h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Michigan, being so closely connected with the Automobile Industry attracts every imaginable type of vehicle around, from the small forign imports (purchased by people trying to divorce themselves from the American automobile) to the hyper thyroidal SUV monsters so popular today. Unfortunately, there is no driver education to controlling SUV usuage, so most of them wind up in the center median during foul weather due to the fact that these vehicles can go faster than they can stop. Turn signals are only to be used in lieu of hazard flashers when stopped at the side of the highway. Always travel 10mph over the posted speed limit, as the police will never look twice at someone going only 9mph over. In towns, expect to see electronic speed monitors that report to you how fast you are going in large illuminated signs parked on trailers along the side of the road. Communities like to remind you as you are not expected to look at your own speedometer. Slug-Bug contests are the norm for trips, so watch out for erratic behaviour around Volkswagens. Many people from Pittsburgh visit, causing problems at intersections because you are expected to proceed when the light turns green in Michigan. Police are easier to locate in Donut shops. Emergency vehicles have the right of way when they are on top of you, otherwise they are usually ignored, except when heard at intersections where traffic will come to a stop until the whereabouts of the Emergency Vehicle are ascertained. Due to the division of the state into two sections, driving is different in the U.P. (da yoop). In the yoop, expect to travel back in time to the ideas of traffic in the 60's, people are slow to change and slow to drive up there. (two lane roads, light traffic, occasional tourists gawking at eagles and deer). In the lower state beware driving at early evening or early morning as the chance of encountering deer is very great. For the most part, deer will stop and wait until you have no possible chance of stopping in time before leaping out in front of you attempting suicide. For the rest of the state, assume you are driving in a Stock Car race and proceed accordingly.

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Tar the hidden post is from me. I have been moderated! Little did I know that by giving you a link to a really funny site was against the rules. Pity it was a really good site. It talked about Michigan drivers and broke them down into very funny yet accurate descriptions. The Raving Red Looney had me in tears.

raving red looney?

Put a link to it on your page, and we can just pop over there to link through to it.

Thank you I did

Thanks to you also Siayte...I was amused to see that the motorist that did that site is a driver in WestMichigan. I'm wondering if I've ever spotted him on the road and what type of vehicle he drives.

Driving in Michigan sure is interesting. I'm learning to drive. I hate it. My dad keeps thinking of ways to make me. I hate driving in Michigan. It seems to be that you're actually supposed to drive 10 MPH over the speed limit. Then you come to a curve, since my dad makes me drive the back way. Oh no! No easy high-way driving for me. Nuh-uh buck-o. You'll learn to drive with them folk that'll drive you insane. Either going 10 miles below, or 10 miles slower. Back to the curves. The curves are insane! They make you drop like to 30 miles below, to get around a easy curve, or 10 below, to get around a hard one! You either feel like a turtle, or a lemming!

well most highways you must go 70 and the ten rule is very good, in cities though teens (as probably everywhere) will speed up, my hometown has a citywide limit of 25, everyone goes 35 and teens go about 45 if you see a sign, it is worth it to pull over and watch, people will slow down and still be speeding by about 5

I would add something to this discussion as one who's driven all over the state. Yes, people in this state speed on the freeways, but I can ususally drive the limit in most places without causing a problem (i.e. everyone else is only speeding a bit). In the Detroit area, however, and along most of the state's portion of I-75 (running the North-South length of the state) speeding becomes crazy speeding, and one has to drive over the limit just to stay up with traffic enough to not cause accidents.

On most state freeways, turn signals which are intended to signal to other drivers, "I'm switching lanes in this direction," seem to effectively mean, "I would like you to pass me on this side." This is because everyone in your intended lane wants to get past you before you get in front of them.

What about some mention of winter driving for out-of-towners? The incorrect way to drive on slippery roads in the winter is to get going by spinning your wheels and to stop by slamming on the brakes. This strategy will break all the friction between your tires (tyres) and the road surface, rendering you without control. You'll quickly find yourself in a ditch or worse. Accelerate slowly, make gentle adjustments in steering, and most of all, brake slowly. Anti-lock brakes are great here. You'll have to make sure to leave yourself plenty of extra space between you and the car ahead of you, and drive a lot more slowly. Or, find a some good books and wait until March.

In city driving, when you're the first car at a red light, the light turns green and you're about to go through the intersection, make sure nobody in the cross-traffic is going to run their red light and broadside you. I've seen this happen more than once, now.

I reiterate the car-deer problem mentioned above. I've had one car-deer collision resulting in front-end work. A friend of mine had a collision that totalled her car, and my Grandma has had two such collisions destroying her car each time. In smaller cars, deer collisions can kill passengers. You're running into a small cow at 50 to 60 mph! The time to be most on the lookout is at morning and evening twilight, and mostly when away from the city.

An excellent summation on the situation by 188844, I couldn't agree more. In fact, I think I'll head for the local book store and stock up to wait out February. I've been lucky enough not to have actually hit a deer, but have met my fair share of close encounters, once actually bumping the silly doe who just stood there staring at me until I got out and yelled at her. That was an interesting observation on turn signals, I had always thought the driver just liked to watch the blinking light on his dashboard.