A lot of people talk about speed being an issue. I believe that control and responsibility is much more important than speed. In Germany, where they do have sections of the autobahn with no speed limit, they had ½ as many fatalities per million than the US.
The sad thing is that people are ignoring basic protocols. Here are some good ideas:
1/ Clean ALL the snow off your vehicle! Not some, not most ALL!
If you are going to make sure that you are safe visibility is key. All windows should be clear of snow. This includes the rear window as threats can come from the rear. The hood should be clear of snow because it will blow back on your window and blind the driver as well. The trunk and the roof should be cleared of snow because if the snow blinds the person behind you your car is likely the one they will hit. While you are at it clean the salt residue off your lights as well. This is easy to forget but it can save your life.
2/ If you are driving on a road with two or more lanes going in the same direction, use the left lane as a passing lane ( right lane if you are in one of those countries that drive on the wrong side of the road, yes I am looking at you England).
You are not a police officer. It is not your responsibility to keep everybody doing the speed limit. If they are driving like idiots you want them to have their accident far away from you anyway. Driving on the highway is a team sport. If you can, let people on and off. Try to anticipate where people are going and let them get there. It makes it easier for everybody.
3/ If you hear a siren or see an emergency light GET OUT OF THE WAY! These people are on their way to something important. Make a path for them. After it has passed don’t be an idiot and try to sneak past the cars that are pulled over. That is a bad karma move. Think of it like a yellow flag at a race, everybody takes the position they had before the incident.
I was once in a bumper to bumper traffic jam in Vancouver (in Vancouver this was just a regular Wednesday afternoon). We all heard the siren come up. Nobody had a lot of room to move but everybody moved over the little bit they could. The ambulance shot through. I was never so proud to be part of a group of motorists.
It is my fervent belief that all these vehicles should be equipped with dashboard cameras. After the emergency the fool who did not get out of the way should be introduced to the people who were impacted by their stupidity. Bats and a sound proof room could be provided when appropriate.
Oh, this bit should go without saying but if you see one of these vehicles pulled over give them some room as you go by. Watch for doors that may be opening too. That isn’t a bad idea at any time.
4/ Those funny eight sided red signs that say STOP on them mean STOP. Not yield, not slow down and they most defiantly don’t mean speed up.
5/ Communicate your intentions. There are very few drivers out there who are Kreskin. In fact, to the best of my knowledge there is only one (see picture)
This means signal your intentions on the road. I know this would be a lot easier if they would put a series of lights on the car that you could use to let people know if you were going to turn. Oh wait they have those. They are called turn signals.
6/ Only enter an intersection that you are sure you can get out of. Yes you are in a hurry. Yes the light is short but how is waiting in the middle of the intersection, blocking traffic, better than waiting behind the stop line? Sitting in the middle of the intersection with that stupid “What am I supposed to do?” look on your face and shrugging your shoulders is not endearing you to anybody. Someday someone will snap. If you are lucky they will make obscene gestures and yell an amusing assortment of profanities. If you are unlucky you will have somebody coming at you with a tire iron.
7/ If you need to pull over, pull over to the right (to the left if you are in England, Japan, Australia or anywhere else where they drive on the other side of the road). It should be a nice straight stretch where people can see you. It gives people a chance to react and will keep you safe.
One of my scariest moments on the road happened several years ago. I was tootling along in the fast lane on a six lane highway. I may have been going a little over the posted speed limit. The road dipped and turned. When it straightened out I found myself closing in on a stopped car. The driver had a flat tire and had pulled over towards the centre of the highway. There wasn’t a full shoulder so he was blocking ½ of the fast lane. He was also standing behind the car. If I had just jammed on the brakes he would have been the filling in a car sandwich. I flicked the car in to the next lane and spent the next 500 m getting the rear end under control.
The biggest thing to remember is that driving is a team sport. Think about what is going to keep traffic moving efficiently and safely. You will run in to idiots on the road. Give them a lot of space and let them have their accident far away from you.
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