What were they thinking?

Driving gives me time to think. Much of that thinking involves the driving task, but some consists of wonderment over others’ driving actions. Quite often, it would be interesting to know what mental process is guiding these marginally-skilled operators.

It might be enlightening to know, for example, what knowledge was lacking in the mind of a young female driver on Rockwood Boulevard one day this week. The 25 mph speed limit has been in effect for a few years there, and it is patrolled regularly. I drive about 26-29 mph there for safety — besides, I don’t want a ticket. The driver following me was not a “neighbor,” because don’t “neighbors drive 25?”

On this day, I was driving 27 mph — I like to know my exact speed there in case a neighbor yells “slow down” from their yard. Anyway, I had this driver in “tow” — she was following so closely that all I could see was her windshield, and the two upward-pointed index fingers behind it. Evidently, either my speed was too slow for her taste, or she really hated my car.

I bumped my speed rate up to 29 mph, but that didn’t satisfy her, as the “11” signal continued until I made a turn a block later. Besides the gesture, her following distance was virtually nil — as if I was pulling her using a bracelet for a tow strap.

So I really do wonder what was mixed up in her mind. Did she know the speed limit? Did she know my/her speed? Did she think that I should speed up or get out of her way?

Was she on meth, and incapable of thought? Or was she simply an oblivious, selfish, poor driver? And why didn’t she pass me? Such are the wonders of the roadway — answers may never be known, but it’s entertaining to speculate.

I’m not the only driver who encounters these nonsensical episodes while traveling the roadways. J.S happened upon one the other day on Hamilton. He was making his way along the busy arterial between stoplights, when the driver of the car directly ahead of him began stomping the brake pedal like she was stamping out a fire. Corresponding to the brake jabs, the rear of her car was repeatedly jumping upward. He thought she was having trouble, but finally figured that she was trying to send a “too close” warning to J.S.

Well, the vehicles were just moving slowly between stoplights — what’s the correct following distance for 5 mph? J.S. thought his distance was adequate, but apparently this driver wanted more. As traffic moved on, J.S. moved away from the brake lady, but noticed that she was doing the same thing to others. That must get really tiring for her, and what does it accomplish? A thought that I’ve written before comes to mind: you can’t control other’s driving, but you can control your reaction to it.

These two ladies had the axiom reversed — they were trying to control other’s driving, and couldn’t control their reaction to it.

Apparently, not only is tailgating a big peeve for drivers, but perceived tailgating musters wrath as well — and not just with women.

A month or so ago, the young male driver I’d been following (two seconds behind at 30 mph) for a couple of blocks began to slow down. He eventually was down to about 18 mph when I began a pass—he moved over to block it. At a stoplight, he even straddled the centerline in an attempt to keep me behind him. I pulled to his left anyway, and inquired as to the problem.

“You’re following too close(ly),” he exclaimed. The light then changed, and I turned left without comment. But I had the same old questions. Did he know our speed? Did he understand that proper following distance is minimal at low speeds? Why didn’t he want me to pass, if he thought I was too close? I suppose he was going to correct my following distance and my speed.

Luckily, for sanity and safety, most drivers are not this clueless. I believe that the majority of drivers do fairly well, but many are out of control. Drivers like these three are especially bad, as they actually believe they are in the right — trying to change driver behavior from an erroneous base of “knowledge.”

Please remember: control your own driving and your reactions to the driving of others. Don’t try to change what poor drivers are doing — just try to get clear of them.