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Everyone Is Speeding (or Going Slow) But Me

March 22, 2022
Writing about traffic

Everyone’s speeding. . .or going too slow

Do you commute? I have about a 30 minute commute. Fifteen of that is on the freeway.

It’s not a terrible commute. But, it occurred to me that nearly everyone is speeding. . .or going too slow. Nope. There’s no in between.

I had a friend one time who said,

“If I’m not passing people I figure I’m going too slow.”

– Ammen Harper

I’ll admit it, I tend to drive faster than the posted speed limit. Generally I’m running 5-10 mph over the speed limit. If I get more than 10 MPH over, I’ll move over and let other past me.

The only time I will drive exactly the speed limit is if someone decides to tailgate me. Tailgaters never last more than about 5 seconds behind someone driving the speed limit. Try it the next time you have someone riding your bumper.

But, it seems like either people are passing me (they are speeding) or they are blocking my lane (they are driving too slow.) But, I seem to be the only one going MY speed.

The fact is I have no idea how many cars are driving the same speed as I am. Sure, if they are next to me refusing to allow me to merge, I know they are going my speed, but for the most part all the other cars seem to be pulling away from me or falling behind.

And that’s the paradox.

You are alone. . .in a crowd

There probably are other cars going the same speed as I am, but I’ll never see them. If they are a half mile ahead of me, I never catch up to them. If they are a half mile behind, they never overtake me.

While I might feel like the only one on the freeway travelling at the MY speed, the fact is that there are many other cars and drivers out there just like me. I just don’t see them.

Keep that in mind when you feel you are waging a lone battle. Your allies are all around you. You just don’t see them because they are moving right in step with you.

Go conquer your day. We’re all right ther with you.

Stay safe

Rodney M Bliss is an author, columnist and IT Consultant. His blog updates every weekday. He lives in Pleasant Grove, UT with his lovely wife, thirteen children and grandchildren. Order Miscellany II, an anthology including his latest short story, “The Mercy System” here

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