Thursday, September 6, 2012

I can’t tell you whether history was made or unmade in Charlotte this week, in the wake of the convention, but my own story, specifically the narrative that unfolds on highways, took a surprising turn. Much of the change could be credited to the significant surge in law enforcement and, accordingly, the threat of financial punishment. But the end result–a shift to a more mellow driving style–may be worthwhile in the long run.

You may recall my old principles vis-à-vis the pavement. I was intent on maintaining a constant velocity on major and local thoroughfares, and phenomena that hampered this goal were moral affronts. The right lane, to me, was an automotive wasteland, a province for texters, the elderly, and the infirm. Motion was king–or it was, until last weekend.

Since then, I’ve taken to driving in the slow lane. It was strange, at first. Felt disingenuous, like I was an impostor, or maybe I was making a mockery of responsible driving. The urge to turn my blinker on and slide left was overwhelming at times, too, but the draw of honing a different persona proved even greater. I suppose I’m learning patience, in a way. It’s a brave new world.