Driving at the speed limit is a lot harder than it sounds.
About two years ago I got the fourth speeding ticket of my driving lifetime of decades. I don't know who I was madder at, the cop who selected my car out of a dozen around me driving at the same speed or faster, or myself for not paying attention to the earlier hints of a speed trap.
On the spot I decided the aggravation and cost of getting a ticket was not worth whatever time I thought it bought me, and I promised myself, never again.
I've made good on my promise, but it's not been easy. Driving more slowly has required I drive more defensively as others swerve around me in their rush to get where they're going. (Which, I admit, I used to do too.) I watch for speed limit signs, especially on roads I'm very familiar with, as that very familiarity could get me in trouble because there is usually only a 5mph difference from road to road.
Cruise control has been a huge help. I even use it at 30 mph when I cruise through small towns throughout the area, especially down in the Finger Lakes where cops lie in wait for tourists not paying attention.
While the sight of a police car in my rear view mirror still throws me into a moment of dismay until I recheck my speedometer, driving at the speed limit has reduced a surprising amount of driving stress I didn't know I had. I sail past a NYS trooper parked in the medians of the Thruway, knowing that they have to find someone else to pull over.
Hmm. I wonder if I should start a Slow Driving movement like that of Slow Food or Slow Family Living?
Related Book
In Praise of Slowness: Challenging the Cult of Speed
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