We took a trip to the Boston area this weekend, and now I want to know why the hell everyone is in such a hurry all the time.

Actually, the question is more closely directed to how the hurrying is done rather than why. We drove and were, therefore, subjected to the driving habits of the Boston area population. These habits are not pretty, nor are they something with which I have no experience. I grew up there, drove, and owned a cab there for a couple of years in my early 20's. In fact, that is one of the reasons I now live where I do. But now I've had years to think more about the experience and I still don't fully understand the inability of drivers to understand the relationship between weaving speed, danger to life and limb and the miniscule advantage gained by this insane activity.

The nature of traffic is that those behind catch up to those in front whenever there is an increase in the number of cars causing a slow down. So, if you are on the highway going 80 mph and you come to a little construction, heavy traffic or accident, you loose the entire advantage gained by the excessive speed for the last half hour. All those cars you passed catch up to you and indeed, if you are in the wrong lane, may actually go by.

Hurrying while driving doesn't work. It may make one feel better, but it gains one little or no advantage. I once read a report on a test in Germany in which there were 2 cars crossing 1000 km or so of the country. One was told to go as fast as possible and the other to obey the speed limits. At the end, there was a 15 minute difference in a 6-7 hour trip. Big deal.

I find this holds true in other aspects of my life. Whenever I hurry something, the resulting mistakes invariably cause so much additional time consumption that the whole process takes more, not less, time.

So if you get behind me and become impatient because I'm only going 5 mph over the speed limit, relax! Your nose up my exhaust pipe won't make it happen any faster.