Findng the Right Balance

 Pickup Trucks and SUVs are a pain in the ass to drive behind in town and on the highway because you cannot see around them, nor can you see through them...  and while this latter point may not make much sense initially...  let me explain...  oftentimes, I look through the back windshield of the car in front of me and then through their front windshield if there are no obstructions inside the car like other passengers to see what might be in front of the car in front of me.  You can't do this with a pickup truck or an SUV because they ride so high.

The other driver that bothers me on the highway is the family on vacation who thinks they own the highway and the small compact cars that want to drive twice the speed limit to let you  know they are not just stupid but have big balls.  Neither of those attitudes will make much difference if they make a mistake.

Drivers these days are in such a hurry for some reason that driving on the interstate is more dangerous than it has ever been in the past.  One advantage that drivers may or may not realize is that vehicles are made much stronger and can withstand the impact of a crash much better than they could 20 years ago...  but very little is going to save you ass when you are driving 90mph.

When one drives faster than the posted speed limits on the interstate, one is putting forth more stress because it takes more attention in case something goes wrong.    In addition to the stress, this type of driving causes one's body to be more tense and that tension over time can cause physical problems as well.

However, all of this is actually subordinate to the driver who has no concept of DEPTH OF FIELD while driving.  I am constantly witnessing drivers that have to do a hard press of the brakes because they misjudged the distance between them and the car in front of them.  This type of misjudging is almost always fatal.

When I was 50 years old, I decided that driving fast no longer made any sense for a variety of reasons.  Not to mention the fact that the 55 mph gives you the best gas mileage.  However, 55 is a tad slow, slow so I try to simply drive the speed limit...  which seems to be the best all around approach to driving.  Not because its the law, because it is the best for you and your car.

If I need to, I get up early and leave early in case there is a slow down on the roads, so I will not be late and therefore have a reason to drive fast.

When I arrive somewhere, I arrive relaxed and with low blood pressure because I have eliminated most of my stress.  What I spend my time doing now, is watching out for all the assholes that don't know how to drive.