Re: Calif drivers are OK

["B.D. & Petei Zelazny" <unltd-ltd@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Alan Lambert wrote:

> Factually, I haven't seen ANY evidence that American drivers are (in
> general) "OK".
> 
> They are poorly trained, inadequately tested and licensed, and believe
> they have a "right" to drive as they want. Law enforcement is more
> attuned to raising revenue than to upgrading the driving ability and
> safety of the public.
> 
> Even the wild Italians have a sense of how to behave on the road so as
> to follow rules than are intended to provide a framework in which to
> drive respecting each other. ( with the possible exception of blowing
> through towns at high speed--but even then, they blow air horns to warn
> people.)
> 
> Since it is true that in this country, the ability to drive places is a
> necessity, due to our poor mass transit, the bulk of Americans simply
> feel there is no need to become "good" at it.

AMEN, brother!

One of the benefits of living out in the sticks (boonies) is light traffic.
However, what traffic there is hasn't got a clue as to how to drive
courteously.

My driving philosophy is simple: Drive like you want others around you to
drive. Set an example. Raise the standard.

When there is nobody around I drive as fast as my skill and my vehicle will
allow.

I learned to drive in Dallas, TX and have driven in every major city in the
continental U.S. of A. and folks seem to react the same everywhere. Give
`em room; give `em a break, treat `em like you want to be treated and they
will either respond accordingly or get the h3ll away from you `cause they
don't know how to respond to courteous driving since they have never
experienced it before and it scares the h3ll outa them.

Many years before anyone ever heard of "road rage" I was traveling at about
75 mph in the middle lane in very light traffic on one of the Interstate
Highways going through Dallas in our factory new `73 GTV. My wife was with
me. Suddenly some bozo in a chevy or a ford or a chrysler/plymouth raced up
from behind and began PUSHING us down the highway at about 85. How did I
react? I lifted my foot off the accelerator and took the free ride.

I figured he could pay for the gas and I'd save some. The bozo got tired of
the game real soon. Immediately after he backed off of my bumper
(literally) I goosed it and never saw him again. My dad would have slammed
on the brakes in the same circumstances. That was his way of dealing with
tailgaters. Thank G*d I had better sense than he did.

------------------------------