Go With The Flow

Here’s a snip from an email we received and, although this wasn’t the main point the writer was addressing, it reminded me of an observation I’ve been wanting to make…

“…I make several 180 mile trips on the interstate throughout the year and my biggest frustration is slow people in the left lane. Iowa even has signs posted on the roadways notifying slower cars to stay to the right, but still these drivers continue on, moving slowly, in the left lane.“ [Emphasis mine–JAT]

A number of months ago, I bought one of those AbLounges.  You know, the piece of exercise equipment that looks sort of like some kind of lawn-chair chaise which lets you fold yourself inside and out when you sit in it and which offers you rock solid, highly-defined abs as a result of what appears on TV to be an almost effortless expenditure of energy.

When my easy answer to a sculpted midsection arrived, I had one of my sons put it together for me (otherwise, it would still be in the shipping box).  I tried it out for a couple of minutes and enjoyed it.  Then it was given a prominent place in our rec room.  Funny thing.  Since I hardly ever go into the rec room, it ended up just occupying space, unused.  And my promised “rock hard abs” were nowhere to be found.

One day, upon noticing that I still had what appeared to be just a single, larger ab and not the desired, well-defined “six pack”, I decided I would do something to insure that my AbLounge would accomplish more for me than simply collecting dust.

I took it and placed it directly in the path I take as I move back and forth multiple times throughout the day between the La-Z-Boy recliner in my office and the kitchenette where I go to fix myself a latte’, get a glass of water to drink, etc.  I figured that if I nearly tripped over the thing (which, in fact, happened more than once) then, surely, I would take a few moments to develop those “rock hard abs”.

Now here’s my point: it has been at least six months since I put that AbLounge there and I can tell you that I hardly notice the thing every time I walk by, even though I have to walk around it!  This is the problem with those posted exhortations along our freeways which say Theme and Variation of ”Slower traffic move right”.  Nobody notices them.  Like my AbLounge, the signs are, for all practical purposes, invisible and their message goes unheeded.

This is one really good reason why the MOVE OVER decal is so effective.  Since the decal suddenly appears in a driver’s rear-view mirror and since it is so completely out of the normal driving routine, it not only gets noticed but its message very often gets through.

I can pretty-well guarantee you that the pro-active, MOVE OVER message gets a far better response than those seldom-noticed, seldom-heeded, roadside signs.

We’ve got to get drivers thinking about the proper use of the Left Lane.  The MOVE OVER decal plays a significant role in bringing this to the forefront of drivers’ minds.  Thanks for helping us spread the word.

P.S.  Does anyone want to purchase a very slightly used AbLounge?  [JAT] 

“when I see these ridiculous stickers, I slow down and stay in the left lane.

“I pay road taxes like the rest. thank you for letting others id themselves as road raging speeders that I slow down and block.spoke with a few people that target these speeders in the left lane also.”

Knightmare

This unedited email (including the title) clearly demonstrates the kind of attitude which does absolutely nothing to help reduce what we call the “emotional temperatures” on today’s crowded highways.  In fact, it appears that “Knightmare” is an appropriate moniker for this person.

We can only wish s/he would consider the possibility that this kind of behavior potentially provokes other drivers, with foolish and dangerous actions being a likely response.  All of this could easily be prevented if “Knightmare” would simply move out of the way and let the other person pass.  Then we could all live to have pleasant dreams, instead.  [JAT]

Sooner or later, it had to happen.  A blog for Left Lane Drivers of America.  After being on numerous radio interviews, scattered news stories around the country on TV and even in a few newspapers here and there, word is getting out: If you’re not a Left Lane Driver, then get out of the Left Lane!  Many thanks to you for helping us spread the word.

This pro-active, ”grassroots effort” is still very much in its infancy.  The goal is nationwide awareness, to get drivers all over the country to be more actively thinking about the proper uses for the Left Lanes on our freeways and multi-lane highways.

Just over 50 years ago, then-president Dwight D. Eisenhower signed the Federal Aid Highway Act, authorizing almost 50,000 miles of Interstate Highways (freeways) to be built.  Now that this remarkable undertaking is complete (Technically, almost complete: there remains one, final connection north of Philly to close the last gap in I-95.  The project involves an I-95 interchange with the Pennsylvania Turnpike and an additional bridge over the Delaware River parallel to the existing bridge), it’s appropriate that we remind ourselves that we probably won’t see much in the way of additional new miles of freeways in our lifetimes.  What we will see are more and more cars and trucks coming on to the existing infrastructure, adding to the congestion which is already almost intolerable in some locales.

Our work is cut out for us.  The only positive alternative we can think of, near term, is to encourage drivers to make the best possible, most efficient use of what we have.  In other words, we need to do what we can to keep the flow going.  Among other things, this involves giving other drivers the courtesy of getting out of their way, wherever possible.

If we don’t start thinking along these lines, we’re only going to see the emotional temperatures on our pressure-cooker freeways get hotter.  So please, do your part.  And, help us spread the word…