Follow (my) rules of the road

Voices Of Davison: Guest column by John Matonich

I know I am getting older and my basket of patience is probably more like a small cup these days, but I truly think drivers are getting worse every time I head down the road.

I put quite a few miles on each year and drive in all types of weather conditions and on all kinds of roadways. Rural to urban, interstate to gravel, I am on them all. Lately, it doesn’t seem to matter where I am driving, I have experienced some of the most frustrating times behind the wheel.

So, in an attempt to help less-than-conscious drivers, I have created "John’s Rules of the Road." If you see yourself in any of these situations, I would highly suggest you clip this out and tape it to the visor of your car, truck, SUV, motorhome or whatever you drive, to help remind you that others are also trying to use the road with you.

Rule #l: When you are going to turn, your turn signal should be engaged prior to you hitting the brake pedal. It is far more helpful to those behind you to telegraph your intentions a little earlier than halfway through the turn.

Rule #2: If you are going to pull out in front of me, please use the little pedal by your right foot known as the accelerator to get up to speed a little sooner than the next millennium. Nothing is more aggravating than to have someone pull out in front of me and proceed to run at half of the posted speed limit. I guess they were in a hurry to see if my brakes worked, but not in enough of a hurry to get where they are going anytime that day. Worse are the ones who pull out in front of you (even though there are no cars behind you) only to turn right at the very next intersection. Of course, they fail to signal as well.

Rule #3: Whenever you can... use your cruise control. It is extremely frustrating to pass someone on the freeway only to have them pass you five minutes later and you them five minutes from then and so on. I know they aren’t using their cruise because I can watch them speed up and slow down. Not only does it waste fuel, it is unnerving to continually play leap frog down the road. Many times as I pass or get passed, the non-cruise party looks at me puzzled as to why they are seeing me again. I have a sign made up that I simply hold up in the window that says, "Unless, you work for OPEC and don’t mind $3.50 for a gallon of gas, please use your cruise control." The message usually gets through and off they go, never to be seen again.

Rule #4: As long as we are talking about freeways, if you are in the passing lane... travel at the speed necessary to pass or move back over in your original lane. It is maddening to watch someone pull out in front of a long line of traffic only to be going 2 mph faster than the snail they are trying to pass. After what seems to be an eternity finally goes by, they may actually be past the vehicle they wished to pass and pull back over, but more likely they decide to overtake the next vehicle and stay right where they are. In the meantime, several hundred vehicles and covered wagons with teams of oxen have lined up behind them waiting for the next ice or passing completion, which ever comes first.

Rule #5: The passing lane on the freeway is not a travel lane. Unless you are an emergency vehicle or are actually traveling faster than traffic, the law says you are to keep right except to pass. It is very frustrating to come up behind a vehicle in the left lane on the freeway and have them refuse to pull over to the right even though the right lane is clear of traffic. Of course, they aren’t using their cruise and aren’t traveling even close to the speed limit, but they feel this right lane has their name on it and they will be danged if they are going to move over. Of course that means everyone is passing them on the right which is very unsafe and in many places illegal, but the left lane hogger could care less.

Rule #6: When you are driving... DRIVE! Leave the cell phone off or get hands free. Keep the makeup in your purse and wait until you get to work or get up five minutes earlier and put it on at home. If you are hungry.. .stop and eat, leave the eating in the car to your passengers.

I actually saw someone trying to drive the other day with a cell phone in one hand and a burger in the other. They were actually steering with their knee. This is just the person I don’t want anywhere near me when I am driving, especially if I have precious cargo such as children or loved ones with me.

I am sure there are many more rules to be conscious of when you are on the road, but these are just a few that, if followed would make a whole lot more people happier and safer. I promise I will try to follow them as well, so I guess I better get my blinker fixed, learn how to work the cruise control and resolve to keep my hands on the wheel instead of my cell, although I might be able to learn that steering wheel with the knee trick...