eThoughts : The World and The Road

Recently I had occasion to take a road trip. I like this kind of adventure–it’s generally not difficult, mostly the problems are easily handleable, and it feels like I’m getting somewhere.
But there is the issue of other drivers (of course I’m not included in that “other” driver category). I’m continually amazed with the “rules” of the road and the manifestation of personalities when it comes to piloting our vehicles.

Years ago, I thought it would make a good descriptive study to film drivers on the road, find an ethical way to stop them, and then ask the driver’s opinion about the state of the world and their assessment needed to correct that state. After getting their answer, I would show them the film of their driving, which I’m guessing would mimic all the things they had just claimed were wrong with the world.

I’d probably need body armor.

That cigarette butt that just flew out the window, complete with a filter that will outlast cockroaches, will be on the earth how long compared to your car?

Oh, there are people to clean that up, eh?

Well we wouldn’t want your ashtray to become dirty, or the car to have cigarette-butt smells (never mind about the second-hand smoke that permeates the vehicle).

And besides, what’s the difference, the road is already trashed and besides, rotting on the road or rotting in a dump is still about the earth, right?

No one else is paying attention, why should you?

Landing in another car is a slim possibility.

Starting a fire is not a concern.

Spreading trash all over is about the same as having it in one spot, right?

Cut and paste your favorite out-the-window item and I’m sure you would get about the same reaction–indignation.

Ugh!

How about those law-abiding citizens who won’t go over the speed limit?

But they have no problem driving right next to another law-abiding citizen going the same speed. And they have no problem doing it for miles at a time. Never mind that California law requires a driver to yield to faster traffic where possible.

Then there are the cautious ones that must maintain 50 car lengths between themselves and the next vehicle in front of them. It doesn’t matter that we’re going 20 mph due to “congestion” (read–too many knuckleheads who can’t figure out what an accelerator, brake, or steering wheel are for–though you can bet they know how to program their audio system, input cell-phone numbers, read a magazine, or put on make-up, all while “driving”). And, since there is such a big space between cars, if another vehicle pulls in front of our overly cautious driver, they’ll just slow down to maintain the city block distance.

What do we get–we get a parking lot.

Then there are those that maintain 50 centimeters between themselves and the car in front, no matter what the speed. It’s fine I suppose as long as one is on the psychic hotline to figure out what the person in front is going to do. I suppose that’s who they’re on the phone with.

And what’s with all of the big rigs driving in the fast lane? Waiting for that left turn in the next county? Oh, most are in the middle lane you say. How did that happen–because the DMV announced that is the lane subject to the least impediments? After all, merging traffic is on the right and fast traffic is on the left.

Right.

We wouldn’t want too much maneuvering to go on–driving is not supposed to be dynamic. After all, 55 in the middle lane is a realistic speed on the freeway.

And what is with the merging abilities of drivers? Enter the freeway at freeway speeds if at all possible. Many seem to think they should wait until another lane is built before proceeding.

I’ve left out an encyclopedia of problems, but you get the idea.

It is my observation that it’s the same mess on the freeways or in urban areas or on most mountain roads nowadays. The world ends 6 inches past the bellybutton and the car is the sacred and personal domain of the driver. The outside world might as well be a screen saver.

Am I guilty of any of the above?

Sometimes, mostly in the realm of driving too close (no, not 50 centimeters). That’s the trouble I suppose–how can one discern a particular moment from a driving pattern? It’s not so easy to be too arrogant.

How does this parallel interpersonal behavior in other areas?

What if we learned that the first rule of driving was to create a space? What if we applied that rule to our interpersonal behaviors? Lead, follow, or get out of the way as the saying goes. Everybody gets their way most of the time. Not a bad plan.

The trouble is in the application. We can’t be bothered, whether it’s inside our bodies or our cars or our nations. That’s the pattern that bothers me, regardless of those moments we screw it up.

Want to know about the overall level of human evolution?

Take a look at the general pattern of behavior on the roads and highways.

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