The Almighty Power of Road Lines

It has been several years now, that  I have been driving my new commute, ever since we moved to Pennsylvania. In comparison to the previous 110 mile/2.5 hour round trip, what I drive now is a dream. I don't have to drive on any interstates, its an 18 mile/30 minute drive, and for much of it, I get to drive through quiet tree-lined roads which are beautiful during Autumn.

Sadly, its not always the picture perfect commute. By turning in my trip on a 4 lane highway, I have been dealt a trip on a 45 mile speed limit road with only one lane each way. This sounds OK, but the reality is that its full of drivers who often insist on driving at a speed well below the limit and hence create an enormous vehicular conga line.

Being the objective observer that I am, I have come to several conclusions about most people's driving habits on these kind of roads:

People will brake for a peanut in the road. Seriously, if someone well in front of another driver brakes for whatever reason, the driver will tap the brakes, without even thinking and even if there was no way he could hit the driver in front. People use their brakes far too often. I am a firm believer in only using them when absolutely necessary. This might shock my readers, but I actually pay attention to my riding environment. I am fully aware of my surroundings, the road ahead and behind, and driving conditions. I call tell the difference between warranted braking in the car train and disease braking which maliciously spreads when one  has allowed their lower, instinctual brain functions to take over. This ability is likely attributable to my epic gaming skills.

Also, most drivers will make right turns off the main road without moving over into the shoulder. This means that they brake to nearly stopping, and force everyone behind them to brake as well, when there is plenty of room to make the turn from the shoulder and hence, allow drivers to pass unhindered. This is an incredibly aggravating behavior I just don't understand. Not only are these drivers inflicting more unnecessary damage to our cars, but they must be completely oblivious to the other drivers on the road with them. Its this last part that really infuriates me because the daily commute for everyone would be wholly improved if most drivers were acutely aware that there are other drivers on the road with them. And what is it about the shoulder that scares people? Its almost as if that white line is some kind of magic barrier which controls upper brain functions, allowing it to make unsuspecting drivers their slaves.

It is this mystical, even omnipotent, force the white line seems to exude which perplexes me. I can only attribute it to the almighty power of the double yellow lines, a force which not a single driver will ever question. Somehow the white lines which define the boundaries of the shoulder have usurped some of that power and coupled with a standard driver's incapacity to think, has made the white lines the metaphorical Israel of the road i.e. no one will dare cross it. By far the behavior that perturbs me the most is when drivers outright or ignorantly refuse to cross this white line which defines the shoulder to pass someone on the right while the other driver waits for oncoming traffic to stop so they can turn left. The majority of  drivers will stop behind said left-turning driver, and then either wait there or take a few seconds before they decide to "break the law" and cross the white line, using the shoulder to pass. Its a behavior which suggests a dangerous amount of obliviousness coasting along our roadways.

Although these days, since I have started drinking coffee, I find myself much more mellow and having less contempt for my fellow drivers. There are several reasons, some more prevalent than others, why I have finally starting drinking coffee on a regular basis: I'm tired a lot (which can be attributed to either just me getting older, general interacting with my kids or staying up too late at night farting around with my music and games, or a combination of all 3), I need to substitute the caffeine I was getting from Diet Coke, and also, it just makes me feel awesome. The pleasure effect from drinking coffee is wholly different than Diet Coke. I guess its because I'm new to the habit, but I would liken the coffee effect to a very very mild pot high. And its that feeling which helps with my animosity on the road. The feeling of feeling different, in which I revel ever so subtly while submitting my driving route to the will of the rest of the herd as they follow the chutes defined by white lines. 

Comments

[Dae]

First, yah for "legal cocaine" aka coffee ^^

Second, and let me confirm this, you are suggesting people pull onto the unpaved shoulder to turn right or drive on the shoulder to pass a car turning left? Cause sadly I'd totally be one of those people that would not do either (maybe the second if I was in a rush, but never a shoulder right hand turn). I know I know, you think less of me now /sniff But it sounds more like this should be a complaint taken to the city/county roadways department instead of hating on drivers that are following driving laws. Driving on the shoulders can mess up alignments, result in flat tires, and unsafe driving altogther :/ And no one is going to pay for me having to fix my car if driving behavior like that results in damages to my car...

I gotta say people driving under the speed limit would probably drive me bonkers but thats what a horn is for ;)

As always, great to read your blog Storm ^^