Roodhawg's Driving Instructions


				*RooDHawG's* *Roodhawg's Driving Instructions*



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		Recommendations: The following statements are only my opinion...



		1. Watch Out: In my neck of the woods, we have all four seasons. Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. This presents a great challenge to automobile, cagers, and motorcycle drivers alike. To cagers, they may not be so used to watching out for smaller, less visible motorcycles because they only see them in numbers half the year. So when Spring and Summer roll around and the bikers are out enjoying the freedom of the open road after a long hibernation, cagers are not used to looking out for them (out of site, out of mind). So, please remember to stay sharp all year around while driving automobiles. You are alot bigger than me. If we collide, you might get a scratch or a small dent in your car, I may die! So, i'll do my part on a motorcycle by not pulling crazy stunts and zooming around like a maniac as soon as the temperture breaks 65 degrees for a few days. And you stay sharp by keeping a head up, eye out, and hands free kit for the cell phone while driving. Deal, Deal! 2. Drive the Speed Limit: If the speed limit is 40 mph, then go 35-45mph. Enough said 3. Don't Drive Slow in the Fast Lane: If you want to drive under the speed limit, that is great. Just drive in the slow lane. If you want to pass from the slow lane, great. Please do it in a timely manner (this means you will most likely have to speed up) then return safely to the slow lane 4. Pulling into Traffic: a) If you are pulling into traffic, please try to do so without using the turn lane. Most people need to use this lane to turn LEFT out of traffic. That's why it's called a turn lane not a merge lane. If you use this lane to merge into traffic you may hinder the flow of normal traffic or possibly even cause an accident b) If you are pulling into traffic and there is noone behind me, don't pull right out in front of me and force me to brake. This is only courtious and logical. Right after I pass you, you will have plenty of time to pull out safely at a safe speed without creating undue stress on other drivers 5. Don't Rubberneck: I would say 65% of traffic jams related to accidents are not due to cars blocking the road. They are due to passerbys trying to get a good look at the misfortune of someone else. Please just go...drive...move on. Once while driving on a separated 4 lane highway, the car directly ahead of me stopped dead in the fast lane to look all the way across the median at two police cars and three cars pulled to the side of the road. I mean stopped dead. I looked around to see if I could see an Ambulance coming or something. There wasn't one at all. These people just wanted to see what was going on. Needless to say, this single selfish act caused a traffic jam 4 miles long behind us as I looked back from a hill up ahead Fact: lets say you are driving on the highway at 65 mph. You are first in a long line of cars behind you also going 65 mph. If you tap your brake for 1/2 second, that braking is multiplied the further it travels. So, by you tapping your brake, the last car in line is at a dead stop for an amount of time proportionate to the length of the line 6. Don't Force Me to Tailgate: Tailgaiting is one of the worst things a driver can do. Don't get me wrong i'm not one to preach here. I do it too. What I don't do though, is pull from the slow lane, to pass in front of a car in the fast lane that isn't tailgaiting the car in front of them. If I do, then, one, I just forced them to tailgate me which isn't good for anyone. And two, I probably angered them. Think about it. Your driving along behind someone at a safe distance and then someone pulls out right in front of you reducing that safe distance by at least half (probably more) creating an unsafe driving situation 7. Road Rage: Hurling along the Earth at 40-80 mph in a two ton bullet is a priveledge and a responsibility. That's why we take drivers tests and get pulled over for not obeying traffic laws. Ultimately it is all to keep us alive. So, if someone makes a mistake on the road and you are late and in a hurry, try to take a deep breath and remember. Whatever a particular driver has done to totally infuriated you probably wasn't done on purpose. Alot of people are just ignorant and can't help it. Or, they may just be nervous on the road and not such a good driver. Anyway, my point is, the road is no place to settle the score and put other innocent people at risk. One of those innocent people may be your mother, brother, or future spouse!