Actually, I don't speed so that I arrive at my destination quicker. I'm
never really in a hurry to get where I'm going. I speed because I ride a
motorcycle and, for some reason, I seem to be absolutely invisible to most
people behind the wheel of a car. I speed to get out of the way of that
SUV-driver whose cell-phone conversation is much more interesting than
what's going on in traffic, or that car-load of teen-agers too busy goofing
around to notice that they're about to run me over, or the parent too busy
yelling at their kids to pay attention, or that truck driver that's logged
too many miles and not enough coffee.... I tried driving the Double Nickel
on SR 51 after I got a ticket once, just to see what it was like. It was
one of the scariest things I have ever done. I watched with horror as 2
people had to stand on their brakes to avoid running me over because they
were passing someone on the right and didn't notice I was there 'til the
last second. I got cut off at THREE exits between Shea and McDowell as
people came over from 2 lanes over to get off at the last minute. It feels
more dangerous for me to go 55 than it does to go 80 (10 years and almost
200,000 miles of riding and I've never been down). Of course, if there's no
one else on the road, I usually keep it under 65. Oh, and the reason I ride
a motorcycle in the first place (in addition to the fact that it's FUN) is
that I get 48 MPG (even at 80+) and contribute very little to The Valley's
HORRIBLE pollution problem.
~Jeff
On Monday, September 24, 2001, William Lindley wrote:
So don't speed. All you really get to faster is the filling station and
the brake shop.
Driving 65 instead of 55 saves you a few minutes at most. Join me in
driving the double-nickel, even if the speed limit is higher. Helps cut
our dependence on foreign oil too.
(text/plain)