Tried and Trued Driving tips

Scenario #1. It’s 2 AM & you’re on a road trip. As you come over a hill your car's headlights shine on a barely visible herd of cattle ambling across the two-lane highway. What's your best option here?
1. Close your eyes, lay on the horn and pray like you’ve never prayed before.
2. Tap on your brakes, slowing enough to hopefully swerve miraculously through the cattle.
3. Wake everyone else up so they don’t miss seeing hamburger being made.

4. Scream like a girl!
Scenario #2. It's pitch black and dark on the highway. You’re passing another car while going over a hill and get a glimpse of a state trooper in the median. You notice you’re going 85 mph in 75 mph zone; you know you've been clocked already. What’s your best option?
1. Immediately hit your brakes and hope for the best.
2. Start the tears coming in hopes of sympathy when you get stopped.
3. Release the cruise control but don’t hit the brake pedal.

4. Tell your passenger to relax, you'll handle this.
I’ve actually experience both of these. Although I wasn’t driving in Scenario #1, I was awake and saw it all unfold. (It's incredible that your mind can think of so much in only seconds. Numerous bad scenes flashed through my mind. I thought of Carol & family and wondered how my funeral would be.) It was a Friday night and I was on my way back to Vegas with two friends after working during the week in So Lake Tahoe in 1973. Then, the road signs said; “Resume Safe Speed.” No speed limit on the open roads then. My friend, Bob Kohler, was driving, Max was asleep in the back seat, I was riding shotgun. Bobby said he was going about 100 mph, but at 22 yrs old, he may have exaggerated, who knows; but we always made "good time." (yes we had seat belts on) We used option 2, making it through the cows in Bobbie’s ugly green Dodge Dart unscathed. (replica - below) We stopped in Tonopah for bathroom break, more beer and kept on going.

Scenario #2 was just last year, a Friday night. About 3 miles south of Mesquite, is a favorite spot used by local cops and NHP who run radar both directions. I was passing a car to my right who obviously hit his brakes when he also saw the trooper. NHP came chasing and had tunnel vision on the brake lights, assuming he was the speeder, stopping him. I used option 3, above.

Although I don't recommend going through scenario #1, I can recommend #2 (in the event your cruise control had crept up on its own.) Happy Motoring, your friendly trained driver, signing off.