Careful older driver plagued by not-so cautious motorists

Q

I’m over 70 and I really can’t drive faster than the speed limit on freeways. Are they now closed to me? Mostly, yes.

— Susan Bonnette, San Jose

A

Tell us more.

Q

My first strategy is to avoid speeders altogether.

Second strategy is to drive only very early in the morning, preferably on a Sunday. Third is to keep up with traffic, up to the 65 mph limit, but stay in the slow lane. Should be OK, right? I am healthy, sharp, but aware of my slower reaction times. — Susan Bonnette

A

You sound like a very wise driver.

Q

I tried it last Sunday at 8 a.m., San Jose to Berkeley.

It was an open road. But speeders took full advantage of it, some seeming to go at least 100 mph, passing me in a blur. Just stay in the slow lane, I thought! But no one wanted to get behind me and was dive bombing me to exit. Sudden brake slamming for me. Not a good lane for someone with slower reaction times.

OK, one lane in from the slowest. Keep a safe distance. I am going the speed limit. There are two lanes to my left. Should feel safe. But the speeders simply won’t put up with it.

Cutoffs, tailgating, swooping around to my right and left.

Please tell me, aren’t these freeways for the whole public?

For a safe driver who asks to simply go the speed limit?

— Bonnette

A

Yes, they are.

Excessive speed and aggressive driving are major concerns. What you are doing to try to drive safely, aware of your reduced reaction time, is commendable. The California Highway Patrol has a federally funded grant program to target dangerous driving behaviors.

In federal fiscal 2019, speed was a factor in approximately 45% of all fatal and injury-causing crashes in California.

In that year, 36,036 speed-related crashes killed 335 people, injured 53,060 and the CHP issued more than 44,500 citations for traveling in excess of 100 mph.

Q

I go back and forth over Highway 17 on a regular basis.

I consider myself a good driver. I respect The Hill. At the same time, I’ve seen a significant increase in superaggressive and downright stupid driving on what can be a very dangerous road.

Some of this seems to be directly attributable to people diving in and out of narrow lanes to pass semitrucks. Might it be time to consider banning them on this highway? Has a ban of semis on 17 ever been considered? — Jon Bloom, Aptos

A

Not seriously.

Truck bans are permitted only where there are safe alternatives.

There are none for Highway 17, as Highways 129 and 156 could not handle a surge in truck traffic.