Flashed

I was driving on a 30 m.p.h. road this morning at my usual speed (somewhere between 31 and 33), and the car behind me actually flashed his lights at me the way you do when someone is in the left lane on a highway, and you want him to get over to a slower lane. The problem is that there was no other lane. I'm not quite sure what he expected. This is the first time someone has ever flashed me on a one-lane road.

No Cop This Time

A couple of weeks ago I was passed right in front of a police officer, and justice was served. It happened again this morning but no police officer this time. I was driving down my 40 m.p.h. road on the way to work and a Jeep (I've seen this one before). She was driving very close and then crossed the double-yellow line to pass me. But this time a different kind of justice was served. By the time I turned off, she was only about 30 feet ahead of me tailgating someone else. Her dangerous (especially on the wet roads from yesterday's big rain) and illegal maneuver bought her a total of 0 seconds of time saved (if she were still behind me, she would have gotten to exactly the same spot within seconds of my turning off).

Mercedes Losing Its Luster

I have blogged about how nice Mercedes drivers seem to be. Well, today it was raining, and a silver Mercedes SUV sat on my tail for over half my drive. Because of the rain, this was actually a little scary. I was amazed how someone could stay so close for so long in very slick conditions.

Don't Stereotype

I turned onto a road, and a giant maroon Ford SUV turned behind me. I was sure I was in for a long ride of tailgating (I guess I've come to expect that from big SUVs, and this was as big as they come). But the Ford never got close. I was pleasantly surprised.

Did He Thank Me?

I was driving to work this morning, and a black pick-up truck came speeding up behind me. It wasn't super-fast, and he never got super-close, but he was definitely going several miles per hour above the speed limit. My guess is that he was probably annoyed (although I didn't see the tell-tale signs of hand waving or other gesturing), but I wonder if he was thanking me when we got to the speed trap. Chances were pretty good that he would have gotten a ticket if he didn't come up behind me and was able to continue at the speed he was going.

Justice

I was just driving right where I had my accident, and a car came speeding up behind me and sat on my tail. As the road curved and dipped (source of accident), I applied the break to keep from speeding up (from the downward grade of the road). The car decided to take the opportunity to pass me.

You know those times when you say to yourself, "I wish there was a police car there to give that guy a ticket." Well, this time there was! The officer pulled the car over (I even slowed down to make sure the officer could get in front of me as he was pulling out). As I headed by, the officer flagged me down and asked me to confirm that the guy had passed me and that there was a double line (no passing zone). He then spoke to the other guy and came back to my car. He asked me if I had a radar detector, and I said no. He said the other guy wanted to know why I was going so slowly. I said that I wasn't; I was going the speed limit and explained about my accident 11 months ago and how I now go the speed limit, especially on this road.

It kind of makes me want to do this more often. Wait, I do. It's just that there isn't always a police officer when you want one.

Change of Temperament

I have been driving the speed limit (more or less) for about ten months. It's been a struggle, but I feel like I am finally getting more comfortable sticking to the speed limit with people on my tail. I still get anxious when someone comes up right behind me, but I no longer have a desire to speed up. If I am in the right lane or the only lane, it is right, and it is my right, to drive the speed limit. The only time I feel I should go faster is when I am sitting in the left lane. I don't do this intentionally, but sometimes I am making a left turn or actually have to pass someone or enter a road from the left. But under normal driving conditions, I have no interest in speeding up and sitting on my tail, flashing your lights, honking your horn, or gesturing me will not convince me to go faster.