I have been called a lot of things in my driving life. “Crazy Driver.” “Way Too Fast Driver.” “Deranged Lunatic.” Other things I cannot print in a family blog. You get the point. The point is, my driving is way underrated. For some reason, people think that driving fast is bad, when it is clearly good. I will now prove it to you.
First of all, name me some sort of test of skill in which being faster is bad. You can’t. In almost any arena, when you are able to do something as skillfully as someone else, the true test of skill boils down to speed. Therefore, faster is always better in terms of who is better at something than someone else. If I can safely navigate my car along a course faster than you, I am better at it. Sorry.
Now wait a minute, what about speed limits you ask? Speed limits are for suckers. Ok, not all speed limits. I would not drive 50 mph through a school zone, but let me give you a little history lesson on highway speed limits in the United States of America. Pre-1973 highway speed limits were all over the place, but most of them were set at 70 mph, some at 75, some at 65, among other speeds. Then, in 1973, the US government decided that, due to the fuel shortage and the efficiency of vehicles at the time, all speed limits on state highways should be 55. Then guess what happened! The fuel crisis ended, the fuel efficiency of vehicles changed, but the laws did not. There is literally no reason to drive 55 on any highway, other than so that the states can make money by giving you speeding tickets. And if the government really cared about fuel efficiency, they would require cars to be more fuel efficient. The average fuel economy of a car sold in America is 24 mpg. The EU is requiring their cars to get 47 mpg starting in 2012. It is possible, unless you listen to the automobile lobbyists.
So driving 55 mph isn’t really the sign of a good driver, it’s the sign of a law abiding citizen, which is different. Now there is a safety issue, as you have less of a reaction time the faster you drive, but this is easily mitigated by leaving a larger distance between you and the car in front of you. And I suppose if you do crash at 75, it would do more damage than if you crashed at 55 of 65, but honestly, crashing at 55 is going to do some major damage. If that is your concern, just make all the speed limits 30 mph. My point is, that there is a give and take between freedom and security, and I vote for freedom almost every time.
So in conclusion, the best drivers out there are the drivers who drive as fast as possible without regard for meaningless speed limits. I would like to clarify, however, that only the best drivers (like me) can accomplish this in a safe manner. If you do not use your turn signals, you are not a good driver. If you run red lights and stop signs, you are not a good driver. If you drive under the influence of alcohol, drugs, or techno music, you are not a good driver. If you cut people off or tailgate them at high speeds (tailgating at low speeds is acceptable if they are being annoying), you are not a good driver. BUT, if you can successfully navigate your way through the traffic and roadways of our great nation without hitting anything or anyone, and you can do it faster than anyone else, than you are one of the best, and almost as good of a driver as me.
Did someone get a speeding ticket?
HEAR HEAR!!! SPEEDY DRIVERS UNITE!
I’m a GREAT driver… I just really like to drive as fast as possible so that it doesn’t take me 10 years to get places… For instance, from PA to Vermont. heh.
The only problem with this logic is that you have wrecked and caused problems to your car by using these driving habits.
Also, I think an underwater breath-holding contest and yoga are examples of times when you want to go slower to win/be better. Also singing a really hard phrase really slowly is often very impressive, like in Wagner.
Ah ha! BUT, the only two times I have ever hit another car, I was driving very slowly! Also, lasting longer and going slower are two different things. At least, that’s what she said.
Ok, I’ll cede the underwater breathing contest, but the better at yoga you are, the more slowly yet fluidly you can move. It is about how much control you have in the lengthier time, much like the singing example, not about lasting longer for the sake of lasting longer.
Also, faster is bad, and that IS what she said.
The only TWO times you have ever hit another car? In your young life? I’m old enough to be…well, your really older sister (ok – I could be your ma…shudder) but in all my many years I have NEVER hit another car, or caused any accidents. The fact that your habit of fast driving has ruined you for any other speed of driving proves that you are a horrible, scary and terrible driver. On another note, you are a terrific person, as we all know!