With the holiday season fast approaching and plans being made to drive to visit relatives, friends and take in the sights, the culture, courtesy and confusion of the fast lane will be both honored and abused. For those of us who will head to the wilds to get away from such gatherings, the fast lane will still be utilized, especially away from town.
There is a definite culture to the fast (left most – usually) lane, and it is as old as two-lane roads. I hold a Class A license with all endorsements, meaning I’m licensed to drive almost anything on the road, up to and including big 18-wheelers.
I have worked as a professional driver, and I’m comfortable with the code of road warriors and private drivers alike.
The fast lane is where professionals and inconsiderate private drivers create as much friction as traction. I can recall a time when I put it into words for a family member who was violating the code of the fast lane. Here is that story …
I was a passenger in a car full of extended family members. I was in the back seat, trying very hard not to be a back seat driver. We were on a three-lane freeway between towns, and traffic was flowing generally well. My cousin was at the wheel, driving in the fast lane at 65 mph, and he had been doing so for many miles.
As cars flew by us on the right, occasionally flashing lights or honking, I hung my head, bit my tongue and bided my time. “Just 30 more miles to go. I can do this quietly,” I thought to myself over and over.
My cousin’s wife, sitting shotgun finally said, “There sure are a lot of cars going by us on the right side.” I bit my tongue harder, but nodded my head silently.
My cousin driving said, “Well, I’m going the speed limit and I’m not going to be forced to speed.”
Pretty sure his wife bit her tongue at that point, and I was sure mine was bleeding. But still I held my tongue, while glancing behind us at a pickup riding our tail.
I think the wife sensed my frustration or was curious about why I was so quiet when I’m usually telling tales from the sea or the mountains or the deserts. She asked, “Captain, you have spent a lot of time as a professional driver. What do you think?”
That did it, so I replied, “With due respect to all highway patrol officers and state troopers across our great land, the fast lane is not about a number, it is about courtesy. If you have a vehicle coming up behind you and you have room ahead of you, no one is asking you to drive faster, but please move over.”
Yeah, that family relationship may never again be the same. But he did move out of the fast lane.
— Capt. David Bacon operates WaveWalker Charters and is president of SOFTIN Inc., a nonprofit organization providing seafaring opportunities for those in need. Visit softininc.blogspot.com to learn more about the organization and how you can help. Click here to read previous columns. The opinions expressed are his own.
