Back when I was commuting (Oh how nice it is to use the past tense there!), I had to get from point A to point B in the shortest possible time. I generally had less than 15 minutes of wiggle room on either end–and generally had to eat, walk to my car, answer student questions or unload my car in that time.
Which meant I spent some time perfecting those little techniques to make sure you get where you’re going fast enough. Techniques like passing all the slow-pokes before the road narrows to one lane. Techniques like passing the MOMENT you have free room (not waiting until a car approaches and causes the passing room you once had to disappear.) Techniques like knowing which car to get behind when there are people stopped in BOTH LANES at a red light.
Do you know which car to get behind?
I’ll let you in on the secret.
You get behind the vehicle that’s going to accelerate faster–er, whose driver is going to accelerate faster.
Which means, if your options are a car and a truck—
Choose the car.
If your options are a truck and a minivan?
Choose the truck.
If your options are 2 cars?
Choose the younger driver over the older (unless either is driving a Geo Metro–in which case, get behind the car that’s NOT the Geo Metro.)
If your options are 2 trucks?
Choose the man over the woman.
If your options are 2 minivans?
You’re pretty much doomed.