When Dealing with Ice and Snow, Drive Slow!

after our first snow.  Since snow is in the forecast this week, I would especially like to talk about area driving experiences. I used to chuckle when my family from Ohio would tease about the fearless Michigan drivers. I have lived here for over 25 years and do drive — however, these past few years, drivers seem to have become more ….. rude-aggressive. I thought it was just me, but driving friends of various ages have actually brought up the point of the rude/aggressiveness on the roads. 

First discussion was around the speed issue. This area has roads that change speed limits because of schools or going into a different township or even because the road is curved and single lane. There are helpful signs. Many drivers appear incensed as a driver follows the speed limit and show it in a variety of ways. The driver going the speed limit is often followed by the person who insists on following very close behind as if to push the front car to go faster. A personal experience even had a car following so close that the "passing light" on the driver’s side mirror was on the entire time in a no passing zone — entirely too close for comfort. Those who drive a car with a lower carriage are often intimidated by vans, SUVs, and trucks with a higher ride driving so close the headlights totally lighten the lower car.  

Many people have talked about how traffic circles are being handled. As drivers all become comfortable with the traffic circles does anyone see the signs? Many of my friends are conscious of the fact that people are not yet comfortable or don’t seem to know how to handle a traffic circle. I have counted on two hands the times I’m in a circle and someone without looking or yielding drives right into the circle right in front of me and yes, I have had to brake.

So, why is all this happening? Is it society’s general frustration with life, the driver behind wants to be in charge, people are just running late, or is it an emergency? Is this a reaction to wanting to break the rules, or that rules are for everyone else, or that age old feeling of invincibility? Is it a reaction to stress? Do people need an eye check? Is it the multitasking life our culture is developing, or a lack of manners? Or so the excuse can be offered that "the person in front of me was driving at the speed limit?"

When I took driving lessons the instructor reminded us "a car can’t stop on a dime"or, for those who prefer physics, "the bigger the object and the faster it goes the longer it takes to stop." We were taught to drive within a comfortable distance from the car in front. I know some people are more daring than others, so maybe drivers need to go back to the car length for every 'x' miles per hour (it used to be 10) one is driving one needs to be that many car lengths behind. (i.e., 35 miles an hour = 3-to-4 car lengths cushion between vehicles.)

I know driving consciously and safely is just one more thing to think about but —consider it.