I am so frustrated with other drivers, particularly in this part of the world. When did everyone become so selfish, so self important, so self destructive? Since Sunday I have avoided at least 5 fender benders. If I was texting behind the wheel, chatting on my cellphone, doing my make up, or eating, as some of the other people were, terrible things may have happened, as neither driver would have been aware of the imminent danger.
Used to be that a car was used primarily as a mode of transport, to get you from Point A to Point B and back again. These days the car is a form of residence. We eat there, we nap there, we work from our cars. We live in them. The days of driving just to drive are long gone. Because we all have become such expert multi-taskers, driving needs to be done in tandem with other things or else we feel as if we are wasting time.
Drinking and driving is dangerous. We all know that. People are still idiots and these idiots still drink and get behind the wheel. But people who would not drive drunk will still put themselves and others in danger. (and I am not saying I have never been guilty of being distracted while on the road).
They make hands free cellphone ear pieces, or speakerphones. There is no reason on G-d’s green earth that a person needs to talk on the cellphone while driving. Pull over to the side, return the call. If you feel you need to talk on the phone, use the ear piece, but be sure you can still concentrate on the roads. (it’s the age old need vs want conundrum. The subject for a future post)
There was a lady on the highway, chatting on her non-hands-free phone, in bumper to bumper traffic, and when the traffic slowed (not stopped) to a crawl, she decided to touch up her make up, while chatting on the phone. When the person behind her honked her as the traffic sped up while she was meticulously lengthening her lashes and gabbing, she gave the driver the finger……yes I was that driver and was not happy.
Is it that because there is a metal cage around us that we feel secure? Or that because maybe we’ve not yet been in a serious car crash that we feel invincible?
Most if not all of the multi-tasking that I have mentioned is a choice. But as every parent knows, there is nothing quite like a child to distract you when behind the wheel. It takes a lot to interact with the child when s/he is talking to you, and keep your eyes on the road. Factor in cellphones, returning emails and or texts, food, make-up, reading the paper / a book, lighting a cigarette that refuses to be lit, shavers (yep, seen that too) – it’s no wonder there are so many accidents.
Please, people, please be careful out there. We only have one life to live, let’s please live it safely.
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If you have seen any “interesting” behaviour out there on the road, please share it here in the comments. Thanks.
3 responses so far ↓
Jack // March 18, 2008 at 9:54 pm |
They make hands free cellphone ear pieces, or speakerphones. There is no reason on G-d’s green earth that a person needs to talk on the cellphone while driving
When you spend hours in the car as I do it becomes necessary to use the phone to conduct business.
hadassahsabo // March 18, 2008 at 10:16 pm |
Jack i apologize, my mommyhood biases me. as a mommy, a full time non-working out of the house mommy, i tend to see things only as they apply to me.
but would you conduct business on the phone if you were driving on icy roads, poor visibility, and were worried that your tires would lose traction? probably not – i guess this is where judgement comes into play. and many ppl out there lack that good judgement call.
Jack // March 19, 2008 at 12:28 am |
You are absolutely correct. If road conditions are miserable than I shut things down. It is the smart thing to do.