0016 Driving on the Freeways

0016 Driving on the Freeways.pdf
0016 Driving on the Freeways.mp3

[start of story]

Driving in a big city like L.A. can be very difficult. It sometimes feels like I'm doing battle just to get to the grocery store. What is it about getting behind the wheel that brings out people's aggressive side? The most mild-mannered driver becomes crazy when they get on the road.

In L.A., people rely on the freeway to commute to their jobs or just to get around town. I think driving on the freeway has its good and its bad. On the one hand, there are no stoplights and the speed limit is over 55 miles per hour so you can get somewhere quickly. On the other hand, there are drawbacks, too. People like to gun their engines and cut off other cars to get ahead. If you’re driving in the passing lane, for example, you’d better be driving very fast, since most people are speeding. With all of these speeding cars, it’s not unusual to see a pileup every day of the week!

As an alternate to the freeway, I sometimes take surface streets. Of course, surface streets have their drawbacks, too. If you have a long commute to work or school, it can take you a long time to get there. There are a lot of stop signs, stoplights, and crosswalks. And, people sometimes tailgate if they think you're not going fast enough. Now that I think about it, there's sometimes even more congestion on surface streets than on the freeways!

It’s tough living in L.A. unless you never leave your house!

[end of story]

Our story begins when I say that, “Driving in a big city like L.A.” – Los Angeles – “can be very difficult.” “It sometimes feels like I'm doing battle.” “It sometimes feels like” – “it appears to me,” “it seems” – that I'm doing battle. “To do battle” (battle) usually means to fight physically, or perhaps psychologically, with another person. “To do battle” is a phrase we would associate with the army, with a war, for example. But here, it just means I'm battling against other drivers – not physically, of course.

I say that “It sometimes feels like I'm doing battle just to get to the grocery store” – the store where I buy my food. “What is it about getting behind the wheel that brings out people's aggressive side?” “To get behind the wheel” (wheel) means to drive a car or a truck. You could say, “If you're going to drink alcohol, don't get behind the wheel,” meaning don't drive. The “wheel” here refers to the “steering (steering) wheel” which is the round thing you turn to move the car left and right.

I asked the question, “What is it about getting behind the wheel that brings out people's aggressive side?” “What is it about,” is a common way of saying, “Why does this happen?” We use it when we're not really sure what the answer to the question is. We really don't know. “What is it about getting behind the wheel that brings out,” or that gets people to show, “their aggressive side.” “To be aggressive” (aggressive) means, usually, to be very forceful, to be very strong in a way that almost seems like you're trying to start a fight. “To be aggressive” is to move with force, with determination, with strength. The aggressive side of people comes out when they are driving on the freeway. “The most-mild mannered driver,” I say, “becomes crazy when they get on the road.” A “driver” (driver) is a person who drives a car. “To be mild-mannered” means to me very calm – someone who's not likely to start a fight, someone who's very peaceful. I say that “The most mild mannered driver becomes crazy when they get on the road” – when they start driving. So, people who are normally calm, when they get into the car and start to drive, they seem to go crazy.

“In L.A., people rely on,” or depend on, “the freeway to commute to their jobs or just to get around town.” “To commute” (commute) means to travel from one place to another, usually between your home and where you work. We use the word “commute” when talking about going to and from work. Some people commute in their cars. In some cities, people commute on a subway. It depends on where you live. In L.A., people use the freeway to commute.

“I think driving on the freeway,” I say, “has its good and its bad.” “Its good and its bad” means its good side and its bad side. There are positive things and there are negative things about driving on the freeway. A “freeway” is a road that doesn't have any stop signs or stoplights usually, where cars are driving much faster than on the other roads that are in a city.

I start with the good things. I say, “On the one hand.” That phrase “on the one hand” is used when you are going to give two sides to some story. You're going to talk about two different things which may contradict, or be opposite of each other. “On the one hand there are no stoplights.” “Stoplights” are red, green, and yellow lights that tell you whether you can go and continue driving, or you must stop. “There are no stoplights on the freeway and the speed limit is over 55 miles per hour.” The “speed limit” is the maximum or highest speed that a car can drive on a certain road. In most American cities, the speed limit on the freeway is either 55 or 65 miles an hour. The speed limit on the streets in the city that are not freeways is usually much less – maybe 30, 35 miles per hour.

“On the other hand,” I say – and I'm going to give the negative things about freeways – “there are drawbacks, too.” A “drawback” (drawback) is a negative quality, a disadvantage of something, something that is not good that you don't want. The drawback of driving on the freeway, or at least one of them, is that people like to gun their engines. “To gun (gun) your engine (engine)” means to suddenly start driving very fast. Your engine is the same as your motor. It's the piece of machinery that makes your car go, causes your car to move. “To gun your engine” means to suddenly go very fast in your car.

Another disadvantage of driving on the freeway is that people cut you off. I say, “People cut off other cars to get ahead.” “To cut someone off” is a two-word phrasal verb meaning to move your car right in front of another car, usually so the other car has to slow down and you have to let that person come in front of you. I say that, “If you're driving in the passing lane, you'd better be driving very fast.” The “passing lane,” sometimes called the “fast lane,” is the lane usually that's farthest to the left. A “lane” is just a part of the freeway. Freeways in Los Angeles usually have two, three, sometimes four or even five lanes where cars are driving next to each other. If you want to “pass” someone, that is, to go in front of someone and be traveling in front of them, you should go to the first lane on the left – the lane that is farthest to the left. That's the passing lane or the fast lane.

On L.A. freeways, most people are “speeding.” “To speed” (speed), as a verb, means to drive very fast, to be driving faster than what you are supposed to be driving – faster than the speed limit. I say, “With all of these speeding cars, it's not unusual” – it's not uncommon – “to see a pileup every day of the week.” A “pileup” (pileup) is a car accident involving more than two cars, often three, four perhaps even 10 cars.

I say that, “As an alternate to the freeway, I sometimes take surface streets.” An “alternate” or an “alternate route,” would be a different way of doing something, a different choice, a different option. In this case, the different option, instead of the freeway, would be to take or to drive on “surface streets.” “Surface (surface) streets” are roads that are not like a freeway – roads that have stop signs and places where you have to stop or that you have to drive more slowly. I say that surface streets have their drawbacks too. “If you have a long commute to work or school, it can take you a long time to get there.” “There are lots of stop signs,” which are the red signs that have the word “stop” on them, “stop lights,” which we've explained already, and “crosswalks.” A “crosswalk” (crosswalk) – one word – is a place for people who are walking to cross a street, to go from one side of the street to another. And in most places, if there is someone in a crosswalk, you, as the driver, must stop.

“People sometimes tailgate,” I say, “if they think you're not going fast enough.” “To tailgate” (tailgate) means to drive right behind another car, too close for safety. That is, you’re driving so close that you could easily cause an accident. People do this here in L.A. when they think someone is driving too slowly, in order to get them to either drive more quickly or to move to one side so that the car behind them can go ahead.

I say, “Now that I think about it,” now that I think about the situation more seriously, “there’s sometimes even more congestion on surface streets than on the freeways.” “Congestion” (congestion) is when you have a large crowd of, in this case, cars – a large group of cars that makes you have to slow down – that causes you not to be able to move very quickly. “Congestion” on the freeway would be lots of cars having to drive slowly because there are too many cars on the freeway.

Culture Note
Being Polite While Driving

When two people arrive at a door at the same time, the expression Americans use in the U.S. to tell the other person to “go first” (in front of you) is “After you.” It is of course considered polite to let the other person go first. But what about when we’re driving? We are not nearly as polite.

One 2011 study looked at how polite drivers were by examining whether they let other drivers go first when given the opportunity. The researchers “observed” (watched) drivers at three T-shaped intersections. An “intersection” is where two roads meet or cross each other. A “T-shaped intersection” is where one road ends in another forming a shape that looks like a capital T. Those on the road that ends must stop and wait either for a situation where no cars are crossing the road or for a driver on the other road to slow down and “let them in” (let them go before them). The researchers recorded who, in fact, “gave way to the other driver” (allowed the other person to go first), the kind of car they were driving, whether it was a man or woman driving, and whether the person was alone in the car.

Here’s what they found after about a thousand pairs of cars went through the intersections:

• In general, men and women acted “altruistically” (politely; giving something to another without expecting anything in return) at about the same rate. Forty percent of the drivers slowed down to let the stopped driver in.
• Men were more likely to let women drivers in than other men drivers, proving that men still can “act like gentlemen” (kind and courteous, especially to a woman).
• Drivers who looked over 45 years old slowed down more than younger drivers.
• Drivers who had a “passenger” (another person in the car) slowed down much more often than those who were driving alone. We “behave” (act) better when someone we know is watching us.

[故事的开始]

在洛杉矶这样的大城市开车是非常困难的。有时感觉我只是为了去杂货店而在做斗争。是什么原因让人们在驾驶过程中表现出咄咄逼人的一面？最温和的司机上路后也会变得疯狂。

在洛杉矶，人们依靠高速公路上下班，或者只是在城里转转。我认为在高速公路上开车有其好处和坏处。一方面，没有红绿灯，限速超过每小时55英里，所以你可以快速到达某地。另一方面，也有弊端。人们喜欢开动引擎，切断其他车辆的电源，以获得领先。例如，如果你在超车道上行驶，你最好开得非常快，因为大多数人都在超速行驶。有了这些超速行驶的车辆，一周内每天都能看到车水马龙的情况是很正常的

作为高速公路的替代方案，我有时会走地面街道。当然，地面街道也有其缺点。如果你有很长的通勤时间去上班或上学，你可能需要很长时间才能到达那里。这里有很多停车标志、红绿灯和人行横道。而且，人们有时会追尾，如果他们认为你的速度不够快。现在我想起来了，有时地面街道的拥堵程度甚至比高速公路还严重！在洛杉矶生活很艰难。

在洛杉矶生活是很艰难的，除非你从不离开你的房子。

[故事结束]

我们的故事开始时，我说，"在像洛杉矶这样的大城市开车" - 洛杉矶--"可能是非常困难的。" "有时感觉我在做斗争。" "有时感觉"--"在我看来"，"似乎"--我在做战斗。"做斗争"（battle）通常意味着与另一个人进行身体上的斗争，或者也许是心理上的斗争。"打仗 "是一个我们会联想到军队的短语，比如说，与战争。但在这里，它只是意味着我在与其他司机作战--当然不是身体上的。

我说，"有时感觉我只是为了去杂货店而在做战斗"--我买食物的商店。"坐在方向盘后面，是什么让人们的好斗的一面显现出来？" "坐到方向盘后面"（轮子）意味着驾驶汽车或卡车。你可以说，"如果你要喝酒，就不要到车轮后面去"，意思是不要开车。这里的 "轮子 "指的是 "方向（转向）盘"，它是你转动以使汽车左右移动的那个圆东西。

我问了这样一个问题："坐在方向盘后面，是什么让人们的好斗的一面显现出来？" "是什么原因呢？"这是一种常见的说法，"为什么会发生这种情况？" 当我们不确定问题的答案是什么时，我们就会使用它。我们真的不知道。"到底是什么原因让人们在驾驶过程中展现出，"或让人们展现出，"他们好斗的一面。" "咄咄逼人"（aggressive）的意思是，通常是指非常强硬，以一种几乎看起来像你要开始打架的方式。"咄咄逼人 "是指带着力量，带着决心，带着实力行动。当人们在高速公路上开车时，他们好斗的一面就出来了。"最温和的司机，"我说，"一上路就变得疯狂。" "司机"（driver）是指驾驶汽车的人。"温文尔雅 "在我看来是指非常平静--不可能挑起争斗的人，非常平和的人。我说，"最温和的司机在上路后会变得疯狂"--当他们开始开车时。因此，平时很平静的人，当他们进入车内开始开车时，他们似乎会变得很疯狂。

"在洛杉矶，人们依靠，"或依赖，"高速公路来通勤他们的工作，或只是为了在城里转转。" "通勤"（commute）意味着从一个地方到另一个地方，通常是在你的家和你工作的地方之间。我们在谈论上班和下班时使用 "通勤 "一词。有些人用汽车通勤。在一些城市，人们乘坐地铁上下班。这取决于你住在哪里。在洛杉矶，人们使用高速公路通勤。

"我认为在高速公路上开车，"我说，"有它的好处和坏处。" "它的好与坏 "是指它好的一面和坏的一面。在高速公路上开车有积极的一面，也有消极的一面。高速公路 "是一条通常没有任何停车标志或红绿灯的道路，汽车在那里行驶的速度比在城市中的其他道路上快很多。

我从好的方面入手。我说，"一方面"。这个短语 "一方面 "是在你要给一些故事的两面性时使用的。你要谈论两件不同的事情，它们可能相互矛盾，或相互对立。"一方面，没有红绿灯"。"红灯 "是红色、绿色和黄色的灯，告诉你是否可以继续行驶，或者你必须停下来。"高速公路上没有红绿灯，限速超过每小时55英里。" "限速 "是指汽车在某条路上可以行驶的最大或最高速度。在大多数美国城市，高速公路上的限速是每小时55或65英里。城市中非高速公路的街道上的限速通常要低得多--也许是每小时30、35英里。

"另一方面，"我说--我要讲讲关于高速公路的负面东西--"也有缺点。" "缺点"（drawback）是一种负面的品质，是某种东西的缺点，是你不想要的不好的东西。在高速公路上开车的缺点，或者至少是其中之一，就是人们喜欢用枪打他们的发动机。"给你的引擎（gun）开炮 "是指突然开始开得很快。你的引擎和你的马达是一样的。它是使你的车前进的机器，使你的车移动。"开动你的引擎 "意味着你的车突然开得非常快。

在高速公路上开车的另一个缺点是人们会把你截住。我说，"人们为了抢先一步，把其他车截住"。"截住别人 "是一个两个字的短语动词，意思是把你的车移到另一辆车前面，通常是让另一辆车不得不减速，你不得不让那个人走到你前面。我说，"如果你在超车道上开车，你最好开得非常快"。"超车道 "有时被称为 "快车道"，通常是指最靠左的那条车道。一个 "车道 "只是高速公路的一部分。洛杉矶的高速公路通常有两条、三条，有时是四条甚至五条车道，汽车紧挨着行驶。如果你想 "超过 "某人，也就是走在某人前面，在他前面行驶，你应该走左边的第一条车道--最靠左的那条车道。那是超车道或快车道。

在洛杉矶的高速公路上，大多数人都在 "超速行驶"。"超速"（speed），作为一个动词，意味着开得非常快，比你应该开的要快--比限速快。我说，"有这么多超速行驶的汽车，这并不稀奇"--这并不稀奇--"一周内的每一天都能看到堆积物"。"堆积"（pileup）是指涉及两辆车以上的车祸，往往是三辆、四辆也许甚至十辆。

我说，"作为高速公路的替代方案，我有时会走地面街道。" 一个 "替代方案 "或 "替代路线 "是做某事的不同方式，不同的选择，不同的选项。在这种情况下，不同的选择，而不是高速公路，将是采取或在 "地面街道 "上开车。"地面（surface）街道 "是指不像高速公路的道路--有停车标志和你必须停车的地方，或者你必须开得更慢的道路。我说，地面街道也有其缺点。"如果你有很长的通勤时间去上班或上学，你可能需要很长时间才能到达那里。" "有很多停止的标志，"这是有 "停止 "字样的红色标志，"红绿灯，"我们已经解释过了，还有 "人行横道"。"人行横道"（crosswalk）--一个词--是供步行的人过马路的地方，从街道的一边走到另一边。而在大多数地方，如果人行横道上有人，作为司机的你必须停下来。

"人们有时会追尾，"我说，"如果他们认为你的速度不够快。" "追尾"（tailgate）的意思是指紧跟在另一辆车后面行驶，距离太近，不安全。也就是说，你开得太近，很容易造成事故。在洛杉矶，当人们认为有人开得太慢时，就会这样做，目的是让他们要么开得更快，要么让他们移到一边，以便后面的车可以继续前进。

我说："现在我想起来了，"现在我更认真地想了一下情况，"地面街道上的拥堵有时甚至比高速公路上更多"。"拥堵"（congestion）是指当你有一大群，在这里是指汽车--一大群让你不得不减速的汽车--导致你无法快速移动。高速公路上的 "拥堵 "是指很多汽车不得不缓慢行驶，因为高速公路上有太多的汽车。

文化说明
开车时要有礼貌

当两个人同时到达一个门前时，美国人告诉对方 "先走"（在你前面）的说法是 "在你后面"。当然，让对方先走被认为是一种礼貌。但是当我们开车的时候呢？我们就没有那么多的礼貌了。

2011年的一项研究通过考察司机在有机会时是否让其他司机先走，来考察他们的礼貌程度。研究人员在三个T型交叉口 "观察"（注视）司机。交叉口 "是指两条道路相遇或交叉的地方。T型交叉口 "是指一条路在另一条路的尽头形成一个看起来像大写字母T的形状。那些在尽头的路上的人必须停下来，等待没有车穿过马路的情况，或者等待另一条路上的司机放慢速度，"让他们进去"（让他们先走）。研究人员记录了实际上是谁 "给对方司机让路"（让对方先走），他们驾驶的是哪种车，是男人还是女人在开车，以及这个人是否独自在车里。

以下是他们在大约一千对汽车通过十字路口后的发现。

• 一般来说，男性和女性的 "利他 "行为（礼貌地；给予他人一些东西而不期望得到任何回报）的比例大致相同。40%的司机放慢车速，让停下来的司机进去。
• 与其他男性司机相比，男性更有可能让女性司机上车，这证明男性仍然可以 "表现得像个绅士"（善良和有礼貌，特别是对女性）。
• 看起来超过45岁的司机比年轻司机更容易放慢速度。
• 有 "乘客"（车上的另一个人）的司机比单独驾驶的司机更经常放慢速度。当我们知道有人在看着我们时，我们的 "行为"（表现）会更好。