In the Belly of the Beast 3-Blue Highways

Secondary roads, two or four lane highways with intersections, driveways, and speed limits in the 45-55 range, are usually colored blue on road maps, hence the title.   They usually follow the contour of the land they cross, giving us a lovely drive that includes hills curves and sometimes very odd turns.

I remember driving US Route 36 from Indianapolis to Denver, a road generally straight as a ruler except for  a ninety degree turn south about eight miles into Colorado.  After two miles or so there's another ninety that puts one back on the track west.  There is no mountain, lake, house, or anything else keeping the road from continuing straight, so the strangeness of that jog has always intrigued me. 

These roads need our attention in several ways:

1 - Two way traffic traveling at speed with no median to keep oncoming vehicles out of your lane.  The dangers here should be obvious, but just in case they're not, remember my dad's advice.  Your attention to vehicles coming at you needs to compensate for the possibility that said vehicle is driven by someone who is not paying attention.  Here, and in all traffic situations for that matter, have an escape route.  The best way I've found to train your brain to do that is to play "what if" while there is no traffic to worry about.  Example: where would you go if an oncoming vehicle were to veer into your lane?  How would you avoid contact, minimize contact, leave the road safely?  Do this often enough and it becomes a reaction rather than a decision process.

2 - Intersections with traffic waiting to either cross or join you on your road.  Expect anything.

3 - Driveways. Same.

4 - Left turns.  Here I'm talking about you making the turn.  If there is a left turn lane then one of your problems is minimized - being rear-ended while you wait for clearance.  Regardless of whether you are in a reserved left turn lane or not, always keep your front wheels pointed straight ahead.  Do not anticipate by turning your steering wheels to the left, because a rear-ender will drive you into the oncoming lane.

5 - Hills you can't see over and corners you can't see around.  I once rounded a corner on a country road at speed and confronted an Angus steer.  I managed to avoid it but ... well you can imagine.  Don't out drive your line of sight.  At night you at least have a chance of seeing an oncoming car by its headlights, but you still don't know which lane it's in.

A public road can be a scarey place so be prepared.