Dear Dr. Gridlock:
Okay, I'll admit it: I'm an HOV cheater. Yes, that's right, folks. And I get so frustrated with people who complain about HOV cheaters clogging the lanes.
Yes, I do add another car, but there are many occasions when I'm behind a legal vehicle that is clogging the HOV lane because the driver is going too slowly or not paying attention and talking with passengers or chatting on a cell phone.
That kind of driver, not just the HOV cheaters, is clogging the HOV lanes.
I feel people need to check their own driving habits and skills before they complain about other drivers being the cause of everything.
I see countless people on Interstate 270 every day not following the speed limit, chatting on cell phones or even reading the paper!
As for me, I cheat to have an hour-long drive without traffic. With my 10-hour workday, the last thing I need is a three-hour drive home because of traffic. Using the HOV lane keeps me sane.
Erin Crotzer
Frederick
Let me see: You're an acknowledged HOV lane violator who is complaining about the driving habits of legal HOV drivers? I guess the conventional lanes are for the little people, and you're a VIP.
Don't Pass Off Parenting
Dear Dr. Gridlock:
DVD players in autos are not a good idea [Dr. Gridlock, March 10]. With so much research out there on the negative effects of too much video, why would you think the road is another place to plug in your kid?
Ask your parents what they did when you squirmed in the car. Talked to you? Sang? Counted state tags? Looked for shapes in the clouds? Just let you daydream?
Books or story tapes, which are easily had from your public library and actually increase a child's listening and concentration skills, would be a better choice and would not distract other drivers.
