I make a couple of 400-mile round trips a week, between two cities, in my pickup truck. I find that if I leave around 5 am, I encounter the most professional group of drivers. They yield. They look ahead. They consider their distance from each other and give each other space and grace.
By 6 am, the folks trying to beat the rush are merging onto the interstate. It's a bit of a scrum, with the more gracious group of drivers getting infiltrated by what I call the slicers and dicers -- those drivers that slide back-and-forth from lane to lane, trying to advance their position. Spacing between vehicles in the same lane tightens up and I start to see some aggressive tailgating and flashing of lights as if to say "get out of my way!"
By 7 am, traffic is backing up as people try to get to their workplace before 8 am. This is when I exit the freeway and travel the neighborhoods through the city, avoiding the plugging up highway as long as I can.
I think the other thing I've been observing over the past five or ten years is people aren't looking ahead as much as they used to. By that I mean: they aren't thinking about the needs and responses of others. When I drive, I'm super aware of truckers. In years past, I've been on my motorcycle twice when a big rig's tire blew explosively beside me or just ahead of me. Things can happen very quickly and unpredictably. Now, I give truckers extra space. If there is a car on the shoulder ahead, I'll move out of the middle lane to clear a safe path for the truck. If they need to come back in ahead of me, I'll back off and flash my lights a few times to let them know their big rig is clear of mine and that I know they are coming back into the lane.
Above all, I follow what I call the "lug nut rule" -- the vehicle with the most lug nuts wins.
I enjoyed your observations, especially as I, too, very much love to make long drives. I do this most often alone and find this to be the most reflective time I have. I don't tire of the ever-changing landscapes, even in flat country.
Be well, and safe travels, always and in all ways.
You're a person after my own heart. Yes, that time alone, driving down the highway, even on the flatland brings out the best reflections and epiphanies for me. I don't ever tire of it, either.
I agree with you about the early morning drivers. Of course this may also reflect that I love driving westbound. That being said late night drivers for me are the worst. They are usually in a hurry, stay in the left lane lingering, and do a lot of flashing their brights. I see it more often than not. I'm conscientious of lane-changing and staying out of the way of faster drivers, but some (as you mentioned) have little to no thoughts of other drivers on the road.
The 3 AM start time is my favorite. l-80 is my favorite, I practically know all the exits by heart after so many years of driving back and forth across the country.
What part of the country are you living in?
Here in Michigan there are practically no roads to get lost on for reflection. If I hit the upper peninsula there are a few, it's remote up there, but almost too remote.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, nice to know a fellow sojourner likes long distance driving solo.
I spend most of my time in Oregon and I work in Washington State, so that probably explains the drives. Last year my spouse and I took a nice road trip to Wichita and I think we'll do that again but choose some different routes. I also have one or two amateur radio transceivers operating so when I get tired of audio books and the rotating SiriusXM tunes, I can usually find another radio person to chat with.
Michigan and the Yoop! Watch out for critters! I hear you grow some big ones out there! We get deer, of course, but also bear, sometimes a mountain lion, and sometimes elk. In northeast Washington, I've also encountered moose. (When my son was about 10 years old, we were driving in NE WA when he said, "Dad, those were funny looking horses!" The remote mountain highway was empty so I backed up and there was a whole moose family browsing in some wetlands by the road. They are now known in my family as "funny looking horses.")
Yes, where you're located definitely explains the drives. I loved living in the west. Everywhere was a drive, but not a drive that stressed me out (except near LA and San Fran).
Love the story about the moose. I saw a bear one time (in the Ocala National forest) and thought it was a human on all fours crawling across the road. I got new glasses shortly after.
The deer here in the lower peninsula aren't the biggest I've encountered. Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana hold their fair share of big deer. In the UP they are bigger, for sure.
Sirius XM is a God send for tunes. Otherwise I'm one who drives in silence with only the road noise to hold my attention.
Nice read my Love. You were paying attention to the detail. It's the truckers (wheel holders), with their feet up on the dash, that makes me shake my head.
Interesting. I'd definitely agree that ageing brings more thoughtfulness re preparing to drive - what time of day, making sure the night vision glasses are in the car, allowing extra time so I don't feel hassled about going more slowly if I need to. But I also am fortunate to live in the north of Scotland where there are no motorways and relatively few people.
Night vision glasses? I've never heard of them! Something I'm checking into immediately. They would help tremendously. I can only imagine in Scotland and other European countries driving must be so different as compared to here. I've only traveled by bus, train, and public transit while there. I don't think I'd ever attempt driving, even if I end up moving there (which is currently a strong possibility at the moment).
And yes, I agree, you are fortunate to live in that part of Scotland. Thank you for sharing, I can't wait to find these night vision glasses!
Drivers are generally insane! I've gotten to where I don't like to drive. My husband prefers to drive, so when we go on long trips, he's usually at the wheel these days unless we need to travel "together" in separate vehicles, which we have to do on occasion. I get the cats in my vehicle--not the best travelers.
I've observed all the driver related things that you mention. I've never had the experience of being in a semi. I really feel for your husband and the rest of those men and women out on the roads making sure all the rest of us get our food and "stuff." It's a dangerous job, and they don't get the appreciation that they deserve. So, please let Carl know that I and many others really appreciate what he does for our country. The lunatics on the road put all of us in danger, but truckers get the worst of it. It's bad enough when someone pulls right in front of you when you're driving a passenger car, but a big truck?
Thank you for this great post. And travel on, Patti!
Thank you, Daria. Carl drives when we are together for sure. I passed on your kind words, he appreciated them and said "thank you."
Driving is such a privilege here in the US. Sadly people take it for granted and are 'all about them' which puts the rest of us at a terrible risk at times. Anyway, I can't let this stop me from flying free, as I'm aging I'd rather drive than fly. For now.
No, I definitely haven't seen it all, but I'm very much sure experienced very strange stuff in truck stops. Years ago I drove and worked for a moving company and things were even weird back then. There is something about truck stops that draws the odd and brings out less than stellar behavior at times. (Thank you for the restack!)
I make a couple of 400-mile round trips a week, between two cities, in my pickup truck. I find that if I leave around 5 am, I encounter the most professional group of drivers. They yield. They look ahead. They consider their distance from each other and give each other space and grace.
By 6 am, the folks trying to beat the rush are merging onto the interstate. It's a bit of a scrum, with the more gracious group of drivers getting infiltrated by what I call the slicers and dicers -- those drivers that slide back-and-forth from lane to lane, trying to advance their position. Spacing between vehicles in the same lane tightens up and I start to see some aggressive tailgating and flashing of lights as if to say "get out of my way!"
By 7 am, traffic is backing up as people try to get to their workplace before 8 am. This is when I exit the freeway and travel the neighborhoods through the city, avoiding the plugging up highway as long as I can.
I think the other thing I've been observing over the past five or ten years is people aren't looking ahead as much as they used to. By that I mean: they aren't thinking about the needs and responses of others. When I drive, I'm super aware of truckers. In years past, I've been on my motorcycle twice when a big rig's tire blew explosively beside me or just ahead of me. Things can happen very quickly and unpredictably. Now, I give truckers extra space. If there is a car on the shoulder ahead, I'll move out of the middle lane to clear a safe path for the truck. If they need to come back in ahead of me, I'll back off and flash my lights a few times to let them know their big rig is clear of mine and that I know they are coming back into the lane.
Above all, I follow what I call the "lug nut rule" -- the vehicle with the most lug nuts wins.
I enjoyed your observations, especially as I, too, very much love to make long drives. I do this most often alone and find this to be the most reflective time I have. I don't tire of the ever-changing landscapes, even in flat country.
Be well, and safe travels, always and in all ways.
You're a person after my own heart. Yes, that time alone, driving down the highway, even on the flatland brings out the best reflections and epiphanies for me. I don't ever tire of it, either.
I agree with you about the early morning drivers. Of course this may also reflect that I love driving westbound. That being said late night drivers for me are the worst. They are usually in a hurry, stay in the left lane lingering, and do a lot of flashing their brights. I see it more often than not. I'm conscientious of lane-changing and staying out of the way of faster drivers, but some (as you mentioned) have little to no thoughts of other drivers on the road.
The 3 AM start time is my favorite. l-80 is my favorite, I practically know all the exits by heart after so many years of driving back and forth across the country.
What part of the country are you living in?
Here in Michigan there are practically no roads to get lost on for reflection. If I hit the upper peninsula there are a few, it's remote up there, but almost too remote.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences, nice to know a fellow sojourner likes long distance driving solo.
I spend most of my time in Oregon and I work in Washington State, so that probably explains the drives. Last year my spouse and I took a nice road trip to Wichita and I think we'll do that again but choose some different routes. I also have one or two amateur radio transceivers operating so when I get tired of audio books and the rotating SiriusXM tunes, I can usually find another radio person to chat with.
Michigan and the Yoop! Watch out for critters! I hear you grow some big ones out there! We get deer, of course, but also bear, sometimes a mountain lion, and sometimes elk. In northeast Washington, I've also encountered moose. (When my son was about 10 years old, we were driving in NE WA when he said, "Dad, those were funny looking horses!" The remote mountain highway was empty so I backed up and there was a whole moose family browsing in some wetlands by the road. They are now known in my family as "funny looking horses.")
Yes, where you're located definitely explains the drives. I loved living in the west. Everywhere was a drive, but not a drive that stressed me out (except near LA and San Fran).
Love the story about the moose. I saw a bear one time (in the Ocala National forest) and thought it was a human on all fours crawling across the road. I got new glasses shortly after.
The deer here in the lower peninsula aren't the biggest I've encountered. Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana hold their fair share of big deer. In the UP they are bigger, for sure.
Sirius XM is a God send for tunes. Otherwise I'm one who drives in silence with only the road noise to hold my attention.
Nice read my Love. You were paying attention to the detail. It's the truckers (wheel holders), with their feet up on the dash, that makes me shake my head.
Thanks, honey. Riding with you takes on a whole new level of perspective. I admire you and your work ethic. ❤️
Ha. Sometime I’ll do a post Things I’ve observed of trucks on the interstate. Good column
Thanks so much for taking time to read and share, I appreciate you!
Interesting. I'd definitely agree that ageing brings more thoughtfulness re preparing to drive - what time of day, making sure the night vision glasses are in the car, allowing extra time so I don't feel hassled about going more slowly if I need to. But I also am fortunate to live in the north of Scotland where there are no motorways and relatively few people.
Night vision glasses? I've never heard of them! Something I'm checking into immediately. They would help tremendously. I can only imagine in Scotland and other European countries driving must be so different as compared to here. I've only traveled by bus, train, and public transit while there. I don't think I'd ever attempt driving, even if I end up moving there (which is currently a strong possibility at the moment).
And yes, I agree, you are fortunate to live in that part of Scotland. Thank you for sharing, I can't wait to find these night vision glasses!
They do make a difference - I tried out a friend’s first and could see it helped. It’s still a challenge, but I reckon they are worth it :)
Hi Patti, I suspect you get a different view from that perspective - fascinating.
Oh yes, some images I can't forget, darn it.
I don't even want to imagine.
Drivers are generally insane! I've gotten to where I don't like to drive. My husband prefers to drive, so when we go on long trips, he's usually at the wheel these days unless we need to travel "together" in separate vehicles, which we have to do on occasion. I get the cats in my vehicle--not the best travelers.
I've observed all the driver related things that you mention. I've never had the experience of being in a semi. I really feel for your husband and the rest of those men and women out on the roads making sure all the rest of us get our food and "stuff." It's a dangerous job, and they don't get the appreciation that they deserve. So, please let Carl know that I and many others really appreciate what he does for our country. The lunatics on the road put all of us in danger, but truckers get the worst of it. It's bad enough when someone pulls right in front of you when you're driving a passenger car, but a big truck?
Thank you for this great post. And travel on, Patti!
Thank you, Daria. Carl drives when we are together for sure. I passed on your kind words, he appreciated them and said "thank you."
Driving is such a privilege here in the US. Sadly people take it for granted and are 'all about them' which puts the rest of us at a terrible risk at times. Anyway, I can't let this stop me from flying free, as I'm aging I'd rather drive than fly. For now.
“I passed on that.” This line made me laugh 😂 Sounds like you’ve seen it all!
No, I definitely haven't seen it all, but I'm very much sure experienced very strange stuff in truck stops. Years ago I drove and worked for a moving company and things were even weird back then. There is something about truck stops that draws the odd and brings out less than stellar behavior at times. (Thank you for the restack!)