There is no denying it. At some point in time, after getting into the driver’s seat of a car, a force has taken nearly everyone over. I’ve seen enough University parking decals and pom-poms in the back of cars, showing that Ducks are guilty of this crime as well — the speed demon has a grip on all of us.
For the past three weekends, I have made what seems like an endless number of trips up and down Interstate-5 to go to my hometown of Gresham and back. In all, I’ve driven at least 720 miles on the freeway these past few weeks. And let me tell you, that is a scary thought.
Although I am no expert on I-5 traffic patterns, I do get out there enough to say that there are definitely some trends. Whether it’s talking on cell phones or tailgating other drivers, one of my pet peeves about the road is one of the most deadly of all — speeding. In one trip down I-5, I am sure that more than half of the drivers were speeding, and all of these were driving at least 10 miles above the designated speed limit.
Now, I can understand this need for speed that many drivers crave. Heck, I am guilty of it, too. The wind in your hair, the stereo blaring — it is only natural to let loose and watch that needle break 65. But, unfortunately, consequences still hold true, and this obsession with speed needs to fade.
The first weekend that I made the pilgrimage from my quaint residence hall back to my hometown, something happened that opened my eyes. Nearly a full day after I complained about the horrible traffic and the woman in the Buick who felt the need to ride my you-know-what, a sobering incident brought the consequences of high speed into clear focus.
As reported by The Oregonian, Joyel Daniels was killed Jan. 25 when another car lost control, flipped over, catapulted into the air and landed on top of Daniels’ SUV. The resulting crash injured her sister Kailyn, and Joyel died in an ambulance on the way to Oregon Health & Science University.
The accident is attributed to one factor and one factor alone: The driver whose car went into the air was speeding.
Though it may be fun, speeding rarely pays. Simple math can tell you that driving well over the speed limit may not necessarily make your trip any faster. Between Eugene and Gresham, there are nearly 120 miles of freeway driving. Maintain a speed of 65 mph on the freeway, and it takes nearly two hours to complete the Eugene-Portland run. But increase that by 10 miles per hour, and it only shaves 15 minutes off. At a speed of 85 mph, a full 20 mph faster, it only makes the trip 26 minutes shorter.
If you ask me, speeding seems rather silly. In this case, the consequences far outweigh what you gain. If caught speeding along the interstate — and this seems to happen frequently right when you get into Salem — the penalty is a ticket, with an almost-certain court appearance and fine. This doesn’t do wonders for the driving record.
Also, as with the driver whose out-of-control Suzuki Samurai killed Joyel Daniels, speeders are putting their own lives and the lives of others at risk. And for what? To save a few extra minutes? For the thrill of just going fast? In the grand scheme of things, these just don’t seem important.
So, next time you drive down I-5, take a minute and think about the consequences of your actions. And if you’re really in that much of a hurry, look around, and if you see a gold Toyota Corolla driving around, watch out — I’ve got plenty of time.