the daily commute

Please, please Chattanooga learn to freakin' drive. It seems like people get behind the wheel and lose all perspective. People are impatient, distracted, rude and all to often dangerous. I hear complaints all the time about traffic but, after 2 years in Orlando, it takes a lot more than a little whining to touch a nerve. What really gets my attention are the crazed soccer moms and professional shoppers. I have to control myself, especially when I see one of them going down the road, applying make-up, talking on the phone, while trying to drink there coffee and puff on a cig. I tried to take a picture this morning as proof but realized that would be hypocritical if I took photos on my phone while driving. Suffice to say left hand held both coffee and cigarette, while draped over steering wheel. In crook of left shoulder & ear was her cell phone. Vanity mirror flipped down with lights shining, face stretched to within inches of mirror while with her right hand she attempted to apply something to her eyes. While driving down ashland terrace, thru red bank, up morrison springs and onto 27, she continued this process. As she reached the top on the ramp she hit the gas and took off. Now I was going 70 (5 over) & she blew around me like a bolt. And what was she driving you ask? A brand new lexus suv, still had the dealership temp tag.

I have lived & worked in two much larger cities than Chattanooga, specifically Nashville & Orlando. Both have their own problems but most of those can be directly attributed to population. But what is funny is that in both towns people seemed to adapt to the local traffic patterns and we all move along. The only time I ever got nervous on the road was when I saw a fully loaded-down tourist mini-van or suv. Inevitably they would be in the wrong lane or almost miss their exit, then at the last minute STOP in the middle of the road & turn on their blinker or try to dash across 4 lanes at once. Now especially on the highways (the I-4 parking lot & the 408), it was even considered briefly to ticket anyone in the inside lane for not doing at least the speed limit. If you were in the fast lane you went 10 over, PERIOD. You did not pass on the right, EVER. With 99% of the population following these simple guide lines, a populace many times larger than Chatt & our outlying communities was able to get to work each day. Not to say there were no problems but back ups, detours, accidents, bad weather, ... all were accepted and people moved on. You learned to be a responsible driver, you listened to traffic reports & choose your routes accordingly. That's probably why radio in Orlando was such big business, because so much of the population listened daily. Little shit rolled off your shoulders, and everyone sanity was maintained.

So with my bitching out of the way I give you my rules for the road:

1. Inside lane = at least 5 mph over the limit*

2. Cell phones are only to be used with hands-free devices (outlawing entirely is a joke)

3. NEVER pass on right

4. If you are not going to at least do the speed limit, stay off interstates and highways.*

5. NO MULTI-TASKING

6. Blinkers aren't the law everywhere but they are polite, use them!

*~ except in bad weather

And my personal rule of thumb never more than 5 mph over or under the speed limit.* I chose to follow this rule for a couple reasons. Most importantly I don't like cops, nothing personal I just don't need a ticket or any other extra expense right now. My preference is never to break more than one law at a time and if I speed, well that just draws more attention to me than I like. Also because by limiting my speed I conserve gas. Not a lot I'm sure but I do get a few extra miles out of a tank if I control the ball bearing in my right ankle. And by limiting my speed I have a firm frame of reference as to how long trips take. If I know my speed then the only other variables are distance and traffic. Both of with can be measured and anticapated. Not exactly but you learn how to compare rush hour to morning drive.