Return Trip Across Afton

Traffic was heavier than usual, and the sun was in my eyes while driving west across Afton Mountain Friday evening, and I saw some really bad driving. People were tailgating, going too fast, and weaving in and out of traffic. It was not a pleasant feeling when I looked in my passenger’s side mirror and saw a huge Suburban barrelling up the mountain in the right lane, a slow moving tractor trailer beside me in the right lane, and a long line of cars in front and behind me in the left lane. Luckily, the Tahoe driver, who was talking on a cellular phone, slammed on his brakes and slowed down before slamming into anyone. Why does it seem that some drivers drive more aggressively when the traffic volume gets heavy?

The traffic volume on interstate 81 south was also heavier than usual for a Friday evening. I started counting the vehicles I passed or passed me, and approximately 1/3 of vehicles that were not tractor trailers had something on the vehicle that identified the driver as a Virginia Tech fan. They must have been travelling to Blacksburg early for the game against North Carolina State. I wish I was going to the game, too, but I don’t have a baby sitter for the little one, who has a bad temper and will not sit still for more than a few minutes at a time.