“The Creep”, “The Pack”, and “The Blocker”

I wanted to give a short insight into 3 particular keys regarding driving in the Sandbox.  They can be best explained by giving them appropriate names.

The Creep

“The Creep” refers to the ever so subtle yet ever so present inching forward of cars on a cross street waiting to try to cross a larger road or enter a round-a-bout.  There are often 2 lane roads with heavy traffic (4 cars wide) that don’t have any continuous traffic breaks in them.  So, when there is a slight partial gap, people employ “The Creep” to slowly cut off the first, then second, third, etc., lanes of traffic until they have successfully made it through the intersection.  This happens at both uncontrolled intersections and those controlled by traffic lights.  One needs to always be aware that cars from side roads may “creep” right in front of one’s car at any instant.

One may wonder how “The Creep” can be effective?  Wouldn’t the “creeping” car simply be smashed by oncoming traffic?  As a defensive techinque, those drivers that are being “creeped upon” can employ the “lane swerve”, which I won’t itemize here but which is probably somewhat self evident.  The rest of “The Creep’s” effectiveness lies in item two: “The Pack”.

The Pack

“The Pack” is effectively a group of “creepers”.  When trying to cross a busy road, one creeper alone doesn’t have the ability to creep all the way across.  The oncoming cars are coming too fast.  Enter “The Pack”.  A group of cars side by side (sometimes 4 or 5 wide) that together start “The Creep”.  Once they start “The Creep” together, “The Pack” has the ability to slow the oncoming traffic as they pose a greater threat.  Once the oncoming traffic slows, it provides more gaps for continual “creeping”.  Eventually “The Pack” successfully cuts off the oncoming traffic, and the other direction must gather together it’s own Pack to counter.

The Blocker

Lastly is “The Blocker”.  When one is part of “The Pack” (or is simply going through a round-a-bout), there is an essential element to ensure one’s safety: taking advantage of “The Blocker”.  “The Blocker” is the vehicle that is the “most upstream” member of “The Pack”, or is simply a bigger car (busses and trucks work nicely) on one’s left that will absorb any oncoming traffic.  Buses are particularly effective as they are long enough to hide behind.  If one has a bus as “The Blocker” then one can proceed to creep along with the bus not fearing any harm or from or offense given to the oncoming traffic.

“Find The Blocker and shadow him!” is my personal motto for making it through difficult intersections as part of “The Pack” which is corporately engaged in “The Creep”.

Below is another good blocker, the ubiquitous custom-painted Mitsubishi truck.

truck2