Should America Go Back to Driver’s Ed?

January 31, 2009

As we get more populated, and as more teenagers are given their first car, the NEED for the population to go back to driver’s education is becoming more and more obvious. I’ve been thinking about writing this article for months, not really thinking anyone would read it, or would care. Perhaps maybe a “rant” but I know this isn’t just my opinion. I’ve decided to group these “pet peeves” of mine in the order they happen (on a DAILY basis).

SPEEDERS

Ok, do you speed? Slightly over the limit? Common, don’t lie, nobody is listening, and the police isn’t pointing their radar gun at you. Seriously, EVERY time I get on the highway, in EVERY state I’ve been to (and I’ve been to 25 of them) there are always speeders. The ONLY time the speed is at the limit is when the police are present!

Tip for those of you who CLAIM that they ALWAYS go the speed limit. You are considered SLOW traffic – GET OUT OF THE LEFT LANE, FOOL!

TAILGATING

No, this isn’t the party on the tailgate of your pickup truck. This is when you are following TOO CLOSE to the car in front of you. It’s been a while since I was in driver’s ed, but I believe the general rule of thumb is that there must be 1 car length per 10 miles per hour between you and the person you’re behind. WHAT A JOKE! I think I’m the only one that remembers that part of the book!

I’ve seen people tailgate big-rig trucks SO CLOSE it actually looked like they were being towed!! I had one guy in Atlanta tailgate me so close I couldn’t see his headlights (and I drive a compact)! There were FOUR lanes to choose from, but he INSISTED to be right on my rear for 10 miles! Even slowing down to 10 miles UNDER the limit didn’t make him go away!! (I was NOT in the left lane.)

MERGING INTO TRAFFIC/CHANGING LANES

When you are entering the highway, it is YOU that must speed up (or slow down) to get into the flow of traffic … not the people that are already on the highway. Here, they even have the entry to and the exit from ON THE SAME 200 YARD STRETCH. Talk about dangerous!

And then there are the lane-changers! You know who you are … the ones that make my drive to and from work feel like I’m training for the Indianapolis 500! There have been days that I’ve wanted to check the front end of my car for a sign that read “Jump in here, and hit your breaks” because it happens EVERY day! If there’s six INCHES to spare, they’ll take it! Are you REALLY in such a hurry that you MUST be at least one car ahead of me?

TURNING

Big Pet Peeve … those fools that have NO IDEA what they’re doing when trying to turn left (or even care). If it’s rush hour and it’s bumper to bumper cars in the lane you must cross to turn left YOU CANNOT MAKE THE TURN! It’s ILLEGAL to go THROUGH the line of cars!

Also, if it’s a two-lane road and it’s bumper to bumper cars, WHY must you hold up EVERYBODY just for you? If you do this and you have a burning sensation in your ears, it’s because everybody else is cursing at you! GO AROUND make a U-turn at the light … what could be simpler?

Here’s another annoying one. If you’re planning to turn left, what the HECK are you doing in the right lane? (Or vice versa)

PARKING

It’s just amazes me how LAZY this country has become. There was this one time I was at the gym, and I watched this guy go around and around the parking lot looking for the closest spot to open up. Twenty minutes later, can you guess where I saw him? Running on the track! What a fool!

Those coveted handicap parking spots. Now this is a pet peeve of mine because I AM handicapped, and must use a cane to walk. You park in my spot and just casually walk into the store, I’m gonna put a glass bottle under your wheel! If you want those spots so bad, come on down to Georgia … all you need to be is FAT and you get a tag here. Never understood that! If you’re FAT you should HAVE to park FARTHER away … you need the exercise!

Of course I could come up with a whole bunch more rules that people have forgotten or don’t care about, but I think I’ve made my point, and I hope I’ve made a few of you smile. Personally, I’m waiting for the day when I have my limo take me everywhere and not worry about it anymore!

I’m being trained by an On-Line Multi-Millioniare (I was serious about the limo remark) if you’d like to join me, go to http://www.debt-to-rich.com

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