" I remember we were driving driving in your car" --Tracey Chapman

Here's my thinking: we've overcomplicated driving.

All those rules we learned in Driver's Ed? What's the point? Sure, sometimes you come to a complete stop at a stop sign and sometimes you maintain the three second rule for distance between you and the car in front of you. See? That's only two of the 428 rules and it's already too complicated.

Who can blame you if you don't follow all the rules to the letter? You are busy multitasking. You have things to do. You're watching a movie on your I-phone. You're looking up stock prices. You're calling your pal to set up a Frisbee golf game. You're texting that bit of stuff from Saturday night. You're eating Cheetos.* You're applying lip liner.* You're shaving your kinkajou.* You're figuring out which Sopranos character you are on a Facebook quiz. You're looking up "eating Cheetos" in the Urban Dictionary. You're reading my blog. Driving is secondary, I get that.

So, I say we simplify. Really simplify.

From now on there's one and only one question you should be asking yourself when you're behind the wheel: Am I in someone's way? If the answer is yes, get out of the way or expect a ticket. If the answer is no, carry on, my friend. Because, fascinating as it may be to see what you are doing in your car while you are supposedly driving, Mr. I'mDriftingIntoYourLaneAgain, the bottom line is I just want you to get out of the way. I, in turn, will get out of your way.

Who's with me? Text #7 to 4329, but first get over into the right-hand lane.




* Euphemism? You decide.