i am an impatient driver. i will admit that freely. i am also, in car culture terminology, a 'spirited' driver.
that means that i like to go fast. not crazy fast, but at least the speed limit or as fast as traffic and conditions will allow. (in michigan, posted speeds are considered suggestions more than strict limits, per se.)
but that last part there, "conditions," is subjective. some people don't have the confidence in their vehicle or in themselves to drive as fast as others. the oh-so-helpful road signs advise us to drive with caution in wintry conditions. but apparently, most drivers go right past caution and drive with terror.
i don't like being around those people.
take last night for example.
they see snow falling, as it does in michigan in the winter, and people slow down. that's reasonable. but why are we doing 5 mph on the freeway? seriously? i understand we can't do 80 as usual, but how about 50? 40?
if we all put down our cell phones and pay attention, i think 40 is a sustainable, safe speed to travel. know when your exit's coming up and start moving towards it in advance and you won't spin out or cause spin outs trying to make the ramp at the last second.
it took me 2 hours--TWO HOURS--to make it to daycare last night. a trip that normally takes me 40 minutes.
once my path diverged from that of most other cars, i was able to drive at a quicker speed, while still staying safe. sure, in a couple spots the roads were coated and even a tiny bit slippery, but for the most part it was sheer timidity (or stupidity) that slowed everyone down.
if i were in charge of driver's ed. i would make sure that everyone practices driving in extreme situations so that they can do so without annoying everyone else confidently and safely. i would also make your car slap you if you left your turn signal on for more than 1/4 mile.
