Many of you reading this drive at least a few times a week. For me, at the time of writing this, I am working as a software developer on Ancestry.com. I have a 20 minute commute to and from work each day which involves driving on the freeway and in the city (albeit a small city). One of the most bizarre things happened last week while I was driving. I already am very observant of the driving of others around me, and what happened stood out more than most I’ve seen.

 

Entering the freeway

 

Freeways are roads used to drive as quickly as possible to other areas. They are made without stop lights or stop signs, and minimal turns. Generally, you get on a freeway from a city, where there is a road that turns on to it. As you do this, most of the time, there is a stretch of road you drive in that eventually merges with the freeway. This means that the road you are driving on will eventually be part of the freeway, and as such, care must be taken to look for other drivers who could potentially clash with you. And those same drivers must also keep an eye out for people entering the freeway, so as not to cut them off.

 

I was on a freeway with three lanes, driving home. There was a car, preparing to enter the freeway and onto the right lane. There was a car already driving in the right lane, that appeared it would hit the ‘merge’ spot at the same time as the car preparing to enter. All this was happening about 50 to 60 feet in front of me. So I slowed down a little bit as the car already on the freeway was not giving an inch. In the car trying to merge appeared to be a young college male, and he ended up having to drive on the shoulder of the freeway as there was no room for him to get on. I’ve never seen this happen before. He drove on the shoulder of the freeway on the right for a good 15 seconds, before he finally got space to merge in.

 

As such, DrJerm is going to provide you with some tips that will make your driving experience much safer, relaxing, and enjoyable.

 

Relax

 

Realize that you don’t need to zip at a million miles an hour everytime you get in your car and have to go somewhere. It’s ok to relax and enjoy stops at stop signs and red lights. It’s okay if traffic gets a little slow. Just sit back, meditate, and think of things you are going to do. Practice this, and what used to be inconveniences for you while driving will turn into opportunities to think and organize your thoughts.

 

Constantly Survey and Watch Other Cars

 

Driving while watching and anticipating the moves of others has prevented me from rear ending cars, getting side swiped, or getting into dangerous driving situations. Not only that, it has allowed me to be courteous while driving and provide opportunities for other cars to be safer. When I saw that the two cars were going to have a problem with the merge on the freeway, I slowed down, so I was not in the way. Had I just kept going, I would have been right next to the offending car that blocked the merging car, and could have potentially caused an accident.

 

Stay at or Just Above the Speed Limit

 

Driving at, or just above the speed limit ensures that you won’t have a cop with flashing lights startling you while driving. It also means you will have more time to react to situations around you. Avoid the temptation to go more than five miles an hour past the speed limit. Not only is it more safe, it is more gas efficient (if you are driving a gas powered car).

 

Let Others in Front of You

 

It’s okay to let someone in your lane in front of you. Resist the urge to speed up when someone tries to get in your lane. Most people are not trying to get in your lane because they saw your car and deicded that offending you was suddenly their prime objective for driving. No, most people are driving because they are trying to get somewhere. And unfortunately, most people try to as speedily get there as possible. Try enjoying the ride for a change.

 

Keep a Safe Distance in Front of You

 

I keep at least four car length in front of me on the freeway, usually five or six. This means many people will cut in front of me, and that is fine. I just slow down a little and keep driving. When I have to slow down because of an accident or traffic congestion, I don’t have to slam on my breaks. I can hit the breaks, and have plenty of time to slow down or stop. Resist the urge to get as close to people in front of you as possible. Doing this shows impatience, and also greatly increases the risk of hitting them, should the need to stop arise.

 

Please Signal

 

Some people like to drive and change lanes, moving around without any notification that they are doing so. Whether this is because they just don’t care, or for any other reason, this is unsafe. Please use your blinker to indicate you are changing into another lane or turning. Not only is this safe, but it is courteous and just might brighten someone’s day.

 

So Why Does This Matter?

 

This matters because following these, and other safe driving tips, will help you be calmer, more courteous, and more safe as you drive. You will notice that driving is no longer a chore, waiting at a red light isn’t a big deal, and that before you know it, you’ve arrived at your destination!

No tags

Prison walls are a necessary thing. They are a deterrent to keep prisoners from trying to escape. This does not mean it is impossible to escape. Just that it is very difficult. There are other measures in place in a prison to keep prisoners inside. Walls may have barbed wire. Prison guards, armed with guns or batons are stationed around. And alarm systems are in place to keep prisoners from escaping. Even with all these protections in place, a prisoner could still try and escape if they wanted to.  Bottom line, getting out of a prison, especially a top notch, well secured prison is extremely difficult.

 

Our Own Prisons

 

Each person that is alive today faces their own personal prison.  This prison starts off with no walls and minimal security when we are first born.  We are able to leave the prison and move about freely in our younger years.  We dream, and are very forgiving of others.  Change is not difficult in our younger years.  We learn at an exponential rate, and love to explore and think of new ideas.  As time goes on, the prison walls begin to go up.  Guards begin to increase in numbers and watch to make sure we are not out of line.  Suddenly making change in our lives becomes more difficult.  As time goes on and we continue to do the same things over and over, the prison walls become higher and the guards more numerous, making change increasingly difficult and overwhelming.

 

So what happens now?  When life has become a monotenous routine where we are comfortable, but unable to change our routines, what should be done?  First, it must be realized, that change is always going to be difficult and uncomfortable when you are first doing it.  You will likely feel pain, frustration, and possibly diasspointment as you make effort to change.  Your prison will do all it can to keep you how you are right now.  You may even make it outside the prison for a short time, but more often than not, you are captured and lured right back in the prison.  Here are some common scenarios of this.

 

• I had a good week of eating, but I’m back to gorging myself with food now.
• I exercised for a few days, but it was too hard.  Now I just don’t do it.
• I woke up early for a few days, but was too tired.  Now I sleep in.
• I held my tongue while driving, but it was too hard.  I just yell at all the bad drivers now.
• I didn’t swear for a few days.  But it was much easier to just swear so I do.
• I didn’t go out to eat for a whole week.  But it’s too hard making dinner and not as fun, so I go out to eat all the time again.
• I stopped smoking for a few days.  But I needed to smoke, so I gave up.

 

It Was Too Hard

 

On and on, ths list of things can be created.  Particularly, at the beginning of each year, most people decide to try and change things in their lives.  But quickly old habits die hard, and things are back to the same old thing.  Because the change is so different and uncomfortable, that feeling of discomfort and pain brings people to rush back to what they knew before, even if what they knew before was terrible and harmful to themselves.  I find this extremely puzzling, but at the same time understand it.  Why would someone change the way they are doing things when they have been doing that same thing for so many years?

 

Take the person who eats whatever and whenever they want, and never exercises.  This person is likely very overweight.  Getting around may be difficult for them.  They may get sick and be tired quite often.  Their concept of proper eating, exercising, and overall good health may be non-existent.  Yet at the same time, this is what that person knows.  There is no such thing as watching what is eaten.  There is no worry about exercise.  To them, there is no stress worrying about food and exercise because they just do what comes natural.  This person’s very happiness is likely being hindered and they don’t even know it.

 

The crazy thing is that this wall is extremely hindering and limiting.  In this case, we are talking about physical well being and health, but it applies to all areas of life.  What would happen if this person all of a sudden was presented with a dinner with spinach, salmon, and fruit?  What would probably happen are several things.  They would grab the sugar to put on their fruit.  They would take one bite, if that, of their spinach and salmon.  They would then immediately go looking for food that tastes good.  Because they are not used to the taste of salmon and spinach, it groses them out and they nearly gag.  Spinach, salmon, and fruit are extremely good for you.  They have minerals, vitamins, and other useful properties that enhance the human body.

 

Fight Through It

 

The one characteristic that has to be honed to make change, where change is different and difficult is determination.  With determination, you will do what is necessary.  A couple months ago, I began working out doing the P90X fitness program.  This includes a rigorous workout schedule, and healthy/nutritious eating plan, with plenty of food to eat.  The first three weeks doing this was very difficult.  I was sore non-stop.  Fortunately, I had already decided eating the proper foods was important and made that change.  It doesn’t mean I always eat the right thing, but it does mean I seek to eat the right things first.

 

I could have given up the first few days because I was sore and it hurt too bad.  I could have given up the first day exercising, because it was too intense.  But I didn’t.  I kept at it.  I put in the extra effort.  And that extra effort has now transformed my body.  The little bit of extra effort I made is reaping far more rewards than the effort I put in.  Just look at these pictures of myself, from a blog my wife and I are keeping (before is on the LEFT, after is on the RIGHT).  This isn’t even the end of the 90 day program either.  Click here for a P90X picture of myself.

 

Get Excited When Things are Difficult and Uncomfortable

 

When things become difficult and uncomfortable, this is a good thing.  It means you are making a change in your life.  Keep at it.  Don’t give up.  You will be amazed at the increase in happiness as you make difficult changes for the better.  You can be happy.  You can be successful.  All it takes is your own determination and self worth to do what is necessary.  I challenge you to make changes in your life where you are unsatisfied or unhappy.  You can do it!

No tags