My analysis
People who speed while driving seem to defend
their actions. They claim that speeding actual decreases the chances of
getting into an accident. The actual time spent traveling on the road is
shortened, therefore, decreasing time for an accident to happen. An example
for speed to decrease the chances of getting into an accident is that when
there is a drunk driver on the road, if you are traveling the same speed as
that driver, you will be driving close to him for a longer period of time than
if you were traveling at a faster speed. The example also puts the drunk
driver in the same position as a sleepy driver, cell phone driver, or a
suicide attempt.
My reaction
I think that speeding is something that some drivers do in order to
feel like they have a lot of power. Speed is essential for certain
situations, for example, the police. fire fighters and the ambulance
workers. When speed is used for people to feel like they are tough or have
power, the mentality of the person behind the wheel is not "safety first". I
think that going over the speed limit a little sometimes shouldn't be
considered a crime and it shouldn't be a means of getting to a destination
safely.
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My analysis
While on the highway, the left lane is
assumed to be the "passing lane". If you are traveling at a certain speed
and the car in back of you comes up behind you, it is assumed that you know
that you are supposed to go into the right lane so that the car that is
behind you can pass. Some drivers think that the left lane is not just
another lane for driving in, it is a passing lane and should be treated
accordingly. They say that it varies from state to state, but in some, when
someone wants to get by, you are supposed to get out the way and if you
don't, it is considered a horrible sin.
My reaction
I think that the left lane is considered and known by most drivers as
a carpool lane. There also seems to be an unwritten understanding that the
left lane is for cars traveling at a faster speed than the ones in the other
lanes. When people don't abide by these "rules", other drivers seem to take
offense to it. For example, if a car is in the left lane and traveling at 55
mph (the maximum speed limit) and the car that is 100 feet in back of the
first car, traveling at 70 mph, the second driver will become irritated. He
may start to tailgate the first car in order to force him to change lanes.
This scenario can lead to so many possible problems. It could cause an
accident or it could create tension between the two drivers which could lead
to a confrontation between them. Nevertheless, I think that the left lane
speed limit is the same for all the lanes. The only difference is that the
left lane is mainly for drivers who carpool.
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My analysis
The two second rule seems to be something
that not many people are doing. They say that it just isn't possible to keep a
two second interval between two cars. The mentality seems to be more of a
competition than a community of driving. If there is a space between your car
and the car in front of yours, the fear of another car cutting in is what
prevent drivers from leaving that two second interval space. Another point
that was brought up is that no one driver can define a safe following
distance, it has to be everyone.
My reaction
I think it is difficult to use the two second rule all the time.
Especially here in Hawaii, there is so much traffic all the time. I have tried
to use this approach when driving and it seems to make my daily driving
experience interesting to see how people react to this because of the fact
that a lot of people have the habit of tailgating when in heavy traffic. In
traffic, people's mentality is to stay as close to the car in front of theirs
so that no one can cut into their lane. If everyone used the two second rule,
the on ramps and lane changes would run much smoother and maybe there wouldn't
be such heavy traffic all the time.
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