On the Road

Hot Rod Racers #5
September 1965

From time to time I have to take long trips which cover several states and which usually are for the most part on modern highways. When I return I list all the driving hazards I met and study them very carefully. Some of these are situations which most of us meet over and over again. Others are rare ones which surprise us even though they may have a dangerous element connected with them. And some of these situations are of the type that will be repeated when I again have to make the same trip over the same area. Let me illustrate this.

In making this particular trip I use a highway that has short access roads leading into it. In fact, two of them are dangerous because you do not spot an approaching car until you are almost upon it. So that when I repeat the trip I am aware of the danger as I approach this area. Also, one particular section seems to almost attract fog. Given a light rain, a change in temperature, and suddenly you find it difficult to look more than thirty feet ahead of you. And at one part of the highway the three lanes suddenly narrow into two lanes. So that I never want to be next to two other cars all headed for the narrowing lanes.

The other highway that I used had a setup that normally would not appear to be dangerous to most of the drivers. As I headed north on this modern three lane highway there was an access road on my right. A very short distance ahead there was an exit lane leading away from the left hand lane. Now this is what happened while I was driving. A large city sanitation truck suddenly came from the access road, cut across the three lanes and then left by exit lane. One car almost smashed into him.

One of the highways needed a good repair lane job done and the next time I travel I will do my best to avoid that lane-if it hasn't as yet been finished. Now we can take a look at some of the other situations I met. In order to get onto the highway I had to travel seven miles through the city. And then suddenly something happened that made me blink my eyes. There were two traffic lights. One was green and the other was red! But which one was working? We waited and the green light turned red so that meant it was the one in working condition. However it was a dangerous situation and I had to proceed with caution.

I hope a certain young man reads this article. He no doubt is in love with the girl at his side. He was hugging her, kissing her, and driving his car at the same time. As though the outside world didn't exist. My wife says she realizes many people will not believe it - but it did happen. Let me add his car was finally stopped and I figure he did get what he deserved. But if he really loved the girl I am certain he would worry a bit more about her safety and not be such a menace on the road. I could be wrong because people do the strangest things while driving a car.

One type of driver we all seem to meet on long trips I have given the name of "Cautious Cal." He does thirty miles an hour in his right hand lane while the posted speeds happen to be sixty five miles an hour. Today we realize he is one of the most dangerous kinds of drivers on the road. Every car behind him is trying to cut ahead of him. In some states they have a law which provides that driving a certain amount of miles less than the posted speed is illegal. If he can't handle a car on a modern highway, he should not be permitted to drive.

The next time you drive a car and speak to the person next to you, notice the tendency to turn your face to that person. If you must talk, then make an effort to keep those eyes right on the road and not at the person at your side. We noticed a car going from left to right in its lane, and we figured at once what was wrong. The driver was talking, shifting his body and at the same time his hands moved the steering wheel.

I came to a section of the highway where there were two lanes. I got into this lane and then a speeding car got in back of me. He blinked his lights and blew his horn for me to move over into the right hand lane. But I couldn't do it safely. He got closer and closer. So I pressed down on the gas pedal and then found a safe opening to cut over. All in a day's trip on the highways.