California Driving Coming to Prescott – Buz Blog

Image by prvideotv from Pixabay

“Leave sooner, drive slower, live longer.” – Author Unknown

“Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead.” – Mac McCleary

Those of us who were born and raised in California or who spent years living and driving in that once beautiful state, are beginning to see a terrible phenomenon coming to the Prescott area. It is the California driving style. After spending four days in the so-called sunshine state for a funeral and a birthday, I found myself reverting back to the way I used to drive when I was a resident. After spending 38 years on the roads, freeways and avenues of California, I had become a prime representative of the California driver.

What is the California driver? He or she is an excessively aggressive, rude, inconsiderate bore. For no logical reason, the California driver will cut off cars in other lanes, if he thinks that car is attempting to get ahead of him. The California Driver, (CD), will speed up on the freeway if the driver ahead of him in the next lane, turns on his turn indicator in order to change lanes, thus crudely preventing the lane change. The CD will never stop and let a driver from a private or business driveway enter the street in front of his car.

The CD will honk his horn, loud and long, if the vehicle in front of him waits more than a millisecond to enter the intersection after a red light turns to green. Sometimes, the CD will suddenly cross four lanes of traffic to get to an off ramp, caring nothing about the cars he has cut off or accidents he may have caused. To add insult to injury, he will grandly display the one finger salute to those who blare their horns at his extremely dangerous maneuvers.

All that changed when we moved to Arizona. Prescott drivers would stop, smile and let you enter the street in front of them. When you nodded a thanks to them, they would wave all five fingers at you in return. If you signaled to change lanes, the car in the next lane would slow to allow you to enter. There never seemed to be a drag racing contest to see who could get through the yellow light before it changed to red.

All of this polite, Prescott driving quickly transformed me into a courteous driver. Unfortunately, upon returning to the driving conditions in California, I began to feel the angst, frustration and competitiveness that driving in that environment induces in otherwise sane and safe drivers.

What are the causes of this recklessness driving and how can we stop and prevent it from taking over our streets in the Prescott area? Being late is a cause, so each of us should leave early for work or appointments. Traffic congestion is a reason for vexation, so we should all allow for it when allotting time to get to our destination. Other drivers who are impolite and/or rude are no reason for us to become that way. We should respond to other vehicle operators the way we would like to treated. When we see someone trying to enter a street or a lane while we are in heavy traffic, we should stop or slow to let them enter. Isn’t that what we would want someone to do for us, if the situation was reversed?

Driving in a safe, sane, and courteous manner, when not in a hurry, will make the streets, roads and highways in our area and state more secure and driving a much more enjoyable experience.