Recent events lead me to believe that I owe my fellow drivers an apology. I understand my actions may have caused you some distress, given the fact I’ve been flipped “the bird” several times, been tailgated and given lots of dirty looks. In fact, I think Governor Jerry Brown’s recent approval of a bill allowing self-driving vehicles in California is his way to get me off the road. Don’t worry; I’m not going to hit you. I drive an S-U-V and if you do too, then listen up. I can save you money…on brakes and rotors. To save mine, I turned to my mechanic for advice. I heard him say, “you should only apply your brakes for a total 4 seconds when coming to a stop”. He further explained the impact of riding your brakes combined with friction and heat causes your brakes to wear leading to warped rotors.
Not fun, unless you like shaking like a bowl of jello on the spin cycle of your washing machine every time you brake. After terrifying a few elderly people nearly to death, I thought I better double check his “4-second rule”. He clarified, “no, 3 seconds.” What? I’ve given my fellow drivers an extra second, then why all the nasty looks? I drive this way because this is the way I was told. But honestly, once my mechanic starts talking cars and engines, it’s like I’m a teenager getting a lecture from her parents. I have a habit of tuning him out until I hear something fascinating or expensive.
In this case, I swore I heard 4 seconds. I didn’t, and it’s a bit more involved. He went on to explain about kinetic energy. Instead of a total braking time of 3 seconds, you apply your brakes in three-second intervals until you come to a stop, allowing the car to work with you. I’m not sure he’d be happy I’m sharing this information with you, since as he said, “people’s braking habits keep me busy and fed.” Okay, with that being said, I’m sorry about terrorizing you as I approach the back of your car traveling at a high rate of speed. But rest assured, my brakes are well maintained, and I have insurance. And hopefully, I’ll get a smart vehicle before you can scream, “Geico!”
