100 Thoughts: Slow Drivers in the Fast Lane (5/100)
I can't believe that I have only posted four of these things. Righto, here is number five.
Do you remember that old Farside cartoon, where several rooms in hell are depicted? A room for murderers. A room for thieves. And a room for slow drivers in the fast lane. (it was a very full room)
And here's the thing. I am fully aware of that not everyone is in a rush and that there are nervous/newbie drivers out there, people who are scared of having an accident or getting a fine or just plain terrified of the road, for whom driving is a tense, nervewracking experience.
I am not a speed demon. I purchased my current car on the basis of two premises. 1) it was cheap enough that I could buy it cash. 2) it was zippy and fuel efficient, but not powerful enoug to make me a speed demon. Because I do like to zip along and drive 'just' over the speed limit. I generally stick to the speed limit, or about 5 kms over.
Rest assured, I am not one of those maniacal drivers who dodges and weaves through traffic hell bent on breaking half a dozen laws just because I can, pushing my car to the limits of time and space (88 miles an hour does not = time travel).
But I must admit, that I have a very special, very personal pet peeve about slow drivers who insist on using the fast lane (or the lane immediately next to it). O.o You want to see me lose my cool, be in the car with me when that happens. I am trying not to freak out as much, but oh boy... on a bad day. :-(
I don't think SA drivers are particularly agressive but as we have limited public transport (and what form of public transport there is consists of taxis) so that means there are a lot of people on the road and snarl ups, jams etc are common place. I don't want this post to degenerate into a rant against poor slow drivers, so let me expand my thought processes here.
Let me set the scene for you. Me (whatever picture you have of me in your head) behind the wheel of my hatchback, happily zipping along (at a reasonable speed) in the lane next to the fast lane on a highway of at least five lanes. I notice a slow moving vehicle, travelling at about 20kms slower than the minimum speed, 'puttering' along unconcerned that they should be in the slow lane, and are not. Due to the volume of traffic, I can't change lanes and I get stuck behind this individual.
I'll leave my reaction to your imagination (but it does not involve fingers or hooting no matter how much I might wish it to).
My subconscious are: You are not being fair! You have your own lane! This is my lane! MOVE!
The driver's failure to pick up my subconscious (and muttered thoughts) means that they stay in the lane (they do not move) and I end up gearing down, wasting petrol and over taking them on the hill, cursing all the while.
I think its the disregard that that person has for the unspoken (spoken to a degree) rules of the road that is the root of my ire. They should be in the slow lane (with all the trucks) they aren't, they are in a lane were they essentially have a clear road because everyone else is avoiding them. This makes their driving experience easier so they don't ever move or change. And if they are of the thick skinned variety all the hooting and flashing lights from other cars are like water off a duck's back.
I remember seeing a little blue chevrolet once calming puttering along in the fast lane at 90km/h with a whole stream of cars behind it, clear lane on the otherside and refusing to move. I find it quicker sometimes to travel in the slow lane than the fast lane.
What we have here is a form of passive agressive, anarchastic behaviour by a group of people who flagrantly refuse to adhere to social norms and unspoken rules. We readily recognise an agressive speedster who breaks the speedlimit, sits on your bumper and is never satisfied with the roar of his car (I saw his only because they tend to be male). But the predominantly female 'slow' drivers are (and have been) embarking on an equally agressive campaign.
I find this immensely interesting (and irritating). You could ask the question - will the slow drivers force everyone else to a more sedate, safe pace? Will the fast drivers eventually win out and turn the others? In five years time will the far right lane (in SA where we drive on the left) become the slow lane and the far left be the fast? Are these slow obtuse, deliberately annoying drivers symptoms of an underlying social change and revolution? A fist shake of 'I refuse to conform!'?
Perhaps yes, or perhaps I'm just over-analysing the whole thing. In any event I find the phenemenon interesting in the analytical part of my brain.
Personally, I plan on buying a tank, and crushing them all. (maybe).
Thank you for reading this pointless ramble, You can now go back to your browsing.
Do you remember that old Farside cartoon, where several rooms in hell are depicted? A room for murderers. A room for thieves. And a room for slow drivers in the fast lane. (it was a very full room)
And here's the thing. I am fully aware of that not everyone is in a rush and that there are nervous/newbie drivers out there, people who are scared of having an accident or getting a fine or just plain terrified of the road, for whom driving is a tense, nervewracking experience.
I am not a speed demon. I purchased my current car on the basis of two premises. 1) it was cheap enough that I could buy it cash. 2) it was zippy and fuel efficient, but not powerful enoug to make me a speed demon. Because I do like to zip along and drive 'just' over the speed limit. I generally stick to the speed limit, or about 5 kms over.
Rest assured, I am not one of those maniacal drivers who dodges and weaves through traffic hell bent on breaking half a dozen laws just because I can, pushing my car to the limits of time and space (88 miles an hour does not = time travel).
But I must admit, that I have a very special, very personal pet peeve about slow drivers who insist on using the fast lane (or the lane immediately next to it). O.o You want to see me lose my cool, be in the car with me when that happens. I am trying not to freak out as much, but oh boy... on a bad day. :-(
I don't think SA drivers are particularly agressive but as we have limited public transport (and what form of public transport there is consists of taxis) so that means there are a lot of people on the road and snarl ups, jams etc are common place. I don't want this post to degenerate into a rant against poor slow drivers, so let me expand my thought processes here.
Let me set the scene for you. Me (whatever picture you have of me in your head) behind the wheel of my hatchback, happily zipping along (at a reasonable speed) in the lane next to the fast lane on a highway of at least five lanes. I notice a slow moving vehicle, travelling at about 20kms slower than the minimum speed, 'puttering' along unconcerned that they should be in the slow lane, and are not. Due to the volume of traffic, I can't change lanes and I get stuck behind this individual.
I'll leave my reaction to your imagination (but it does not involve fingers or hooting no matter how much I might wish it to).
My subconscious are: You are not being fair! You have your own lane! This is my lane! MOVE!
The driver's failure to pick up my subconscious (and muttered thoughts) means that they stay in the lane (they do not move) and I end up gearing down, wasting petrol and over taking them on the hill, cursing all the while.
I think its the disregard that that person has for the unspoken (spoken to a degree) rules of the road that is the root of my ire. They should be in the slow lane (with all the trucks) they aren't, they are in a lane were they essentially have a clear road because everyone else is avoiding them. This makes their driving experience easier so they don't ever move or change. And if they are of the thick skinned variety all the hooting and flashing lights from other cars are like water off a duck's back.
I remember seeing a little blue chevrolet once calming puttering along in the fast lane at 90km/h with a whole stream of cars behind it, clear lane on the otherside and refusing to move. I find it quicker sometimes to travel in the slow lane than the fast lane.
What we have here is a form of passive agressive, anarchastic behaviour by a group of people who flagrantly refuse to adhere to social norms and unspoken rules. We readily recognise an agressive speedster who breaks the speedlimit, sits on your bumper and is never satisfied with the roar of his car (I saw his only because they tend to be male). But the predominantly female 'slow' drivers are (and have been) embarking on an equally agressive campaign.
I find this immensely interesting (and irritating). You could ask the question - will the slow drivers force everyone else to a more sedate, safe pace? Will the fast drivers eventually win out and turn the others? In five years time will the far right lane (in SA where we drive on the left) become the slow lane and the far left be the fast? Are these slow obtuse, deliberately annoying drivers symptoms of an underlying social change and revolution? A fist shake of 'I refuse to conform!'?
Perhaps yes, or perhaps I'm just over-analysing the whole thing. In any event I find the phenemenon interesting in the analytical part of my brain.
Personally, I plan on buying a tank, and crushing them all. (maybe).
Thank you for reading this pointless ramble, You can now go back to your browsing.