Excuse me officer, you have a problem!

One of the busiest traffic seasons of the year happens to be the Christmas Holiday season across the United States. It's the time of year when a driver must be most aware of everything going on in all directions of the vehicle with many hidden potential hazards. There are road conditions that are sometimes less than favorable due to weather, construction, and undecipherable intentions of others. Traffic can be very unpredictable and defensive driving techniques must be well honed, anticipating the actions of others. Passive Aggressive driving techniques also come into play. That's a technique I coined years ago at a GoldWing Road Riders Association Safety meeting. It is much like defensive driving except that it is more action oriented. A driver remains passive with normal conditions, and aggressively avoids potential problems by quick maneuvering. Like Defensive driving, it requires the driver to pay attention in 360 degrees spherically to maintain awareness. The difference is when a problem is determined, aggressive action of making one's presence known while avoidance of a negative circumstance potential (but does NOT include road rage, this is a positive awareness that lets the other driver know that they have caused a problem and that the problem has been circumvented). Defensive driving only prevents a problem but doesn't prevent recurrences of the problem. It requires that the driver be well informed and courteous, be looking where they are intending to go while maneuvering. This is a funny term that isn't always clear: "look where you are going". And it seems silly; of course you watch where you are going, right? No no, wrong meaning. It is meant more of look where you are going, where you intend to go as you go but not where you are. For example, if on a 2 wheeled vehicle, you look where you are going and where you want to be. When you look down, that tends to be where you will go! This is much like looking through a corner (typically 12 seconds ahead to where you will be 12 seconds from now). My mention of this comes upon witnessing what most of us are not used to seeing, safety being averted by a safety enforcement official.

Picture this scenario: roughly 10 am Tuesday December 22 southbound I-29 entering construction zone where a bridge is half out (being replaced) and vehicles are merged into 1 lane at speeds approximately 52-53 miles per hour. A northbound clearly marked Highway Patrol vehicle decelerates quickly and pulls into the construction median and doesn't stop. While watching the deceleration and intent to stop, I placed my foot upon the brake to decrease my speed, not because of speeding as I clearly was not, but passive aggressive and defensive driving techniques have a reaction of avoiding potential problems. There are 5 passenger cars in front of me and the first one proceeds past the Officer, the other 4 slam on their brakes as the officer comes into the line of traffic with no real 'out'. To be fair, there is about an 80' barreled off area where acceleration and merge can take place once up to speed. Obviously the timing was not optimal for myself and the other 4 automobile drivers. Luckily they all had ample following distance as prescribed by safety officials. Had I not prematurely braked, I could foresee a 4 car pileup with a semi crunching from the rear. Yuck, not my kind of day, not my type of event!

My problem with this? No signals were used to identify intention, no emergency at hand or pursuit that would have warranted such action by the Highway Patrol officer. Then once the 4 drivers decided to exit onto I-680 east, I was left right behind the officer with the vehicle in front of him continuing to slow in account of fear of getting a speeding ticket in a construction zone. My observation at this point is a cell phone in the right hand against the right ear in a conversation. After construction ends, the officer accelerates and passes the slow vehicle in front without any signal of intention and continues past 80 MPH! I was following and witnessed this and realized it is not how fast I want to be travelling and altered my speed to the speed limit. I couldn't help but call this in to 9-1-1 and report it. I have little tolerance for abuse of position or power and had witnessed enough. Is this the sort of example we should be following on the roadway during a potentially hazardous travel week? I was told I would receive a cal back from the Highway Patrol office. I explained the situation and mentioned the holiday week drivers. I was informed that the driver would be contacted concerning this incident. Although I requested to be informed of the outcome, I did not want to know the officer's name or any pertinent information that would identify him. My purpose of the call was for safety and to prevent deaths on the roadway this holiday season.

It is nice to know that follow through is something that the investigating officer (Officer Miller) feels is important. That afternoon I received a call back as promised with a full explanation of what happened from the information gathered. Corrective action was to have the officer turn around further North where there is ample reaction space for the drivers to accommodate this additional vehicle with plenty of merging lane prior to construction. The officer will also use more signaling devices as appropriate.

I highly recommend that drivers who carry a cell phone on the road and use it also have a hands free device like a corded headset or better yet, Bluetooth wireless headset. This allows for both hands to be free and focus to be on the road. Just like talking to a passenger in the vehicle, the hands free device feels more like a conversation without impairing or limiting the driver's response capabilities. Anything that distracts attention away from focusing on the surroundings of the driver, puts other drivers at risk. Did you know the Highway Patrol isn't issued Cell Phones? Since that is the case, mandating the use of hands free devices is not enforceable. It can however, be recommended. I recommend this for anyone who drives. Having a cell phone while driving isn't a bad thing; impairing the driver by not having a hands free set is, in my opinion. I hope that all drivers who utilize the use of a cell phone also have a hands free set in use while driving and on a call. There are enough distractions already on the road, why add to more? Please, if you are going to use your phone while driving, use a hands free device. They aren't that expensive and many places offer them for free (get what you pay for...)

Let's be safe this holiday season! It would be nice to have no deaths or injuries on the roadway for the rest of the year! We all can make a difference! I wish each and every one of you a safe and wonderful holiday celebration for whatever holiday you recognize and whatever you believe. Remember, no sudden movements when on snow or ice! Use your headlights and your brain!

That's all for this week Folks! Be Safe, Have Fun, and watch out for those crazy drivers!