You see, I'm old enough that I remember watching how people drove while I grew up, and learned how to drive myself when people still exhibited a sense of responsibility and courtesy when they drove -- and I still try to practice those traits myself. For example:
- Turn Signals: I have them on my car, and I use them -- even in parking lots, when changing lanes, and (gasp!) actually planning to turn. I'm pretty sure they're still standard equipment on cars, but I don't see them used a whole lot any more. Maybe Drivers Ed classes stopped teaching their use, or something...
- Speed limits: I observe them, for the most part: if I see a speed limit sign that says "35", I don't consider that the minimum speed as so many folks seem to. Sure, I may go a little over that, if the weather is clear and the road is in good condition and the general flow of traffic is going faster -- but not a LOT faster. I don't think that number on the signs in a Mach number, for instance...
- Special Situations: Silly me, I figure that if I'm in a parking lot, that implies that cars are parked and people will be walking from their vehicle to somewhere else -- and that I might want to SLOW DOWN to avoid running anyone over. I don't think of a parking lot as a trial area for the Indy 500...
- Driveways: Again, being the goofy individual that I am, I'm willing to share them with other people -- I steer my vehicle so that I'm on the righthand side, so others can still get by. Unlike so many, I don't plant myself in the middle...
- Painted arrows: if there are painted arrows on the pavement to indicate which way I should be driving, I'm not afraid to follow directions. Amazingly enough, doing so means that it I find it easier and safer to get around, and even find a parking space, which leads me to...
- Parking spaces: First, I'm not someone that's willing to drive around for 20 minutes trying to find a spot close to the door; I don't have any problem walking the extra 20 feet if I find an open spot a little farther away. And on top of that, I actually try to get my car parked between and parallel with the painted lines...
- Sound: I don't have a $1000 megawatt stereo in a $500 car, and my muffler is not only installed but actually works -- I'm not inconsiderate enough to inflict my taste (or lack thereof) in music on those around me, and having "straight pipes" or resonant muffler or an otherwise noisy vehicle doesn't make it any faster or improve my gas mileage at the expense of the hearing of others...
- Other drivers: Yes, I know they're out there, and I willingly share the road with them. All I want is the little piece that I'm driving on, without the hassle of some jackass that thinks the street is his/her personal property to do with as they please...
- Driving: while my car is in motion, I actually have my attention on my driving. I'm not yapping on a cell phone while trying to use my laptop while eating a 4-course meal while putting on makeup...
- Pedestrians: Sometimes, I'm one of them, too -- so I watch out for them, and do goofy shit like NOT stop my car across the crosswalk, make my turns too close to folks trying to cross the street (WITH the light!), and generally recognize the fact that in a contest between my 4,000 pound steel box and a human bean, the steel would win -- and not in a way that would benefit the human...
- Respect: For starters, I figure anything bigger than me automagically has right of way... I remember watching one of those little, tiny Honda CRXs playing catch-me-fuck-me with a PAIR of tractor-trailers by weaving in and out BETWEEN them...
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