In flying ‘good enough’ was never good enough for me. For some it was; not for me. I always reached for the “Outstanding,” and upon occasion, was able to catch it…
Today, in retirement, I don’t fly. Just doesn’t hold any interest for me anymore. I do however, drive quite a bit. Often I will take a “road trip” vs. fly. A lot less stress than dealing with flying standby, surly TSA agents or the other ‘annoyances’ associated with air travel. However, I digress… I wish hereto discuss my recent observations about the “New Age” Ohio driving regulations.
Caveat: If the Universe centers around you, know I am not talking about you; of course.
First of all, in Ohio now, you can blow through stop signs, if there are no Cops around. I have seen several techniques for this. First, slow down when approaching a stop sign, and if you can make it, go for it. Oncoming vehicles will slow, knowing it’s you. Second, if you’re the second in line coming to a stop sign, ‘piggy-back’ on the car ahead of you. If oncoming traffic is going to slow for the guy ahead of you, they will also slow for you. And finally, just ignore the sign completely.
My next observation has to do with making left-hand turns. They used to be 90-degree turns, but now they are two 45-degree turns, or rounded off completely – claiming the ‘airspace’ you once were entitled to when approaching a stop sign yourself. This creates a problem if you are of the tribe who thinks stop signs are just for other folks!
I don’t know why the Ohio Department of Motor Vehicles bothers with speed limit signs; no one follows them anyway. Another savings Ohio could realize is not bothering to use yellow stripes anymore. Folks these days either don’t know their meaning, or they just ignore them. Had a guy pass cross a double yellow line the other day on Weckerly Road, on an inside turn. I wasn’t going fast enough for him, I suppose. Then again, I probably didn’t realize just how important he was!
The folks I enjoy are those of you who put on ‘hissy-fits’ when you come up behind me going the speed limit! I take a perverse sense of delight watching your immature antics in my mirror. My favorites are the steering wheel bangers! Great fun watching you! It’s a nice thing being retired; usually I am not in any hurry to get anywhere, so I can take the time to savor your antics. And ‘riding my ass’ won’t get me to go any faster either. As I used to tell my students; “Just fly your jet, and don’t worry about your wingman. It’s his job “to be there.'”
In all seriousness, the ‘courtesies of the road’ are essentially gone anymore. You have to drive ‘defensively,’ or you won’t survive long out there…