Archive for the 'lead foot' Category

Life In The “Which” Lane?

Van October 4th, 2010

As you get older, everything changes. You’ve heard, 60 is the new 40? Anyone really believe that? As one who is closer to 60 than 40, I don’t believe it.

When I was a young pup, I watched Disneyland on Sunday nights, and I recall one such show that was entitled “SUPERHIGHWAY USA”. In this show, Walt Disney himself, and his henchmen, layed out what was to become our nationwide Interstate highway system. This was, of course, before Cloverleaf Industries could act on their nefarious plan to close down the Red Line and replace it with highways. (oops sorry, getting Disney mixed up with Roger Rabbitt, please disregard from “Cloverleaf Industries” on.) Anyway, back to SuperHighway USA; everything was laid out there: the banked and crowned roadbeds, the acceleration lane and freeway approaches and exits, the gentle curves. Traffic always moved quickly as we watched the model cars moving on and off the demonstration model that was used to instruct us in this new driving method. This was, of course, before freeways turned into parking lots, and commutes turned into multi-hour outings. They didn’t tell us about that in SuperHighway USA. It wasn’t supposed to be like that! Did Walt Disney lie to me? And he was such a nice man…he and that little rodent.

One of the things that was talked about in Super Highway USA, is how all highways of the future, would have multiple lanes and how the right lane was for regular traffic, and the left lane, was for people who were passing or were otherwise moving faster than people in the right lane(s). This became ingrained in my brain through Super Highway USA, through driver’s education and training, and through music. The Eagles even wrote a song called “Life In The Fast Lane.” Were they singing about the lane that has the exit lanes coming off of it, and the approaches emptying into it? No, they were singing about that lane that is farthest away from safety, closest to the approach of opposing traffic at break neck speed, far away from the entries and exits, the dangerous fast lane. So my question is: what happened to the fast lane?

Interestingly, it appears that the fast lane of today, is more often than not, something other than the left lane. Have you noticed this? I guess everyone thinks that the left lane is theirs and that when they are there, that they can go whatever speed they want, even if it’s below the speed limit. WRONG! The left lane is for those of us who can survive out there with the other fast drivers. It is not for the faint of heart. It is certainly no place to be if you’re talking on your cell phone. For more on my cell phone rant, click HERE. The left lane is the place where the law of the jungle prevails, and the law of the Highway Patrol. But today, it is no longer the fast lane. In fact, in my driving, it seems as though the lane that is open most often, where you can pick up some speed and not have many drivers to contend with is now…the right lane. What happened?

So for the foreseeable future, I’m going to be traveling and passing all of you, in the right lane. Perhaps at some future time, the fad will die and it will be cool to be in the right lane again, in which case, I’ll be back where I’m supposed to be, the place Walt Disney told me about, and the Eagles sang to me about, the place of legend and intrigue, the famed real fast lane, the left lane.

Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself

admin February 2nd, 2010

Yesterday a man riding a motorcycle died after crashing into the back of a car.

The rider and another person on a motorcycle were speeding northbound on Lorenzi Street near Alta Drive. The car was also going northbound on Lorenzi when the rider hit the car’s back bumper.

According to police, the motorcycle was going so fast, it skidded more than 150 feet before stopping.  

Before riding on the back of a motorcycle with anybody I always ask if they’ve ever been in a motorcycle accident, if their reply is “no,” I don’t ride.

People who have been in motorcycle accidents and survive are most likely to use due care and don’t speed because they have experienced the ramifications.

These accident survivors have encountered one of the most horrific near death experiences- there are no fender benders in an accident involving a motorcycle- because the rider is always the most vulnerable.

Unfortunately, when you are dead there is no time to learn your lesson. Moral of the story- learn from others mistakes.

 

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