Dear LA Drivers:

(and also those drivers in the greater LA metropolitan area, including, but not limited to, those drivers in Ventura, San Bernadino, and Orange counties).

I just wanted to share some thoughts with you that have accumulated in my brain since February 2005.  I took the written driving test one rainy Saturday, and was rather nervous standing in the grading line, as all of you potential drivers in front of me were incapable of answering no less than 3 questions wrong, and failing the test.  However, a simple browsing of the DMV sample written tests sufficiently prepared me to pass with flying colors.  I even knew it was illegal to go more than 200 feet in a 2-way left turn center lane.  Of course, I knew that without browsing the DMV website, as my poor unfortunate husband learned this law the hard way a few months prior.

Incidentally, I have now discovered the CA DMV is twittering – Big Brother is watching you!

Here goes:

1. Seriously, it’s OK to use your turn signals.  Especially when turning corners, switching lanes, and any other situation in which it might be helpful to literally signal your intentions.  Seriously.
2. Please practice speed control.  Going rllyfst then rrrreeeaaaallllyyyy ssssllllloooowwww makes it difficult for others who are following you in that long string of traffic.  Especially when we are attempting to maintain a consistent speed to maximize gas mileage, whether that speed is above or below the posted speed limit.
3. I think it’s wonderful that a good chunk of road repair work is undertaken during the graveyard shift.  It’s much easier to deal with the lightened nighttime traffic load when it is necessary to close all but one lane on the freeway.  However, you Mr. and Ms. LA Drivers don’t need to stop your car to gawk at the construction equipment.  It’s as if you’ve never seen such a sight before…wait – maybe you haven’t!  Nonetheless, keep moving please!
4. This request is specific to all of the Ford Heavy Duty, Hummer, Escalade, and other monstrous vehicle owners in LA.  First, I’m generally not aware of the reasons most of you have for needing to own such vehicles.  I can see if you are doing farm/ranch work, maybe construction…but why is it necessary to pound the pavement with your H2 when you take little Johnny to soccer practice?  (Side note: most of the pavement in cities is only graded to withstand 4 tons/8000 pounds – heavy vehicles lead to increased road deterioration, BTW.  Let’s not even discuss carbon footprints…)  Second, please stop parking in the compact parking spots with said vehicles.  See that spot 3 down from the compact spot in the Target parking lot?  Isn’t it more appropriately sized for your huge & unnecessary vehicle?  I bet it is!
5. Please don’t go 60 mph in the carpool lane.   You’re impeding traffic, guaranteed.
6. Please don’t go 60 mph in the #1 lane – this is the lane closest to the center divider but not the carpool lane, FYI.  You’re still impeding traffic, guaranteed.

And with that, I think I’ll pause this discussion for the time being.  Don’t worry, to be continued in a future blog posting!

Respectfully yours,

Michelle