Slugging Etiquette Rule #2

Rule #2: A slug does not ask to change the radio station or adjust the heat or air conditioning.

This is another main rule listed on the slugging website that I've seen both followed and completely disregarded. The first part of the rule regarding the radio station, in my opinion, is a given. It's their car, their radio, and you should just listen to what they have on without complaining.

The lady who was telling stories about That Guy told me one about another lady that she is actually friends with, but can be a bit overwhelming to deal with sometimes, telling her (not asking) to turn down her radio. The driver is someone I enjoy riding with, but her music is a bit out there, and definitely not my type. I have put my headphones in before when I was in her car, because it was extra loud that day, but usually I just deal with it. This woman actually said, "Turn down your music!" The driver was rather put off by the nature of her friend's request, and That Guy happened to be in her car as well. When she responded to her friend, she said, "For YOU, I will," as if to send a message to the guy in the passenger seat.

I've never heard anyone else tell a driver to change their radio station or turn it down, and I have witnessed a wide variety of radio choices by the drivers. One driver I like to call Spanish Reggaeton because the couple of times I rode with him in the morning he was blasting it on his radio. 8am, man. Then there's Republican Guy who I like to ride with because I think the morning talk show is hilarious, but I'm sure not everyone that rides with him likes listening to it as it's usually pretty controversial conversations. I've ridden with drivers that play classical music, NPR radio, hot 99.5, and even audio books. The audio book lady was particularly uncomfortable because it was some sort of romantic novel. Very awkward. I definitely put my headphones in during that car ride, but the volume on her radio was up there so it was hard to shut it out.

The second part of the rule regarding the temperature in the car is a separate subject. Often the drivers will inquire as to whether it's too hot or too cold in their car, out of courtesy. Unless it's at an extreme one way or the other, I just reply with, "I'm fine." But I have ridden in a few cars either in the summer when they didn't have air conditioning, or the winter when they were absolutely blasting the heat, where I've said otherwise or tried to make my discomfort noticable to get them to adjust the temperature.

One driver didn't have AC in his car, and my friend, V, was riding in the same car as me that day. He had the windows rolled down going about 80 mph on the HOV lanes and the wind was blowing in our faces. V finally spoke up and asked him if he could roll the windows up, and that's when he told her he didn't have AC. She turns him down now as a result of numerous bad experiences in his car and she's never turned down a driver before. I think if it's really that cold or hot in their car, it's acceptable to politely ask if they would mind turning the air up or down, or rolling up the windows.

Most people won't be offended or appalled that you asked if you ask to turn the temperature up or down politely, but if you do it in a rude way that's where it could burn some slugging bridges. And it's not the same as telling them to change their radio station, so this rule is really two rules in one.