Florida Driver Education
Driving Safe on Florida Roads
As you sit in traffic day after day trying to get to and from work what do you think about? One south Florida driver determined to shorten his drive time came up with an approach dubbed "exit jumping". According to south Florida local station 10 exit jumping actually did work.
The TV station did a test with three drivers. One driver took the safest approach by staying in one lane, no weaving in and out. Driver number two drove more aggressively but still legal. He moved from lane to lane always looking for the fast moving lane. The third driver was the exit jumper.
Driver number three spent the majority of his time on I95 exits and the surface streets that connect them. He got off I95 at every exit, then drove to the next entrance ramp and got back on. The driver repeated this exit jumping at every exit for his 10 mile drive from Downtown Miami to the Golden Glades Exit. To test this approach all three drivers got on I95 at 5:30 during peak traffic. The exit jumper beat both drivers. He beat the aggressive driver by 5 minutes and safe driver by 6 minutes.
Of course this only works because no one else is exit jumping. If everyone uses this technique then I95 will move nicely and surface streets will be gridlock. Traffic is one of those problems that can't be fixed with cute tricks or even more lanes. To really relieve traffic we need drastic measures. Our vote is for telecommuting. Stay home, avoid the stress of traffic and save the gas money. With today's technology it can be like you're in the office but not. No office, no commute.
This story was reported in the Miami Herald by Larry Lebowitz
