The top 5 ways to limit road rage... according to me.

One of the most noticeable differences between Abilene and Lubbock is the traffic. Let's be honest... I'm a pretty impatient driver. When I moved back to Abilene last year, I feared that I would lose my mind due to the ever-so-slow "Sunday stroll" drivers that Abilene is famous for. Surprisingly, most of the roads were typically pretty dead, so I almost turned back into the patient driver that I was pre-college. There was almost always a way to quickly get around anyone who happened to be driving me nuts.

And now, here I am back in Lubbock. The city that I blame for my deeply ingrained road rage. I'm pretty sure it returned the moment that I passed the city limits sign. As any impatient driver knows, there are a few strategies that can cut down on driving frustrations tremendously.

Before I share my personal strategy list with you, please know that it might not be the most politically correct list you've ever seen. My apologies in advance, but what good would this list be if I wasn't completely honest? :)

The first two pointers are CRUCIAL.

1. Pass anyone who has a handicapped sticker on their car as quickly as feasibly possible (no-brainer).

(Right after this picture was taken, the light turned green. The van, who was turning right just like me, turned and then paused in the middle of the road, too confused to continue driving. All I'm sayin...)

2. Additionally, find a way to pass large trucks, buses, vans, people pulling trailers, people hauling furniture or dogs in the backs of their pick-ups, people with huge dents on their bumpers, and people who are driving any vehicle that appears to be a year model that's over 20 years old.

3. If you're pulling up to a red light, choose a lane that will allow you to be first in line.

4. When approaching a construction zone with only one working lane, QUICKLY pass by as many vehicles from strategy #'s 1-2 as possible before filing into the correct lane.

5. Lastly, if you're driving down a street with 2 lanes, never drive in the right lane. If you are lucky enough to be driving down a street with 3 lanes of traffic, always stay in the middle lane until the last possible moment. You are guaranteed fewer encounters of people slowing down (often unnervingly nearly to a complete stop) before turning.

There you have it. My top 5 guaranteed tips for getting from point a to point b a little more quickly with a little less stress. And a look into a not-so-nice part if my brain. But I can promise you this - my strategies, however awful they may be, keep me from completely losing my mind multiple times a day. And that, my friends, is never a pretty thing.