Try this: drive at the speed limit

It's a good idea for many reasons, but what's important here is that it allows you to observe humanity and question behavior, not least your own. You can choose a city street or a divided lane highway, the only requirement is that there be at least two lanes for each direction. You want others to be able to get by you if they wish. The purpose is not to hold up traffic or to make people angry, though that may happen.

Don't fixate on the speedometer, just glance at it often to be sure you aren't creeping up to even 5 miles per hour over the limit.

What will you observe?

• you'll never pass another car unless one is slowing to turn.

• you don't have to worry about keeping a distance behind the vehicle in front of you because other vehicles are always moving away from you.

• you will be passed by everyone. If you are on the highway you can drive for hours, be passed by dozens of cars (and trucks) and never overtake anyone.

• even though you might be in heavy traffic, you can relax.

• you may note your impatience to go faster. It's interesting how being passed makes you want to speed up, isn't it? Mob psychology?

Since you are relaxed and in no danger of hitting someone right in front of you, glance in the rear view mirror and observe those who are coming up from behind. Some are animated while in a cellphone conversation. Some are singing along with music. You'll see lots of frowns and glances in the mirror as people look for an opening to get by you. You'll see anger that you are in the way and occasional gestures that aren't polite. Mostly you will see stress; people driving like their lives depended on getting to their destination as soon as possible. Yet, it's just another day like any other on the road. You're observing the norm.

Nobody is forcing people to drive over the speed limit, just the opposite. The police force is ready to see that people observe the speed limit. You are doing nothing wrong. When you witness others impatient with your speed, who is suffering as a result? They are. This should bring no joy to you. In fact, if you make observing the speed limit a habit, you may find yourself feeling compassion for those who could make things better for themselves but can only concentrate on going faster.

There is nothing special about the particular speed limit. If the limit were higher people would travel faster still. For just about everyone, the idea is to go as fast as possible without attracting the police.

Here are some observations you will make on the freeway, best seen away from the cities in open country. Keep in mind the phrase "getting ahead" in life or traffic.

• people travel in the fast lane and seldom move over to the right.

• lineups will occur in the fast lane with each vehicle only a few feet behind the one in front of it.

• everyone is in the fast lane is trying to go over the limit but even those who are speeding are holding up others who are speeding even more.

• brake lights will be flickering in the fast lane, impatience indicators.

• drivers will move to the slow lane to pass those in the fast lane.

• when there is a gap of some distance, drivers will move faster, but only to end up overtaking and being behind someone else once again.

Observe what happens when the weather gets bad and visibility drops: people keep on driving at the same speed. Rain? Same speed. Fog? A slight drop in speed. Think about stories you've read about huge pileups. You are thinking about what you are doing...is that going on around you?

If you are in urban traffic, you can practice a traffic skill. Watch for stoplights in the distance and judge how to reach them when they will be green. Change your speed slightly to time your arrival at the lights. Watch as others accelerate rapidly from one stop only to hit the brakes for the next. With practice you'll be able to drive steadily, rarely braking and never feeling the need to hit the horn. There is a road near where I live that has sequenced lights. If you travel the speed limit you can drive through a series of green lights. If you speed by even 5 miles per hour, you will be stopped repeatedly by red lights, guaranteed. Despite the fact that most who drive this road are locals who drive on it often, drivers continue to speed to each light and wait.

Are people driving or are they driven? It's obvious people feel they must make haste. People have different destinations, different reasons for travel, yet they are united in this haste. You are alone at the speed limit, with not even one in a hundred drivers choosing to join you. So you may conclude, as I have, that people are on speed without taking the drug. It's our way of life.

You'd never think we are free to choose another way from observing traffic and so it is in life as well.

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