If I didn't have a university class every Tuesday and Thursday, my ventures onto the freeway would be reduced to maybe once a week. Even then, I could get where I need to go without it on that one day. I could get to UNM on side streets as well, but it would take forever, and I've already posted more than one rant about how this one class is a sacrifice of 2 1/2 hours of pay every week, threatening to remove me from the rolls of "full time = full benefits" (which amounts to paid time off as the other benefit is free dental care). So, I hop onto I25 south every Tues. & Thurs. for that really fun round trip.
To be clear, I don't have a problem with driving on the freeway.
However, there are some really scary moments that I don't experience on the side streets that involve driving 65 mph (or 70, depending). I am old school ~ I still recall much of the safety lessons from my days in drivers ed. I know kids still take drivers ed., but I am beginning to believe that it's a far cry from what I was taught back in the day......
There are lots of aggressive, stupid, distracted drivers out there, and they are at their most crazy when the speeds are over 40.
I like to maintain at least one car length between me and the car in front of me pretty much no matter what speed we're going, but most especially when we're zooming down the freeway. Of course, this space seems to be an open invitation for anyone who isn't happy with the lane they're in. Whatever. I just drop my speed enough to open that space again. Which, yeah, is a vicious cycle. What I witness as I'm driving down the freeway is people that don't plan ahead and thread the needle of traffic across as many as 3 lanes (or more) to take that exit they somehow forgot to take. It's stuff like that. It really freaks me out.
What about you? Be safe out there.....
Love, 365
Do not visit here - you will be frantic. Everyone is aggressive and angry and going nowhere because traffic is 2nd to LA. 12 miles = 1 hr drive.
ReplyDeleteI moved here from San Antonio, one of the 10 largest cities in the US, so am no stranger to huge traffic jams and aggressive drivers. Every time I go home it reminds me of the craziness and reaffirms I don't want to deal with that every day. Nope.
DeleteWhen we first moved to Albuquerque, I marveled at the traffic complaints because unless a semi with a load of cows over-turns (which did just happen a month or so ago) we don't really have bad traffic. However, we are not immune to idiots or aggressive drivers.
Just a lot of distracted drivers out there. I am amazed at how many things they are doing in the car besides driving.
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe that is the crux of the matter, is that there is too much distraction. Most people I see are either on their phones, or eating/drinking (usually coffee, haha). Being a defensive driver is not a useful skill, it's an essential skill.....
DeleteLol, not here ~ of course I do see BMW's on the road, but most New Mexicans like trucks. Not to say there aren't plenty of cars on the road, but it does amaze me when the driver of an expensive car cuts me off. I suppose they have enough $$ to replace it if they cause an accident.
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