A note from the Editor: Bob's essay is not intended to be an endorsement for speeding. It is included to make the manual as complete as possible, and to provide Get-a-Clue Teams with ALL the information they might need to play the game. Please obey all Game Rules and applicable traffic laws.
So, you want to drive fast, eh? Well, first things first. Do not attempt to drive fast unless you are the best driver on the road. Atlanta is filled with people driving too fast for their skill level. Do not become one of these people.
The typical interstate speed in the Atlanta/metro area is 55-65. This is completely unacceptable. No self-respecting GAC-er would ever be caught doing less than 75, with 79 being the maximum recommended speed. You may ask, "Why 79? Why not 80 or higher?" The simple answer is this: 25 over the speed limit is considered to be reckless driving. On the sad occasion that you may be stopped by Atlanta's Finest, you only want to recieve one ticket. Keep in mind that this is a recommended speed. It is common practice for Game Control to exceed this recommendation. (Galleria to Couch in 5 minutes? NO PROBLEM.)
Speaking of the fuzz, we shall merely say that they are out there. Only a Valentine One radar detector (a.k.a the Bird Dog) can ever hope to find them all. A common tactic of mine is to use the Force, which has proven ineffective on only one occasion, but for the GAC-er in a hurry, that is one occasion too many. While driving, keep in mind all of the pig hot-spots (of which there are too many to mention here) and watch your ass.
Back to technique. The most annoying habit of people who do not know how to drive is the lane-change/slowdown maneuver. This becomes more annoying and dangerous when moving to your left. When changing lanes, always accelerate into the change. This keeps the person directly behind you from having to slam on the brakes causing a 5.7x10ee17 car pileup behind you.
Also, don't change lanes in the middle of an intersection. Always wait until after you clear the light.
Point three: always use your turn signal. There are few things more annoying or dangerous to another fast driver than someone who drifts aimlessly from lane to lane without so much as a hand gesture. (They are, however, often met with an after-the-fact hand gesture.)
Drive the whole road, not just the 2 feet in front of your bumper. Don't zone out, staring at only the car ahead of you. If you absolutely have to know what that funny bumper sticker says, follow them off the highway and try to read it while both of you are going at some safer speed. Ditto, if you want to try and get her phone number. Look a long ways down the road, identifying any problems that might be coming up, stuff that would require a lane change. Also keep looking for holes in traffic. Plan your lane change so you know what you're doing before you actually do it.
And here's one last safety tip: have your navigator sit in the back so there isn't a map to block your side mirror. He can tell you how to get there just as easily from the back seat. Despite what he may say, the navigator does not get to ride shotgun. The shotgun position is reserved for vehicle defense and cell-phone management. Also also to help you keep an eye out for the fuzz. Your shotgun can not spot a cop if he has his nose buried in a map.
Remember, it doesn't matter how fast you go if you never actually make
it to where you are heading. Don't die. If you have any doubt,
you should be driving slower. Going fast is reserved for those who
know what they are doing.
Copyright 2000
Matthew Blind and
Team Blues: Get-a-Clue 2000 Game Control