Minnesota Drivers

There are three things that really bother me about other drivers. Well, OK, there are more than three. But here are the top three.

If you don't have a stick shift with a clutch, keep your left foot off the pedals. Driving with both feet causes excessive strain on your engine and burns extra gasoline. But worst of all, it's like "crying wolf." If your break light is always on, how do I know when you're really slowing down?

SUVs and pickup truck owners seem to think their lights should be aimed straight out from their vehicle. Is it cool to see so clearly into the car in front of you? In case you didn't know, you are blinding the drivers in front of you! I wouldn't want Stevie Wonder driving in front of me.

What ever happened to "Minnesota Nice"? It seems when folks get behind the wheel of their car, the very people who would never cut in front of someone at a movie theater suddenly turn into Mr. Hyde. When entering a freeway, they speed up to squeeze in front of the nearest car, even when there's a lot of room behind it. Merging is supposed to work like a zipper: one from the left, one from the right, one from the left, and so on. Take turns, folks!

As a post script, it also annoys me when people who switch lanes don't look to see if the car in that lane is approaching at a higher rate of speed. They just notice that there's no one there, right now, and pull over...slowly. I know, I know. There's a speed limit. But on a 65 mph freeway, I have never been stopped for driving 8 over. I do it in the far left lane so that I endanger only myself. Please don't pull in front of me doing the speed limit (or less), especially if there's no one behind me. Oh, and don't be surprised if I flash my headlights at you. This is a trucker signal asking you to...get out of the way!