Ranger Rick: The pleasures and annoyances of driving in Michigan

In the many years I’ve commuted and traveled state and federal roads, I’ve notice many unusual things.

One morning about five years ago on a nice warm spring morning, I was a little late in leaving the house, so I jumped on the expressway to make up the time. Traveling about 75 mph, I was passing a car with a young lady driving. I noticed a lot of movement in the car as I approached it. In viewing her as I passed, she was applying eye makeup in her right hand looking in the vanity mirror, drinking from a cup in her left, and evidently steering with her knees. I know many ladies that can multi-task, but I have to admit, I think she takes the crown for multi-tasking. Actually, she was driving better than most other people I’ve seen trying to do half as much!

Another time, I noticed a car in the right lane on the expressway weaving back and forth, but always staying within the traffic lane. When overtaking the auto in the passing lane, a man was reading a newspaper (it looked like a USA Today). Guess it takes all kinds.

You notice the behavior at four way stops? Waiting, looking, waving hands, flashing lights, frozen with indecision, starts and stops – I’m sure you’ve seen it all too. Whenever a four-way stop goes up at an intersection, that means the MDOT people know they should put a light there, but they don’t have the money or traffic load is too light to justify such an installation. In the meantime, drivers do the four-way rumba, with no one happy. Remember, first one there is first to proceed, if more than one vehicle arrives at the same time, the vehicle to the right has the right of way. Seems like they don’t teach that in driver’s education any more.

Ever notice when slowing and stopping for a red light the person just ahead or a few vehicles ahead of you is 15 to 20 feet back from the car ahead of them? Who is the idiot that thought that training up to teach to young minds full of mush? Evidently, nobody that ever drove on either coast before came up with that bright idea. What purpose is gained… oh, I know, “if you get rear ended, you won’t hit the vehicle ahead, instead of a chain reaction of collisions.”

If that is the reasoning, they better think again. With a left hand turn lane with a five-second green left arrow (which most are), and you are the second car 20 feet behind the car in front, the person driving the ¾ ton truck behind you is going to be real happy. I think it is more of a possibility of getting rammed in the rear end because you don’t move up, especially if you drive a really little wimpy car, like a Prius with a “Love Wins” sticker!

And then there are the real idiots of the road. They are the person driving and texting, dialing the phone, looking at the Internet, or just staring into the little screen in their hand – slowing down, speeding up, weaving, running off the road or the ultimate — getting into an accident or causing one.

Don’t they teach rudimentary rules of the road when you are walking or riding a bicycle in school any more? When walking, walk facing oncoming traffic. When bicycling, ride with traffic. While I don’t care if someone rides a bicycle to work, please do it when roads are at least passable.

A few weeks ago when the temperature was in the high single to lower double digits, the roads were snow covered and not plowed well. I saw a man on a “fat tire” bike, on the “side” of the right lane in a two-lane road. Since he couldn’t get far to the right and control his bike, he was in the right lane where tires had cleared the roadway. Needless to say, drivers were swerving to miss him, causing honking of horns by people in the left outer lane, an accident waiting to happen. Luckily, I was making a left in a “Michigan left” turn lane and didn’t have to endure accident waiting to happen.

Why is it people go like hell on snow covered roads, sliding into medians or in ditches, then when the roads have been cleared and somewhat dry, they slow down so they have a caravan behind them with frustrated people going 40-45 mph?

In my lifetime, I’ve realized life is too short to suffer fools, but when in a situation you can’t control, take it easy, or find another route finding your way to your desired destination. I love to drive, hopefully for many years into the future. I like the freedom of the road and the ability to get there on my schedule and according to my desires. If I want to stop for lunch or drive through, that is my decision to make. When on public transportation, you can’t do that.

Speaking of public transportation, I love watching the “Silver Bullet” buses, those ones that travel the right lane from 60^th street to downtown Grand Rapids. The last time I counted, there were six people on a bus at 60^th street. Hopefully, their count increases as they drive into the city. The Grand Rapids Press had an expose recently that some of the riders were using the service without paying for it. I don’t know the ins and outs of the Silver Line ticketing, but evidently there was fraud happening and it was exposed.

I love the writing in the right lane closer to downtown “Bus Lane Only.” How’s that working out for the taxpayers sharing the road with the Silver Line? Used to be getting on a bus entailed giving money to the driver – the transaction was quick and simple – they got your money, you get to where you are going. And they didn’t have a “special” lane just for buses.

Only in America! Happy Driving!