I am one of those you say "fight and struggle for illusory gain" in the great commute. I am a courteous and safe driver, but I drive fast. Not all the time, but sometimes, when I have to get somewhere and if I stay with the herd I am going to be late.
For example, merging from I-66 West onto I-495 just past Merrifield. All the trucks are in the middle and right hand lanes because they all have to get off I-66 at I-495, but some of the cars are in the left lane because they are going straight, and some of the people in the middle land really want to be in the right hand lane but don't feel like waiting. I've learned that if I stay in the left hand lane until the last minute, I can pop into the middle lane when I need to because someone in the middle lane is going to slow down to get into the right hand lane, or else I can pop in front of a truck. This works like a charm about 95% of the time, the other 5% I'm going to have to impede traffic a little (microseconds) to get over.
I know some of the people in the middle lane hate me because they have been in the middle lane behind a truck for maybe 15 seconds, while I got to pass them and then pop in front of them. They think I am a line-breaker. I think if everyone drove like them then the middle lane would be more crowded and their trip would actually take longer.
Anyway, that's just one of the observations from those who don't wait around for the slow cars, but zip around them and keep on truckin'.
Edit: I've got a V-8 and a stick shift, maybe you stay with the pack because you don't? |
