traffic tuesday #3 – slow motion

Last week’s traffic rant was way too long, so I’ll be brief here.

Today I want to highlight those special people who believe that turning is best done after you come to a complete stop. There’s nothing more frustrating than cruising down the road when you notice a turn signal on in front of you.

You think, “No problem, I can just let off the gas a bit and then speed up after they turn.”

Wrong.

Mr. Turn Signal has lured you into his devious trap. What should have ended five minutes ago has been stretched into some horrible work of art. I believe these slow-turners practice this maneuver over and over in and out of their driveways.

While one of the more annoying traffic habits, it does require the following skills:

• Fluid hand over hand turning technique. This is the way you were taught to turn in Drivers Ed, but then stopped doing when you realized that turning with one hand (using the palm) was way cooler.
• Steady brake control. The goal here is to keep moving the brake pedal to the floor as slowly as possible. If you let up or hold the brake in one spot, you have to start over and try again.
• Zero awareness of anyone or anything else. What better way to deal with all of the people honking, zipping by, and screeching to a halt behind you then by being oblivious to everything except how exceptionally safe you are turning.

Related posts:

1. traffic tuesday #9 – slow, fast, slow
2. traffic tuesday #4 – no wave
3. traffic tuesday #11 – slow acceleration
4. traffic tuesday #8 – attention deficit
5. traffic tuesday #1 – turning right at a light