ANST - Gulf Wars travelers

[Zimmermann, Lenny]

Being from New Orleans and having driving throughout the state of Louisiana
there are many driving rules that are not written in the books and that you
can only really learn and know from the experience of growing up there.
These rules are as follows: [Major sarcasm alert, but don't be surprised if
you see drivers in Louisiana who seem to follow these "rules".!]

NEVER use your turn signal if you are changing lanes or otherwise turning.
If you do, you'll just be cut off anyway and if you just put your car where
you want it to be, everyone else will just get out of the way.

ALWAYS use your turn signal if you are not going to turn or change lanes for
some time. This way people know when they don't have to worry about getting
out of your way.

Drive 10 to 15 miles per hour under the speed limit in the left hand lane,
especially if you can be going this same speed with another car in the lane
next to you. For some reason us Louisianans have this fascination with
taking it easy on the roads and let everyone else know that's just what
we're doing. Let them all know just how laid back you are and you'll fit
right in.

If there is any incline in the road, slow down. Everyone know that Louisiana
is mostly flat (although there is enough greenery that you wouldn't know
it.) And most people in Louisiana know that any oddity in the roadway is
something to be cautious of. Since hills are an anomaly Louisiana drivers
are naturally more cautious on all the little inclines on the road.

When the weather is amenable you should drive down the highway with your arm
out the window with a can of beer in your hand. Who cares what people say
about drinking and driving anyway. Most people just aren't used to it like
the people of Louisiana, is all. Besides hot sauce must prevent drunkenness.
I'm sure of it.

If you are driving down the road without your pre-requisite beer (or
Daiquiri in New Orleans), you can be pulled over by the police. In such
situations it is always in your best interested to have a spare cooler in
the trunk with a case of cold ones. Turning said cooler over to the law
enforcement officials will ensure your continued safe passage through
Louisiana without the bother of having to feel guilty about having a traffic
ticket that you'll never pay anyway and that Louisiana will never figure out
how to collect.


On a more serious note, Louisiana State Troopers (like State Troopers in
just about any state I've ever been through) do tend to be more than happy
to pull over cars with plates nor from within the state. The reason is
simple enough in that the chances are better that someone from out of state
will not be able to make it to court to contest, so their chances are better
at getting your money.

I'm not sure how it works now, but Troopers and some of the city and Parish
police forces throughout Louisiana used to also have ticket quotas that had
to be met monthly. So often enough Louisiana drivers (and anyone else
unlucky enough to be around) get subjected to speed traps and quasi-road
blocks for checking adherence to safety tag, license tag and seat belt laws.
Usually those only happen in the city, though. (I'd usually get stuck in the
traffic of one driving around New Orleans maybe once a year, or so. Not too
often.)

Otherwise the rest of the advice already given seems pretty good. Just
always remember to show the utmost respect to any law officers if you do get
pulled over. Louisiana and New Orleans have been known to have some fairly
strict laws about having your drivers license with you if you were from
outside the state. (New Orleans has since repealed that law since they got a
black eye from detaining a tourist and strip searching her while moving her
from one prison to another simply because se did not have her license with
her.)

Overall, though, Louisiana is no worse than Texas for speed traps and
general highway driving when it comes to law enforcement. Louisiana drivers
are another matter, though. They do tend to drive lazy. Sometimes slow and
in the left lane and they treat turn signals like they were an option their
vehicle didn't come with. If someone looks like they might drift into your
lane, chances are they will, so be ready for it. That's just how they tend
to change lanes and no amount of cajoling will get them to start using a
signal. I'd think it was something you were born with if I didn't know
better form personal experience!

That's about it, except that Louisiana roads tend to be less well maintained
than Texas roads. Then again, considering the type of land (or marsh) those
roads were built on, it's not surprising the kind of shape they are in or
that somewhere along the line you are sure to run into road construction
that will slow you to a crawl.

Beyond that, I hope you get a chance to spend a little time in New Orleans.
It will be the week right after Mardi Gras, which tends to be a little
quieter than usual, but it's still a great place t visit. Especially for the
food! I sure do miss the food.

Honos Servio,
Lionardo Acquistapace, Bjornsborg
(Lenny Zimmermann, San Antonio - but native New Orleanian)
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