I’m going to have a moan now, because I can!!
This morning, I was driving to work as I always do (because I’ve given up cartwheeling there, hurts my hips too much – haha!).
Anyway, driving along down this bypass road, there is one section where it splits into two lanes at these lights. This has a couple of reasons. One is that there is a left turn there, so people can turn left, and the other is that if there is a lower lorry or bus etc, it gives some drivers chance to get passed.
As you go over the lights the two lanes then filter back into one again. Simples!
Most of them time, people mingle in and filter just fine, a near side in, outside in, near side in, take it in turns kind of thing. This morning however, I was over the lights and back onto where it filters into one lane when this woman appeared out of nowhere. I checked quickly out of my rear view and there was loads of room behind me, but she decided in her wisdom that she wanted to be in front of me, so she even had to skirt into the other lane to get passed me. WHY???
Because she was a complete idiot. What was the point of that! I hooted my horn but she just drove on oblivious or embarrassed or something. She really was stupid. It caused me to slam on my brakes to avoid her hitting me and I’m sorry I’ve got no time for stupid drivers. Is she SO important that it was worth getting into an accident for? Nope. Is she going to miss an almighty important appointment? I don’t care, if you are late, you should have started out earlier.
I was asked once, what would you do if your child or someone you loved had an accident and you wanted to get them to hospital? A group of us was asked the same question. There were many who said ‘I’d put them in the car and drive them there’ to which the reply came ‘but do you think anyone else on the road would know you were trying to get to hospital, or would they simply see your erratic and impatient driving as rudeness?’.
He was right. Take a scenario. You are on your way somewhere, work or school, or shopping etc. You come to a HUGE queue and you are sitting there waiting to filter in when someone in their car stops and waves you in. You wave them back thanks and you feel happier, instantly. What this is likely to then do is encourage you to then give way to someone else maybe trying to filter in and so fourth carries on the good behaviour.
Take the same scenario, and no-one lets you in, and you have to force in. You are now grumpy and you are all probably thinking ‘to hell with this’ for letting anyone else in either. Your behaviour has a huge impact on others, and when you drive badly, it affects everyone.
The man who drove badly who hit us and caused our car accident in 2002 did not think about the consequences of what he did when he did not give way on the crossroads that morning. He didn’t think either I suspect passed the accident, the fact that two cars were damaged, that insurance would get sorted and everyone would go about their business. Not the fact that he was uninsured, gave false details, and because of his behaviour has cost me 8 years in pain and a life sentence of Fibromyalgia. I wonder if I saw him now, would he be guilty about that? Would he even care that his one action, all of a few seconds, has cost me the rest of my life in pain? Interesting question....
So, just think when you are out and about, no matter how idiotic someone else is, be calm, stay cool, do the right thing, it will pay dividends in the end for you. As for them, they will probably end up wrapped round a tree. I will feel sorry for the tree...
