That "I" am one of those drivers that
"Jay" rails against. I'm the guy who usually drives 5 miles under the speed limit, granted I'm always in the right hand lane, but on one lane roads that's not much comfort to those behind me. When someone tailgates me I intentionally go slower. I always signal 700 to 1000 feet before I turn and start slowing when I signal. My mother who is 65 tells me she hates to ride with me because I drive slower than she does. My kids hate it when their friends see me pick them up because I usually have a parade of cars behind my slow moving carcass. Granted I haven't had a ticket of any type in over 14 years, I'm just not in any urgency most of the time..... Now in the past I DID drive an ambulance, in fact I was specifically trained to do so. I can drive very fast safely, in vehicles from my old Saab 900, up to a Type IV ambulance which is a Modular Ambulance on Steroids on a 2 ton truck frame, it looks like a type I's big brother and weighs almost as much as an unloaded semi with trailer.
This is a type I
This is a Type II
This is a Type III
This is a Type IV
I was trained to drive all of these monsters at high speed safely in all type of weather and road conditions, and too many times I had to drive them to a MVA where someone died because they couldn't drive at high speed safely in all types of weather and road conditions. So I guess I'm honored that Jay would scream and yell at me, but me and my kids, we'll get to our destination in one piece.
Mark
3 comments:
I hope you do always get there safely but always remember this...
Just because YOU drive safely doesn't mean the other on the road with you do.
I've been in about 10 wrecks in my life, none were my fault.
Sometimes I wonder if I have a target painted on me...
The only nut you have to worry about being loose in the car is the one behind the steering wheel.
Mark,
If you're in the right hand lane, I've got no problem with you. Even if you're moving along at (or even near) the speed limit, I've got no problem with you.
It's when you:
a) Blow through a red light/stop sign and THEN proceed to go 10 MPH below the speed limit in front of me that I get mad;
or
b) Are too busy talking on your cell phone to pay attention to such things as turn signals, speed limits, or pedestrians;
or
c) Speeds up when being passed
that I take issue.
I have no problem with folks going slow. It's the lack of attention that gets me going...
And I do the same trick when being tailgated. Can't stand it. Won't do it. Even if it's someone who just got through tailgating me...
Sim, I've only been in 3 "wrecks" in my life, the only major one was where a guy ran a redlight and slammed into me on my motorcycle, leaving me with a seperated right shoulder, a steel rod in my right thigh, a left thumb that doesn't bend all the way anymore, and a bunch of scars. The other two were simple bumper needs fixing type accidents. I am paranoid about the possibility of getting into an accident and I will wait an extra 5-10 seconds at a stop sign to make sure that clown actually stops. I'll wait for 2 more cars to pass before I pull out into traffic to ensure I have plenty of room to merge. when I had kids it's amazing just what goes through your mind, horror stories about kids being hurt in accidents, so I drive even safer than I used to.
Jay, when I have to make a call, I slow down even further and have one of my kids make the call and put the cell phone on speaker, if the call is going to be longer than 20-40 seconds I pull over to do it. I do not tailgate it's just too dangerous, and even if the person was being a complete idiot, the most I'll do is get thier plate and call the sheriffs ofice to report them. And it really burns me when they don't use turn signals, my daughter thinks it's funny my comments about how hard it is to use the little thingy on the side of the wheel that turns the signals on. :)
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