Category: Driving

How to avoid traffic light intersections

~ SA Otey

While we understand that everyone values their time, it’s important to emphasize that every driver should adhere to traffic rules and not assume special privileges. In our town, there are several shopping centers with suboptimal designs leading to traffic bottlenecks. Fortunately, there are restaurant parking lots and gas stations strategically located near these busy intersections. This allows drivers to make a quick stop for a snack at Hardee’s or grab a refreshing Mountain Dew Purple Thunder from Circle K. However, it’s crucial to plan ahead and avoid last-minute decisions to navigate through busy intersections safely.

intersection

How to make the most of your high beams while driving.

~ SA Otey

Are you the type of person who drives around with your high beams on all the time? Of course not, you are a decent human being who cares about the eyesight of others. If by chance your high beams are ignited someone will send you a friendly reminder by giving you the double high flash. Rather than just dealing with the bright light for a few seconds the person wants you to know that you are being rude by lighting up the road even more for your safety. However, if you have a newer vehicle with LED headlights, other drivers will think that you have your high beams on by default. So they will flash you.

This is where it can be fun and or dangerous. When you give them your highs, they will be like, “Oh wow, they have really good headlights”. The other reaction is they will pull in front of you, stop at the next intersection, and get out of the car and approach you. This happened to my wife when she was coming home one night. So she backed up and turned around in a driveway as the person approached her. Not sure what was going to happen, but this stuff never happens when I’m in the car.

Moral of this story? If you have a newer automobile, drive with the high beams on all the time. At least for the first year until the oxidation fogs up your lens. Don’t be a decent human being.

Fun tip: Carry a spotlight in your car to shine back. Let your kids in on the fun by shining the spotlight on a car that is flashing you from behind because you are driving the speed limit.

How to exit a freeway

~ SA Otey

Just like the checkout line at Walmart, It doesn’t matter what lane you pick, it will be the slowest. Just be patient and don’t deviate from your lane. If you know you need to exit the freeway in a few miles get over to that lane. Nah forget that, ride the fastest lane all the way and squeeze in at the end even it it means crossing three lanes of traffic within a few hundred feet in congested traffic.

Favorite Driving Microaggressions

~ SA Otey
  • Using your blinker just as someone enters your blind spot, so they have the impression that you will run them off the road
  • Excessively using your wiper fluid so that it sprays on the car behind you.
  • Staying in the blind spot, waiting for someone to enter your lane as you are inches from their rear bumper
  • Hanging your cigarette hand out of the car window
  • Not repairing dents and dings so others know you don’t care what happens to your car
  • Easing two wheels on the line as to look around the car in front of you so that you can see what the holdup is.
  • Driving in the middle lane, and riding close to the line when a car passes, as if there are magnets in your side panels

Parking lot drag strips

~ SA Otey
photography of parking lot
Photo by Jose Espinal on Pexels.com

I’ve noticed that there is a sense of anxiety in theme park parking lots. Everyone is in such a hurry to get one extra car ahead. So much to almost cause fatal car accidents. Stop and yield sign lose their meaning. Flashing signs that indicate your speed only seem to make you want to get a higher number. For what? One extra parking spot closer to the tram ride? Is vehicular homicide worth it?

How to double park the right way.

~ SA Otey

Backing into a spot won’t help if someone double parks in front of you. Is there enough space to get out? Well, it depends on how much damage you are willing to allow to your vehicle. Don’t attempt to block in a car that is older with dings, dents, and missing fenders. They don’t care about getting out unscathed.

Top 5 Driving Distractions

~ SA Otey

Texting

I’m sure in the “good ole days” people use to read the newspaper during their daily commute. Before the cell phone in the 80s, people had to string two dixie cups between their automobiles to better communicate with their fellow man. Texting has made everyone look like a drunk driver swerving all over the road. I can’t wait until VR devices are augmenting reality while driving.

Eating

What’s better than waking up on time and sitting down to breakfast with your family? Well, the answer is balancing a bowl of cereal in your lap while trying to navigate 3 lanes of traffic because you missed your exit that you take every day.

Beating your children

If you don’t have one of those fancy DVD players integrated into your vehicle, then your kids are going to be wild. Make sure you have something that will reach, you gotta keep at least one hand on the wheel

Vanity

You can’t check your mirrors enough! Point it towards you so you can’t see the 18 wheeler bearing down on you because you want to make sure your eyebrows are even. Impossible.

Advertising / Traffic Messages

Remember texting and driving? Well, billboards that flash, blink, and require reading are just a bad. How is this any different? They will gladly tell you how people have died while texting and driving as you read the stats and tumble end over end into a ditch.

How do you know the traffic light is about to change?

~ SA Otey

It could be illegal in your state but that’s beside the point, it’s just plain selfish and stupid. Those white lines at the light are there for your safety and almost everyone ignores them. I know everyone is in a hurry, but sticking your vehicle out in the middle of the road just to gain an extra few seconds isn’t worth destroying your automobile or life. Drivers are notorious for inserting themselves into the intersection on a yellow light so they clear the intersection on a technicality. How do you know the light is about to change? Watch the intersection get flooded with cars.

Don’t use your turn signal

~ SA Otey
auto tail light

Today I was making a right-hand turn and my light was green. I ignited my turn signal and an 18-wheeler made a left in front of me as I hit the brakes. He waved and thanked me as he passed in front of me and as my life passed before my eyes. What choice did I have? I could have made the choice to not use my turn signal and made my turn safely. To be honest, the turn signal is useless in our modern driving society.

If you use your signal on the interstate, it notifies the driver on the left or right to close the gap and not let you over. Don’t think, don’t blink, just go! They will pretend you ram you anyway, and then throw their hands up in disbelief of your actions.

I don’t trust anyone who uses their turn signal before they enter my subdivision. I wait until they commit to the turn before they go. One time, they started their turn changed their mind, and kept going forward. I don’t know if I want to drive anymore.

Why You Shouldn’t Be a Hornblower in Traffic

~ SA Otey

Are you the type of person who honks at the person in front of you at the stoplight? I had an uncle who would lay on the horn as soon as it turned green. I’m sure the other drivers appreciated the notification to move forward.

One day, I was waiting at a very long light, which is now the new normal in my town. I saw there was a larger queue on the other side of the three-way intersection. No one on my side was letting anyone from that side get to the next queue. I noticed at least 20 cars in my queue without one of the others going anywhere. I wanted to ease their suffering, so I let one enter in front of me. I didn’t have to let them go, but I know how frustrating traffic can be. So the guy behind me lays on his horn.

As we approached the stoplight, I waited till I was first in line in the far right lane. It was a right turn on the red freebie, but I waited. As I waited the guy behind me, again, was relentless with the horn blowing. There was a huge stack of cars about to enter the intersection from my left. As this person was about to blow a horn gasket, I gunned it at the last second, leaving him to wait until the next light cycle. I know it wasn’t the safest thing to do, but I was so worth it.

Lesson learned? Traffic sucks; let one person in front of you in jams by either waving them over or leaving some space. Don’t be a hornblower.