Riders on the Road: happy healthy and safe driving blog

Sympathy for the Russians

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 15:06:00 +0000

Looking for a reason to count your blessings in the midst of the holiday shopping frenzy? Feeling a little irritated with traffic? Or a lot?

Here's one more reason to be thankful we live here rather than in Russia, courtesy of Huffington Post.

125-Mile Traffic Jam in Russia Keeps Drivers Stuck for Three Days

And it isn't much better when the poor souls are moving. Check out this npr report, complete with alarming video.

How About A Little Drive, Hmm? (A Horror Story)

Feeling better already? Me too!

What I learned about snow tires today

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 18:39:00 +0000

Well, first, I learned that we don’t call them snow tires anymore; they’re winter tires now. Do we need them? The short answer is Yes, at least if we live in Vermont. Or Colorado (too bad I didn’t figure that out when I lived there). Or in any other snowy places for that matter, especially the ones with mountains. If your roads tend to look like this in the winter, it's a good idea to consider them.

According to Consumer Reports, winter tires have a better grip on snow and ice, and the Vermont DMV recommends them. Ideally, they should be installed before the first snow of the season, and must always be the same on all four wheels. Folks who live in flatter, less snowy states may prefer to save the extra expense and get by with all-weather tires, which also have the advantage on cleared roads. It isn't cheap, after all, to purchase an extra set of tires and have them changed over twice every year. Plus winter tires often wear out more quickly. On the other hand, even one crash avoided may be well worth the extra time and money.

Finally, what about studs? Back in the day, when we were driving on hard-packed snow and ice for a good part of the winter, studded tires were a wonderful safety feature, and kept many of us alive and out of the ditch. Nowadays, those wonderful people who clear the roads for us do such a great job that most of us are driving on bare roads in the winter more than ever. Metal studs do improve stopping performance on ice, but make little if any difference on snow, none on bare roads, and are actually worse when the road is wet. Other drawbacks are the irritating noise, and damage to the pavement, which is why many states limit their use to the winter months and some ban them altogether. Vermont trusts our common sense and so has no legal restrictions, but we can help out the highway maintenance crews and their budget by using studded tires only in the winter months, or not at all. You can check the rules for your state or province in the AAA Digest of Motor Laws. (Thanks, AAA!) Honestly, as a general rule, unless you expect to do most of your driving in icy conditions, winter tires without studs are going to be your best choice.

And there you have it - my complete sensible advice. For today, anyway. You’re welcome.

PS Thanks to Anonymous, who raised the very good question 'Why not just on the drive wheels?', I went hunting for more on that subject and found this lengthy discussion on Car Talk, illustrated with a cool video, which I am adding to the post for clickability. And because it's important. Enjoy!

Front wheel drives snow tires--2 or 4?

And thanks, Anonymous, whoever you are!

Driving DOs and DON'Ts, Stephen Colbert edition

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Sun, 08 Apr 2012 03:40:00 +0000

Oh sure, you would all listen to Mother's every commandment and do it because I said so. I know that. But still, it never hurts to have video support from your favorite famous TV journalist, right? Right! So I was thrilled and grateful for this perfect scenario that illustrates a generous variety of salubrious driving DOs and DON'Ts. And it's very entertaining. Check it out...

The Colbert Report
Get More: Colbert Report Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,Video Archive

Wasn't that fun? Go ahead, watch it again. I'll wait.

I know you're all over it and easily identified every one, but it's my job, so let me just recap those DOs and DON'Ts for you. I mean DON'Ts and DOs.

DON'T change lanes in the Lincoln Tunnel. Those are double yellow lines and this is not Vermont. Or Pennsylvania.
DO wear your helmet. Good boy!
DON'T pop wheelies in traffic. Or DO be careful - it does look like fun.
DO refrain from writing notes while you're driving. Good man!
DON'T use your iPhone for videos or anything else while you're driving. EVER! Do you hear me? This means you! Every one of you. Stop it!! I mean it!!!
DON'T make me tell you again!
DO enjoy the antics of the other drivers in the tunnel, or on the bridge, or wherever.
DON'T get mad at them. Or get even. And whatever you do, DON'T have road rage at them. Or you.
DO use your Rider Method to make up funny stories about them instead, like the jelly beans. How can you be mad at your fellow jelly beans?
DON'T fail to watch the Colbert Report on Comedy Central at 11:30 whenever he isn't on vacation.
DO use your DVR to save it for the following day after the news if you're too old to stay up that late.
DON'T forget what Stephen and I said about the distractions. They are deadly. And we DON'T want you dead.
DON'T believe me? Spend some quality time with this tragic collection of real life stories from D!STRACTION.GOV:

The Faces of Distracted Driving. Hear the stories. Get the message.

DO learn to laugh more, rage less and text never while you're driving. Immediately.
DON'T forget that mother nags you about this stuff because she cares, not because she's crabby. And because that's what mothers do.

And if you see Stephen Colbert, give him a Cheery Wave :-) TGISC!

Great distracted driving news for Gram's birthday! Hooray!!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:41:00 +0000

Hey there, remember me? Yes, it's your long lost Mother R back from an extended holiday sabbatical. Or that's my excuse anyway. And now that the holiday season has been well and fully celebrated, including Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Martin Luther King Day, Groundhog Day, Lincoln and Washington's birthdays plus mine and Gram's, I guess it's finally about time to get back to work.

Especially since there is fantastic news to share, thanks to some exciting news analysis by Matt Richtel in Sunday's New York Times. Are you ready? Here goes! Many drivers are doing their texting in parking spaces rather than on the road! And Mother doesn't mind one bit that it may not have anything to do with taking her advice. You may all be doing it because Oprah said so, or Ray LaHood, or the Car Talk guys, or somebody else altogether - she doesn't care! She is just thrilled that you are doing it, and can't thank you enough. But she will try.

THANK YOU VERY, VERY MUCH!

But do you know who isn't thrilled? Yup, the folks who are waiting for your parking spaces. Please do not worry about them. Once they realize you are making every effort to save their lives, they won't be so cranky. In fact, they will be patient and grateful, like you are when the shoe is on the other foot, right? Of course you are! They will catch up soon, bless their little pointed heads. Maybe an assortment of exceptionally creepy PSAs from Bangalore, by way of The Inspiration Room, will help. Let's give it a try...

Don’t Talk While he Drives

Too disgusting? I'm sorry!

Here's a charming video from the New York Times to cheer you up. It's about a delightful elderly (but not at all infirm!) lady and her old car that looks like new. Enjoy :-)

Isn't she a dear? This nice lady is not my Gram, but she sure reminds me that I still miss her after all these many years.

Happy birthday, Gram!

Happy Birthday, Lincoln Highway!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 03:26:00 +0000

And many thanks to Garrison Keillor's The Writer's Almanac for reminding me. Mother is terrible at remembering birthdays! The Lincoln Highway is 98 years old today, if you can go by the dedication date (October 31, 1913), and I don't know why you couldn't. Did you know that the Lincoln Highway was the first transcontinental highway in the United States, running from Times Square in New York City to Lincoln Park in San Francisco? I did at one time but had totally forgotten until Garrison's timely reminder in my emailbox this morning, bless his little pointed head. It was also the first national memorial to Abraham Lincoln, and the first occasion for hitting up the Congress for highway construction funds. What a fine tradition!

So Happy Birthday to the Lincoln Highway!

And Happy Halloween to you!!

Cadillacs invade Barton, VT to set world record

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:01:00 +0000

Oh boy! It's not every day that history is made right outside your combination laundry room/office window. Or mine either! That's why I was so excited to find this monumental event reported on YouTube, because I don't think I could have done it justice without video support. Many thanks to Lorie Seadale, The Orleans County Fair, The Guinness Book of World Records, Steve Glazier, CNN, zaqura1001, Doug Leland and all the nice Cadillac people who made it happen by joining the parade! And let's not forget all the folks in the enthusiastic crowd, standing by in the hot sun with plenty of appreciation and cheery waves.

Why hold such a big event in little Barton, VT? You will probably not be surprised to learn that it's not because Mother lives here, but because Henry Leland, the creator of Cadillac did. Here's Mr. Leland himself, portrayed by one of his younger relatives, to explain...

Too bad Springsteen didn't show up, but it was a great day for Cadillac and Barton anyway! Hurray!!

And just for this one special ceremonial occasion, Mother won't fuss about seat belts.

Laugh More with or without Keith Olbermann

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:23:00 +0000

I know, I know, I promised you more laughs in 2011. And where are they? Good question!

How did I know that Keith Olbermann, my ace driving humor resource was going to quit MSNBC? Sure, many of you may think of him as a crazy smarty-pants liberal nut, but I remember good old Countdown with Keith Olbermann fondly as a rich and generous source of silly driving videos. So naturally I was thrilled to learn that he was returning to TV in June, and delighted to see that the goofy video segment of the program returned with him, although I am a tiny bit disappointed that Current TV doesn't have MSNBC's fancy and flexible embed code that made it possible to cut out just the best parts to share with you, which means that we're stuck watching the whole segment on YouTube instead. On the bright side though, Keith always begins with an interesting trivia treat. Would you like to see an example? Here you go...

Lest you think I totally gave up on laughter while Keith was away, I'll also include a few samples of alternatives that I found and left open in my tabs all summer but until now was too lazy to post. Sorry!

Here's an amusing cartoon that most of us can relate to in one way or another, courtesy of my friend Marcia and the fine monthly humor newspaper Funny Times (always good for a laugh!)...

Another Funny Times contribution to auto hilarity comes from Dave Barry, and it's easier to read from his blog, so let's go there next...

TRAFFIC WOES DRIVE US CRAZY

Yes, I know it's ancient, but it's still funny, isn't it? And more or less just as true as it was in 2004? Well then, if Funny Times can make us laugh by going back in time, Mother can too! And is grateful for the excuse to do it! Thank you Funny Times and Dave Barry! And Marcia!

I'm going to go close those tabs now. You all have a nice day :-)
And thanks for stopping by.

Mother's belated (but shouldn't be) Back to School safety message

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 03:41:00 +0000

And why shouldn't it? Because school ought not to start before Labor Day. That's why. Any questions? Good, let's move on, beginning with the classics, like behaving prudently around school buses and in school zones and watching out for the kiddos wherever they are. Do NOT hit them! Ever!! If you could use a refresher, check out this list of Back to School Safety tips that was kindly published by the nice folks at AARP.

Are you wondering what back to school safety message would be complete without harping at least a little about NOT texting while driving? NOT this one! And since some other nice folks at BMW have kindly published a charming little video that makes the point much more beautifully than Mother ever could on her limited budget, she will gratefully take advantage of their generosity instead of making her own. Thanks, BMW!

For a nice change of pace, we're picking on the parents here instead of the teens, so as to be crystal clear that NOBODY of any age should be texting while driving. Period. Got it?

Let's finish up with a little driving-to-school safety quiz from Riders on the Road, shall we? Are you ready?

Here's an exercise in practical arrangement of your driving activities. See if you can find the flaw in the following morning routine:
1)      Buckle the kids into their seats securely
2)      Start the minivan
3)      Pull out in front of a nice lady in a red Subaru
4)      Wander along in slow motion, crossing the double yellow lines to and fro every now and then
5)      Wake up
6)      Turn into the elementary school parking lot
7)      Deliver the little tykes safely to school
What's out of place here? Right! I'd move step 5 up to first place, wouldn't you? That could eliminate steps 3 and 4 altogether and vastly increase the odds that 7 will be accomplished successfully. Good work!

Because there's always one more thing to nag you about, and this time it's drowsy driving. Seriously, you know I hate to pester you but it's my job, so I must. Would you like to hear it form the experts instead? Here you go ...

Now let's get some sleep! Nitey nite! And please, have a happy healthy and safe school year!

Want to save money and the planet? Slow down!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 16:16:00 +0000

Don't you just HATE it when they're right? Especially when we're wrong and are forced to admit it, although we'd rather find a way to pretend they must be mistaken? Would you rather I speak for myself and quit including you, although I suspect many of us are in the same boat? OK. Well I HATE being told to slow down to save money and the planet. So there.

What's this all about? Stupid ridiculous gas prices, that's what. Wandering about Care2 (my personal favorite petition website), I stumbled on this old but still pretty relevant piece on why we should slow down, among other things. And check the air in our tires (yes, I HATE doing that too). They stopped just short of telling us to lose weight, although I could see they were going there. And at least in my case, they're probably right about that too. So now having crabbed more than enough about being blessed with some excellent smarty-pants advice, I will share it with you here:

Gas: Tremendous Amount Wasted by Speeding

Thank you, Care2! We appreciate your caring, or at least I do, even when I don't care to follow your advice. But that doesn't mean I won't reluctantly admit that it's for our own good and we ought to. And maybe we will.

So what was I doing wandering about Care2? I was checking on the progress of the National Salubrious Driving Day petition. And I'm sorry to say it wasn't good. In 2008, we had 60 signatures, in 2009-10 there were 28, and so far in 2011: a grand total of 6, including me and only one other American driver. The trend is clearly in the wrong direction. It's my fault, I know; I haven't even mentioned it lately, never mind asked or nagged you about it. But 11/22 will be here before we know it, so if you haven't signed already (and many thanks to all of you who have!) would you do your dear mother who cares about you a big favor and go do it right now, please? Thank you very much! If I could blog you some cookies I would!

Let there be peace on the road

Do you think it may be too late for an official federal declaration this year? They do have more important things to think about in Washington, don't they? And honestly I wouldn't feel right about bothering them, as monumental a priority as this might be. On the other hand, Congress does seem to be able to manage critical items like new names for post offices, so we may still have a chance. Why don't we just gather as many signatures as we can and give it a shot? And if it doesn't work out, we can always celebrate on the big day (that's November 22nd) quietly but universally amongst ourselves, eh? Sure we can. It will be fun! And salubrious :-)

Hurray! Mother's a Finalist!!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Sun, 21 Aug 2011 00:53:00 +0000

Well, technically I guess it would be more accurate to say that Riders on the Road: How to Laugh More and Rage Less with The Rider Method is a finalist, in Dan Poynter's Global eBook Awards (we're way at the bottom of the page under Travel). Mother is only the humble author. And if Mother Rider, the self-appointed smarty-pants queen of salubrious driving instruction can’t toot her own horn (hahaha), then I would like to know who can. No, don’t tell me, I’m going to do it anyway. Oh sure, I suppose it would make more sense to wait until tomorrow to find out if I'm actually a winner, but where's the fun in that? I'm just happy to appreciate (and brag about) being a Finalist right now. For the second time! Have I mentioned that last year I was a Finalist in the 2010 International Book Awards (Humor), and that in 2009 it was the Readers Favorite Bronze Award (Humor)? Well, I should have.

Hey, this may just be the inspiration I need to get over my long lazy streak, I mean sabbatical, and get back to work pestering and entertaining you all with lectures and stories about our more dangerous and hilarious driving habits.

In fact, thanks to an amazing illustrated email from my friend Tom, I'm prepared to start today, with this crazy true story:

Now THAT'S Drunk!!!!!

THE DEFINITION OF DUI...

Now here's a hard core drinker and one tough Dodge truck.The driver hit and sheared off the light post, and then kept driving about 2 miles to a bar, where he stopped for more beer!

How impaired do you have to be to NOT notice that you are carrying a stop light? (I wonder if the light was green?) The truck was towed about 2.5 miles to the towing yard, with the light still pinched between the tow hooks and the bumper bent around it. It took several good hard pulls with a backhoe to get the pole free.

Now that's what you call drunk driving!

"Life's tough... It's even tougher if you're stupid."

John Wayne

No word on the drunk, who probably still has a headache.

DO NOT DRIVE when you are this drunk. In fact, DO NOT DRIVE when you are drunk at all. Mother's always glad for the opportunity to end with a commandment. Thanks, Tom!

And thank you all for your kind attention. It's great to be back!

Seriously, has it been THAT LONG since Mother nagged you about distracted driving?

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Fri, 29 Apr 2011 22:14:00 +0000

Yes, it's hard to believe, I know, but it has been far too long, and I can only imagine how disappointed you must be! Sometimes, when Mother's just too busy to come up with her own smarty pants advice, it's time to call in the professionals, so let's see what the ace Car Talk guys from Boston and NPR have to say about this:

Top 10 Signs You Should Pull Over Immediately

Did I tell you they were smart? Yes I did, in Chapter 10. It's OK if you forgot; I've been known to do that myself.

Could you use some more wicked smart car advice? Check out the Car Talk website:

Car Talk

You all have fun over there now, while I go make dinner.

Happy Trails!

Creepy spider news for some Mazda owners

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:55:00 +0000

Mother is NOT scared of spiders. Really. Well, as long as they don't bite her. But she doesn't want them in her car either. And neither should Mazda6 owners, so Mazda is recalling 65,000 of them (the cars, not the spiders; who knows how many spiders?) to be inspected, and any unwelcome residents evicted. According to this alarming report in the Los Angeles Times (Spiders may have entered Mazda cars before assembly, expert says), the little buggers have been found hiding in a tiny hose near the fuel tank, and if they get out of hand could cause fuel leaks and even fires. Yikes! Thank goodness my Mazda is a truck! But before you Mazda6 owners freak out totally, I hasten to add that there have been no reports of spider bites, cracked gas tanks, or related accidents or injuries as a result of this problem. So if the little stowaways aren't causing any trouble, why all the fuss? How were they found in the first place? Did they leave a mess? Or make too much noise? Did their mothers report them missing? The article doesn't say. Sorry.

Would you like to see a picture?

Here's the illustration from the LA Times:

Oh, did you mean the spider?

Here you go, courtesy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which also has the complete spider scoop on its website, for those who need to know more: Spider Bites? Look for a Sac Spider.

Thanks, Huskers! Go Big Red!!

Those Vermont drivers!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 19:50:00 +0000

So I was chatting with a very nice guy at the League of Vermont Writers meeting recently, and when I told him about how we Riders strive to make driving better around here, he immediately responded that Vermont drivers sure need the help because they are awful! You're not going to believe this, but I was speechless! Here I am feeling as if I'm cheating by hiding out in the land of no traffic jams or people blocking the left lane (mostly because there is no left lane), and thanking my lucky stars every time I hit the road, when I find out that an actual Vermonter thinks that's insane. Go figure! Oh sure, we're a little short on passing zones, and there are occasions when you're going to get stuck behind somebody poking along, especially in fall foliage or ski season, but on the whole, when it comes to irritating driver behavior, Vermont has a severe shortage and that's the way we like it.

Here's an example: Last week I was sitting at a red light (yes, we do have a few), the second car back and we were both turning left. I know this because we were both using our left turn signals. There was no green arrow or turning lane, and normally when the light changed we (and the cars behind us) would have waited until all the folks going straight in the opposite direction went by, but not this time. Because the first driver across the way kindly motioned the guy in front of me to hustle on through ahead of him. And the third one did the same for me. You can be sure he got a very enthusiastic cheery wave in return for his exceptional courtesy :-) So you can see why in my book, Vermont drivers are AOK!

Thanks, neighbors!

Better be careful out there!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Sun, 06 Feb 2011 04:01:00 +0000

So were you worried about where we would get our silly driving videos now that Keith Olbermann's gone? Yeah, me too. But for now, a nice fellow from Georgia is taking care of us, bless his little pointed head, with this surprising video. Remember that still photo of the scary black helicopter behind the Speed Enforced by Aircraft sign? Well, this takes it to a whole new level. Check it out...

Are you scared yet? No? Then maybe you should check out Nicholas Kristof's attack vehicle alternative universe from last Sunday's New York Times, with bumper bayonets and private tanks...

Watch Out! The Assault Vehicle is Loose!

Too bad we don't have a video of this! And no, I'm sorry, you can't have one. A tank I mean. Or a video either, unless that nice man in Georgia maybe? Let's keep an eye on him.

Stop the Regulatory Insanity!

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 03:43:00 +0000

If you had the slightest doubt that President Obama was onto something when he suggested improvements in federal regulations, get a load of this ...

Federal regulations limit truck weight on interstate highways to 80,000 pounds. That sounds reasonable enough, except that Quebec, New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts are permanently exempt. So when perfectly legal 100,000 pound trucks come rolling over the border into Vermont or Maine, they must hustle right off the interstate and poke along the narrow back roads over mountains and through little country towns. Brilliant, eh?

Theoretically, regulations like this are supposed to be about safety. So what is it that miraculously makes a 100,000 pound truck that's unsafe in Maine or Vermont suddenly safe again the minute it crosses the border into Quebec or New Hampshire? Or makes that same 100,000 pound load safer on secondary roads and in school zones than it is on the interstate? Good questions!

Senators Leahy and Collins noticed this peculiar state of affairs, and about a year ago persuaded the Obama administration and the Congress to allow Vermont and Maine to operate under the same rules as their neighbors for a one-year pilot program, which expired in December. As you might imagine, the study demonstrated conclusively that there were plenty of benefits to eliminating this bizarre regulatory inconsistency. So an extension was included in December's budget bill, but that was blocked by Republican senators. Mother would like to send them to their rooms until they learn how to stop behaving like brats and start using some basic common sense, but she's afraid that would take too long.

Because this ridiculous inconsistency is unsafe, expensive and inconvenient for residents and truckers, and it needs to be fixed right now! So she's sorry she called them brats and asks them kindly to do the right thing and stop picking on the poor folks in Vermont and Maine. Senators Collins and Leahy have announced that they are introducing a standalone bill to make the pilot program permanent and create some blessed consistency in the rules of the road for all of us here in New England.

Check out this announcement for the complete scoop, courtesy of Senator Collins:

Or if you'd rather read than watch, you can find Senator Collins' report here: Moving Maine's heaviest trucks off secondary roads, onto federal highways

and Senator Leahy's here: Leahy announces effort to move heavy truck traffic from state roads to interstates

Now, by all means if there's good reason to believe that the higher weights are actually unsafe everywhere, then Mother will be glad to support reducing the limits uniformly instead of the other way around, but she suspects that if that were the case, the pilot program evaluation would have made that clear, and apparently it did no such thing, in fact quite the opposite. So let's support our voices of reason on this one, shall we?

Thank you, senators! And good luck!!!

And rage less in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Wed, 26 Jan 2011 04:29:00 +0000

Mother normally tries to avoid getting all preachy on you (OK, maybe a little nagging), but she started the week with a Daily Word on Monday that fits The Rider Method to a T, so hopes you won't mind my sharing my favorite part with my cheery friends:

I interact with many people each day, from friends, family and co-workers to sales people, fellow drivers and passersby. While some relationships may not seem especially significant, they provide opportunities for me to positively impact the lives of others.

I might be the only one to show another person kindness or consideration today. A simple caring gesture or acknowledgment can bring light to their day. I choose my words carefully and let my connection with others be a blessing in their lives and mine. We all share this life experience together.

If you'd like to read the complete message, you can find it here:

Daily Word

Remember our motto: Life is short; the road is long. Lighten up!

And as John said: Let there be peace on the road. This means you!

May all your travels be salubrious, in 2011 and beyond!

Mother has a dream

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 03:33:00 +0000

Would it be in bad taste to steal, I mean build on, the Rev. Dr. King's powerful concept? I don't think so; he seems like the kind of guy who would be glad to share, especially for a good cause. Sure, Mother's dream is somewhat different from the inspiring dream we celebrate today, but it's an excellent dream nonetheless. Would you like to hear it? Here goes...

I have a dream that one day all of us will travel together in peace on the roads of America. And I mean ALL of us, from the tiniest pedestrian to the biggest monster truck. Yes, even the bikers, the Hummers and the pokey little Subarus.

I have a dream that safety belts everywhere will be buckled and helmets will be worn every time, not because it's the law but because we know better, and we are much too responsible to stick our family, friends and emergency responders with the tragic consequences of our carelessness.

I have a dream that we will watch where we're going, avoid distractions, and absolutely never, ever, text or chat on the phone while we're driving. or get behind the wheel while impaired.

I have a dream that we will keep our windshields and windows clean, and our mirrors and lights too (and clean means not just dirt, but ice, snow and crap on the dashboard or the back window), because visibility is a key factor in getting there in one piece, without smashing into anyone or anything, and because my Dad, the father of salubrious driving, said so.

I have a dream that drivers will merge in a safe and orderly fashion, and remember to take turns when the situation calls for it (say at lane closures or 4-way stops), that they will refrain from excessive honking and taking up two parking spaces, that they will use their signals when turning or changing lanes and never tailgate or obstruct the traffic behind them. And if it isn't too much trouble, I'd like them to try not to go too slow or too fast.

I have a dream that we will treat our fellow travelers with patience and courtesy always, greet them with cheery waves occasionally, and never, ever display rude gestures or aggressive behavior.

I have a dream that from I-5 to I-95, I-10 to I-94, US 1 to US 101, the Lincoln Highway to Route 66, all of God's licensed drivers will travel together in salubrious harmony all the days of our lives, unless we can think of an excuse to just stay home.

And that's my dream - considerably less grand than the original, but still worth doing. So if you don't mind, let's start making my dream come true first thing tomorrow, shall we? Please?

But tonight, I'll sign off with great thanks and a hearty Happy Birthday to the Reverend Doctor King, may he rest in peace. I like to think of him looking down from heaven and smiling at this wonderful performance by the 4th graders from Watkins Elementary School in Washington, DC (courtesy of PBS NewsHour):

How to stop texting while driving: help from AT&T

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 22:05:00 +0000

Honestly, it was not my plan to kick off the new year crabbing about texting and driving. Again. I had every intention of starting out on a cheerier note with a funnier post. But the helpful folks at AT&T had other ideas, and now that they mention it, I can see their point. So it's back to the same old tired topic. You know how to make us stop, don't you? That's right! Stop doing it!! Please???

So we've pledged to Oprah. (We have, haven't we? Did you forget? Well, go on and do it right now. We'll wait. Here's the link: No Phone Zone) And Lord knows Mother's nagged you enough about it over the past year, hasn't she? Don't think so? Check out these examples:

Great highway safety news and a reminder
Have I nagged you about texting lately?
Distracted driving: Are we still texting and chatting on the road?
Texting is not the only thing teens should NOT do while driving
Have I issued a commandment lately?
Why you should NEVER text while driving

And I suspect I may have missed one or two. So here I was thinking that was plenty enough, when a new Facebook page came along with the depressing message that I was wrong. Some Who out there in Whoville is apparently STILL texting while driving, so AT&T (mindful, no doubt, of its role in this sorry state of affairs) has created one more pledge, and a complete program to go along with it, bless its little pointed head.

So if you know one of those slackers who hasn't got the message yet, would you please, please, please pass the word along? Because Mother's heart has had more than enough breaking over these tragic stories and far too many others. She doesn't want to hear any more of them. Not one! You probably don't either, do you? And just to be be crystal clear: we don't want it to be because they've quit telling us; we want it to be because there are no more tragic stories to tell. So let's thank the poor souls with the really broken hearts who have lived those stories and been kind enough to share. Let's think about the consequences the next time we're tempted to pick up the phone behind the wheel, and don't do it. And let's resolve not to create any more tragedies for any more grieving victims. Not one! OK? Thank you!

Here's the AT&T Facebook page, where you can watch a powerful video, take the pledge and follow links to the full documentary and more resources:

Make a New Years Resolution Not to Text and Drive

Seriously, please promise Mother, Oprah and AT&T that you will NEVER text and drive so we can put this problem behind us once and for all. And stay tuned for that cheery post I promised you any day now.

Best wishes to everyone for a happy and salubrious 2011!

Laugh More in 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 20:17:00 +0000

Here, I'll get you started. Who knew that Keith Olbermann, the all-purpose crazy liberal smarty pants stereotype du jour, is a funny guy with the resources to find hilarious driving videos from all over the world and the goodness to share them with us on his show? Well, now we all do, because Mother discovered them for us. You're welcome. Would you like to see a few? The nice folks at NBC have kindly made that possible by creating an online video setup that makes it easy to select and share clips (for the low, low price of watching an ad or two and overlooking the odd labels), bless their little pointed heads. Thank you, NBC! So if you don't mind laughing at the misfortunes of other drivers (and who does, really?), go ahead and enjoy these recent selections ...

Fabulous floating car

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Remember the Drive In?

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Road crew to the rescue

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Another demolition derby, with snow

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Better call AAA next time

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Pedestrian safety lesson

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Double oopses

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Remember, driving is an important thing not to do while texting, but not the only thing. I hate to say I told her so, but I believe I did, quite some time ago (Have I issued a commandment lately?). Enough said.

Update and post: 1/24
Well, that was fun. And now that I've got you all looking forward to video treats from Keith Olbermann, I'm stuck giving you the bad news that he quit on Friday. Sorry! I didn't mean to disappoint you, and thought about just letting this post waste away in the drafts folder, but I did promise you a few laughs, didn't I? And hey, we're tough enough to handle a future without Keith Olbermann's funny videos, right? Right!

So long, Keith, and thanks for all the fish.

Watch out for fake police cars, and it's still 911 for help in the USA

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 22:58:00 +0000

Yes, I'm sorry to say that there are imposters out there. Not many of them, to be sure. Most of the time it's really the law and you're busted. Maybe you should slow down a little. But if you're the victim, even one is too many, so if you find yourself being pulled over by an unmarked car and are not sure, especially if you're driving alone, do not hesitate to call for help rather than stop immediately. Real officers will understand if you do the right thing. And what's that? Easy, you call 911, right? Well, yes, but...

If you've been reading the helpful email that's been going around lately (and by lately I mean off and on and in various forms since 2002, but I just saw a new variation (Thanks, Aunt Anna!) for the first time this week), you may be a little confused about that, and with good reason. This email tells the story of a young lady who saw those dreaded flashing lights in her rear view mirror, but they were on an unmarked car, and having remembered the good advice of her parents (She was an exceptionally smart young lady!), rather than pull over right away she dialed (and this is the tricky part) #112 on her cell phone, and reached the police emergency dispatcher who advised her that there were no real police in that area and sent genuine officers to save the day by capturing the rapist who was trying to trick her with phony police lights.

So this all makes perfect sense (and in fact I recall a rash of these types of incidents a few years back out in Colorado) except for the #112 part. Who dials #112 for help anyway? Well, thanks to good old Snopes, and some extra googling (at the European Commission Information Society, for example), I learned that Europeans do. It seems that 112, without the #, is the standard emergency number in Europe.

Another version of the same story found on Snopes substitutes #77 for #112 (The Knockoff Pullover). That number does work in a few states, but not even close to everywhere. And Snopes thoughtfully includes a US map with state by state emergency number instructions (Highway Notification Numbers). It certainly seems definitive, and fairly recent (2008), yet the very explicit assurance in the email that This applies to ALL 50 states, meaning the #112, got the better of my curiosity, so I just had to pick up the phone, and sure enough the #112 didn't work, as I suspected. But never one to give up that easily, I gave it one more shot with plain 112, like the Europeans do, and by golly the friendly 911 operator picked up and was as surprised as I was that I reached him by dialing 112! Back to google, I discovered that 112 also works on GSM cell phones wherever they are.

So are you totally confused yet? Here's the bottom line. The warning is legitimate; this could happen to you, although it's unlikely. If you need to make that call in Europe, by all means use 112, but ditch the #. In the US, although 112 or any number of other options may work, 911 is a sure thing, so why not stick with that? Well, that's Mother's advice anyway. And you always listen to Mother, don't you? Sure you do.

Well listen to her one more time please, and have yourself a Happy Thanksgiving and salubrious travels wherever you go.

More Zipper Merge: on the jumbotron at the Rally to Restore Sanity

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 12:08:00 +0000

Thanks a million (and more!) to Jon Stewart for the beautiful zipper merge shout out (with video) at the Rally to Restore Sanity. Oh yeah, and thanks for the best rally ever too. And thanks most of all for bringing together the most amazing (and friendly!) bunch of great Americans I've ever seen in one place, no exceptions.

Would you like to see the video? I found it on MSNBC, where they kindly fix it so you can clip and share just your favorite parts (thank you, MSNBC). And I'm happy to report that Jon thoughtfully and effectively makes the point with a G rating. Mother loves that!

And so what if the light at the end of the tunnel is New Jersey? That's a good thing, when New Jersey is where you're going, especially when Promised Land (which is, after all, over in the Poconos) would be really out of the way.

You know, it may not be as catchy as the zipper merge, but I'm thinking that maybe we should start calling the technique you go then I'll go,or maybe just Stew, in honor of Jon's shining this light on the road to sanity in so many areas of our lives, including those often troublesome lane closures.

It's a wonderful thing when we can all work together for the greater good, and still arrive safely and sanely at our destination, isn't it? With a little practice, I'm pretty sure we can get the hang of it. Would you like a little refresher first? You can find a brief description right here: The Zipper Merge (or full and complete details in the book). Ready now? What do you say we get started, shall we?

You go then I'll go.

Great highway safety news, and a reminder

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Fri, 01 Oct 2010 11:36:00 +0000

Woo hoo! We killed only 33,808 people on the road in 2009. That's the best we've done (and by best I mean least!) since 1950. Mother's ever so proud of us for driving more safely out there, and so is the Governors Highway Safety Association, as you can see here.

But lest we get complacent, there are nice folks out there who are taking the time to remind us that it's still too many. With illustrations and some very excellent suggestions on how we can continue to improve. I couldn't say it better myself so will just copy directly from the email sister Kacey sent along yesterday. (Thanks, Kace!)...

Would you like to have been in the passenger seat?

This accident occurred north of Deer Lodge in I-90. The driver was appx 22 year old guy heading east to college. He had left central Washington early in the morning. He fell asleep at the wheel and drifted off the shoulder hitting the end of the section of guard rail. The guard rail came through the right headlight, engine compartment, firewall, glove box, passenter seat, rear seat and exited out the driver's side rear window. That is 120 LF of guard rail that threaded through the Suburban.

No passengers and the driver was not injured.

I am sharing this as a reminder to all about NOT driving when you shouldn't be behind the wheel (drinking, texting, distracted or just plain tired).

The Zipper Merge: Let's restore some sanity on the road.

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Sat, 25 Sep 2010 21:47:00 +0000

If Jon Stewart says I'm right, and Tom Vanderbilt (the famous author of Traffic) apparently agrees (along with a professional traffic engineer who commented on his post), and CO and MNDOT say I'm right, and a nice blogger named Ed Koehler from Minnesota says I'm right, then I'm right. Right? Right!

OK, I know I covered all this at great length in the book, so let me say right up front that if you've got the message already (or have known for years because like many of us you learned to drive that way in the first place) and would rather skip this little review and just get on with your day, please feel free and you all have a nice day :-)

But if you're wondering what's got the zipper merge bee in Mother's bonnet again, or you're just not convinced yet, or you haven't the slightest clue what the heck I'm talking about or what it has to do with Jon Stewart, stick around, and I'll be right back with a great show, I mean blog post.

What's the Stewart connection? Two things. First, the Stewart/Colbert Rally to Restore Sanity and/or Fear that's coming up in Washington reminds me that in my experience (although, granted, it was quite some time ago), the DC area is one of those places where drivers' Moms seem to have forgotten to teach them about taking turns, or maybe they failed to pay attention. Either way, it's jamming up those lane closure merges, and who needs that? Especially when you're from out of town and in a big hurry to get to a very special rally. Nobody, that's who.

Second, thinking about the zipper merge, which happens to be the right way to merge at a congested lane closure, reminds me that Jon Stewart had some words of wisdom on that very topic during a chat with Drew Barrymore not too long ago. Normally, this is where I'd share the video clip, but I'm afraid that some parts are a little too, shall we say, adult for Mother's wholesome, cheery audience. Or for Mother anyway. So instead I will simply quote the zipper merge portion, which was the highlight of the interview anyway, in my opinion. Here's what Jon had to say:

Are you an every other car merger, because to me...

To me, the hallmark of civilization, and I believe this on its core foundational level, is the every other car merge at tunnels. There is, it's a, (guest interrupts) no, when you get up to that and there's like four cars and it goes down to one, and everybody suddenly no matter what, Jew, Muslim, gay, straight, black, white, it doesn't matter. Everybody just goes I'm next, now you're next, and it's like the zipper merge, And it really says to me, this is why we don't drink the same water we bleep in any more, because we are a civilized society. That's my theory. (great applause from the audience)

And not only is it civilized, but it's practical, because in heavy traffic, using both (or all) lanes for as long as you can, then alternating one by one (sort of like a zipper!), is the best way to share the road and keep traffic flowing. Now isn't that easier and more pleasant than a scenario (we've all been there, haven't we?) that looks like this ...

Merging early creates a long line of cars with drivers who are becoming increasingly irritated if not enraged about sitting there, especially when they're (and they usually are) watching the occasional zipper fan drive by in the nearly empty lane next door. And then there are the few folks who are doing the driving by feeling guilty, never mind absorbing plenty of wicked hate vibes from their neighbors in the next lane, for simply doing the reasonable thing, which is driving in a perfectly good open lane. And finally, we have the occasional extra-irate busybodies who make things worse by blocking the open lane out of a possibly well-intentioned but misguided notion that it's their job to be road monitors. Is this ugly situation fair to anyone? NO! Can this problem be solved? YES! In some areas they're posting signs with instructions now, and Mother appreciates that, but once we know the trick, we can do the right thing without being told, now can't we? Well, sure we can.

So when traffic is light, then go on and merge early because that works just fine. But when the highway is crowded, remember to use those lanes. Then take turns. And let there be peace on the road; it's the reasonable way to drive.
PS Want to check out my sources? There are geekier ones, but these are my favorites:

Zipper Method Traffic Merging Comprehension Issues, The Deets, Ed KoehlerThe Zipper Merge and Civil Society, How We Drive blog, Tom Vanderbilt
(especially the comments, the post itself is the JS quote)

Mother discovered a brilliant idea: Drivetime Yoga

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:59:00 +0000

Hey, look what I found!

Well, it would be more truthful (and I am) to say that it found me, or to be slightly more accurate, the smart lady who created it found me. Thanks, Elaine!

Drivetime yoga offers a cure for stress, strain and general crankiness on the road:

I just sent in my order yesterday, so stay tuned for my full report after it arrives, but I can see already by looking at the generous free download that this is going to be a winner. Check it out!

Drivetime Yoga

Traffic news around the world

noreply@blogger.com (Mother Rider) — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 03:15:00 +0000

Let's start with the bad news. Well, bad news if you're driving a truck on the Beijing-Tibet highway. If like most of us you're not, and you were looking for a reason to count your blessings today, this would be a good one. It's taking these poor guys over a week to go 60 miles, sometimes making less than a third of a mile in a day. I read about this in the Wall Street Journal, and would include a link to the article and photos, but the WSJ is getting grubby about sharing their stuff online. Too bad. Lucky for us, the Christian Science Monitor is much more generous. Check out the amazing photos: China's huge traffic jam, as well as a full report that notes the jam seems to have mysteriously disappeared (China traffic jam vanishes overnight?), just like they do here in the USA. Except that here it doesn't usually take a week, or even overnight. Sometimes we even get home in time for a late dinner. Does that make you feel any better about the hour or two here and there you spend sitting in traffic? I didn't think so.

But we can cheer up! Because world traffic news is not all bad. A delightful group in England, called FiT (for filter in turn) is promoting the notion (and with good reason, apparently) that traffic lights (which their spokesman compares to multi-colored acne) are entirely more trouble, congestion-wise, than they're worth, safety-wise. And they have good evidence in the form of towns in Sweden and England where the lights have been eliminated with great success. It's all based on the concept that without all the useless and irritating interference of traffic controls, most drivers are naturally quite courteous and cooperative. And safe. As are the pedestrians and bicyclists around them. That they can and do figure out how to take turns and move along nicely. Are you thinking this too good to be true? That my Pollyanna side is making up a charming little fairy story? No, seriously, here's the YouTube video to prove it:

And here's the one about Portishead, the town in England where the traffic-light free trial went so well that they decided to made it permanent:

Maybe we should give it a try over here? I think it's a lovely idea, don't you?