If you’re not from Texas and you’re thinking about taking a little traveling vacation through West Texas, then I have a few tips for you. By the way, when I say travel I mean from one little town to another (or even city to town) but I’m predominantly talking about highway travel here.
For hard and fast state laws and regulations you can find a wealth of information at Findlaw or the Texas DPS website. But I’m going to tell you about a few things that aren’t official but will take the mystery out of your cross-country trip.
- Friendliness: People really do drive friendly in Texas. If you are driving on a two-lane highway do not be surprised if as a car comes towards you and passes you the driver raises a finger (or even the whole hand) to wave at you. Please note that unless you are driving erratically or the gesture is accompanied by a honk and yell this is normally a very friendly gesture. Try it out for yourself (just make sure to use the correct finger – index versus middle) and you’ll be amazed at how many waves you get back!
- Strange Passing Rituals: If you happen to be traveling along a two lane highway and find yourself quickly gaining on a car in front of you, please do not panic if you see that car suddenly veer off to the right and drive on the shoulder. Texans are very considerate for the most part and the person in front of you is giving you the opportunity to pass them so that your travel is not slowed and you are not inconvenienced. Granted this can be a bit disconcerting when you are driving at speeds in excess of 70. Your best bet is to get past them quickly before a curve appears or they veer just a tad bit too far and gravel begins flying up at your car. Is this legal? Who knows! But it is a fact of life on Texas two-lanes. Now you will also understand why that car that just flew up behind you is flashing their lights, tailgating, and honking. They are expecting you to pull over so that they can pass.
- Do Not Run Out Of Gas: Pay very close attention to your map and know the distances your car can travel…even when sitting on empty. It is entirely possible to go hundreds of miles on country roads and not pass an open gas station. If you are driving late at night the odds double that the stores will be closed in the little towns that you are passing through.
- Make Sure You Have In-Car Entertainment For The Kids: Do not count on the passing scenery to entice your little ones for very long. If you are in West Texas you will find miles and miles of flat country with little to no variety in the scenery. Texas has a wild and beautiful feel to it but it is also a wide and long state and it literally takes hours to get from one location to another.
Well those are all the tips I have for now, hopefully it will be enough to make you feel like a Texas native while you are traversing our rugged countryside. Have you ever driven across Texas on a trip? If so, do you have any additional tips you would like to see here? Or possibly something happened while driving that you did not understand at the time and still puzzles you? If so, just let me know and I will do my best to take the mystery out of driving across Texas!
Until next time . . .
Paige aka PJsTravelinTexas
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8 Responses
None of this happens in California. Not the friendly wave, the helpful pullover or the lack of gas stations. Wait, that is a bit of an exaggeration, we still need entertainment for the kids. That’s universal.
How often have I wished that we had the same courtesy that you describe as a strange passing ritual here in the UK!
I grew up in good ol’ Texas, and I can attest to the ‘waving habit.’
The last time I visited my parents, my father and I were driving on a highway just like the one pictured. Another car approached, and my dad waved. “Do you know him?” I asked. “No,” my dad replied, “just bein’ friendly!”
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Well, it is a really big state, as you said. Waving at a fellow motorist might be the only human contact you have for hours.
Some other recommendations:nibbling on beef jerky is a must…as well as eating at all the little dive diners that you come across on the road.
Hi there driving course - my dream is to someday drive in the UK . . . if for nothing else than to experience what life is like driving on the other side of the road! I promise to let you know if I head that way so that you can stay off the streets as it will likely be a tad dangerous for everyone else! *laugh*
Paige
Hi Ali-oop,
I can’t believe I forgot about the beef jerky (and don’t forget the other mystery meat - “Snap Into A Slim Jim”)! Another snack that I invariably see people eating bags of as I’m driving is the old-time favorite Pork Rinds (split evenly between normal, BBQ, and Hot ‘N Spicy of course)!
Paige
I’m 45 now. I’ve been doing this trip thru west texas to houston since i was a kid. Before in car dvd’s or psp’s, game boys etc,etc. We would make up our own games like getting big rig drivers to honk, trying to find familiar shapes in the mesa’s and hilltops in the distance. Not too exciting but we seemed to find ways to keep ourselves entertained. Always liked the gas stops and rest areas to go exploring. with what little time we had.
I remember before I-10 was completed we had to detour to a winding mountain road, but i don’t remember where it was. Does anyone know where it may be?