Rules for Driving → Omit Needless

Rules for Driving

December 15, 2009 by Lonny.

Drive slowly – and roll your windows down.

Why?

Almost as Fast: Around town, you will only take a few minutes more. Sometimes, you will still get there in the same time (due to lights, traffic, etc).
Save gas: Probably about 2-5 mpg depending on your car and how fast you accelerate. These guys got 1,445 miles (81.5mpg) on a 2010 Ford Fusion.
Fresh air: You are indoors enough.
Observe: Notice how crazy/busy everyone is. Feel happy you have some control at that moment. You are setting your life’s pace – not others.
Discover: Notice new developments about town, hidden side-streets, leaves falling, workers working, etc. Let your creativity have a small place in your thought process as you dwell on things more often.
Be safe: Less chance of an accident, and less damage if you have one.
No more tickets: Unless you are driving really slow, you can’t even get a warning. Sure, the traffic cops will eye you suspiciously (especially if you are young and live in a no radar detector state), but that’s their problem.
Peace: Even if driving quickly and even aggressively is a mad skill of yours (as it is for me), it does cause stress. At first driving slow might cause you stress until you get used to it after a week or so.

But? What if…

people yell and honk at you? Smile. Look at them as people, as if you were both riding bikes, instead of driving cars. Relax. They’ll live. They are just trapped into thinking that they won’t.
you are running late for something important? Is it important? If it really is, maybe you should leave earlier next time. It’s not like you are reading this in the car right now. This post is about the future. Plan ahead.
you have to listen to people dropping bass or playing accordion lullabies? Listen to it. It won’t kill you. It’s only for a minute at a stop light. Think about them, their life, and where they might be going, and who they think they are trying to impress with their 1.21 gigawatt sound system. It’s kind of fun.
it is raining? or snowing? or hailing? or tornadoing? Roll the windows up silly. Drive even slower.

Inspiration