Hurray for Indiana’s slow poke law

Let me mention right off the bat that I don’t speed.  I can’t remember the last time I got a ticket for speeding.  Most of the time people say I drive as if I were a grandma.  I try to go at the speed limit or on some occasions maybe a couple of miles above it. 

When I first learned to drive I learned a very important thing, to be courteous to other drivers.  If someone is coming up behind me going faster than I, and I happen to be in the left lane then I pull over to the right lane to let him or her pass.  I have a rear view mirror as do other drivers and I can see what is happening behind me.  I am not a policeman and I do not have to monitor whether they are going at the proper speed or not.  It’s not for me to say.

Lately when I am driving I notice that too many drivers just hang out in the “passing lane”.  They are not turning.  They are not passing.  They are just Sunday driving usually alongside someone going the same speed in the right lane, thus setting up a pretty effective road block.  They are always oblivious to the line of cars that are accumulating behind them.  The line adds up to probably 20 or more cars with the road ahead wide open.

And then a irritated and dangerous driver decides to closely tailgate, flash their lights or to weave in and out with barely a few inches between cars trying to get in front this self absorbed slow poke.  Now that is an accident waiting to happen, when all this person had to do was get over into the right lane.

Actually the left lane is “the passing lane”, but drivers these days don’t view it that way.  Makes me wonder if they ever had any driver’s education.  So now in July Indiana will join one other state that tickets drivers who do not get over for faster moving traffic.  For those of you who feel that this law is not justified, I’m sure glad I’m not driving behind you.

slow poke law

Parking lot pet peeve

Christmas will be here before you know it and you will be shopping and going in and out of many parking lots.  Beware—because there is danger there.  No, relax I don’t mean someone is out get you. (Although you might be careful there too) I’m talking about your car.  I’m referring to the lazy people who wheel the shopping carts out and then leave them…anywhere. 

I know you’ve seen it.  You enter a parking lot at a strip mall or discount department store and there are carts littered all over the place, left by those who couldn’t be bothered to return it to the store.  Just this morning, I counted 7 carts left on medians, sidewalks and even parking spaces in just one lot.  They are calling for wind today so that is a recipe for automobile disaster. 

Have you ever wondered why stores put up signs that they will not be responsible for any damage incurred in their lots?  It’s not due to graffiti artists or car accidents; the reason is due to errant carts wheeling around without a driver like bumper cars.

The best solution to this lazy problem is what a store like Aldi grocery store does to combat this problem. You place a quarter in a slot for your cart and then when it is returned, you get the quarter back.  If you don’t return it then you’ve paid a quarter for your laziness. You never see any carts sitting around their lots.

So be a doll and protect the cars in the lot, return your carts this season…the car you save may be your own. 

Involuntary mom arm

When you drive the older kids around (And by older I'm talking teenagers and above) do you do the mom arm thing when making a quick stop?

If you are not a mom then you may be wondering what in the world am I talking about.

Mom arm
- n
1.  Also called a maternal automobile restraint.  An arm placed in front of an unsuspecting passenger to restrain forward motion in a event of a collision.

2.  An overprotective action which causes involuntary eye rolling in pre-adults.

Since my daughter graduated college last year I haven't had the opportunity to drive with her as a passenger of late.  Last week while we were going out to lunch, a car cut in front of me forcing me to brake quickly.  The old familiar mom arm appeared and she looked at me as if I had grown two horns.  I just shrugged it off.  I doubt that the mom arm really does much in the way of protection in an accident.  The seat beat takes care of that.  Since the mom arm is involuntary it really doesn't matter if the passenger is a child, adult, or stranger.  It just happens.

A few days later I received a phone call from said daughter.  While she was taking her beloved jack russell terrier to the vet, she stopped short and lo and behold the mom arm made an appearance!  Dogs don't roll their eyes, but judging from the horror my daughter felt, I can only imagine the look on her face.  Guess the mom arm works with pets too.

Do you do the mom arm?