Freeway Driving For Dummies
Recently, I had a flat tire on the 405 Freeway. I pulled to the right shoulder and called Auto Club. I was told there was a 2-hour delay and I was advised to wait in the car. I decided against this. Even though it was raining, I exited the car and leaned against the freeway wall while commuters sped by at 80 mph. One truck came so close, my Mazda wobbled back and forth from the wind vortex. When the tow truck finally arrived, it parked at an angle twenty feet behind my car, it’s rear bumper jutting into the slow lane. The driver told me he used his truck as a shield in case some drunk or distracted motorist drifted onto the shoulder. “I‘m violating company policy,” he said, “but I don’t plan on dying out here.”
Freeway driving is serious business. Many driving aphorisms simply don’t apply on freeways. Defensive driving, for example. Yes, you need to be wary and anticipate unpredictable behavior. But it’s just as important to be offensive. If you’re driving at the speed limit while everyone else is speeding, you are a problem. Other drivers will tailgate, honk, cut you off and flip you the finger for driving too slow. To road ragers, slow drivers are raw meat.
When changing lanes, we’re taught to use our turn signal, wait for a clear space, then move into the next lane. In reality, this is the worst thing to do. The moment you hit your blinker, cars speed up so you can’t…
