Colombia RPCV Jacquelyn Ferguson says the secret to driving in Boston was to not let drivers know you see them



Colombia RPCV Jacquelyn Ferguson says the secret to driving in Boston was to not let drivers know you see them

Develop driving etiquette tailored to our traffic challenges
By JACQUELYN FERGUSON,
SPECIAL TO THE NEWS-PRESS
Published by news-press.com on March 22, 2005

In a recent discussion with someone about our horrific traffic, she spoke of how some people just barrel ahead without eye contact, which seemed rude to her based on where she's from.

In response, I told her how I'd moved to Boston after not driving for 21/2 years while in the Peace Corps, not a city you want to restart driving in. After a few stressful weeks of barely surviving the local traffic, a colleague told me the secret to driving in Boston was to not let drivers know you see them. The first person with eye contact loses. I took this advice and was amazed at how well it worked — in Boston.

But this is Southwest Florida. We have drivers from everywhere, each with their driving mores from wherever they learned to drive.

I learned to drive in Minnesota in the 1960s where we followed the rule of driving in the right lane unless passing. I still practice this but for what purpose? Not enough drivers do, so it doesn't bring much order to our roads.

So here's my point. To lower traffic stress let's create our own driving etiquette. Here are some ideas people have shared with me.

• Slower traffic stay to the right. (I get first dibs here since I write the article.) Slip into the left lane for a left turn a block or so before vs. the 15 miles too many seem to need. This would decrease others zigzagging between lanes, too.

• Those who can, stay off the roads during work rush hours.

• Signal your intentions.

• Don't block an intersection if you might get stuck in the middle when the light turns red. Hold back until you can get entirely through. Others notice this and tend to do the same; it's a Southwest Florida thing to do.

• As traffic snakes along on McGregor Boulevard, for instance, and there's no one coming from the opposite direction let in someone from a side street, turning against traffic. It seems that this courtesy was more common 10 years ago.

• Aggressive and competitive drivers who are frantic to get the advantage, changing lanes like Imelda Marcos changes shoes, look who's around you five miles down the road; the same people you cut off to get that 10-second advantage. Is it really worth all the energy you put into it?

• Anticipate the slowdowns at Interstate 75 interchanges.

• Lobby to get emergency vehicles positioned between Alico and Daniels during rush hour, where most accidents on I-75 seem to take place. Cities that do this find it helps to clear away accidents faster.

• Use cell phone speakers or headsets when driving.

• No running red lights or tailgating for any reason.

These are just some obvious ideas that could reduce traffic stress if many would follow them.

But accept reality, too. There will always be those drivers who love the high of their own adrenaline, racing to get that 10-second advantage. There will always be lousy drivers, too. Let them go by. They'll always be there. When they die someone will take their place. Chill. Sing with your favorite music. Let those who aggravate you roll off you like water off a duck's back. Keep your eyes on post-Easter, when sanity will slowly return. Be polite; it's contagious.

— Jacquelyn Ferguson of InterAction Associates is a trainer and a corporate/success coach in Lee County. E-mail her at www.jackieferguson.com for information about her seminars and coaching or to invite her to speak to your organization.

When this story was posted in March 2005, this was on the front page of PCOL:


Peace Corps Online The Independent News Forum serving Returned Peace Corps Volunteers

The Peace Corps Library Peace Corps Online is proud to announce that the Peace Corps Library is now available online. With over 30,000 index entries in over 500 categories, this is the largest collection of Peace Corps related reference material in the world. From Acting to Zucchini, you can use the Main Index to find hundreds of stories about RPCVs who have your same interests, who served in your Country of Service, or who serve in your state.

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Crisis Corps arrives in Thailand After the Tsunami in Southeast Asia last December, Peace Corps issued an appeal for Crisis Corps Volunteers and over 200 RPCVs responded. The first team of 8 Crisis Corps volunteers departed for Thailand on March 18 to join RPCVs who are already supporting relief efforts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, Malaysia, and India with other agencies and NGO's. 19 Mar 2005

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March's Feature Stories - only on PCOL Dream Come True - Revisiting India after 34 years The Coyne Column: Read Winning Vanity Fair PCV Essay Tomas Belsky's paintings inspired by service in Brazil RPCV reunites with friend after 40 years RPCV reviews "Los Heraldos Negros" by Cesar Vallejo Photo Essay: Taking it to the Streets

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March 19, 2005: RPCV Groups in the News New Jersey RPCVs host exhibit in Maplewood on April 2 20 Mar Maryland RPCVs eat crab cakes in Annapolis 17 Mar Illinois RPCVs present "Life on the Big Red Island" 13 Mar San Diego RPCVs host reception with Gaddi Vasquez on March 6 4 Mar Western North Carolina's RPCVs sponsor Africa Night on March 6 3 Mar Connecticut RPCVs held fundraiser on March 5 3 Mar RPCVs: Post your stories or press releases here for inclusion next week.

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March 19, 2005: This Week's Top Stories RPCV points out catalytic effect of Iraq 19 Mar PCVs set up Basketball pool in Ukraine 19 Mar Sam Farr introduces bill to monitor ocean fisheries 18 Mar Bridgeland does not rule out run for Congress 18 Mar Jim Doyle promotes Institute for Discovery 18 Mar Newspaper says Bangladesh is safe for PCVs 18 Mar Joan Ruddiman revisits Peter Hessler's "River World" 17 Mar Mark Schneider says Save Haiti from more violence 17 Mar Troy Johnson joins delegation to Indonesia 17 Mar Chris Shays says baseball not exempt from the law 17 Mar "Hurlyburly" benefits gypsy women in Romania 15 Mar Chris Matthews interviews Schwarzenegger 14 Mar Fred Burke dies in NJ, trained early PCVs 13 Mar Mike Honda introduces Student Privacy Protection Act 13 Mar FT details Cheney-McPherson relationship 13 Mar Tucker McCravy reports on Tsunami Reconstruction 10 Mar Dennis Braddock retires with record of accomplishment 9 Mar

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RPCVs in Congress ask colleagues to support PC RPCVs Sam Farr, Chris Shays, Thomas Petri, James Walsh, and Mike Honda have asked their colleagues in Congress to add their names to a letter they have written to the House Foreign Operations Subcommittee, asking for full funding of $345 M for the Peace Corps in 2006. As a follow-on to Peace Corps week, please read the letter and call your Representative in Congress and ask him or her to add their name to the letter.

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Add your info now to the RPCV Directory Call Harris Publishing at 800-414-4608 right away to add your name or make changes to your listing in the newest edition of the NPCA's Directory of Peace Corps Volunteers and Former Staff. Then read our story on how you can get access to the book after it is published. The deadline for inclusion is May 16 so call now.

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March 1: National Day of Action Tuesday, March 1, is the NPCA's National Day of Action. Please call your Senators and ask them to support the President's proposed $27 Million budget increase for the Peace Corps for FY2006 and ask them to oppose the elimination of Perkins loans that benefit Peace Corps volunteers from low-income backgrounds. Follow this link for step-by-step information on how to make your calls. Then take our poll and leave feedback on how the calls went.

Make a call for the Peace Corps PCOL is a strong supporter of the NPCA's National Day of Action and encourages every RPCV to spend ten minutes on Tuesday, March 1 making a call to your Representatives and ask them to support President Bush's budget proposal of $345 Million to expand the Peace Corps. Take our Poll: Click here to take our poll. We'll send out a reminder and have more details early next week.

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