On my drive to work in the morning, when traffic is starting to get bad, I’ve noticed that I’ve developed a habit of tracking my progress relative to the cars in the next lane. I think I’ve always had a tendency to read other people’s number plates (being the compulsive reader that I am), but it was just out of interest to see what words or phrases I could come up with, or to see what personalised plates people had.
But in the mornings, after I enter the freeway, I commit a few number plates to my short-term memory, and try to figure out if my usual lane is faster, or if I should switch (and then switch back when needed). Often it’s a bit of leap-frog, and I think the overall difference is not significant enough to warrant manoeuvring through traffic when so many other cars are already jumping between lanes. Sometimes I think that I should have changed lanes, but sometimes I’m quite glad I didn’t.
In recent weeks, when I notice that I’m doing this progress tracking, I stop myself and wonder why I do it. Is it just my competitive side coming out? Is it my need to analyse everything, perhaps with the intent of making my commute more efficient? Or am I just trying to make this repetitive trip more interesting?
Sometimes when I get to these questions, I stop looking at the number plates of other cars, and I just tell myself that I’ll get to work around the same time either way — just relax and enjoy the ride.
pistachio conspiracy #63 
I sometimes do this too – and hate when I get over and then the lane I was in takes off
and loved this: = just relax and enjoy the ride –
ahhh
and I would add – trunk on sock good music and enjoy it that was too 🙂
Yes! Whenever I change lanes (which is not often), the lane I was in gets faster. That’s why I try to just accept my fate
ha! acceptance 🙂
I always feel like I’m in the wrong lane, but somehow work is always still there and I always wonder why I rushed to get there.
Good point! No need to rush!
I do this, too. Not all the time, just when I’m bored. I look at the license plates hoping that I see something funny or weird to talk about later. It makes the miles and the day go better.
Yes, there are some interesting personalised number plates out there! Sometimes quite baffling too
You take an interest in everything around you, and your place in it, that’s my analysis.😊 Better to be mentally active on the freeway than on auto-pilot at that!
I like your analysis and summary 😁
I do similar things too, and wonder why..! 🙂
There’s always a need to know why! Part of human curiosity, I guess 🙂