distance over time

A few weeks ago S and I were driving to Hawaii Kai to hike and stop over at his parents' house. If I have not said this before, I am a relatively slow driver - which, in this state, means that my speed threshold is the posted limit to ten miles over - and this has never sat well with S or anyone who gets stuck driving behind me. We were on the freeway, and I was in the right lane, and it was all good until S told me to get into the middle lane. I guess he wanted to get where we were going a little faster. So I didn't think too much about it, and switched lanes, and eventually caught up to a driver who was going under the speed limit. So I moved over into the "fast" lane.

Here is what I believe about the fast lane: it's where you're permitted to drive the maximum speed limit. It's what you use to pass people in the middle lane. It is not where you drive 60, 70 or 80 MPH and tail other people who refuse to do so. I was driving an uncharacteristic 10 miles over the posted speed limit when I looked in my rearview mirror and noticed I was being closely tailed. I muttered something about rude, unsafe drivers.

"Well," S said, "you are in the fast lane."

I explained my understanding of the "fast lane" to him, and also pointed out that I was going 10 miles over the speed limit. And I repeated my feelings about the guy behind me.

"But ... you're in the fast lane."

If you know me, or even read me occasionally, you know that this is where I went off on my poor fiance. So let me pause to explain that I know it's not just him, I know it's the mentality of the state of Hawaii, and possibly the majority of drivers everywhere would call me wrong in this case: I was in the fast lane; I should have been driving faster.

By this logic, no one in the fast lane needs to follow the speed limit. It just does not apply to those drivers. I was going 60, which was already illegal, but because the guy behind me wanted to go 70, I was wrong, and it was my fault he was tailing me. What if the guy behind that guy wanted to go 80? I said the whole notion that you could decide how fast to drive in the fast lane was stupid, and that speed limits are enforced for reasons of safety. If you don't give a damn about your own safety, at least think of others. Besides, would you disregard a stop sign or a red light just because you could see with your own two eyes that there were no cars crossing? Sure, lots of people do, for lots of different reasons, but wouldn't S be pissed if he stopped at a red light and the guy behind him honked because there were no cars to stop for?

S recognized his cue to back down. He didn't apologize but did say that he would stop telling me how to drive, which was good enough for me that day.

So, today. K and I are on Kalanianaole (posted speed limit is 35 MPH all the way) at 7 a.m., headed for Kuliouou. Ironically, a moment before the flashing lights pull out behind me, I am thinking of the morning speed traps that are frequently set up along H1 just before the 6th Ave cutoff lately. I glance at my speedometer, see that I'm going 50, and start braking. Too late, we're toast.

The officer is courteous as can be, which is nice for me because I've never been pulled over before. He greets me, asks if there's a good reason I'm going 50 in a 35 zone (no), writes me up, asks me if I have any questions. I think hard before I ask the one question I have, because 1) it is an extremely stupid question and 2) I'm afraid of sounding cheeky (I am, by the way, wearing a shirt that says "It's not that I don't hear you, I just don't want to listen.")

"Well, it's not a question about the ticket, per se. But I just wanted to make sure of something. It would be the same monetary penalty if I were speeding in the so-called fast lane, right?"

With way more patience and courtesy than I would have been able to muster had I been asked such a stupid question, he answered, "Yes, ma'am. Because the posted speed limit is 35."

"Thanks," I said.

I wasn't mad, as it was the best experience I could have had getting a ticket, really. It was my fault, and I was just thankful I'd gone back in the house to grab my driver's license that morning (I don't carry my wallet in my hiking bag). Even now, I feel strangely serene. Yes, I have to pay $132 but I don't have to take anyone who says I should be driving faster seriously anymore. (To be clear, I know I never needed a traffic citation to know that I don't have to listen to anyone, but it certainly is the nail in the coffin.) I happily pissed off more than a few drivers on my way home, driving 25 out of Kuliouou, 35 down Kalanianaole, and exactly 50 on H1 back to Makiki. S is going to have to drive us everywhere from now on if he ever wants to break 25 in a residential neighborhood again.

Finally made it to Kuliouou. Pushed hard for 31:13. I should be able to get it down to 30 minutes within the next two to three hikes. After that I'm going to have to change up my routine - maybe pick a new trail, or concentrate on the second half of Kuliouou (which is actually less than half the distance, I think, but a much more severe climb.)

Rest of the day looks like: return electric yellow cichlid (bought it yesterday; it died before we got home. Maybe because we sat it next to us as we ate sushi at G's next door to Pet's Discount ... too much stress?); pick up Mom and attend funeral of family friend; scuttle over to S's aunty's house; scuttle back to Mom's for dinner.

So tired!