Houston

 

Driving down the road, car in tow, we’re long.  And heavy.  We don’t start fast or stop fast.  No sudden moves.  No surprises.  We want to be safe.  We want to be the most predictable vehicle on the highway.  As we drive along, sometimes we need to change lanes.  For that to happen in traffic, it’s a cooperative effort.  We find our opening, we signal our intentions, everyone sees what we’re doing, and leaves room.  It’s practically a graceful ballet.  That’s how it works.  Almost always…

 

On a busy freeway in Houston a couple weeks ago, time to change lanes in preparation for an exit, passing a truck, the blinker goes on and we begin the lane change to the right.  In my mirrors I can see I’m clear, but I can also now see the car coming up fast on the other side of the truck, trying to get to the open spot before we do, to shoot the gap.  My decision is, do I swerve back into the lane I just left to make room for him to blow by, or do I continue the lane change forcing him to slow down and find another way to get around in front of us to flip me off?