Drivers could save with suggestions

I would like to respond to the recent letter about "Motorists need to drive the speed limit."

I agree with the writer to a certain extent, and please understand that almost all of us snowbirds do appreciate the Yuma hospitality. It is not our intent to spoil your day by not meeting your expectations about the way we drive.

I have been spending winters here in Yuma since 1994 and on average I am here almost 200 days a year. Believe me when I say that I have also seen a drastic change in the way people drive here in Yuma, but it isn’t so much the slow drivers as it is the drivers who tailgate me in the slow lane and then speed up and pass me on the left ... but guess who I meet up with at the next stoplight? It is the impatient driver who apparently didn’t allow enough time to get to his destination on time. I believe in the old saying that "Haste makes waste." Whether going to the doctor or to work, I try to allow myself enough time to get there without the stress expressed by the former writer. There are always going to be bottlenecks today with the increased traffic and to meet these problems, people are just going to have to try to adjust their driving habits, including driving the speed limit.

I am an 85-year-old retired printer and I learned a long time ago that truck drivers try to save wear and tear on their vehicles by trying to time the lights ahead of them so that they could obtain the best gas mileage and avoid wearing out their brakes. I don’t understand why so many of today’s drivers don’t try to save on their gasoline costs by just simply taking their foot off the gas when they look ahead and see that they are going to have to stop for the light that just changed to yellow or red. I don’t try to make a "jackrabbit" start from a stoplight as so many drivers do. I try to get the best gas mileage that I can by taking it easy on the gas pedal, but as a result, people behind me try to make me speed up by tailgating me — all they are doing is wasting their gas and patience!

Some day in the future, many of today’s drivers may come to realize that they too will get old and will then have more compassion on those of us who are trying to do the best we can by doing our shopping, etc., by staying off the roads during the busy times of day.

Please understand that the snowbirds live on limited incomes and therefore we try to save wherever we can, especially on gas prices of over $3 to $4 per gallon! I dare say that many Yuma drivers could save a lot of money on their gas and brake jobs by listening a bit to my suggestions.

I really do cherish all the benefits and courtesy of all you folks here in Yuma that allow us to share your paradise here on Earth. God bless each and every one of you!

Reginald C. Rieth

Yuma