Dear Metro Atlanta Drivers:

The past two mornings, I have been in complete shock and awe with the piss poor driving and lack of patience by my fellow motorists!  I am not a perfect driver but I have been professionally trained by 2 commercial companies.  I went through Smith System Training at UPS and FedEx (well it was RPS an FDX Company when I went through the class,  but still).  I know how to operate tractor trailers, box trucks, step vans, and apply those skills when driving my little VW Passat.    For anyone that cares, here is a little insight:

1.  If I see a light change from yellow to red ahead of me, I am going to shift my car into neutral and let that slow me down instead of continuing at the same rate of speed and then slamming on my brakes.  Riding my bumper to a red light is not going to make a bit of difference, so ride away.  Now, maybe a little education about why this is effective and cost saving will help.  By shifting to neutral in a manual (or just taking your foot OFF the gas in an automatic) you will save on gas and the pads on your brakes!  Good driving PAYS off people!

2.  If I am sitting at a light, I leave my car in neutral with my foot off the clutch.  It will take me several seconds to shift into 1st, but I usually watch the light in the other direction and am all over it.  If your impatient ass cannot manage to wait the less than 5 seconds it takes me to shift into first and start to move and you feel the need to honk.....HONK away and see how long it will take me to get out of 1st gear and into 2nd!  I have all the time in the world!  Now, maybe a little education about why this is effective and cost saving will help.  A manual transmission in itself is cost saving, but making it last is even more so!  By doing what I mentioned in #1 and then not engaging the clutch again until I am ready to roll will save the throw out bearings in my clutch thus saving me repair bills in the long run.

3.  Turn signals are not an option on a car or truck, so use them!  One of the 5 keys to safe driving from the Smith System is Make Yourself Known.  This can be applied to many different aspects of driving, but using your turn signal is a huge one!  Now, if I see someone in front of me actually use one of these thought to be car options, I will react accordingly.  If they signal in front of me, I will slow down to allow for more of a space cushion in case I need to stop in order for them to complete their turn.  You riding my ass will not make me get closer to them.   Now, maybe a little education about why this is effective and cost saving will help.   Letting off the gas and not slamming on my brakes will have the same result as #1:  money savings!!!


Now, I could go on and on, but I think you get the picture.  People:  SLOW DOWN, BE AWARE, BACK OFF, and DRIVE SAFELY!!  If you have to drive like a bat out of hell to get where you have to go, maybe you need to leave a little sooner so we can all arrive at our destination safely!