10 Tips For The Polite Driver | Golden Rules Gal

Date
May, 23, 2019

Enroute to the Chelsea flower show with my niece Charlotte, and brother-in-law, Sherrick. 

Getting from point A to point B is not always as easy as it sounds. In this day and age, services like Uber and Lyft have added more cars to the roadways, making driving more difficult for private car owners. Remember, it might be your car, but it’s not just about you, something my parents used to tell me. Always be on the lookout for the other guy. He may not be as polite as you are, or as good a driver, or paying as much attention to the road, so driver beware.

  1. Don’t drive too slowly. This can sometimes be worse than driving too fast. Try to drive at the posted speed.
  2. Slow down. Driving above the speed limit can result in a traffic ticket or an accident, no matter how good a driver you are or how much of a hurry you’re in.
  3. Don’t be a lane changer. It’s fine to go into the fast lane if other traffic is clogged, or into the slower lane if you prefer, but constantly weaving through lanes just to get ahead of everyone else is dangerous. Save it for your future career as a race-car driver.
  4. Leave your anger at home. If you’ve had a bad day, don’t take it out on the other drivers. They may be even angrier than you are.
  5. Stay off the horn. Keep horn honking to a minimum. Otherwise, you risk startling and distracting other drivers (not to mention angering them).
  6. Prepare for changing conditions. Inclement weather, heavy traffic, and road construction all call for defensive driving. You just can’t maintain the posted speed under those conditions.
  7. Use your turn signal. Help the driver behind you anticipate your next move. Signal all of your intentions.
  8. Pull over for emergency vehicles, that is as soon as you hear a siren, not when the vehicle is right behind you. Remember: one day you or one of your loved ones might be in an ambulance trying to get through traffic.
  9. Don’t be a distracted driver. Texting or talking on a cell phone, as well as drinking, eating, putting on makeup, combing your hair, reading—all are major distractions that can lead to a horrible accident in a matter of seconds. Need I say more?
  10. Be polite to John Law. If you’re pulled over for any reason, be polite to the officer and make sure he or she knows you are not hiding a weapon or alcohol: keep both hands on the steering wheel until asked for your license and registration, then make sure they can see both of your hands when you search for those documents.

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