I'm blogging this morning from Atlanta, GA. Windy. Could Hurricane Ivan be this close already?
Stuck in traffic on I-85 southbound heading into Atlanta. Five lanes of expressway and we're averaging about five miles an hour. I think I make better time on my tractor at home. This gives me the opportunity to offer up my impressions of Americans and their driving habits. I have the time; I hear there is an accident down near Jimmy Carter Blvd.
Everyone complains about the crazed drivers on the nation's highways. And believe me, nobody has used words directed at others that I have not used when I'm out here. I have developed the kind of temper that you read about on "News-at-Eleven."
But I have to say, everything considered, I've always been impressed with how it is that millions of people can pull out every morning onto the nations highways and 99.9% of them get to their destination - on time and unharmed. Much is made of the fact that so many drivers lack the basic skills to be on the road. I disagree. I'm always amazed at how most everyone deftly navigates our roads with few mishaps.
**Time out. We are moving. OK.
I've driven many if not most of our city streets and highways. Los Angeles, Dallas, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Detroit, San Antonio, Orlando, Miami, Cleveland, Charlotte, Chicago, and many, many more. Even Washington D.C. (my least favorite). And Atlanta (my second least favorite).
Paula and I lived north of Detroit for a number of years. I learned a good way to beat the daily traffic jams on southbound I-75 there was to leave for work at 6:00am. If I left then, I could make it into Auburn Hills in 45 minutes. If I left any later, though, traffic was backed up. But the drive was fascinating, in some ways scenic. Imagine yourself driving a highway in total darkness and all you can see for miles in front of you are red taillights - thousands of them - snaking, meandering their way toward the big city. Sparse oncoming traffic. Everyone moving in a southerly direction.
And I passed few accidents on my daily commute. Of course when there was one, it was always ugly. After all, average speed in the far left lanewas - I would guess - 80 miles an hour. Even in the far right lane you were in the way if you were not exceeding the speed limit. But except for those moments when two (or more) vehicles suddenly rearranged themselves and each other, most all of us got where we wanted to go. It was spectacular.
**Looks like a fender bender up ahead causing the slow-down, although an ambulance just went by.
Anyway, drivers amaze me (with the possible exception of the big rig drivers who don't seem to be as skilled as they once were).
We're about to accelerate. It's pedal-to-the-metal time.
** I should note: "You should not try this at home." I did not type this while in motion. And if you're wondering, I don't have some exotic wireless setup that allowed for me to post this in real time. I saved it in the form of a draft and uploaded it when I got to my destination in Jonesboro.
