Maybe it's just me, but it seems that driving around Toms River has gotten especially scary lately. It could be that people have spring fever, but more likely it is that we've all become a bit frantic as traffic begins to increase.
Older drivers tend to slow down, and to become extra careful, perhaps further bogging down the flow of traffic. Younger drivers react by weaving in and out of traffic, and blowing the doors off someone that they think is going too slow.
And don't even get me started on people that are driving with one hand on the wheel and the other on a cell phone held to the ear.
There is only one cure to this toxic mix -- common sense.
Older drivers need to keep up with the normal traffic flow....going excessively slow will only increase the chance of an impatient younger driver swerving around you and creating a hazard. And can I add -- ever so gently -- that you get regular eye and hearing checks. No one wants to take your freedom to drive away, so you need to make sure that you're ready for the road.
Younger drivers need to realize that Rt. 37 isn't a drag strip -- think about the tragic deaths of of the kids in Neptune recently. And I know that many young drivers are actually good drivers, and tailgating or cutting in and out of traffic doesn't seem like a big deal to you, but what is does is cut down on everyone's margin of error. What happens if another car next to yours makes a sudden lane change just when you do? Believe me, you don't what the legal, insurance, and money hassles that come with an accident.
As for cell phones...get a hands-free kit or bluetooth so that you can at least have both hands available for driving.
5 comments:
Yes, the roads around here are very dangerous. The amount of traffic is bad enough then the manner in which people drive makes things even worse. The Oldsters drive too slow and drift in and out of lanes combined with the Young Speed Demons racing around while weaving in and out of traffic and riding two inches off your bumper is also scary. Then there are those individuals on cell phones. Who are they all talking to??? Get a hands free kit!!! And stop driving with your knee!!!
What is too slow? The maximum speed limit on Route 37 is 50 miles an hour. What is the minimum limit? The minimum limit is the speed at which the senior citizen driver feels comfortable. Comfortable within reason, I would say the minimum limit would be about 35 miles an hour. Not that I recommend going 35 miles an hour, but it would do for legal minimum limit. As for the idiots who come up and ride your bumper, you slow down and pull over at the first opportunity to let them go past. I'd rather have idiots in front of me where I can keep my eye on them. As for distractions, there is a list as long as your arm. As for the definition of distracted driving, it's pretty much up to the discretion of the police officer, who observes the infraction.
After driving on the Dallas Central Expressway and seeing (more than once) cars clocking 70-80 mph, with the driver reading an open book on her/his steering wheel . . . a cautious senior or two up here does not bother me.
Ok, smiling senior, I'll have to look it up, but I think you can get ticketed for driving too slow too. Why? Because it's dangerous. If I'm on a road that has a 50 mile an hour speed limit, I expect the drivers to be doing at least 40-45. I thought the law said 10 miles below the posted limit was ok, anything lower, barring inclement weather, is also grounds for ticketing because it's considered a road hazard. I love the wisdom and patience of our senior citizens, God willing I'll be one some day too, and not too long from now! But 35 mph in a 50 is too slow....now for the teens whipping in and out - don't get me started!
Traffic during summer is horrible! There is nothing but tourists all over the roads, making the roads congested. If it isn't congested, they are speeding and weaving in and out of lanes.
I agree, people on cell phones scare me. They seem so oblivious to their surroundings. At least get a headset so your head isn't tilted to one side or your hands glued to the side of your temple.
And then there are those putting on makeup, or brushing their hair. Shouldn't that have been done before you left the house?
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