Don't Slow Down!

Driving Courtesy

I am someone who people accuse of driving like an old man. Maybe so—I don’t know.

I do know that I like to drive at the speed limit. Once I have arrived at the speed limit, I set my cruise control and just sit back and enjoy.

One think that I have noticed around Fort Smith, that I find very irritating, is the habit of drivers, once they are in the vicinity of 1,000 to 1,500 feet of their exit ramp, to slow down. This is uncalled for. That is why they make exit ramps—to give one a place to slow down before they reach their destination that does not impede traffic. Big notation here: IMPEDE TRAFFIC.
On I-540 around Fort Smith, the speed limit is 65 mph. I set my cruise control at this speed, and courteously drive in the right-hand lane (as one is supposed to drive) except when I am passing, or giving room for an emergency vehicle, or someone stranded on the side of the road. I was on 540, behind someone who was getting off at the same exit that I was getting off at (Grand Avenue). Just as they passed the on-ramps from Kelly Highway, I noticed them starting to slow down. There was quite a bit of passing traffic, so I just opted to disengage my cruise control and follow behind them—bad move on my part. By the time that we reached the off-ramp for Grand Avenue, we were doing 45 mph! I usually don’t suffer from road rage, but this made me angry. Why was it necessary to start slowing down 1 mile before the exit, and to slow to 20 mph below the speed limit before tires touched the off-ramp?

This is a true, and somewhat extreme example. Most of the time it is within the one thousand to fifteen hundred feet area that the slowdown occurs.

I usually get off of 540 at SR 59, which is just across the Arkansas River Bridge in Crawford county. Invariably traffic will begin to slow down on the bridge as someone is slowing down in anticipation of the exit that is just off of the bridge. The exit ramp is long enough to safely slow down in time to meet that stop sign near Industrial Park Blvd. but most drivers do not think that this is enough and slow about mid-way across the bridge.

Stop doing this! Slow down once your tires hit the asphalt of the exit ramp, not before. There is no need to do so sooner. If you are worried about your brakes, go down and get them checked. That is what they are made for. Do not start slowing down while you are on the Interstate. This causes unsafe driving conditions and can cause accidents.

Thank you.