7 Circles of Hell on the Road

  I haven't left the house today, but I thought today would be a good time to go over some driving etiquette. I did try to outline these in order of importance, or rather, in order of absolute worst to really bad but not as bad as the previous one, but they're pretty much all terrible. They all are just as frustrating as all the others.
    Horrible Driver Type #1: Subaru drivers. Now, if you have a Subaru, I hope none of the following applies to you. If it does, stop doing some of this and maybe you'll set a good example for the others. Also, it's possible this rule only applies to drivers in Colorado or drivers here from California. In any case, Subaru drivers in my experience are the worst drivers for the following reasons. Subaru drivers almost never use their turn signals. They have a nasty habit of cutting people off, especially on highways. They drive way over the speed limit. And while these things are all dangerous and discourteous things to do in a car, worst of all, they ignore weather conditions entirely. All Wheel Drive does not make you invincible. If it's raining or snowing or icy, your car can just as easily go into a ditch or off the side of a mountain if you're not driving safely based on the road conditions.
    Horrible Driver Type #2: People who don't use turn signals. I don't care what you're doing, if you're supposed to use a turn signal, use it! Even if you're in a turn-only lane, and especially if you're in a lane that can go straight or turn, use the turn signal. There is nothing I hate more than someone who doesn't use their turn signal. Changing lanes? Signal first! And NOT while you're already cutting me off! You know what turn signals do? They help the other drivers around you know what you're thinking. Considering we can't hear each other and we're operating heavy machinery, simple mechanisms like the turn signal were invented so that the other drivers can better understand your intentions and act accordingly. You use your turn signal properly and aren't impatient and obnoxious about trying to merge into my lane, I will let you in.
    Horrible Driver Type #3: People who run red lights.This one is particularly upsetting when you're running late for something. And it seems like every time it happens, it's worse than the last time. Instead of one guy running his red light, and by consequence, through your green light, it's two guys, then three, then four! It's one thing for the really huge truck to run the light. He can't always help it if it's a short light. But why is saving your minute sitting at that red turn arrow more important than my ten seconds waiting for you to clear the intersection with my green light? Sure, a minute is longer than ten seconds, but is it really worth the risk of running that red light to possibly cause an accident that's going to delay you an hour, or more? Some people just step on the gas when the light turns green, whether someone's in the intersection or not. Not everyone is paying attention and not everyone is always going to slow down or wait for you to get out of their way. It's not just rude, it's dangerous, and illegal. Maybe nobody hit you today, but maybe the state trooper is waiting on the other side of the intersection to bust you for running the light. Which is more valuable, that 1 minute, or that 75 bucks?
    Horrible Driver Type #4: People who don't go the speed limit. This annoyance is twofold. There are the showoffs who like to drive way over the speed limit--aka pretty much anyone on I-25, and there are the slowpokes who think they need to go 10 to 15 miles under the speed limit. If you go too fast--you get busted, that's your problem, but don't weave in and out of traffic, and don't get bitchy if you get behind someone who isn't going 90. Use your turn signal, don't cut someone else off when you merge into the other lane, and go around them. If you're on a residential or city street and not the highway, don't speed period, but especially not in areas with high pedestrian traffic or school zones. Way uncool. Part two, if you can't see over the wheel, can't reach the pedals, aren't paying attention to the speed limit, are really intoxicated or stoned, or are trying to transport sensitive materials, and you feel this gives you the right to go 35 in a 50 MPH zone, you're wrong. If you need to go that slow, get off the highway. If you're driving while under the influence, you really shouldn't be driving anyway. You go slow, you'll get run over on I-25, but just because you're on a smaller highway doesn't make it ok to go that slow when the speed limit is that much higher. You can get a ticket for going too slow, remember that.
    Horrible Driver Type #5: Cell Phone Users. There's a reason this one is not number 1 on the list. It's because a lot of times, the reason people are doing the things mentioned above is because they're on a cell phone. I'm not going to harp on this one too much because everyone is going to talk on the phone anyway while they're driving because they think they do it safely. If you can use your turn signal, go the speed limit, not cut people off, and obey all the traffic laws, all while using a cell phone, without getting honked at or pulled over, then good for you. I use a headset or make it a very brief call, and I always wait until I'm at a stop light to dial the number. That said, don't text and drive. Just don't. Because of the keyboard thing now, you pretty much have to look at your phone to text, and looking at your phone while driving means you're not looking at the road. Don't kill someone with your car just because you had to LOL at that joke or tell someone you'll be there soon. You'll be there sooner if you don't die.
    Horrible Driver Type #6: People who cut you off. If you don't use your turn signal and you merge into my lane within 3 car lengths or fewer, I consider it cutting me off. And, I'm still going to think you're an asshole for not using your turn signal. I don't experience this one as often, putting it further down the list, but in high traffic and rush hour, this one goes through the roof. People can't stand that everyone else is moving and they're not, so they nose their way into another lane without due procedure. Number 1, USE YOUR TURN SIGNAL if you want to come over. Number 2, don't merge if you don't have room to do it so that the other person has to let you in. That's just a shitty thing to do. Number 3, if you don't have room to merge, but you do need to get over, use your turn signal and watch for someone to wave you over. They might. It happens. If you're nice about it, some people will let you in. On another note, once you've been waved at, wave back so they know you appreciate it.
    Horrible Driver Type #7: People who don't drive with regard for the road conditions. This doesn't happen every day either, but it's worth mentioning. Rain, snow, ice, gravel, grooved pavement, construction--there are plenty of things that can make road conditions more difficult to drive on. All wheel drive is not meant to make you drive like the road conditions are normal. It's meant to help your car regain its stability in unstable road conditions. It's raining cats and dogs? Go slower, AWD or not. Also, having AWD with all-season tires doesn't make that much difference from driving a 2 wheel drive car with snow tires in snow. Know your abilities as a driver, and know your car's abilities so when driving in unsafe road conditions, you can still drive safely.
    I'm aware that most of these were covered in #1, but I thought they all deserved a little more details, for those who do these things and don't drive Subarus. I'm not outlining all these things to complain for complaint's sake. These are not only dangerous things to do while operating a couple thousand pounds of machinery around many others who are doing the same, they are also just mean and inconsiderate. Maybe you never meet or talk to the people in the cars around you as you commute, but that doesn't mean they are not important or that you shouldn't give a shit about them. They are and you should. As fellow human beings, do your fellow drivers a favor and use your damn turn signal. We could all do each other a favor and try to be nicer driving around each other.
   You know what? I forgot to mention the inconsiderate bicyclists and pedestrians, but I guess they're not drivers, technically. In any case, know the rules of the road--bikes are vehicles and have to obey stop signs, stop lights and traffic signals just like cars do. And pedestrians, right of way or not, should be aware that not every driver is paying attention and could run them over if they're not careful. I think that's all. For now.

Life in the fast lane will surely make you lose your mind.

Skiing: A Review

I went skiing yesterday for the first time ever. And I'd like to share that experience since I don't really have much else to talk about today.
    First, I had planned on heading home Thursday evening, but I had a paper to write for one of my classes, so I thought I would have more success with it if I stayed at my apartment and headed up Friday morning. I wrote my paper, after several hours and much tribulation and effort, and sent it in to my teacher. I took my time a little more than I intended on Friday morning, but finally I got all my stuff together and headed home. I waited for my boyfriend, who's the skiing expert that was going to teach me a few things, to come pick me up to head up to mountains. He was late, as usual, due to bad traffic, as usual.
    Around 1:30 in the afternoon (bear in mind, the ski resort closes at 4pm), we left. We stopped to get Chipotle, so I wouldn't starve all afternoon after all that extra exertion that I'm not used to, and then we were really on our way. When we finally got there, it was about 3pm, giving him an hour, or so, to teach me the basics. We bought a lift ticket off of someone in the parking lot who was finished for the day--this is common practice, I gathered, but I felt somewhat guilty nonetheless--and we went to get in line for the chair lift. (Just my luck, the Bunny Hill was closed, so I had no choice but to go down a regular run with everyone else.)

Photo from the Road Up to the Ski Resort

    The second I got my boots locked onto my skis, I felt I'd made a huge mistake. I couldn't stand still because they kept slipping around, and I didn't think I'd ever be able to control my legs enough to get down the entire hill. I could barely move my feet to get the skis pointed in the right direction, and the ski lift was beginning to look terrifying. The chairs at least were chair level, so all you had to do was sit down. Mission accomplished. But on the long ride up the hill, the ground's distance below me varying from a few feet to nearly 20 feet, my anxiety kicked in and I started to cry. I had no confidence in myself at all that I'd be able to get off the chair lift once we got to the top, and I'd just keep going around and around until they stopped it and I could get off.
    My only frame of reference for the chair lift experience was movies and TV, and in those, the people usually jumped from the chair to the ground which was several feet below. I was afraid I'd jump and break an ankle or something, or worse, tumble back down the hill. However, I soon learned that my fears were completely unfounded and, in fact, ridiculous because when you get off the chair, the ground is right at your feet. You don't have to jump at all. You just have to get out of the way before the chair knocks you over. Crisis one: resolved. Except I did fall after getting off the chair lift. The only time that day that I fell accidentally. The other times, I fell on purpose so I wouldn't get going too fast and lose control.

Another Photo on the Way Up

    The next thing was getting down the run. The first part was very straight and not steep at all, so I felt ok. Not confident, but at least not terrified. I managed to get to the end of the straight stretch mostly unscathed and still standing, for the most part. However, there was a turn at the end of it, which was not only terrifying, but seemingly impossible.
    I won't go through every detail of the entire exercise of my first experience on skis, as this post would probably be twice as long, so I'll skip ahead. I finally made it about halfway down the mountain, though I walked across one part that was particularly ominous and steep, before the ski patrol people wanted us off the mountain since they were closing for the day, and they called a snowmobile to take me the rest of the way down the hill. This was probably for the best, as I would have been there another half hour trying to go by myself because I refused to go any faster than a slow skid.

All these were taken in the car, since I left my phone in the car, not wanting to break it from falling so many times.

     So, two panic attacks, about half a dozen falls, and over an hour later, I was at the bottom again. I skied for the first time, and rode a snowmobile for the first time, both in one day. I was pretty pleased with myself. Despite my terror, the unpleasant wind, and the fact that I am sore pretty much everywhere today--in muscles I had no idea I used--I think I'll be heading back up to the mountain. The season is pretty much over now, but there's always next year. But when that time comes, I will definitely be going on a day when the damn Bunny Hill is open.

Fear: check. No broken bones: check. I think it's safe to call that a success.