Driving Me Crazy

Posted Jan 19, 2006 by Vidisha Priyanka

Updated Jan 19, 2006 at 09:27 AM

The rising price of gas and increasing number of vehicles commuting to work are making life more stressful by the day. If you drive a compact car like I do, then that stress increases exponentially.

Have you, too, been stuck behind a wide vehicle with a wider behind – one of those that occupies the entire width of the lane, blocking your view ahead and to the sides? I like to see at least one car ahead of me, as it helps me control my braking pattern and speed. If I am able to see ahead, I can respond better in case there is any sort of obstruction.

Even worse is when you get stuck behind a tall vehicle. Then you can’t see if the light ahead of you is red or green. By the time the vehicle crosses the light, you might be in a dangerous “orange light zone” or, worse yet, the red zone. And as far as I know from anecdotes from friends and acquaintances, the police don’t respond kindly to the excuse, “But officer, I couldn’t see anything ahead of me because of the big truck!”

Another thing I have noticed while driving to work is the people trying to cut in line, especially where the road starts to split for exits. One example is where I-275 southbound starts the split to Orlando and downtown; another where the downtown exit converges on I-275 northbound and splits again to go to I-4.

Those who travel the route know what I am talking about. Malfunction Junction gets worse because people in the extreme left try to go as far as possible to avoid getting in line in the split lane, and then try to cut in front of the line. They not only slow the traffic on the through lanes, they also stall the smooth flow of the split.

The city and county can go on making new lanes, but the confusion will not end until the attitudes change.