I like to think of myself as a confident and experienced driver in the snow. But sometimes I question whether I am just a grandma. Over the past few months, I have watched drivers appear in my rear-view mirror from a distance only to catch up to my car and pass me like a bat out of Hell…in dangerously icy and snowy conditions!

I have also questioned the sanity of drivers I encounter during my commute to Pullman. The number of motorists who dare to pass on a two-lane curvy road with obstructed visibility is, quite frankly, mind-boggling.

And then there are the people during the morning work/school commute who will do everything to plow through a yellow/red light on Sullivan only to be immediately stopped at the next light just 300 feet away.

Again, I admit I can be an overly cautious driver. I have conceded as much in multiple blog posts (here and here). Although I would not classify myself as an extremely overly cautious driver, I would think most of society would opt for that extreme over the alternative one.

When behind the wheel, I am a cautious driver.

You see, I just question the skewed risk/reward calculation that some drivers compute when driving in the snow, passing vehicles, and doing everything possible to beat a red light. The risks are many: traffic tickets, accidents, loss of life, and property damage are just a few. The reward? Perhaps the salvage of a couple minutes at the most but in most cases probably just a couple seconds. Doesn’t seem worth it, right?

The intention of this short blog post isn’t to necessarily point the finger at aggressive drivers. Rather, it is just to get them to consider whether the glory of passing someone or being the king of the snowy roads is an accomplishment worth aspiring to. Drive safe, everyone. Don’t Blink.