Driving Pet Peeves

I grew up in Austin. I know a decent number of places to hang out. But I wouldn’t drive in Austin. I’ve never wanted to drive. I went to a classroom for one day and aced two quizzes, yet I still don’t trust myself behind the wheel.

A small part of it is a generic “save-the-trees” mentality I still carry over from elementary school. Multiple lessons on environmental protection were impounded within my head back then. But the main reason I wouldn’t drive is because of how dangerous Austin is as a city, auto-wise. According to KVUE and the Austin-American Statesman, Austin is the 2nd growing city in the country, 10th most populated city in the country, and a top city in terms of auto-related deaths, a result of an influx of tourists and new residents trying to familiarize themselves with the top go-to spots and overburdened infrastructure, along with the occasional mishap from anybody. I’m still the guy that rides shotgun, but I’ve witnessed a good deal of horrid driving in the city, a good amount of it owing to relatively easy-to-fix mistakes.

The closest I’ve been to death was about 30 feet from my own home, when a pickup truck sped past my mother as the light turned green. It’d just rained, and visibility was low. My mother slammed on the breaks just as she was about to accelerate into the intersection. This is the best-case scenario when someone doesn’t yield. However, pulling out in front of a busy street is a typical offense on the streets of Austin. Since the cars on the through street are already in motion, it’s harder for them to stop, making crashes more likely. And on the other side of the equation, if you do have the right-of-way, look both ways and listen before accelerating. If you’re going down a road, keep your eyes peeled for incoming traffic at intersections. This gives you the chance to avoid any lethal encounters.

On the other hand, my family was on the giving end of bad driving technique about a decade ago, when we were in Kansas. While driving to a zoo, we missed a turn, and at a “No U-Turn” sign, my dad ended up making a U-turn and was resultantly the recipient of multiple honks. Perhaps as some form of karma by an ever-watchful deity, in the years since the “Kansas Incident”, Austin has become plagued with swathes of tourists, with many of them being just as lost in their demonstration of unsafe driving habits. Whether you’re new to an area or a longtime resident, it’s important to know where you’re going and use your turn signals.

Having an idea of where you’re going stops you from becoming the one slow-driving, lane-swerving, clueless driver that nobody likes. I’ve witnessed a number of tourists do this in the past. Check your route beforehand. And if you find yourself about to stray from your route, stay in your lane and keep going. Just go on until you can turn back into where you were before, or find a parking lot that you can pull into so you can recalibrate your route from there. Trying to abruptly switch lanes, turn, or exit WILL lead to a collision, and not stopping the car to reorient yourself more than likely means that you’ll be taking your eyes off the road and on a map or a phone.

Using your turn signals incorrectly is a common mistake that makes my parents shake their heads or cuss when seen. Your turn signals are there for a reason: by telling other drivers where you’re going to turn, they can slow down or speed up as needed to either account for you being in the way or you driving away from their path. Essentially, your turn signals convey clarity, which lessen confusion, and, in effect, crashes. Additionally, don’t drive with your turn signals on if you’re not going to turn. It may look more stupid than dangerous, but if everyone slows down behind you because of a misplaced turn signal, you’re going to annoy some people, as that’s how traffic forms.

The final mistake I’ve had a witness’ experience with is driving under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol. I remember a night in which my dad and neighbors all ran to the end of our neighborhood to check out a crash they’d heard. My dad came inside, and with a sort of comedic tone, he told me to come with him. At an intersection close to one of our neighborhood’s entrances, a group of police cars piled up. A man under the influence, instead of turning left or right, came barreling straight into the intersection, where he’d crashed through an illuminated barrier and into the woods ahead. It was twisted, but almost comedic in how ridiculous the situation was– just by downing a few beers, this man didn’t even know when to turn. Austin is known for being a haven for bars and independent breweries, as well as a growing marijuana scene, but drugs and alcohol are not to be used when behind the wheel. Because of the effects of such substances on the mind, either slowing down or boosting perception, driving can become an unfamiliar activity, leading to a loss of the clarity that is so important for safe driving.

As such, a large number of car accidents– and deaths– are preventable, and can be avoided by simple steps such as proper blinker usage, yielding when appropriate, and avoiding drugs such as marijuana or alcohol before driving. I find that knowing road signs and technical conventions are half the battle, but common sense and the small, practical things are the other half. The former can help you go somewhere with ease, but it’s the latter that comes to shine when you’re in a pinch.