The sight of a car full of Japanese tourists snapping pictures while driving on the wrong side of the road can ruin your day. A rustadorned pickup truck full of dogs and the carcass of a wild boar leaking blood all over while the driver slams Old Milwaukee is a good incentive to stay home and play with your guns.

Gaining any control over the traffic monster is a liberating experience. Years back I read about research on the cause of traffic jams. The results showed that driving on the bumper of the car ahead or passing cars that were only slightly slow caused “standing waves” - little clots of cars that built up into slowly moving parking lots. The solution was simple; “Hang loose brah!”

So I’ve made a habit of pulling back when cars ahead began to clump, maintaining about three or four car-lengths in front. After a while, traffic all around lightens up and starts to flow smoother.

This takes some practice and self-control, but it’s a fun thing to do and a great demonstration of the power an individual has when acting from intelligence rather than habit.