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Driving with the Entitled
Few things irk me more than people who drive in a manner that suggests that they believe themselves to be The Chosen One. Though I confess to not being the world’s most faithful speed limit adherent, I try to be courteous in my driving. But like many, I am subject to the impulses that underlie road rage. My hackles get up when encountering cell-phone abusing drivers, cutters-off, and generally oblivious drivers dangerously weaving about as if they were the only people on the road. But while my temperature rises and my language becomes more colorful — unless there are kids in my car — I can generally avoid seeing red.
Except in school zones.
Yesterday, I was passing through one on a 4-lane, divided road when some lady drove right up to my rear bumper, swerved around me — cutting off someone else — and dove back in front of me before speeding away. Fortunately, there were no kids around at the moment; unfortunately, however, neither was the cop who occasionally monitors the area.
For a split second, a massive rage of righteous indignation sprang up inside me. I wanted nothing more than to hit the accelerator, follow her all the way to wherever she was going, read her the riot act, take a picture of her car tag, and otherwise shame her for putting other people in danger. In that split second, the world was colored blood red through my eyes.
Luckily, I had the presence of mind to remember that I was still in the school zone. I kept the rage in check, and before long, she was gone and out of sight. But a day later, my anger still simmers.
I am painfully aware of my own fallibility and susceptibility to emotion. But is it that hard to be courteous? Is it that hard to not lord oneself over others, putting oneself at the head of the line with no regard to the chain reaction that occurs in your wake?
It’s a school zone, for crying out loud! An extra minute or two isn’t going to cost you that much. The alternative could be much worse.
Published in General
Interesting. What’s the source for that data?
Following the trail, I fail to find it.
http://www.nbcnews.com/business/autos/buckle-most-dangerous-states-drivers-f799704
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http://247wallst.com/special-report/2012/05/24/the-most-dangerous-states-to-drive-in/2/
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http://healthyamericans.org/report/94/
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http://healthyamericans.org/assets/files/Investing.pdf
But the PDF doesn’t mention “auto” “motor” or “motor vehicle.”
I also tried searching for some of the statistics from the article, such as a statistic from the nbcnews Mississipi quote (same quote on page 3 of 23wallstreet link)
Didn’t find it in the PDF. Go figure.
Aren’t they all riding bikes though?
I have actually seen this other places, so I just ran a Google search for highway fatalities by state. There are many sources that came up. You have to hunt around on some of them, such as the CDC site, so I picked the one that was the easiest to read.
My kids lived in Montana for a while, so it was interesting to see Montana at the top and Massachusetts at the bottom.
Heh, when I had to go to Boston for work, Mr C. advised me not to make eye contact with other drivers. Sign of weakness. ;-)
In New England, we don’t bother watching NASCAR, because it would be a kind of busman’s holiday. Why would I spend my weekends watching people simulate the morning commute?
“Aren’t they all riding bikes though?”
Or unicycles…
The cyclists are the worst. Except for the pedestrians. They are the worst. Except the motorists. They are the worst.
This just made my day. :)