Somebody said something that set me off

Good stuff, most roads around me are two lanes with solid dividing lines, and EVERYONE drives 5 miles below the limit. AHHHHHHHHH! I'm a pro :)

I have noticed for myself, after any kind of track event that I enter with my car, I don't drive as fast on the street.

I knew a Hall of Fame Sprint Car driver, and I was told he drives like an old lady on the street.

Interesting. My view is this, "fake" pros can do the speeding and changing lanes and all that but what makes the someone a REAL PRO is that when they do those things they virtually never cause another driver to have to apply their brakes or do any other action. If someone's actions cause another driver to feel the need to brake (disregarding the complete morons who brake for a goose flying over head) then they are not driving properly slow or fast.

Actually I think I am above average, but when I look around me the average or actually the majority are eating, reading and/or talking on the phone rather than driving. I never tailgate even at lights and infact it annoys me a little when people get so close the my ass end I can barely see the top of their windshield tipping over my tailgate. I'm claustrophobic, stay away from my ass! So truthfully I consider anyone, even if they are lost or going too slow or even too fast to be above average if all they are doing at the time is actually piloting their vehicle and nothing else.

No. They all knew that.

dwight

The one point that I left out of the piece was this: situational circumstances. I tried to focus on rush hour traffic (which is when the foolishness that the Pros do is REALLY stupid), which has its own set of rules.

But throughout the day we are faced with a variety of traffic volume, from lunchtime crush to wide open roads. When I'm in traffic, I tend to be Joe Citizen, Mr. Rules of the Road. Give me a very light volume or no traffic at all, and I'm a completely different driver.

And this can flip back and forth several times on a single trip.

Put a passenger in my car, and I drive like a chauffeur. When I go out for cigarettes at 9:00 in the evening, I'm a wild man. (A wild man with a keen eye out for deer, of course.) The people in my own neighborhood would probably swear that I never go faster than 15mph.

So I can understand why a race car driver might be seen driving ultra-carefully on the street, but I'd be willing to bet that this isn't always the case when he's behind the wheel.

dwight

Okay. I might agree with this. We'll add a fourth group: "Us".

Yes, one of my own personal rules states that no other driver should have to brake for something I do - other than traditional moves, like slowing down to turn.

(SINGLE BIGGEST PUSSY MOVE is when someone accelerates behind you and almost clips your bumper when you turn off, usually having signalled your turn with puh-lenty of warning.)

But here's the thing: I have been among the Lost, have hung out with the Slow, and have been an arrogantly stupid Pro. I am all of these. I think that all of us, at some point or another, DO fall into all three categories. Or, as I like to say, "We're ALL road warriors."

That's why cooperation is key. Cooperation involves

1) recognition that the other guy is a driver just like you and just as deserving of respect. Failing that, the understanding that the other driver is at least somebody's father, mother, sister, brother, etc etc etc One hopes that the Pros would NEVER want another PRO doing their silliness to one of THEIR relatives, but they're perfectly content to do it to one of yours.

and 2) forgiveness. Road rage ensues when one party refuses to forgive the transgressor. The bottom line is that we ALL do something stupid every once in a while (hold up your hands, all you perfect drivers who don't). We just take turns doing it. If the guy in front of me does something stupid, well, it was just his turn. Let's forgive and go on with our business, and we'll all get where we're going in one piece.

dwight

I will daydream about how to spend the millions I'm going to win in the lottery. It may LOOK like I'm paying attention (no cellphone, no eating, no reading, etc.), but I've been shopping for mansions over the past few miles, and can't really remember how I got where I am. I'm on auto-pilot.

Am I more or less dangerous than the guy on the cellphone?

dwight

Here's another touchstone... if your driving was being observed by your mother or your boss would you still be driving that way??

I'd say less. Wandering thoughts don't hold your attention as tightly as yelling at your wife for not picking up the laundry.

Of course. Why not?

I get the feeling that you do a lot of stuff that you'd rather people didn't know about.

dwight

Nope. But sometimes I'm tempted and that thought will run thru my mind.