Four Miles From Boring

The Daily Drive

I used to love to run errands. I would hop in my car, scoot off to Target or the mall, and browse and shop and buy. Now, I only head out when I'm ready for some white-knuckle driving.

My New England natives, pray tell, what is the philosophy behind the "drive really fast to the white line and scare the crap out of drivers" technique? I'm sure you've seen it. You're cruising along, singing off-key to something on the radio (my guilty pleasure: Kelly Clarkson. It's just so damn catchy!), when off to your side some jack-hole in a clunker comes cruising at warp speed sure to T-bone you! My life flashes, I slam on the brakes just as they do, and try to remember which line comes next in "Since U Been Gone."

I'm picking up on the idea that everyone is in a hurry around here. I get it. Really. But do you realize by flying up, forcing me to slam on the brakes, you're actually hurting you? You're making your drive longer. Because now, you have to wait for me to regain the speed I was once traveling at?

So, if you slow me down, dear drivers, it takes and extra 5 seconds for you to pull out after me. How many times a day do you do this? 20? 24? Let's say 24 for easy math.

That's an extra 2 minutes a day.

14 minutes a week.

60 minutes a month.

720 minutes a year.

Now, Mr. I'm In Such A Hurry, what could you do with an extra 12 hours a year of free time?

posted by Allison @ 6:28 PM