Lead Car Responsibility!

6/26/2012

Lead Car Responsibility!

 

You are the leader of the “pack”, or in other terms the first car going to turn left on an arrow.  The Indian only shoots an arrow once and a while and it zings by pretty fast – and there you sit watching the green arrow get greener!  Why?  I rarely curse privately in my car – but if the lead car is dragging his gas pedal along with other parts of his anatomy that he might be sitting on, then I am apt to yell out “fudgesicle”  to myself.  The lead car knows with 100% certainty that he’s going to get through the light so he’s in no particular hurry to help you out.  In my humble opinion, I believe the lead car has a responsibility to be watching for the light to change and to be ready to go as soon as he is assured that he won’t be t-boned by a red light runner.  I do after all want drivers to be safe – and fast off the line.

Now me personally, who is the butt of all driving jokes in my family, and for the life of me I don’t know why.  Oh yeah I remember I drive too slow, I never change lanes stuff like that.  But there is one area that my family cannot fault me for – I am and always have been fast off the light.   I may only be doing the speed limit once I make my turn; but to give credit where credit is due, I do give all the cars behind me a fighting chance to make it through the light.

I will share one story with you.  When Jeff and I bought our first Volvo Turbo Station Wagon she was lightening fast off the line.  Now appearances can be deceiving because "Liz" (our name for the car), looked like a typical Mom wagon.  Kenny, probably twelve or so and I would pull up to a stop light and see the driver in the next car next looking us over.  We always figured that they were snarking about the 'ol lady and her wagon.  Kenny and I never exchanged anything more than looks; but, we both knew that when that light turned green, I was going to put my foot to the floor and Liz would turn loose all of the turbo-charged horses under the hood.  Liz and I won every time and it was very satisfying but an action that I, of course, being older and wiser now can't condone.  But oh was it fun at the time.  In fact at work (and this was a long time ago, they used to call me Parnelli Patti). Hard to believe I know but all true.

Remind to tell you a story some time about Jeff and I racing to get home first, bet you can guess who won!

Happy driving and may all your left turns be behind me!

P