Monday, October 12, 2009

We're All in the Same Boat

We travel amidst a sea of drivers who act as if they are invisibly cocooned in their vehicles. We seat-belt into our vehicles and begin a new journey. We sometimes forget that these are real people, with families, lives, jobs and deadlines. When we're rushing to an important meeting, cutting it close to be on time for an appointment or clearly running late, we tend to think only of our need for speed. Ever wonder how many other drivers are in your same situation? I rarely do, but everything is connected, and I imagine that my scenario is readily replicated.

We all recognize idiot drivers when they interrupt our journey. How often do we stop to think that some of the things that these idiot drivers are doing "that irritate us and disrupt our journey" are things that we've also done when we are distracted or in a hurry?

I get frustrated with those who ignore my turn signal, tailgate, think that the multiple warnings that the lane is ending don't apply to them, linger at a green light and who drive more slowly than seems possible. I'm alarmed by those who recklessly change lanes at a high rate of speed, those who carry over-sized and under-secured loads and those who weave distractedly, sleepily or impaired from the lane in which they are traveling.

I am always appreciative of drivers who indulge my adrenaline rush and acknowledge my left turn signal as I attempt to move 4 lanes left within half a block and then navigate a high speed 4 leftward-bound lane change in less than a tollway mile. It's not for the faint-hearted.

Where better than our streets, roads, highways, freeways and tollways to practice the Golden Rule?

The idiot drivers I've encountered are numerous, but thankfully I've also encountered equal numbers of considerate drivers who realize that we're all in this together (everything's connected).

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