Only 1 in 4?
Out in the Rocky Mountain West, even folks who take each day at a time, devil may care, you can't change the future, all life is a risk, no guarantees...
Carry uninsured motorist insurance to the maximum possible.
When I'm in the 'States, I spend a lot of time on the road, mainly between Cheyenne and Fort Collins. Drive a stretch of interstate 25 five-ten times a week. At least once, often twice every week, I will be passed (I refuse to drive faster than the speed limit of 75 except when passing) by someone going way over 100mph. Don't give me the "speed is relative, how'd you know" line - I drive in Germany where anyone doing only 75mph on our Autobahnen is a high risk and shouldn't be on the road.
These folks pass on the right, on the left, down the middle...
And no, they aren't all driving big trucks.
Many are Air Force stationed in Cheyenne and think their special status (until recently, the military would suddenly have to "transfer out" a servicemember in trouble with the local cops, so sorry, out of jurisdiction now) lets them do whatever they want. Seriously dangerous drivers, I have had them tailgate me in the passing lane when I was passing a line of cars and couldn't have pulled over if I wanted to. Furious and flipping me off for daring to block their path.
Did have the joy of having one pass me on the right (I was moving with the traffic, going about 65-70) when he swerved right in and out...in front of one of those cute little black Dodges. You know the ones, rams in the front, cherries on top, little confinement cage in the back...Cheyenne cops don't have the best rep, but yay! for them that day.
The worst drivers in winter snow and fog are, by far, the locals. Mother Nature's laws of physics just don't apply to their SUVs and cars with ABS, Traction Control and Stability Management...until mommy loses her temper and decides to spank.
The most clueless, not nasty, clueless are the Texans. Of the minor winter accidents I have seen this year, nearly all involved "drivers" from Texas. I'm talking about sliding into a car at a slippery intersection, chopping the mirror off a parked car in the fog, that sort of stuff.
I had to prove my ability to drive stick (Toggles, go stick needles in your dolly) and cope with winter road conditions before I got my license here in Germany. What's the requirement in Texas? You know how to turn the ignition key and that's proof positive you know how to drive?
Scary.
We need to bring back driver's ed. There is no excuse for not teaching our children the basics of survival in the modern world - and driving, like it or not, is one of the unavoidables of living in the US.
Almost end of rant.
Instead of making life difficult for legal aliens and tourists, the US ought to be doing something about the 20million plus folks living in the US illegally. They can't get driver's licenses or insurance...and because they are at the bottom of the economic tottem pole, often drive cars which shouldn't be on the road at any speed.
OK, end of rant.
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I've had her for over 4 years and have put well over 50,000 miles on her. May she rest in peace.
