Safe Driving with Driverthink

I have an ongoing problem.  My rear quarter panels seem to be magnetically charged.

Now this wouldn’t normally present a problem, but since they seem to be positively charged, and the front quarter panels of other cars seem to be negatively charged, there are often Blind Spot Riders that manage to position their front panels near or close to my rear panels.  Once positioned, the magnetic charge seems to keep them right there – in my blind spot.

I can’t shake them.  If I speed up, they speed up.  When I slow down?  Yup – you guessed it.  I’ve even had occasions where I intentionally switched lanes to try to break the force, but yup. They followed me right over and stayed precisely put, right there in my blind spot.

I’ve never actually pulled off the road and had one follow me to a stop, but I expect it to happen any day now!

It has to be some kind of strong magnetic force.  Why else would a driver permanently position his vehicle in another’s blind spot – and then doggedly stay there, no matter how hard that driver tries to lose him?  It’s gotta’ be the magnetic quarter panels.  That puppy is stuck to me like glue.  He simply can’t escape to find a safer place on the highway!

Now of course in close highway traffic it’s understandable that you’re going to have vehicles in your blind spot from time to time.  But on an open road?  With plenty of space?  It’s simply amazing.

Most seasoned highway drivers quickly come to realize that space between cars is huge when it comes to highway safety.  The concept is pretty complex, but simplified, it goes something like this:

“The more space you have between other rapidly moving cars on a highway, the less likely they are to hit you!” 

Once a driver grasps this highly complex concept, she will generally try to space her buggy out from the other traffic.  Not only the traffic in front or in back, but also on either side.

So why would someone want to drive right next to someone else when there’s plenty of room to space out?  Coffee spills out of the cup holder?  Turns to yell at the kids?  Pow!  Instant lane invasion which is going to clean the door handles right off your car.

And to ride in someone’s blind spot for no reason?  He doesn’t see you, he moves into your lane and presto.  You’re either going to tangle bumpers, make a panic stop, or you’re going to be running down that large Oak tree on the side of the road.  Nahh!  Don’t think so.

So what is it with the Blind Spot Rider?  It can’t be cruise control.  Yeah, it’s true that cruise control doesn’t give a hoot whether you’re safely spaced out or not, but even when the cruise control is doing the driving you can either move ahead, or drop behind the car.  Cruise control doesn’t glue itself to you.  It just keeps blindly motoring on at its chosen speed.

After lots of miles, I think I’ve finally figured out the Blind Spot Rider.  It’s not the quarter panels that are magnetic.  It’s the driver. 

The Blind Spot Rider is a “people person” – normally an admirable trait.  She likes being with other people and now, on the road, you're that “other people”.  Being together with other people gives her comfort and now you are that comfort.

This trait combined with the fact that she hasn’t grasped that “space is safe” concept yet, causes her to stay close to you.  She’s sub-consciously much more comfortable riding right there with you, than all by herself – even though she’s much safer when she’s a just a little lonely. 

Now that I’ve figured out the Blind Spot Rider, I’ve finally figured out how to lose him – for his own good and mine.  It’s all about making him feel slightly “less comfortable” with me.

Okay, let’s pause!  We can imagine all kinds of ways to make other drivers less comfortable with us, but let’s keep it safe and civil.  Cutting him off, mouthing obscenities or not so subtle hand gestures, are not obligatory here. 

There’s is a way to deal with the Blind Spot Rider.  When no one's close behind you, brake hard enough to bring her up on your side.  Then just give her a look.  Not a mean look, not an angry look.  Just a look.  Make eye contact.  She will lose her “comfort factor” with you and begin to sub-consciously distance herself.  I’ve tried it.  It works.

The Blind Spot Rider.  It’s about comfort – preferably, the lack thereof.

If you’re a people person who likes being near others, please consider this thought.  The open highway – is probably not the best place to bond!