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I hear you Thymeclock. I only used the shoulder once, I do not plan to make a habit of it. Special circumstance use only.
Oh, on my last trip I had to use the shoulder twice, not for FE, but for safety.
#1 I had a state owned van, (should be setting the example) fly up on my tail (I was going 55 in a 55) it had a light bar on it but it was off. He flashed his head lights at me and hugged my bumper. I will not speed up for jerks. He took the next chance to pass, which was not a good choice as there was not much space. He floors it on past me and this county plow truck was coming the other way. I hit the shoulder (so did the plow truck) to allow the jerk to get back into the lane before being crunched. The state van flies on up the road (must have been going 70+). 10 min later I see it parked in a restaurant lot (same tag #). I do not see why he needed to risk his and my life to get to lunch 1 min sooner.
#2
A cop car has someone pulled over on the other side of the road. I MI you must slow down or move over a lane for emergency cars. This cop car has his bumper in the traffic lane (not on the shoulder). He was also getting out of the car. Trying to pass him is a whole string of cars. I had two options, be a jerk and stay in my lane and make these cars come to a stop and wait to pass or use the wide shoulder (used as a lane during construction zones) and let the cars by. I took the shoulder and let the other cars use half of my lane to pass the cop. I got an odd look from the cop (seeing my odd car) then a friendly nod of the head for my move.
I call this appropriate threat avoidance (defensive driving).
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