 'em, use 'em, love 'em.
* Get Off the Cell Phone... You already suck at driving. Talking on the cell phone only makes it worse. Talking on the cell phone impairs your ability as much as having a few drinks. Believe it - the scientific studies have been done. Get a headset, and for Pete's sake, don't use your cell phone in your car as a way to cure your boredom; get some audio tapes instead and learn something for a change.
* Use Your Mirrors... Yes, the mirrors are there for a purpose. Be aware of what's going on around you. Think about it - very useful when you're changing lanes, slowing down, about to make turns. For all you know, there's some guy behind you about to run right into you. Don't just depend on your peripheral vision. It's not as good as you think and it has blind spots. There's another reason to use your mirror: you don't need to turn around completely and lose all sight of what's going on in front of your car.
* Don't Rubberneck...
Yes, we understand the irresistible urge that people have to revel in
other
people's misfortune, and the sight of blood and carnage on the road is
especially
appealing, but really, don't you get enough of it on TV? You
rubberneckers *cause* traffic.
On a related note,
A&E did a special
that examined the phenomenon of and the psychology behind high-speed
police chases.
* Don't Litter... If you throw trash or flick your cigarette butts out your window, you're no better than that trash or cigarette butt. Nuff said. By the way, do you realize that a lit cigarette flying out of a window at night on the freeway towards you looks like a little fireball?
* Distractions... This is for those would-be multitaskers. Yeah, you know who you are. You're the ones reading the paper/maps, talking on the cell phone, fixing your makeup, shaving, eating. Again, no way in hell are you good enough to drive and do something else well. You're just going to half-ass both jobs. So suck up the fact that you have to focus on driving and do the other things some other time.
* Merging... How are you supposed to merge into 55 or 65 MPH traffic by coming off an exit ramp doing 30 or 40 MPH? Think about it - what happens when your car slots into a lane where everyone else is going at least 50% faster than you are? You get run over; that's what. You slow everyone else down. You cause accidents. So this is at least one instance where you gotta hit the gas.
* Loud Music... We're all about rocking and rolling in your ride, but no one else wants to hear your crap. It's fine on the freeway or when there's no one around, but turn it down when you're in traffic or in residential areas. Have just a bit of common courtesy.
* Traffic Laws... Ok, so for those of you who think you're being nice, when you decide to let some idiot who screwed up go ahead, think again. You're just making it worse for everyone else. The only one benefiting is the clown who decided to correct his mistake by screwing everyone else over, which brings us to our next point...
* Made a Mistake? Suck it up... Made a wrong turn? Missed a turn? Got in the wrong lane? Sure, we all do it. It happens, but don't go trying to fix it by immediately slamming on the brakes, trying to get over to the right lane, while holding up traffic, or something else that's just as stupid. You're just making it worse for everyone else, and you know very well that it would piss you off if someone else did it. So just keep on driving and make a legal u-turn/course correction when you can.
* Periodic Retesting...
Yes, we realize that this is one is especially controversial, but things
that
are deemed inconvenient usually are. Let's face it: as we get older, our
physical prowess declines, including our hand-eye coordination and reaction
times. For this reason, we feel that your driver's license should only be
valid for a limited time. The other thing that occurs is that people forget
the actual laws of the road.
Here's one suggestion as to how a new system might work: up to a certain
age,
let's just say 60, you would only need to re-take the written test every 5
to 10 years. Once you hit 60, you would also need to re-take your road test
every few years. Yeah, we know what you're thinking - "what a burden". But
wouldn't you feel better knowing that more of the people on the road are
better qualified to be out there?
* Say Sorry... We all mistakes, even us perfect drivers at Road Etiquette. So if you screw up, apologize. You're on the road and you're wondering how? Wave, lip sync "sorry" or yell it if you can. Or get one of these gadgets, a Programmable Car LED License Plate Holder (don't abuse it!). Hey, for all you know, it could be your own life you're saving!