Date:         Fri, 28 Jul 2006 20:53:38 -0500
Reply-To:     joel walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         joel walker <jwalker17@EARTHLINK.NET>
Subject:      Re: An Open Letter to all the DADs Out There NVC Friday
              Stuff
Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1";
              reply-type=response

> *An Open Letter to all the DADs Out There*
> Are you a DAD?  I'm referring to Dumb A** Drivers.
> Now I know that no Vanagon driver would ever fall into this category, but
> I
> just met several DADs while running errands around town this morning.
> And here is my question for those DADs I met today:  IF YOU AREN'T
> PLANNING
> ON TURNING RIGHT WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU DOING IN THE RIGHT HAND LANE WHEN
> THERE WERE TWO OTHER THROUGH LANES?  I met two of you at one light, and
> three of your brethren at the next light.  Can't you understand that
> staying
> out of the right hand lane at stop lights, when you have a choice, allows
> the traffic that is turning right to proceed against the red when traffic
> allows?  This moves more vehicles through the intersection in less time.
> It
> gets those vehicles to their destination faster; it spreads out the
> traffic,
> and gets other vehicles off the street sooner.  That means less congestion
> for all.

aha. here you ASSUME (and we all know what that means) that the average
joe-blow driver CAN (and will) be able to contain in his brain more than ONE
traffic regulation at a time.
the last sign-reminder that your DADs observed was:
slower traffic keep right.

now, that sign-reminder just stuck there in the front part of their brain,
right behind the eyes. and it'll stay there til it's replaced by something
else. like "right lane closed ahead" ... and when they hit one of those
cones or barrels or get trapped by the next-left lane cause they were not
able to plan ahead, they'll stay in the LEFT lane for a week or two.

and the really really sad part is, they have no idea what they are doing or
why they are doing it.
example: it's raining outside. it's the law in this state to have headlights
on when raining. or even when/if your wipers are working, even on
intermittent.
why? so YOU are more visible to oncoming (or merging/pulling-out) traffic.
not so YOU can see better.
so how many people had their headlights on as i came home from work? maybe
2/3rds. which is actually pretty good for this burg.   since only about half
bother to put on their seatbelts.

my much belabored point?
drivers licenses should be MUCH harder to get and keep. maybe like germany
where it takes many weeks of classes and tests and costs several thousands
of dollars. maybe ... maybe that would make a difference.
but based on the people i work with, i seriously doubt it. :(

basically, people in this country do NOT think when they are behind the
wheel of a vehicle.
they are talking on cell phones, eating, drinking, smoking, reading
magazines (yup. one fellow at work was seen, in rush hour traffic jam,
reading a magazine. his response? "i've got insurance." ... and you wonder
why your insurance costs so much!) and jamming to their music.
ipods are gonna kill more people as they become more popular. maybe less
than cell phones, but there will be deaths attributed to ipods. :(

what i have found that sometimes helps is to grit your teeth, grip the
steering wheel hard and tight, and mutter
"ooooooooooooommmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!!".
;)

good luck!
joel